MNN: Kellog's cereal recall due to petrochemical

An understudied chemical called methylnaphthalene leached from the packaging into Kellogg's cereals, causing people to get nauseous and vomit.

Mother Nature Network, Siel Ju
Published July 13, 2010

Kellogg's recalled four funky-smelling cereals late last month — and now we know what funky chemical was causing the foul odor. Methylnaphthalene is the petrochemical that caused nausea and vomiting — and a recall for Kellogg’s Apple Jacks, Corn Pops, Froot Loops, and Honey Smacks. Methylnaphthalene isn’t an ingredient in these cereals — or at least isn’t supposed to be. The petrochemical’s actually just used in the packaging for these cereals — but apparently leached into the sugar-laden “food.” How concerned should you be if you plugged your nose and ate the foul-smelling edible food-like substance anyway? We don’t know. According to the Environmental Working Group, “health agencies know very little about its safety” — though the few studies that have been done do show some cause for concern: Click here to read this post.