CoalitionforSaferFoodProcessing&Packaging

June14,2017BernardoHeesChiefExecutiveOfficer TheKraftHeinzCompany200E.RandolphStreet,Suite7600Chicago,IL60601Re:ChemicalsofHighConcerntoChildren’sHealthFoundinYourProductsDearMr.Hees:Weknowthatfoodsafetyisahighpriorityforyourcompanyandyourcustomers.That’swhy,asanationalcoalitionofconsumerhealthadvocates,we’reaskingyoutoeliminatetoxicindustrialchemicalsknownasortho-phthalatesfromyourfoodproducts.Wewillbebeginningapublicoutreachefforttoeducateconsumersaboutthisissue.Wehavedetectedortho-phthalates(hereinafter“phthalates”)insomeofyourproductsusingvalidatedanalyticalmethodsataqualifiedindependentlaboratory.Wewouldliketomeetwithyoutoshareourtestresultsandfurtherdiscussthisfoodsafetyconcern.Ourpublicoutreachcampaignwillsharethebroadresultsofourtesting.Wearenotplanningonreleasingproductspecificdatatothepublicatpresentandwouldwelcometheopportunitytodiscussthedatawithyou,butweneedtohearbackfromyoubyJune30asdiscussedbelow.Phthalatesarewidelyusedinfoodprocessing,foodpackagingandotherproducts,fromwhichtheyreadilyescape,oftenendingupinAmerica’sfavoritefoods.Forpregnantwomenandyoungchildren,whoarethemostvulnerablegroups,foodisoftenthenumberonesourceofphthalatesexposure.Andfattyfoods,includingdairyproducts,tendtobethegreatestcontributorofdietaryexposuretophthalates.1Manyscientistsbelievethatcurrentlevelsofexposuretophthalatesareunsafe,especiallyforvulnerablepopulations.2SincealmostallAmericansareexposeddailytophthalates,3thepotentialhealthimpactsmaybegreat.Cumulativeexposuretofivephthalatesreachesunacceptablelevelsinupto600,000Americanwomenofreproductiveage,accordingtogovernmentexperts,basedonjustonemeasureoffetaltoxicity.4Physiciansandhealthscientistshaveraisedseriousconcernsabouttheharmthatelevatedphthalateexposureposestothedevelopingbrainandmalereproductiveorgansduringpregnancy.Studiesinchildrenhavelinkedprenatalexposuretosomephthalateswithneurodevelopmentalproblemsincludingattentiondeficithyperactivitydisorder(ADHD)-likebehavior,antisocialbehavior(e.g.,aggressionanddepression),andpoorlearningandmemory.5Otherstudiesfoundthatboysexposedprenatallytocertain

LettertoTheKraftHeinzCompanyfromtheCoalitionforSaferFoodProcessing&Packaging

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phthalatesweremorelikelytohavegenitalbirthdefectsthathaveserioushealthimplications.6Laboratorystudiesconfirmandstrengthenthesefindings.7Phthalatesarehighproductionvolumechemicalsthatarewidelyusedasplasticizers(tosoftensyntheticpolymerslikeplasticandrubber),solvents,andaschemicalproductionaids.Phthalatesmigrateintofoodfromtubing,hoses,conveyorbelts,gloves,seals,gasketsandotherfoodprocessingequipmentandmaterials;phthalatesalsomigrateintofoodfromtheiruseinfoodpackaging,includinginadhesives,paperandpaperboard,printerinks,coatings,andfromsealantsusedonmetalcansandlids.8Fortunately,saferalternativesarealreadycommerciallyavailableformanyusesofphthalates.9Asamajorfoodproductmanufacturer,withyourgreatpowerinthemarketplacecomesgreatresponsibility.Giventhatphthalatesarepresentinsomeofyourproducts,andbasedonthebestavailablescienceandgrowingconsumerconcern,webelieveyoushouldseektoeliminateallsourcesofthesechemicalsinyourpackaging,processingfacilities,andentiresupplychain.Therefore,werespectfullyrequestthatyoutakethefollowingactions:1. NolaterthanJune30,agreetomeaningfullyengagewithusinanongoingdialogue

aimedateliminatingthesourcesofphthalatespresentinyourfoodproducts;

2. Within12monthsadoptanactionplantoeliminateallsourcesofphthalatesinyourfoodproductsassoonaspracticable.Webelievetheelementsofthatactionplanshould,ataminimum,includeandbeinformedby:

a. Aninvestigationtoidentifyandcharacterizeallsourcesofphthalatesthroughoutyoursupplychain,manufacturingprocess,andpackagingmaterials;

b. Adoptionofacorporatepolicytoimmediatelyendallnewusesofphthalatesinallnewlyacquiredequipment,materials,suppliesorfacilitiesbyyourcompanyandyoursuppliers,withcertificationthatsuchnewusesarefreeofphthalates;

c. Anoptionsanalysisorengineeringassessmentthatinformsyourprioritiesforsubstitutingphthalateswithsaferalternativesforallsources,takingpotentialexposurereduction,costs,andfeasibilityintoaccount;

d. Atimelinewithbenchmarksforeliminatingphthalatesinyourfoodproductsbyadatecertain;and

e. Publicdisclosureoftheresultsofyourinvestigation,policyadoption,optionsanalysis,andactionplanwithtimelineandbenchmarks.

WeappreciatetheeffortrequiredtoaddressthegrowingpublicconcernwithphthalatesintheU.S.foodsupply.Wecanprovidetechnicalassistancetohelpyousolvethisproblem.Werequestameetingatyourearliestconveniencetodiscusstheseconcernsandastrategyfortimelyendingthepresenceofphthalatesinyourfoodproducts.PleasecontactPatrickMacRoyatpmacroy@preventharm.orgor(207)699-5796forscheduling.

LettertoTheKraftHeinzCompanyfromtheCoalitionforSaferFoodProcessing&Packaging

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Thankyouforyourcommitmenttofoodsafetyandcustomersatisfaction.WelookforwardtoyourresponsebyJune30.Respectfullysubmitted,

MichaelBelliveau,ExecutiveDirectorEnvironmentalHealthStrategyCenter

ErikOlson,Director,HealthProgramSeniorStrategicDirector–FoodandAg.NaturalResourcesDefenseCouncil

MarkA.MitchellM.D.,MPH,FACPM,Co-ChairNationalMedicalAssociationCommissiononEnvironmentalHealth

PeterLehner,SeniorAttorneyEarthjustice

PatriciaLillie,PresidentLearningDisabilitiesAssociationofAmerica

CharlotteBrody,RN,NationalDirectorHealthyBabiesBrightFutures

GillianZ.Miller,PhD,StaffScientistEcologyCenter

AndrewKimbrell,ExecutiveDirectorCenterforFoodSafety

LisaY.Lefferts,MSPH,SeniorScientistCenterforScienceinthePublicInterest

MikeSchade,CampaignDirectorSaferChemicals,HealthyFamilies

TedSchettlerMD,MPH,ScienceDirectorScienceandEnvironmentalHealthNetwork

LaurieValeriano,ExecutiveDirectorToxic-FreeFuture

JoséBravo,ExecutiveDirector,JustTransitionAlliance&NationalCoordinator,CampaignforHealthierSolutions CecilD.Corbin-Mark,DeputyDirectorWEACTforEnvironmentalJustice

SarahDoll,NationalDirectorSaferStates

LettertoTheKraftHeinzCompanyfromtheCoalitionforSaferFoodProcessing&Packaging

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cc: HowardFriedman,Head,U.S.Meat&DairyBusiness,TheKraftHeinzCompanyMichaelMullen,SeniorVicePresidentofCorporateandGovernmentAffairs, TheKraftHeinzCompanyKurtDeibel,VPFoodSafety&Quality–Americas,TheKraftHeinzCompanyMarcPerrone,President,UnitedFoodandCommercialWorkersInternationalUnionJamesHoffa,Jr.,GeneralPresident,InternationalBrotherhoodofTeamsters

SourcesCited:1SerranoSE,BraunJ,TrasandeL,DillsR,SathyanarayanaS(2014)Phthalatesanddiet:areviewoffoodmonitoringandepidemiologydata.EnvironmentalHealth13:43http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1476-069X-13-43;SeealsoFootnote7,CHAPReport,AppendixE-3,DietaryPhthalateExposure.2Diamanti-KandarakisE,BourguignonJ-P,GiuduceLC,HauserR,PrinsGS,SotoAM,ZoellerT,GoreAC(2009)Endocrine-DisruptingChemicals:AnEndocrineSocietyScientificStatementEndocrineReviews30(4):293-342http://dx.doi.org/10.1210/er.2009-0002;NationalResearchCouncil(2009)ScienceandDecisions:AdvancingRiskAssessment,CommitteeonImprovingRiskAnalysisApproachesUsedbytheU.S.EPA.https://www.nap.edu/catalog/12209/science-and-decisions-advancing-risk-assessment.3ZotaAR,CalafatAM,WoodruffTJ(2014)TemporalTrendsinPhthalateExposures:FindingsfromtheNationalHealthandNutritionExaminationSurvey,2001-2010EnvironmentalHealthPerspectives122(3):235-241http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1306681.4CPSC.EstimatedPhthalateExposureandRisktoWomenofReproductiveAgeasAssessedUsing2013/2014NHANESBiomonitoringData,U.S.ConsumerProductSafetyCommission,CPSC/EXHR/TR—17/XXX,February2017.https://www.cpsc.gov/s3fs-public/Estimated%20Phthalate%20Exposure%20and%20Risk%20to%20Women%20of%20Reproductive%20Age%20as%20Assessed%20Using%202013%202014%20NHANES%20Biomonitoring%20Data.pdf5See,forexample,ProjectTENDR:TargetingEnvironmentalNeuroDevelopmentalRisks:(1)ConsensusStatementwithendorsingscientificorganizations:http://projecttendr.com/consensus-statement/(2)ProjectTENDRonPhthalates:http://projecttendr.com/chemicals-and-pollutants/phthalates/,and(3)Publishedreport:BennettD,BellingerDC,BirnbaumLA,BradmanA,ChenA,Cory-SlechtaDA,EngelSM,FallinMD,HalladayA,HauserR,Hertz-PicciottoI,KwiatkowskiCF,LanphearBP,MarquezE,MartyM,McPartlandJ,NewschafferCJ,Payne-SturgesD,PatisaulHB,PereraFP,RitzB,SassJ,SchantzSL,WebsterTF,WhyattRM,WoodruffTJ,ZoellerRT,AnderkoL,CampbellC,ConryJA,DeNicolaN,GouldRM,HirtzD,HufflingK,LandriganPJ,LavinA,MillerM,MitchellMA,RubinL,SchettlerT,TranHL,AcostaA,BrodyC,MillerE,MillerP,SwansonM,WitherspoonNO.ProjectTENDR:TargetingEnvironmentalNeuro-DevelopmentalRisks.TheTENDRConsensusStatement.EnvironmentalHealthPerspectives124:A118-A122;http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/EHP358.6ReporttotheU.S.ConsumerProductSafetyCommissionbytheChronicHazardAdvisoryPanelonPhthalatesandPhthalatesAlternatives,July2014,(“CHAPReport”);Seepp.27-29.https://www.cpsc.gov/s3fs-public/CHAP-REPORT-With-Appendices.pdf.7CHAPReport;Seereviewanddiscussionofanimalstudiesandlaboratorydataonpp.13-27.8CaoX-L(2010)PhthalateEstersinFoods:Sources,Occurrence,andAnalyticalMethods.ComprehensiveReviewsinFoodScienceandFoodSafety9(1):21-43.http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1541-4337.2009.00093.x.9See,forexample,LottS(2014)Phthalate-freePlasticizersinPVC,HealthyBuildingNetwork.https://www.healthybuilding.net/uploads/files/phthalate-free-plasticizers-in-pvc.pdf.