Fruits and vegetables are essential to a healthy diet, but doctors and parents need to be aware of the pesticides and pathogens that contaminate foods, experts say. About a dozen physicians lingered to pose questions to Dr. Lynn R. Goldman.
Dioxins are chlorine byproducts that are most abundant in dairy products and fatty meats.
A preliminary report from the Environmental Protection Agency suggests that dioxin is more of a carcinogen than thought. The Food and Drug Administration is deciding if it should routinely test for dioxin levels. More questions followed, further delaying Goldman's departure. In fact, the queries started long before the end of her talk. The nearly 100 doctors in the audience tended to speak up whenever Goldman touched on a subject that clearly comes up frequently between pediatricians and parents.