This was due, in large part, to the presence of dioxins. It's a question we hear all the time. Since most of us forgot to get that degree in chemistry somewhere along the way, issues like toxicity can be hard to get a handle on. When determining toxi city, it's important to note that almost everything is poisonous in some amount. A spirin, for example, one of the safest and most versatile medicines known, poisoned many children before packaging laws were enacted.
Table salt is a common and necessary part of our daily diet.
Yet, an accidental substitution of salt for lactose in baby formula proved to be fatal to many infants that consumed it. T he main thing to remember is that the smaller the amount of any substance needed to show acutely toxic effects, the more poisonous it is. Contrary to common belief, these signal words are not interchangeable. They have strict definitions that are regulated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission and are based on a statistical standard used by chemists to establish a substance's fatal doses. Knowing these definitions can help you make informed purchasing decisions when shopping .