Are there any ingredients in processed foods (prepared meals, as opposed to freshly made meals, for example) approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration of the USA) that are known to be directly harmful to humans?
I have met a lot of people who claim "X ingredient will cause diabetes, or cancer, or some other health problem..."
From what I understand, the FDA only approves things after ensuring they are not harmful, although there may be cases where some things may be potentially harmful in rare situations or if excess amounts are consumed. I would have thought however for the most-part though, what they approve has shown to be safe for public consumption.
There are people who claim that certain ingredients are simply dangerous and should not be ingested, at all, ever seemingly regardless of amount. Often there seems to be little support for such claims other than belief, still I am curious.
This page links to many substances approved by the FDA yet apparently have been shown to cause harm in studies. I have not looked at each study as I lack the prerequisite knowledge to make sense of them. Surely if the FDA is approving a substance known to be harmful it is only in dosages considered not harmful?
A good example might be BHA which the US dept of health considered a carcinogen, yet the FDA continues to allow its use. Or Acesulfame-K which failed to meet FDA standards (according to the above site).
Is there any evidence that any preservatives/additives/etc approved by the FDA are harmful to humans for the dose they are approved for?