Varghese: Forever Chemicals Aren’t Easily Identified

Associate Professor of Nursing Jessica Varghese, Ph.D., is featured in an MDLinx article discussing the prevalence of chemicals in human-consumed food and water and how it affects the gut microbiome. As crop pesticides and industrial facilities leach pollutants into neighboring farmlands, the microbiome’s ability to support the immune system, fight pathogens, and aid digestion may be impacted as grown foods become contaminated.

“This is significant because we are at a higher risk of developing infections as well as more chronic diseases,” says Varghese, who notes that “forever chemicals,” such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), are not easily detected in foods or identifiable in everyday products.