 Tweet (NewsTarget) New Dutch research suggests that low levels of man-made chemicals in common foods such as bread, milk and butter could build up in the human body and cause harm. Dutch research cited by WWF-UK (World Wildlife Fund) indicates that low levels of chemicals from the environment or food packaging can be present in foods in low levels. Some scientists believe that even low levels of such chemicals can accumulate in the body and cause health problems. The Dutch scientists found low levels of flame retardants, pesticides, artificial fragrances, non-stick chemicals and phthalate chemicals from plastics in foods. Research conducted at the London School of Pharmacy suggests that even low doses of such chemicals can combine over time to produce serious medical conditions. Natural health advocate Mike Adams, author of 'Grocery Warning,' says certain chemicals used in food packaging have already started causing problems for humans and the environment. For example, fish throughout the Potomac River have been discovered in large numbers with both male and female sex organs, and Adams points out that human girls are now showing signs of puberty as young as 3 years old. Hormone-related cancers have skyrocketed in recent years, Adams says, largely because hormones in animals and humans have begun mimicking chemicals -- especially those that come from plastics. Health authorities in the UK have said consumers and manufacturers should not be complacent about chemicals in their foods, but that further research is needed to determine how certain substances react with one another, as well as the products of those reactions. ### 