Scientists make progress in mapping chemicals to six groups of common diseases

Exposure to hazardous chemicals can contribute to noncommunicable diseases and remains a key public health challenge. Most chemicals used in consumer products, including food packaging, lack sufficient data to determine whether they are safe. Current testing approaches cannot effectively check for all possible health outcomes, and many testing requirements check only for genotoxicity and examine one substance at a time. Yet evidence shows that consumers are simultaneously exposed to complex mixtures of chemicals from many types of products.