What and where is trehalose?

Q: I hear there’s a new sugar on the market that helps spread a super-strong version of the C-diff infection. Is that true? — Jason A., New York

A: You’re well-informed, Jason. It’s called trehalose and even though its presence in the food chain is nothing new, the amount of it in processed foods is.

Trehalose is a naturally occurring glucose found in mushrooms, some seaweed, lobster, shrimp and foods in which baker’s or brewer’s yeast is used. In the 1990s, it cost around $7,000 to distill 1 kilogram, or 2.2 pounds. Then scientists discovered how to extract it from cornstarch. It now costs $3 per kilo.

Commonly used as a texturizer, it masks bitterness and food odors, enhances saltiness and highlights fruit flavors. The industry labels it as a natural flavor. The Food and Drug Administration lists it as “Generally Recognized As Safe.”

When scientists noticed the parallel between the epidemic rise of C-diff and trehalose deployment over the past 20 years, they dug deeper and found that ingesting trehalose revved up two strains of C-diff “by more than 500-fold,” making the bacterium hypervirulent. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, C-difficile kills 15,000 people each year and costs up to $4.8 billion annually. Just before the trehalose boom, it killed around a tenth as many folks!

Avoid processed foods! Stick with fresh veggies and fruit and pure lean proteins, and ask your doctor for information on C-diff infection rates in relevant institutions.

Q: People talk about how regulations aren’t good for business, but aren’t regulatory agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency important for everyone’s health and good for business, too? — Clyde M., Portland, Maine

A: You’re absolutely right, Clyde. For example, in 2003, perfluorooctanoic acid was used in many products, such as food packaging and nonstick cookware. PFOA was linked to a wide range of health problems, including low birth weights.

In an agreement between the EPA and industry, PFOA was to be phased out by 2014. In 2003-2004, there were an estimated 12,764 low birth-weight cases in the U.S. As PFOA exposure was reduced, there were 10,203 cases in 2009-2010, and only 1,491 in 2013-2014. The health costs associated with those LBW cases were $2.97 billion in 2003-2004, $2.4 billion in 2009-2010 and then down to $347 million in 2013-2014.

Email questions for Mehmet Oz and Mike Roizen to youdocsdaily@sharecare. com.