Significant amounts of arsenic, lead, mercury and other toxic heavy metals are in baby food manufactured by the largest such companies in the U.S., according to a report published Thursday by a House Oversight subcommittee.
Why it matters: Infants and children are more vulnerable to severe and neurotoxic damage by toxic heavy metals than adults. The report claims that the FDA did not take action under the Trump administration after learning about the increased risk of heavy metals in baby food.
- “Exposure to these toxic heavy metals affects babies’ brain development and nervous system, it affects their behavior, permanently reduces their IQ, and if you want to bring it down to dollars, it could be their lifelong earning potential,” said Tom Neltner, director of chemicals policy for the Fund for the Defense of the Environment, told the Washington Post.
What they found: Gerber, the no. 1 seller of baby food in the US, rarely tests for mercury. According to the report, many of the company’s ingredients contain cadmium, lead and high arsenic products.
- Beech nut, the second highest seller in the country, regularly uses additives with high arsenic and ‘many ingredients with a high lead content’. The company does not test for mercury in its food.
- Hain Celestial, manufacturer of Earth’s best organic foods, sold final products with high levels of arsenic and usually did not test finished products. The company also used ‘many ingredients with a high lead content’ and 102 ingredients with cadmium.
- Koester, manufacturer of Happy Family Organics products, has sold baby food at as much as 641 parts per billion lead (ppb). The company’s testing found that the typical baby food product contains 60 inorganic arsenic.
By the numbers: The FDA has set the maximum limit for inorganic arsenic in bottled water at 10 ppb. Beech-Nut used ingredients after testing as high as 913 ppb arsenic, while Hain baby food contains as much as 129 ppb arsenic, according to the report.
What they say: “In the committee’s report, the manufacturers are accused of” knowingly “selling contaminated baby food to unsuspecting parents, despite internal test results from the company showing high levels of toxic heavy metals, and without any warning,” said Raja Krishnamoorthi, chairman (D-Ill.) said in a press release.
- “I look forward to the FDA’s careful regulation of these toxic heavy metals in baby food, followed by strict compliance requirements and mandatory consumer labels,” Krishnamoorthi said.
The FDA said in a statement that it reviews the findings of the report and that it takes exposure to toxic elements in the food supply extremely seriously, especially when it comes to the health and safety of the youngest and most vulnerable in the population.
- ‘Toxic elements, such as arsenic, occur in the environment and occur through food, water or air in the food supply. Because it cannot be completely eliminated, our goal is to reduce exposure to toxic elements in food as much as possible, and we have actively worked on this using a risk-based approach to prioritize and direct the agency’s efforts. , ‘said the agency. .
- “We recognize that there is more work to be done, but the FDA reiterates its strong commitment to continue to reduce consumer exposure to toxic elements and other food contaminants.”
Gerber told the Post that he did not see the report and could not comment on specific findings. Hain did not respond to the Post’s requests for comment.
- A spokesman for Beech-Nut said in a statement to Axios that the company’s food was ‘safe and nutritious’, and that the company was reviewing the report and was looking forward to working with the FDA and the Baby Foods Council. to go ahead.
- Happy Family Organics said in a statement that the company was “disappointed with the many inaccuracies, data usage and tone bias” in the committee’s report. “We can say with the utmost confidence that all Happy Family Organics products are safe for babies and toddlers,” the spokesman said.
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated with statements from Happy Family Organics and Beech-Nut.