Heavy Metals in Baby Food
According to a news report on wjla.com, the U.S: Food and Drug Administration (FDA), who are supposed to protecting our children, was aware of toxic heavy metal contamination in baby food products for several years but failed to take necessary actions. Baby food manufactures are now under pressure to reduce the amount of dangerous toxic metals in their products. A U.S. Congressional Report that was released back in February stated that some baby foods have high concentrations of toxins such as arsenic and lead. Moreover, it was only after the congressional report was released that the FDA put forth plans to address the dangerous problem.
A new mother interviewed for the news article stated that it is overwhelming to become a first-time parent. She found it disturbing when she discovered that several top baby foods might be contaminated with harmful heavy metals. She stated that it was uncomfortable to find out that popular brand names that consumers trust are not so trustworthy as believed.
Congress’s bombshell report listed severe, dangerous toxins such as arsenic, lead, and cadmium that were found in popular baby food brands such as Beech-Nut and Gerber. These heavy metals are known to damage the developing brain of an infant. Top health organizations, such as the CDC and the World Health Organization, agree that there is no safe level of lead exposure.
According to the Congressional report, there are currently no actionable levels for toxic, heavy metals in baby food. However, the FDA has set maximum permissible levels for heavy metals in bottled water.
The FDA stated that the agency takes exposure to toxic elements in the food supply seriously, especially when products can harm the health and safety of children. However, Spotlight on America’s investigation discovered that the FDA failed to act quickly when the issue appeared.
Toxic elements occur naturally in our soil, air, and water, so the agency is unable to regulate arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury out of the food supply. Everyone desires to eliminate toxic elements in the nation’s food supply and in foods that infants and small children eat. However, the science on how best to decrease exposure to toxic elements is still in development. Therefore, the FDA’s procedure is currently focused only on reducing heavy metal exposure through a science-based approach.
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