Majority of baby food contain toxic metals like lead, arsenic and cadmium
Several baby food products now contain more toxic metals than they did five years ago, despite pressure on the industry to remove the harmful contaminants.
A study by a consumer watchdog looked at 14 popular baby foods and compared the levels of lead, arsenic and cadmium in seven of them with results from 2018. Products were chosen based on high levels of metals in the past.
The results showed that levels increased in three products, Gerber’s Chicken Rice Dinner and Turkey Rice Dinner flavors, and Hot Kid Baby Mum-Mum Teething Wafers.
Levels remained the same in one product, Beech-Nut baby food sweet potato flavor.
Gerber Chicken and Rice and Gerber Turkey and Rice both had higher amounts of metals than in the 2018 Consumer Reports findings
Hot Kid’s rice-based Mum-Mum Teething Wafers also had higher levels of metals than they did five years ago.
Three of this year’s highest-risk foods, including Gerber and Beech-Nut purees, all contain sweet potatoes.
A Gerber spokesperson told Consumer Reports, “We work with our farmers to prioritize growing sites for optimal climate and soil conditions, approve fields before planting crops based on soil testing, and rotate crops.”
In addition, we continue to invest in new research to support future improvements. For example, we partner with public universities for land grants to conduct on-farm research to identify soil and varietal variables that can reduce the uptake of heavy metals from the soil by carrots and sweet potatoes.”
Rice is also a primary ingredient in many puffs, which children can consume in large quantities to relieve pain.
Many of these foods absorb large amounts of metals such as lead from the soil as they grow. Higher levels can also be found near highways or small airports, both places where leaded gasoline has been used in the past, Consumer Reports wrote.
Earth’s Best Organic Sunny Days Bars have dramatically improved since 2018 as over 90 percent of lead has been eliminated from the product
In addition, areas where arsenic pesticides have been used may put those foods at greater risk of picking up that metal.
“Because heavy metals are so ubiquitous in foods — and because they tend to accumulate in the body — small exposures from multiple foods can add up,” says Eric Boring, a chemist at Consumer Reports who oversaw testing.
“Giving your child amounts close to the daily portion limits leaves little room for exposure to heavy metals from other foods.”
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns that young children exposed to lead may experience stunted brain and nervous system development.
According to experts, about 2.5 percent of children under the age of five are exposed to dangerous levels of lead.
As a result, they can have growth, learning, behavioral, hearing, and speech problems.
In addition, arsenic, which was in several products, is a carcinogen that increases the risk of bladder, lung and skin cancer.
It has also been linked to neurodevelopmental disorders and higher rates of infant mortality.
Last year, one report by Healthy Babies tested 168 different baby foods for toxic metals.
Toxic metals such as lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury were found in 159 of them – or 95 percent.
For a majority of these products, 88 percent, there are no enforceable guidelines for these toxic metals.
In 2018, products made with rice, sweet potatoes and carrots posed the highest risks of heavy metals. This year’s results suggested that sweet potatoes and rice were the worst.
Only three products actually improved between 2018 and 2023.
For example, parents were advised to only allow children to eat one serving of Earth’s Best Organic’s Sunny Days Snack Bars in 2018.
This year, they were the lowest-risk foods on the list, rising to a limit of 4.5 servings per day.
Consumer Reports wrote that the lead content in this product dropped by 91 percent.
Two flavors of Happy Baby Organics Superfood Puffs – Apple and Broccoli and Purple Carrot and Blueberry – showed slight improvements from one serving to 1.5 servings.
a study published last year Florida State University researchers found that lead poisoning has robbed Americans of an average of 2.6 IQ points each, mostly from gasoline.
In January, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended limits for the amount of lead in baby foods.
The agency said lead prevalence should be limited to 10 parts per billion (ppb) in fruits, some vegetables and yogurt, and 20 ppb in root vegetables — including carrots, beets and potatoes — and dry breakfast cereals.
Lead is toxic to children from about 10 mcg/dl. According to the CDC, no safe level of lead has been established in children.