Significant amounts of arsenic, lead, mercury and other toxic heavy metals are in baby foods made by the largest such companies in the United States, according to a report published on Thursday by a House supervisory subcommittee.
Why it matters: Babies and children are more vulnerable to severe and neurotoxic damage from toxic heavy metals than adults. The report alleges that the FDA under the Trump administration failed to take action after learning about the increased risk of heavy metals in baby food.
- “Exposure to these toxic heavy metals affects babies’ brain and nervous system development, affects their behavior, permanently lowers their IQ and, if you want to reduce it to dollars, your lifetime earning potential” , Tom Neltner, director of chemicals policy at the Environmental Defense Fund, told the Washington Post.
What they found: Gerber, the largest baby food seller in the United States, “rarely tests mercury.” Many of the company’s ingredients contained cadmium, lead and products with a high arsenic content, according to the report.
- Beech-Nut, the second best seller in the country, routinely used additives with a high arsenic content and “many ingredients with a high lead content”. The company does not test mercury in its foods.
- Heavenly Hain, manufacturer of the best organic foods on Earth, sold finished products with high levels of arsenic and usually did not test finished products. The company also used “many high-lead ingredients” and 102 cadmium ingredients.
- Nourishment, product maker Happy Family Organics, sold baby food with up to 641 parts per billion (ppb) of lead. The company’s tests found that its typical baby food product contained 60 ppb of 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 up to 913 ppb of arsenic, while Hain sold baby food containing up to 129 ppb of arsenic, according to the report.
What they are saying: The committee’s report accuses manufacturers of “knowingly” selling “contaminated baby food to unsuspecting parents, despite the company’s internal test results showing high levels of toxic heavy metal, and without any warning labels,” President Raja Krishnamoorthi (D -Ill.) Said in a press release.
- “I look forward to the FDA’s careful regulation of these toxic heavy metals in baby foods, followed by strict compliance requirements and mandatory consumer labels,” said Krishnamoorthi.
The FDA said in a statement who is reviewing the report’s findings and “takes exposure to toxic elements in the food supply very seriously, especially when it comes to protecting the health and safety of the youngest and most vulnerable of the population”.
- “Toxic elements, like arsenic, are present in the environment and enter food through the soil, water or air. Because they cannot be completely removed, our goal is to reduce exposure to toxic elements in food as much as possible and we have been actively working on this issue 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 contaminants in food.”
Gerber told the Post who had not seen 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 is “safe and nutritious” and that the company is reviewing the report and hopes to continue working with the FDA and the Baby Food Council.
- Happy Family Organics said in a statement that the company is “disappointed with the many inaccuracies, the use of selected data and the 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 young children to enjoy,” said the spokesman.
Editor’s note: this story has been updated with statements from Happy Family Organics and Beech-Nut.