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A new investigation by the Chamber’s Consumer and Economic Policy Subcommittee found high levels of toxic metals in various organic and private label baby foods manufactured by companies like Nurture Inc, Hain Celestial Group Inc, Beech-Nut Nutrition, Gerber, de owned by Nestlé, Walmart, Sprout Organic Foods and Campbell.
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According to the subcommittee’s findings released on Thursday, the baby food varieties examined by the panel contained “dangerously high levels” of arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury.
The report said the company’s internal standards “allow for dangerously high levels of toxic heavy metals, and the documents revealed that manufacturers often sell foods that exceed those levels.”
In addition, Congressional investigators have called on US regulators to set the maximum levels of toxic heavy metals allowed in baby foods and to require manufacturers to test finished products for heavy metals, not just ingredients.
Exposure to toxic heavy metals can jeopardize your baby’s neurological development and long-term brain function.
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The subcommittee noted that Nurture, Beech-Nut, Gerber and Hain cooperated with the investigation, which found levels of toxic heavy metals in their products that were “multiples higher than those permitted by existing regulations for other products”.
Meanwhile, investigators said Walmart, Sprout Organic Foods and Campbell refused to cooperate.
“The Subcommittee is very concerned that its lack of cooperation could obscure the presence of even higher levels of toxic heavy metals in its baby food products, compared to its competitors’ products,” wrote the subcommittee.
However, independent tests by Walmart, Sprout Organic Foods and Campbell’s baby foods confirmed that the companies’ products contained “worrying levels of toxic heavy metals”.
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The investigation found that Nurture sold baby food containing up to 180 parts per billion (ppb) of inorganic arsenic, 641 ppb of lead and 10 ppb of mercury. More than 25% of the products Nurture tested before the sale contained more than 100 ppb of inorganic arsenic, and the company’s tests show that the typical baby food product it sold contained 60 ppb of inorganic arsenic. Almost 20% of the baby food products that Nurture tested contained more than 10 ppb of lead.
According to the report, Hain sold finished baby food products containing up to 129 ppb of inorganic arsenic. Hain’s ingredients were tested on up to 309 ppb of arsenic and 352 ppb of lead, with at least 88 ingredients testing more than 20 ppb of lead and six testing more than 200 ppb of lead.
Hain’s ingredients also tested more than 20 ppb cadmium with some tests of up to 260 ppb cadmium. The report also noted that Hain made a secret industry presentation to federal regulators in August 2019, revealing that in 100% of Hain’s baby foods tested, inorganic arsenic levels were anywhere from 28 to 93 percent higher in the finished baby food than the company estimated would be based on individual ingredient tests.
In addition, the investigation found that Beech-Nut ingredients tested up to 913.4 ppb of arsenic and that the company routinely used high arsenic additives that tested more than 300 ppb of arsenic to meet product characteristics such as “kernel smoothness “. The ingredients also contained up to 886.9 ppb of lead, with 483 ingredients containing more than 5 ppb of lead, 89 containing more than 15 ppb of lead and 57 containing more than 20 ppb of lead. He also used 105 ingredients that tested more than 20 ppb cadmium, with some testing up to 344.55 ppb cadmium.
Gerber also used ingredients with a high arsenic content, including 67 batches of rice flour that tested more than 90 ppb of inorganic arsenic. The company also used ingredients that tested up to 48 ppb of lead and many ingredients containing more than 20 ppb of lead. About 75 percent of Gerber carrots contained cadmium in excess of 5 ppb, with some containing up to 87 ppb cadmium.
The investigation noted that Hain and Beech-Nut do not test mercury in baby food, while Gerber rarely tests for mercury.
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Hain Celestial, No. 4 in the baby food market. The company that makes Earth’s Best said in a statement that it was “disappointed that the Subcommittee’s report examined outdated data and does not reflect our current practices” and that the report “inaccurately characterized a meeting with the FDA.”
“Like any food producer, we meet with regulatory and supervisory agencies to refine and update our policies and procedures to ensure the safety of our products. As science evolves, our standards and practices must also evolve, which is why that we met with the FDA last year to discuss how to better refine these standards and practices, “continued the company. “After the meeting, we took several steps to reduce the levels of heavy metals in our finished products – including not using brown rice in our products that are mainly rice-based, changing other ingredients and conducting additional testing of the finished product. before shipping. Meeting with the FDA did what the regulatory process should: collaboratively drive improvements that benefit the consumer. “
Hain added that his internal standards and testing procedures “ensure that the best products on Earth meet or exceed current federal guidelines” and that he has “consistently supported efforts to reduce naturally occurring heavy metals in our food supply and is ready to assist the Subcommittee’s efforts in that objective direction. “
Representatives from Gerber, Nurture Inc. and Beech-Nut Nutrition did not immediately return FOX Business’s request for comment.
| Ticker | Safety | Last | change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WMT | WALMART INC. | 142.54 | +1.35 | + 0.96% |
A Walmart spokesman countered allegations that the company refused to cooperate, telling FOX Business in a statement that provided information to the subcommittee almost a year ago and “invited more dialogue on this important issue, but never received any questions. additional.”
“Any product testing would be managed by our suppliers, which is why we describe the certification requirements for our private label manufacturers and explain that our private label baby food manufacturers must comply with all applicable laws and regulations, including those defined by the US Food and Drug Administration, “added the spokesman. “In addition, our suppliers of private label products must meet our own internal specifications for finished products, which for food for babies and young children means that the levels must meet or fall below the limits set by the FDA.”
According to the retailer, an October 2019 report from Healthy Babies Bright Futures – an alliance of nonprofit organizations, scientists and donors looking to reduce babies’ exposure to toxic chemicals – called “What’s in my food baby “tested seven of Walmart’s own brand products that were determined to have metals tested within FDA guidance levels.
| Ticker | Safety | Last | change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPB | CAMPBELL SOUP CO. | 46.93 | -0.19 | -0.40% |
Also contesting a statement on its website is the Campbell Soup Company, which noted that it “responded quickly” to questions from the subcommittee and “never refused anything asked of us”.
“We are surprised that the Committee would suggest that Campbell was less than a complete partner on this mission. We are pleased to have the opportunity to work with the Committee in 2019 – and we will continue to do so today,” added the statement. “We want to assure our consumers, the Committee and any other interested parties that our products are safe.”
Campbell’s blamed the “unfortunate lack of a current FDA standard” for heavy metals in baby foods and noted in a response to the FDA that its tests showed that each product was “well within levels considered acceptable by independent authorities” . The company also pointed out that heavy metals are present in the environment, including soil and water.
“Whether you are growing your own produce in your backyard, buying fresh produce from a farmer’s market or buying a product from your favorite retailer, these substances will be present in food to some extent,” the statement concluded. “Campbell is committed to minimizing environmental contaminants, including heavy metals in our products, and we will work with anyone to help set federal standards to ensure that babies receive the food they need to support healthy growth in their first babies. years.”
A spokesperson for Sprout Organic did not immediately return FOX Business’s request for comment.
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Investigators were also very critical of the Trump administration, claiming that officials “ignored” Hain’s presentation and that the former president’s FDA “took no action” to resolve the problem.
“To date, baby foods that contain toxic heavy metals carry no label or warning to parents, the researchers said.” Manufacturers are free to test only the ingredients or, for the vast majority of baby foods, do not test at all.
According to the report, the FDA finalized only one metal standard for a restricted baby food category, setting a 100 ppb inorganic arsenic standard for infant rice cereals. However, the subcommittee noted that the standard is “too high to protect against neurological effects in children”.
“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,” the FDA told Reuters in a statement on Thursday.