FDA Issues Final Guidance For Lead in Children’s Food

The FDA has issued final guidance for lead in children’s food. These action levels reflect the levels of lead at which the FDA may regard the food as adulterated. While there are no safe levels of lead consumption, it is not possible to completely remove lead from every food as the heavy metal occurs naturally and is found in air, water, and soil.

This guidance supports the Closer to Zero initiative to reduce exposure to contaminants through food to as low as possible. The action levels are 10 parts per billion for fruits, vegetables (except single ingredient root vegetables), mixtures (including grain and meat based mixtures), yogurt, custards and puddings, and single ingredient meats. The level is 20 parts per billion for single ingredient root vegetables, and 20 parts per billion for dry infant cereals.

Contaminants such as lead can enter the food supply when plants and animals take them up as they grow, making the food both a source of essential nutrients for growth and development but also a source of contaminant exposure. Very young children are more vulnerable to the health problems associated with these exposures because their bodies are growing rapidly.

The final guidance covers packaged processed foods that are represented or advertised as being for babies and children younger than age two. The guidance covers foods in pouches, tubs, or boxes, and can include ready to eat foods such as purees.

This guidance for lead in children’s food does not cover infant formula, beverages, or snack foods like teething biscuits.

The guidance is not intended to tell consumers which food choices to make. Do not throw out processed or packaged baby foods or stop feeding certain foods to your children. Good nutrition can help protect against the health effects from lead exposure. Eating a variety of healthy foods is the best way to dilute the exposure to any one contaminant. Many different foods should be fed to children from the five food groups: Vegetables, fruits, grains, dairy and protein.