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 … [Read more...]
Gerber Oat Banana Mango Baby Food Recalled For Cronobacter
Gerber Oat Banana Mango Baby Food is being recalled in Canada for possible Cronobacter contamination. Cronobacter bacteria can cause severe, life-threatening infections or meningitis in infants. Symptoms of this infection can include poor feeding, temperature changes, irritability, jaundice, grunting breaths and abnormal movements. No illnesses have been reported to the company to date in connection with the consumption of this product. The recalling firm is Nestle Canada. The recalled product was sold in these provinces at the retail leel: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Ontario, Quebec, and Saskatchewan, and may have been sold in other provinces and territories. It was also sold online. The recalled item is Gerber Oat Banana Mango Baby Cereal that is … [Read more...]
Oceanitan Baby Food Manufacturer Receives FDA Warning Letter
Oceanitan baby food manufacturer received an FDA warning letter after a consumer complaint was filed about an infant contracting a botulism infection. An inspection found that these ready to eat baby food products that are packaged in reduced oxygen packaging are adulterated because they were "prepared, packed, or held under insanitary conditions whereby they may have become contaminated with filth or rendered injurious to health." That facility is located at 2937 East Pico Boulevard in Los Angeles, California. The FDA inspectors also found that there were significant violations of the labeling regulations for foods, which means the baby foods were misbranded, and the owner in charge did not comply with preventive controls provisions of the Current Good Manufacturing Practice, … [Read more...]
FDA Announces Action Levels For Lead in Processed Baby Food
The FDA is announcing action levels and draft guidance for lead in processed baby food. This, the FDA says, would result in "significant reductions in exposures to lead from food while ensuring availablility of nutritious foods. This plan is part of Closer to Zero, part of the governments' plant to reduce exposure to the heavy metals lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury in foods consumed by young children and babies. FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf, M.D. said in a statement, "For more than 30 years, the FDA has been working to reduce exposure to lead, and other environmental contaminants, from foods. This work has resulted in a dramatic decline in lead exposure from foods since the mid-1980s.The proposed action levels announced today, along with our continued work with our state … [Read more...]
FDA Releases New Total Diet Study Report on Toxic Elements
The FDA has released their new Total Diet Study Report that focuses on the presence of toxic compounds in the foods we eat. The overall takeaway is that the key toxic elements were not detected in most (68%) of the tested foods. The analysis was conducted in foods that were collected from 2018 through 2020. Overall, 3,276 food, beverages, and water products were studied. The key elements studied were lead, arsenic, including inorganic arsenic, the most dangerous form, cadmium, and mercury. Overall, lead was found in 15% of the samples, arsenic in 43%, cadmium in 61%, and mercury in 8%. The categories of food included in the study were alcohol, baked goods, baby food, beverages, candies, condiments, dairy, fruit, grains, meats, ingredients like sugar and flour, compound foods such as … [Read more...]
FDA Releases Action Plan to Reduce Heavy Metals in Baby Food
The FDA has released their Action Plan to reduce heavy metals in baby food and other foods that children eat. A report released by the United States House of Representatives in February found that commercial baby foods were "tainted with significant levels of toxic heavy metals, including arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury." That report also stated that "Exposure to toxic heavy metals causes permanent decreases in IQ, diminished future economic productivity, and increased risk of future criminal and antisocial behavior in children. Toxic heavy metals endanger infant neurological development and long-term brain function." The action plan, called Closer to Zero, details the approach the government will take. The press release did insist that FDA testing found that children are not … [Read more...]
FDA Announces Action Plan on Heavy Metals in Baby Food
After the U.S. House Subcommittee report that was issued last month about the amount of toxic heavy metals in baby food, the FDA is announcing new actions. The report found that four of the seven major baby foods made in this country have unacceptably high levels of cadmium, mercury, and lead. The remaining three corporations refused to supply information about their products. First, a letter to industry was issued reminding manufacturers of their responsibilities when producing these foods. And the agency will put a plan into action to reduce toxic elements in foods for babies and young children to levels "as low as is reasonably achievable." Manufacturer's responsibilities include considering risks from chemical hazards, including toxic elements, when conducting a hazard … [Read more...]
U.S. House Report Finds Baby Foods Tainted with Heavy Metals
A U.S. House subcommittee report finds that baby foods tainted with heavy metals are being sold to unsuspecting consumers. The report was issued on February 4, 2021 by the Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy and the Committee on Oversight and Reform. The report states that companies were asked to provide information about internal testing on their products. Four complied. But Walmart, which sells Parent's Choice baby food; Sprout Organic Foods; and Campbell, which sells Plum Organics, refused to cooperate with the subcommittees' investigation. They did not provide testing results or standards. The report states that representatives have "grave concerns" about baby foods manufactured by those three companies that would not cooperate, stating "The Subcommittee is greatly … [Read more...]
FDA Releases Infant Rice Cereal Arsenic Tests; Improvement Noted
The FDA is releasing information about their testing of infant rice cereal arsenic results that show manufacturers have made "significant progress" reducing levels of inorganic arsenic, the most dangerous type, in their products. There are two types of arsenic: organic arsenic, which is mainly found in seafood and may not be toxic to humans, and inorganic arsenic, which is highly toxic. Organic arsenic bonds with carbon, but inorganic arsenic bonds with a non-carbon element such as oxygen. Most people consume inorganic arsenic from drinking water and foods. A study conducted in 2017 found that there is six times more arsenic in infant rice cereal than other types of cereals. Rice can contain arsenic because of how it is grown. The rice plants are planted in old cotton fields in … [Read more...]
Senator Schumer Concerned About Heavy Metals in Baby Food
Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is urging the FDA to investigate a new report that states there are toxic heavy metals in baby foods. The government does not have regulation that would make industry to address this problem. That report, by Healthy Baby Food.org, states that these metals, including arsenic, lead, mercury, and cadmium, are found in a wide variety of baby foods. According to the report, 95% of baby foods tested were contaminated by at least one of the heavy metals. One in four baby foods teated contains all four of the heavy metals. Only nine of 168 baby foods teated did not have any traces of these toxins. The products with the highest levels of contamination include fruit juices and rice-based products. Alarmingly, four of the seven infant rice cereals that were … [Read more...]
