Consumer Reports has tested baby formula for the heavy metals lead and arsenic and found some with concerning levels. The tested 41 types of powdered formula, looking at established formulas like Enamel and Similac, popular store brands, imported brands, and newer foods like Bobbie. About half of the samples had potentially harmful of at least one contaminant. But the other half had low or no levels of potentially problematic contamination, so parents have good options to choose from. The FDA announced a new initiative to strengthen its oversight of the formula industry one day after Consumer Reports shared the results with that agency. Brian Ronholm, head of food policy for CR said in a statement, "It’s very encouraging to see the FDA issue this announcement immediately after … [Read more...]
Consumer Reports Tracks Pesticides on Fresh Produce
Consumer Reports tracks pesticides on produce and has released the results of their research. They say that since the 1960s, some chemicals used on American crops have unacceptable health risks. Some pesticides are banned in the United States, but the government has been slow to act on banning others. And when a chemical is removed from the market, companies and growers may use others that can be just as hazardous to your health. Consumer Reports conducted a comprehensive review of pesticides in food by analyzing seven years of data from the Department of Agriculture. Every year, that agency tests a selection of conventionally grown and organic produce that is grown in the U.S. or imported. CR looked at 59 common fruits and vegetables, including the fresh version, canned, dried, and … [Read more...]
Are Gas Ranges Really a Serious Health Risk?
Are gas ranges really a health risk? There is lots of hype on the news about the possible dangers of this appliance, along with rumors of regulations. Consumer Reports investigates to see what the problem really is. First of all, the head of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says that there are no plans to ban gas stoves. Alexander Hoehn-Saric said in a statement, "Over the past several days, there has been a lot of attention paid to gas stove emissions and to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Research indicates that emissions from gas stoves can be hazardous, and the CPSC is looking for ways to reduce related indoor air quality hazards. But to be clear, I am not looking to ban gas stoves and the CPSC has no proceeding to do so. "CPSC is researching gas … [Read more...]
Consumer Reports Finds Salmonella and E. coli in Ground Meats
Is ground meat safe to eat? With all of the recalls and outbreaks linked to those products, many consumers are asking that question. Consumer Reports conducted a study and found that, in many cases, those products are contaminated with dangerous pathogens including Salmonella and E. coli. The numbers are alarming. Almost a third of the ground chicken packages they tested were contaminated with Salmonella bacteria. And every single strain was resistant to at least one antibiotic, adding to the fear of the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Consumer Reports also found a strain of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli in a sample of ground beef that was so dangerous they alerted the Department of Agriculture, triggering a recall of more than 28,000 pounds of ground beef. Ground … [Read more...]
Consumer Reports Finds Higher Levels of Arsenic in Starkey Spring Water
Consumer Reports finds arsenic in Starkey Spring Water at higher levels than other brands. Starkey is a bottled water product made by Whole Foods that is sold on Amazon. That's alarming enough, but the level of arsenic in the water is "potentially harmful," according to CR's report. More than a year ago, CR published another list of bottled waters with higher arsenic levels which also included Starkey. Consumer Reports tested dozens of bottled water brands and found that Starkey Spring Water, which was introduced by Whole Foods in 2015, had at least three times the level of arsenic of every other brand they teated. The arsenic levels in that water ranged from 9.49 to 9.56 parts per billion (ppb). That is below the level the federal government sets, which is 10 ppb. But Consumer … [Read more...]
Consumers Union Concerned About Heavy Metals in Baby Food
Consumers Union, the organization behind Consumer Reports, is concerned about heavy metals content in toddler and baby foods. They are asking the FDA to take steps to protect children from these contaminants in their food supply. Heavy metals, such as cadmium, lead, and inorganic arsenic, can cause serious health problems in babies and toddles. The most serious issues are carcinogens, and cognitive and reproductive effects. Babies and young children can have lower IQ and behavior problems when they are exposed to heavy metals. Dr. James E Rogers, director of food safety research and testing at Consumer Reports said in a statement, "Babies and toddlers are particularly vulnerable due to their smaller size and developing brains and organ systems. They also absorb more of the heavy … [Read more...]
Consumer Reports Finds Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria on Ground Turkey
An investigation by Consumer Reports has found that more than half of raw ground turkey meat and patties sold at retail stores in the U.S. tested positive for fecal bacteria. Ninety percent of all samples tested had one or more of the five bacteria the organization tested for, including Enterococcus, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, and Campylobacter. In addition, almost all of the pathogens were resistant to one or more of the antibiotics used to fight them. This, once again, raises the alarm about giving factory farmed animals sub therapeutic doses of antibiotics to encourage growth and prevent illness. The study found that 69% of ground turkey had Enterococcus, and 60% had E. coli, the two bacteria associated with fecal contamination. More than half of the E. … [Read more...]
Consumers Reports Study Finds Pork Contaminated with Yersinia
A new study conducted by Consumer Reports has found that 69% of ground pork and pork chops for sale in the United States was contaminated with Yersinia enterocolitica, a pathogenic bacteria. Furthermore, some of the bacteria was antibiotic-resistant to multiple drugs or entire classes of drugs used to treat humans, posing a great threat to public health. Yersinia sickens 100,000 Americans a year, especially children, and can cause fever, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Scientists also found the bacteria Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, or Listeria monocytogenes on 3 to 7 % of pork samples. Eleven percent of the samples had enterococcus, a mostly harmless bacteria that is an indicator of fecal contamination. While an animal's muscles, blood, and brain are sterile, during slaughter and … [Read more...]
