Heavy Metals in Baby Food

The Problem

Baby food manufacturers, advocates and state agencies recently conducted tests showing one in four popular baby food brands contains unsafe levels of four toxic metals – arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury. Although the metals occur naturally in all foods, the high levels in nearly all baby foods cause great concern among researchers. Brands tested include HappyBABY, Beech-Nut Nutrition Company, Earth’s Best Organic, Gerber, Parent’s Choice, Sprout Organics and Plum Organics.

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has finalized only one toxic heavy metal standard in baby food, establishing an allowable inorganic arsenic level in infant rice cereal. Compared to the current FDA and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-established toxic heavy metal standards for bottled water, baby foods and their ingredients surpassed the levels by frightening margins. Baby foods and baby food ingredients contained up to:

• 91 times the arsenic level
• 69 times the cadmium level
• 177 times the lead level
• 5 times the mercury level

Government and private testing have detected dangerously high arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury levels in almost all baby foods. These toxic heavy metals can cause behavioral issues, cognitive impairment, developmental delays and neurological problems. If you fed your baby commercial baby food and your child exhibited any of these adverse side effects, we can help.

Nurture, Inc.’s HappyBABY products tested include:  

Campbell Soup Company’s Plum Organics products tested include:

• flours
• fruits
• vegetables
• spices
• extracts
• vitamin pre-mixes
• vitamin mixes

• powders
• purees
• oats
• seeds
• pastes
• juice concentrates

Manufacturers

• Beech-Nut Nutrition Company discontinued its rice cereal products
• Gerber failed to recall or discontinue sales of its rice cereal, even though it contained a very high level of inorganic arsenic

FDA

• urges manufacturers to reduce exposure to toxic heavy metals as much as possible
• created the Closer to Zero Action Plan, which sets timelines for establishing maximum arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury levels

U.S. House Committee Recommendations

• The FDA should update Closer to Zero’s timelines if baby food safety is a priority.
• The FDA should require baby food manufacturers to test finished products for toxic heavy metals, not just ingredients.
• If the FDA doesn’t require manufacturers to test finished products, the manufacturers should volunteer.
• Manufacturers should find substitutes for toxic ingredients.
• Manufacturers should phase out products testing high in toxic heavy metals.