Baby Foods Test Too High for Toxic Metals: Congressional Report

(Bloomberg) -- A new congressional report found that commercial baby foods are often tainted with “significant levels” of heavy metals, including arsenic, lead and mercury, prompting lawmakers to recommend more stringent testing and labeling, among other suggestions.

The report, released Thursday by the Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy, recommends the U.S. Food and Drug Administration set maximum levels of toxic heavy metals permitted in baby foods and require companies test their finished products, not just their individual ingredients, for toxic metals. It also suggests baby-food makers voluntarily phase out inputs like rice, which tend to test high for heavy metals.

“Baby food manufacturers hold a special position of public trust. Consumers believe that they would not sell products that are unsafe. Consumers also believe that the federal government would not knowingly permit the sale of unsafe baby food,” the report says. “As this staff report reveals, baby food manufacturers and the Trump administration’s federal regulators have broken the faith.”

©2021 Bloomberg L.P.