In an attempt to reduce young children’s exposure to the hazardous metal that causes neurological and developmental issues, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration set maximum levels for lead in baby foods on Monday, including jarred fruits and vegetables, yogurts, and dry cereal.
According to the agency’s final guidance, processed infant meals could cut lead exposure by 20% to 30%. The FDA can take enforcement action if foods above the limitations, but food makers are not required to adhere to them.
According to a statement from the FDA, it is a component of the agency’s continuous efforts to gradually lower dietary exposure to pollutants, such as lead, in meals while preserving access to nutrient-dense foods.
Although they praised the initial proposal of the guidelines two years ago, consumer organizations who have long pushed for limits on lead in children’s foods claimed it fell short.
According to Thomas Galligan, a scientist with the Center for Science in the Public Interest, the FDA’s actions today are a positive step that will help protect children. However, the agency disregarded significant public feedback that could have reinforced these norms and acted too slowly.
Grain-based snacks like puffs and teething biscuits, which have been found to have higher amounts of lead, are not covered by the revised lead limits for kids under two. Additionally, they don’t restrict other elements that have been found in infant food, such cadmium.
The limits, according to Brian Ronholm, director of food policy for Consumer Reports, are essentially pointless since they are determined more by industry viability than by what would best safeguard the public’s health.
According to a representative for the infant food manufacturer Gerber, the company’s goods are within acceptable bounds.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that there is no safe amount of lead exposure for kids. The metal has well-established negative health impacts, including as decreased growth and development and harm to the brain and nervous system. However, lead can be difficult to completely eradicate because it can be found naturally in some foods and is derived from contaminants in the air, water, and soil.
For fruits, most vegetables, grain and meat mixes, yogurts, custards and puddings, and single-ingredient meats, the FDA recommendation establishes a lead limit of 10 parts per billion. For dry infant cereals and single-ingredient root vegetables, it establishes a maximum of 20 parts per billion. Packaged processed foods that are sold in jars, pouches, tubs, or boxes are covered by the guidelines.
More than a year has passed since the CDC reported that more than 560 children in the United States became ill from October 2023 to April 2024 after eating apple cinnamon puree pouches poisoned with lead.
The amount of lead found in those goods exceeded the FDA’s maximum by more than 2,000 times. Officials emphasized that the agency can take action against items that are illegal without any advice.
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