Food News

Harmful Metals in Baby Food: Here's What You Should Know

Shopping for baby food? Know the facts before you hit the supermarket.

by:
February 11, 2021
7 Comments
A baby's cup and spoon next to raspberries and blueberries, with toys and books in the background.
Photo by Rocky Luten

A recent congressional report reveals that ingredients in many baby foods contain dangerously high levels of heavy metals like arsenic, lead, and cadmium. Released by a House of Representatives subcommittee on Feb. 4, the report indicates levels that exceed the legal limits established by the Environmental Protection Agency.

According to the report, these companies comprise the largest baby food manufacturers in the United States:

  • Nurture, Inc. (Nurture), which sells Happy Family Organics, including baby food products under the brand name HappyBABY
  • Beech-Nut Nutrition Company (Beech-Nut)
  • Hain Celestial Group, Inc. (Hain), which sells baby food products under the brand name Earth’s Best Organic
  • Gerber
  • Campbell Soup Company (Campbell), which sells baby food products under the brand name Plum Organics
  • Walmart Inc. (Walmart), which sells baby food products through its private brand Parent’s Choice
  • Sprout Foods, Inc. (Sprout Organic Foods)

Out of the seven companies reviewed by the committee, four complied and released internal documents and test results while three (Campbell, Walmart, and Sprout Organic Foods) refused to share any information. Concerning levels of heavy metals were found in products from all four of the companies reviewed.

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Some grains and vegetables naturally contain trace amounts of heavy metals; however, companies add certain vitamin and mineral premixes during the manufacturing of baby foods that increase these levels. Brown rice, for example, was one ingredient mentioned by the report to contain high amounts of arsenic.

Join The Conversation

Top Comment:
“Please acknowledge in the article that there is currently NO RECALL on baby foods/companies listed in your article, or edit your title to remove the word "recall". This type of journalism is equivalent to fear-mongering, and serves no actual purpose. If you want the reader to make "an informed decision next time [they are] in the baby food aisle" then you, yourself, must be a reliable resource-- otherwise your entire directive loses all credibility. ”
— Jaime M.
Comment

According to the report, “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 findings reveal a larger pattern of negligence on the part of the federal government in regulating the safety of baby food. As a result, the report recommends a series of reforms to the industry in order to regain the public’s trust, and dramatically reduce levels of toxic elements in their products. Other changes include stricter labeling, a phasing-out of ingredients high in heavy metals, and heightened standards implemented by the FDA.

We recommend reading more about the report here, and making an informed decision next time you find yourself in the baby food aisle.

Have any tips for making baby food at home? Let us know in the comments.

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Valerio Farris

Written by: Valerio Farris

Valerio is a freelance food writer, editor, researcher and cook. He grew up in his parent's Italian restaurants covered in pizza flour and drinking a Shirley Temple a day. Since, he's worked as a cheesemonger in New York City and a paella instructor in Barcelona. He now lives in Berlin, Germany where he's most likely to be found eating shawarma.

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7 Comments

SlowStudent
SlowStudent February 26, 2021
“Other changes include... a phasing out of ingredients high in heavy metals”. So they’re going to take brown rice, carrots, and sweet potatoes out of the diet? Aren’t these good foods that our babies need??? Sounds like a situation where the solution might be worse than the problem.
 
Paul D.
Paul D. March 9, 2021
Seriously? That's your comment? There are other foods besides brown rice, carrots and sweet potatoes that contain the necessary nutrients for proper development. Any baby food ingredients that contain toxic levels of arsenic, mercury and cadmium should be removed immediately. Unless you prefer your baby to be deficient in mental development amongst other issues.
 
Audrey K.
Audrey K. February 12, 2021
There isn't anything hard about making your own baby food - you need raw food, water, pot, blender or equivalent , and heat. People tend to overthink it, don't - just make without seasoning and feed, little ones will love it
 
Jaime M.
Jaime M. February 12, 2021
Please acknowledge in the article that there is currently NO RECALL on baby foods/companies listed in your article, or edit your title to remove the word "recall". This type of journalism is equivalent to fear-mongering, and serves no actual purpose. If you want the reader to make "an informed decision next time [they are] in the baby food aisle" then you, yourself, must be a reliable resource-- otherwise your entire directive loses all credibility.
 
Paul D.
Paul D. March 9, 2021
Where there's smoke there's usually a fire. I'm not willing to put my child's mental development at risk waiting on the so called FDA to turn the reports showing toxic levels of arsenic, mercury and cadmium into a recall. Seriously?
 
Jaime M.
Jaime M. March 9, 2021
Please note that my comment was regarding the previous title, which included the word "recall." That title has since been edited, because it was NOT factual. I absolutely agree that you must be your child's best advocate regarding heavy metals. Keep being a great parent. Kudos to you.
 
Deborah J.
Deborah J. March 27, 2021

Why no recall ?
USA today reported:
Last August, the FDA finalized guidance for infant rice cereal, recommending it contain no more than 100 parts per billion of arsenic. The subcommittee's report said" Beech Nut used some ingredients that tested as high as 913."

"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."

FDA recommends...
What Can you Do?

1. Contact your US
elected officials to ensure they punish,
hold these brands
accountable!
2. AVOID rice-based
baby products.
Beechnut posts on their website;
Should I eliminate certain foods from my child's diet? The FDA advises that eliminating food groups from your child's diet could lead to deficiencies in certain nutrients and potential poor health."

NOPE they said make your own food & avoid rice! Contact your gov.officials (sadly I don't know where to start) They claim to be working with Cornell University which happens to be just down the Rd. So I will be checking on claims and doing more research as to why when there's a recall on dog food it comes off the shelves but when there's dangerous amounts of toxins in baby foods for years not even warning labels remember it's in formula as well!!!!!
Originally Published8:01 pm EST February 4,2021
Updated 10:43 am EST February 5, 2021