Of all food categories, it may be safe to say that ensuring the purity of baby foods and making sure there are no toxic ingredients or metal in it should be a priority. However, a national investigation showed that toxic metals were found in 95 percent of tested baby foods.
The fact that heavy metals in baby food exist was uncovered nearly a decade ago, but we assumed measures were taken to resolve this danger. It’s true that efforts made by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), along with baby food companies and nonprofit organizations, have reduced metal in baby food products.
Although we’ve seen some progress since 2011, we have a long way to go before baby food can be declared completely safe.
Heavy Metal in Baby Food: Study Results
When 168 baby foods made by 61 different brands were tested by Healthy Babies Bright Futures (HBBF), toxic heavy metals were found in 95 percent of them.- 94 percent contained lead
- 75 percent contained cadmium
- 73 percent contained arsenic
- 32 percent contained mercury
- 26 percent contained four metals
- 40 percent contained three metals
- 21 percent contained two metals
- 8 percent contained one metal
- 5 percent (only nine samples) contained zero metals
These metals can harm a child’s developing brain and nervous system, and metal in baby food may even cause permanent loss of intellectual capacity. Plus, consuming these toxic metals can also cause behavioral problems, like ADHD.
When new containers of 25 foods were sent to a separate lab for heavy metal testing, scientists detected another neurotoxic pollutant in 19 of 25 foods: perchlorate.
Most Dangerous Baby Foods to Avoid
Test results show that 15 foods account for more than half of the heavy metal in baby food risk. Here’s a breakdown of the most dangerous baby foods, according to this most recent report:- Rice-based foods, including infant rice cereal, rice dishes and rice-based snacks
- Apple juice
- Grape juice
- Fruit juice blend (100 percent juice)
- Cheerios and oat ring cereal
- Macaroni and cheese
- Puff snacks and teething biscuits
- Soft cereal bars
- Oatmeal cookies
- Fruit yogurt
- Sweet potato baby food
Of the 61 baby food brands that were tested, some of them were organic brands, including Plum Organics, Beech Nut, and Earth’s Best.
What Parents Can Do?
According to the report, “only a dramatically accelerated pace at FDA and the fruition of the new Baby Food Council’s pursuit of industry-wide change will be enough to finally solve the problem.”This is an issue that’s been known for almost a decade, and although measures have been taken to limit heavy metal exposure in foods, clearly there’s much more work to be done.
In the meantime, HBBF has made recommendations about what parents can do to make safer baby food choices. These safer choices are said to contain 80 percent less arsenic, lead, and other toxic heavy metals than other “riskier picks.”
- Choose rice-free snacks: Opt for diced fruits and veggies or rice-free crackers.
- Avoid teething biscuits made with rice: Instead of rice biscuits for teething babies, opt for other soothing foods, like chilled cucumber and frozen banana. You can also use a clean, wet washcloth or a cold spoon.
- Opt for multigrain infant cereals, oatmeal, barley, and quinoa.
- Offer filtered tap water instead of fruit juice.
- Offer a variety of fruits and vegetables.
