Why Some Baby Foods Are Dangerous
According to the report, at least four major manufacturers sold products that contained unacceptable levels of toxic metals such as arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury. Democratic Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi describe the committee's findings as “shocking" after spreadsheets provided by manufacturers showed toxic metal levels.
In other words, companies didn’t just sell toxic baby food to consumers, they did so knowing how dangerous it was.
According to the subcommittee's report:
"The test results of baby foods and their ingredients eclipse those levels: including results up to 91 times the arsenic level, up to 177 times the lead level, up to 69 times the cadmium level, and up to 5 times the mercury level."
Manufacturers investigated in the report include:
- Nurture, Inc. (Happy Family Organics and HappyBaby products)
- Beech-Nut Nutrition Company
- Hain Celestial Group, Inc. (Earth’s Best Organic)
- Gerber
Notably, three major baby food producers declined to release internal documents about their products. Independent testing has revealed that these products also contain elevated levels of heavy metals.
Baby food companies that declined to submit documentation include:
- Walmart (Parent’s Choice)
- Campbell (Plum Organics)
- Sprout Organic Food
Dangers of Heavy Metals in Baby Food
According to the World Health Organization, arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury are part of the 10 most concerning chemicals that infants and children are at risk of exposure to. Since these heavy metals are natural elements, exposure to them can’t be completely prevented. However, soil that some crops are grown in contain elevated levels of the substances because of increased pollution and the use of pesticides that contain metal.
Since baby food products often contain rice, carrots, and sweet potatoes, it’s at risk of containing heavy metals transferred from the soil and environment in which they were grown. This means that baby food producers must carefully choose where their food is made and vigilantly test it for dangerous contaminants. While the FDA and Environmental Protection Agency have created guidelines for the acceptable level of metals in food, this report has found that many of the nation’s most popular brands contain potentially dangerous levels of them.
Metals found in baby food are linked to the following:
- Cancer
- Chronic diseases
- Neurotoxic effects
- Brain damage
- ADHD
- Autism (ASD)
- Cardiovascular issues
- Compromised immune systems
The HBBF Baby Food Report
Most concerning about the presence of these metals is their effect on the developing minds and bodies of young children. One study from Healthy Babies Bright Futures found the chemicals in these baby food products can “permanently alter the developing brain, erode IQ, and affect behavior." For its report, the HBBF studied 168 types of baby foods. The organization found that 95 percent of all baby foods contained at least one toxic heavy metal.
Call Our Baby Food Contamination Lawyers Now: (888) 493-1629
When parents buy baby food, they expect it to be a convenient and safe way to get provide their children with nutrition. Companies that produce baby food and sell it knowing that it could be harmful to children have no excuse for doing so. They should be held accountable for the harm they’ve caused. No child should have their future altered because of a food manufacturer’s disregard of safety for consumers.
At Arnold & Itkin, we’re a law firm that has a national reputation for taking on some of the largest companies in the world and winning. As product liability lawyers, we're ready to do the investigative work required to make sure companies provide answers for the harm they've done. Besides helping our clients secure billions of dollars in recovery, our work has also influenced the removal of dangerous products from shelves nationwide.
While we can’t change what has happened to our clients, we can fight for answers from the companies and people who could have prevented their suffering. Call now for the help you deserve.
A member of our dangerous baby food law firm is standing by to speak with you right now at (888) 493-1629. We’re ready to fight for you and your child, no matter how tough the fight is.
