"While the Subcommittee report notes proposed limits on specific heavy metals, those are based on proposed standards from the Baby Food Safety Act, which are not current law or regulation. Below are some of the baby foods that the HBBF report indicated for high levels of arsenic: The FDA has a maximum allowable limit of 5 parts per billion (ppb) lead in bottled water, yet the amount of lead in some popular baby foods surpasses this limit by at least four times in some cases. | Technical / White Paper. Is Plum Organic? - Sweetish Hill The tainted product was found to contain high levels of inorganic arsenic and lead. Several popular baby food brands contain "high levels" of toxic heavy metals -- and they are not doing enough to stop the practice, according to a new report released Wednesday by a U.S. House Oversight subcommittee. Commercial baby foods are tainted with significant levels of toxic heavy metals, including arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury, according to a report released last week by a House Oversight subcommittee. And they still use the same formula today. Companies can reduce their legal vulnerability by setting up rigorous internal protocols and compliance systems, but after reports like this, food manufacturers will likely be lobbying state and federal agencies to set safe harbor levels, he predicted. Beech-Nut 6+ Months. Gerber. One brand, Plum Organics, contained 225 ppb of inorganic arsenic, double the FDAs action level. Below you will find baby foods that tested at high levels for arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and lead. If you require legal or professional advice, kindly contact an attorney or other suitable professional advisor. Manufacturers allowed baby food contaminated with heavy metals to - CNN You can buy a baby food maker set such as the Baby Brezza Small Baby Food Maker Set Cooker and Blender in One or use the appliances you already have in your kitchen in preparing your babys food. People Responding to allegations in the report (which are then referenced in the lawsuit) that, Campbell provided a spreadsheet self-declaring that every one of its products meets criteria but declined to state what those criteria are,"a spokeswoman told us last week that Campbell tested all of its products and relied on standards set by various other bodies for guidance in the absence of FDA regulations. Its best to avoid preparing these foods for your baby. They pioneered the baby food industry by selling natural purees that are made with only the best ingredients. Tests have shown that Plum Super Puffs contain over 200 parts per billion of arsenic. When purchased online. Beech-Nut 8+ Months. In response to these allegations, the FDA has proposed a Baby Food Safety Act to limit the amount of heavy metals in infant foods. In January 2023, in response to public clamor, the FDA announced that theyre proposing limits on lead in baby food. (4), According to the Congressional Report, Beech-Nut declared that all its raw materials passed internal standards. Please fill out our case evaluation contact form or call our lawyers today at (855) 948-5098. 9 Best Baby Foods Of May 2023 - Forbes Health However, we have come a long way in reducing these exposures, and in the list of priorities that I would have, there are many other important areas where families can mitigate exposure to contaminants of concern, he noted. The investigation conducted by the subcommittee revealed that manufacturers knowingly sell tainted baby food to unsuspecting parents, in spite of internal company test results showing high levels of toxic heavy metal, and without any warning labels whatsoever, said Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, chairman of the Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy, in a statement. Nurture said its Happy Family Organics products are safe for babies and toddlers to enjoy, and we are proud to have best-in-class testing protocols in our industry. The company said it was disappointed at the many inaccuracies, select data usage and tone bias in the report. attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Hain Celestial Group (Earth's Best Organic), click here for our list of baby foods to avoid from March of 2022, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), UPDATED 2022: Baby Foods Toxic Heavy Metals List, Nurture (Happy Family Organics and Happy BABY). But sugary apple puree . She recently attacked the industrys self-regulation, saying it has a history of failing to make products safe for babies. Most baby foods are high in sugar, and a high-sugar diet is linked to obesity and tooth decay. FREE delivery Fri, Apr 21 on $25 of items shipped by Amazon. The companys products are safe and its committed to minimizing environmental contaminants, its statement said. To date, the FDA has only enacted limits for heavy metals in infant rice cereal and juice, so parents are essentially on their own to figure out for themselves the risks associated with all other foods they give their children.. The content and links on www.NatLawReview.comare intended for general information purposes only. Ensuring Your Independent Contractors Dont Deliver Wisconsin Unemployment USCIS Releases FY2024 Cap Registration Statistics and Announces Measures to Multistate Monday: PUMP It UpNew Protections for Pregnant and Nursing Mothers [ Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. heavy metals Our experts loved. Did anyone else make this type of baby food? In addition, Gerber and other brands failed to provide lab evidence. The choice of a lawyer or other professional is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements. Concern over heavy metals in baby food has existed for a long time and the findings arent surprising, said Dr. Leonardo Trasande, a pediatrics professor at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and director of the Center for the Investigation of Environmental Hazards at NYU Langone in New York City. Campbell Soup Company, which sells baby food under the brand name Plum Organics, said it cooperated with congressional investigators. Sweet potatoes and carrots can also have high levels of lead and cadmium. The company is also accused of using cheap pear juice and apple juice to bulk up its products, including the 3rd Foods Lasagna in Meat Sauce Dinner, Banana Peach Granola, and Pear Blueberry Oatmeal. "Today's report reveals that companies not only under-report the high levels of toxic content in their baby food, but also knowingly keep toxic products on the market," Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., chairman of the Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy, said in a statement. This included store-bought baby foods as well as homemade purees. Step 2 of How to Make Plum Baby Food: Remove the pit from each plum and roughly chop the fruit. , "In addition, we work collaboratively with the Baby Food Council (composed of other manufacturers, the Environmental Defense Fund and Cornell University), the FDA and USDA to continuously refine and improve upon the standards to ensure our products exceed safety and nutrition standards including reducing the levels of heavy metals that occur naturally in soil and water., We are disappointed that the Subcommittee report examined outdated dataand does not reflect our current practices," added Shallow, noting that following a meeting with the FDA, Hain"took several steps to reduce the levels of heavy metals in our finished products, including no longer using brown rice inour products that are primarily rice based, changing other ingredients and conducting additional testing of finished product before shipping. According to their new reports, these companies finished products passed because they have higher limits for their internal standards. Yet, the actual results are still several times higher than the, content. - Last updated on This makes it a healthier choice for your childs first few months. This can't be fully just relying on parents to do their own thing. As a certified organic baby food brand, Plum is a great choice for parents who want to offer healthy foods for their children. According to the report, one Plum product contained 39ppb inorganic arsenic, although the others all tested negative; lead levels ranged from 1-6ppb; mercury from 0.1-0.7ppb; and cadmium from 0.5-24ppb. (5) (6) All Gerber foods have and continue to meet all applicable guidelines and limits set by the FDA, the governing body for safety regulations in the food industry. { Gerber and Plum Class-Actions Due to Heavy Metals in Baby Food 2nd Foods Banana Plum Grape Baby Food | Gerber It is important to remember that infants and babies consume more food in relation to their body weight and absorb arsenic more readily than adults. National Law Review, Volume XI, Number 40, Public Services, Infrastructure, Transportation. It is important to remember that infants and babies consume more food in relation to their body weight and absorb cadmium more readily than adults. A lawsuit filed in Southern California against baby food companies alleges that these foods, tainted with heavy metals based on the Congressional report, can cause autism and ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder). The investigation revealed that manufacturers knowingly sell tainted baby food to unsuspecting parents," a lawmaker said. There are so many possible contaminants and harmful ingredients in our food supply. $1.99. The National Law Review - National Law Forum LLC 3 Grant Square #141 Hinsdale, IL 60521 Telephone (708) 357-3317 ortollfree(877)357-3317. $1.39. 4.8. The following results also come from the. It sold all the tested items, whether they passed or failed. Heres everything you need to know about naps, Worried about pesticides on produce? Peanut Butter Should remain on the menu but consumed less than daily. They also want the FDA to address the other heavy metals detected in baby food, such as cadmium and mercury, which arent included in the agencys new proposal. Currently, the only legislation that limits the amount of heavy metals in baby food is proposed by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. 4.2 out of 5 stars with 314 ratings. While acknowledging that for the majority of heavy metals the FDA has not set thresholds for the level allowed in baby foods (one notable exception is a 100 ppblimitfor arsenic in infant rice cereals), it concluded that commercial baby foods contain dangerous levels of arsenic, lead, mercury, and cadmium . (4), Walmart, Sprout, and Campbell refused to cooperate, according to the Congressional Report. The new report is a follow-up to a report released in February by the same subcommittee that found baby foods from several leading brands contained "significant" levels of toxic heavy metals, including lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic. Youll still need to include these foods in your childs diet, but make sure they arent taken in excess. (9), The FDA proposes the creation of the Human Foods Program, a new food safety unit that will focus on the importance of nutrition. Overview Searching for a milk formula for your little one, but unsure which one to pick? ", A spokesperson for Beech-Nut Nutrition which has also been hit with a class action lawsuit - said: Weve received the complaint and plan to respond appropriately through the legal process after wed had the opportunity to thoroughly review it. While a court is unlikely accept the latter theory (seeour priorpostrejecting a similarly broad theory of deceptive advertising in the petfood context), allegations that the levels of heavy metals in the baby food products areunsafemay present viable litigation theories. Gerber 2nd Foods Hawaiian Delight Baby Food is a creamy juice and fruit blend that makes feeding time a treat and continues your baby's love of fruits. BIG NEWS? in Organic Quinoa Puffs Baby Cereal Snack Apple Kale. At Gerber, babies are our highest priority. In a similar case*** filed vs Hain Celestial Group (maker of the Earth's Best baby food brand), plaintiff Alyssa Mays argues: "Contrary to the representations made on the label and packaging of the products, the products contain heavy metals including arsenic, cadmium and lead at levels above what is considered safe for babies. Plum Organics baby food costs around $1.59 for 3.5- or 4-ounce pouches. var aTags = gptValue.split(','); USCIS Releases FY2024 Cap Registration Statistics and Announces Another Letter From Congress Complaining About Pharmaceutical Patents. If making your own baby food at home is an option, Trasande supported it, but he recognized that's not realistic for many families. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. In addition, the arsenic contained in the ingredients of the product is inorganic despite defendant's labeling all of the products as organic. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship. How Many Calories Are in a Taco Salad With Ground Beef and Shell. Robin Shallow, spokesperson for Hain Celestial (Earth's Best), said, "We do not comment on litigation." Because they can't be completely removed, the FDAs goal is to reduce exposure to toxic elements in foods to the greatest extent feasible, the agency said. A class action lawsuit filed against two major manufacturers of baby food has named Gerber and Beech-Nut as defendants. Leading baby food manufacturers knowingly sold products with high - CNN | Technical / White Paper. Best organic baby food pouches: Plum Organics Stage 1; . { One variety of Mighty 4 Essential Nutrition Blends, listspumpkin, pomegranate, quinoa, and Greek yogurt on the front. HBBF recommends parents to vary the sourcing of these products and peel before serving. You can also check with your pediatrician about which foods to add to your babys diet. The report also calls on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to hurry in releasing its standards for heavy metals in baby foods and to, in the meantime, require baby food makers to test their finished products for heavy metals. Because heavy metals and other contaminants could greatly affect babies body and brain development, Consumer Reports and the US PIRG (Public Interest Research Group) call for the passing of the Baby Food Safety Act of 2021. The FDA retested the sample, was unable to confirm the result by Alaska and confirmed to Gerber that no action was needed," the company said in a statement. Ensuring Your Independent Contractors Dont Deliver Wisconsin EPA Denies Petition Seeking TSCA Section 4 Testing of PVA. Sweet Potato, Potato, Carrot, and Baby Spinach Rotate these foods and serve a variety (not the same one each day). Los Angeles, CA 90025. How old is Plum Organics Tots? | - From Hunger To Hope 12 Best Organic Baby Food Brands of 2023 - Good Housekeeping This included store-bought baby foods as well as homemade purees. Hain Celestial Group elaborated that they had previously taken steps to reduce heavy metals in their products, like no longer using brown rice in products that are primarily rice-based. They are in the soil, the water, the airand are therefore unavoidable in our overall food supply.". The lawsuit alleges that the companys baby food pouches contain misleading labeling. Minerals are essential for the healthy physical and cognitive development of children. Gerber Sitter 2nd Foods Sweet Potato Baby Meals Tubs - 2ct/4oz Each. In its August 2022 report, HBBF tested 288 foods and analyzed more than 7,000 additional baby food testing data from published studies. The following results also come from the Healthy Babies Bright Futures report: (3). Exposure to these heavy metals can cause permanent damage to your baby's brain development. : Court Confirms Call Offering Business Loan Does not United States: SEC Staff Finds Safeguarding Policies and Procedures Value Billing and Its Importance for Law Firms, SEC Steps up Oversight of Crypto Exchanges. Plaintiffs allege that the company fails to disclose heavy metal levels on its labels. There currently isn't good data to allow for picking certain baby food brands over others when it comes to heavy metal contamination, Trasande said. The governments Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has a responsibility to protect the health of babies. One of the most trusted names in baby food and baby care since 1927. A study of two top-selling brands of baby food has found that some contain dangerous levels of heavy metals. Restrictive Covenants in Real Estate: Next Antitrust Enforcement Target? You can store the leftover puree in the refrigerator or freeze it for up to 3 months. The investigation found internal company standards permit dangerously high levels of toxic heavy metals, and manufacturers have often sold foods that exceeded those levels. Plum Organics Recalls 2021-2023: Which Products Were Affected? Plum Flavored Baby Food : Target Gerber baby foods: Gerber only tests ingredients, not the final product, the subcommittee said. As some of our readers may know, the U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy released areporton February 4th2021 which reported on the levels of heavy metals including arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury found in baby foods produced by seven of the largest baby food manufacturers in the U.S. " If your child was diagnosed with autism and/or ADHD and you believe the heavy metals in baby food are the cause, you may be able to pursue justice and compensation in a baby food autism lawsuit. 'High levels' of toxic heavy metals found in baby food: Report Four of the companies Nurture, Beech-Nut, Hain and Gerber responded to the requests. Gerber : Target The rest of the baby food manufacturers mentioned in the report didnt issue a recall as well. Beechnut Baby Food Recalls 2021-2023: Reviews On What You Need To Know, Everything You Need To Know About The HappyBABY Organic Food Recalls 2021-2023, Whats The Best Wearable Breast Pump? When purchased online. BABY FOOD DESSERTS GERBER RECIPES All You Need is Food - Stevehacks It plans to continue to work with the FDA, in partnership with the Baby Food Council, on science-based standards for food suppliers. $1.39. Baby Food : Target Peter Rabbit Organics. Theyre also creating a new food safety unit. In response to the report, a Beech-Nut spokesperson told ABC News in a statement, "Our process of manufacturing baby food does not contribute heavy metals to the final product. } Pureed vegetables and fruits, sometimes combined with rice cereal and formula, or breastmilk, are the first foods that babies consume. Regardless, its important to look for alternatives in baby food and consider purchasing organic baby foods if you can. The company is now investigating the tainted product and is considering how to resolve this issue. Mama Bear. In fact, you can even find Gerber coupons in Sunday newspapers. For example, its baby food pouches use recyclable caps and have a smaller carbon footprint than jars. Canned Fruit Better choices are fresh or frozen. A congressional report found many of the products made by the country's largest commercial baby food manufacturers contain significant levels of toxic heavy metals, including arsenic, lead,. Studies show that exposure to these toxic heavy metals during early childhood can lead to neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). And if you are wondering, yes, Gerber makes plum baby food. Banana Plum Grape. Yet, the actual results are still several times higher than the FDA standards. Brands including Gerber, Plum Organics, Beech-Nut and Walmart are named in the report, which calls on baby food manufacturers to begin voluntarily testing their products for toxic heavy metals and . It is important to remember that infants and babies consume more food in relation to their body weight and absorb mercury more readily than adults. The brands baby food comes in different flavors, blends, and textures for babies. Gerber Products Company was among the baby food manufacturers listed in the report. Yet, the FDA is acting too slow and not doing enough to protect children and get baby food manufacturers to eliminate toxic heavy metals from its foods. Now I'm not going to say that any level of these metals is safe. Some of these are from pesticides. (10), The new unit will also be tasked to improve US nutrition to address the declining life expectancy, possibly due to chronic diseases linked with poor nutrition. Also, check out the lawsuit for other examples of the harm that these ingredients can cause. Parents should also diversify a babys diet so that no one food dominates, reducing the amount of contamination from one particular product of concern arsenic in infant rice cereal, for example, he noted. But they are important sources of vitamin A and other nutrients. The baby food company did not alert consumers to the problem and only recalled the product when the results showed it contained toxic levels. Our Plum Tots product range includes Mighty pouches, TeensyTM Snacks, Mighty Snack BarsTM, Mighty . (3) (4) In January 2023, the FDA finally proposed lead limits as a result of these findings. The plan gradually phases out heavy metals from baby food by 2024. Instead of worrying about food recalls, preparing fresh and, Baby Brezza Small Baby Food Maker Set Cooker and Blender in One. can also have high levels of lead and cadmium. Food safety Cheese Ravioli Pasta Pick-Ups were recalled, but not because of, Undeclared egg components (allergens) on the product label. Plum Organics Its other products contain high-quality ingredients, such as pear, apple, and banana. 314. Gerber, Beech-Nut, HappyBABY and Earth's Best Organic baby foods test Fiber, the Original Gut Health Ingredient, Energy Drinks That Perform on Every Level, Sweet solutions: Soda fountain stevia breakthrough, Carbohydrates and fibers (sugar, starches), Baby food brands defend protocols as congressional report alleges highly dangerous levels of heavy metals in infant foods; expect lawsuits, says attorney. (11)(12), (1) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23570911/, (2) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4418502/, (3) http://www.healthybabyfood.org/sites/healthybabyfoods.org/files/2019-10/BabyFoodReport_FULLREPORT_ENGLISH_R5b.pdf, (4) https://oversightdemocrats.house.gov/sites/democrats.oversight.house.gov/files/2021-02-04%20ECP%20Baby%20Food%20Staff%20Report.pdf, (5) https://www.fda.gov/food/metals-and-your-food/arsenic-food-and-dietary-supplements, (6) https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/shopping/2021/06/09/beech-nut-baby-food-recall-2021-rice-cereal-arsenic/7621243002/, (7) https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/gerber-issues-allergy-alert-clarify-egg-labeling-cheese-ravioli-pasta-pick-upsr, (8) http://news.gerber.com/news/gerber-is-voluntarily-recalling-two-batches-of-gerberR-organic-2nd-foodsR-pouches, (9) https://fox17.com/news/spotlight-on-america/update-first-court-battle-over-toxic-metals-in-baby-food-set-for-trial-in-2023, (10) https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2023-01-31/after-baby-formula-scandal-fda-announces-new-unit-focused-on-food-safety, (11) https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/24/health/fda-lead-baby-food.html, (12) https://www.consumerreports.org/babies-kids/baby-food/fda-proposes-new-limits-for-lead-in-baby-foods-a2167994237/, Motherhood Community is reader supported. ", "Our specifications have always been aligned with or below the FDA requirements for naturally occurring elements and the FDA noted in April that its testing shows that children 'are not at an immediate health risk to exposure," Walmart said in a statement to ABC News. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends screening for elevated lead levels in children 9 to 12 months old, and again around age 2. $2238 ($2.80/Ounce) Save more with Subscribe & Save. The company does not comment on pending litigation, but we do intend to defend this case vigorously.. Plum Organics, Gerber accused of bait-and-switch schemes on baby food In fact, we released the data highlighted in this report in February 2021 and published it on our web site at that time. The report called on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to set maximum levels of toxic heavy metals allowed in baby foods and require mandatory testing of the finished products. Oatmeal, Barley, Millet, Farro - Rotate these foods and serve a variety (not the same one each day). They should focus first and foremost on eating organic. Gerber. [that] pose serious health risks to babies and toddlers. The report advocates several changes to the regulation of baby foods including mandatory testing of finished products for heavy metals, reporting of heavy metal content on food labels, and new regulations setting limits for heavy metals in baby foods. (1)(2), Whats alarming is that as much as 95% of baby food products from some of the most popular brands in the U.S. contain significant levels of mercury, lead, arsenic, and cadmium. g-uh-r-b-uh-r. Congressional investigators asked seven of the largest U.S. baby food manufacturers to provide internal documents and test results. As part of its continuous improvement practices, Beech-Nut continues to work with the FDA to identify the best practices, which may include "finished product testing," according to the statement. Parents who rely on packaged baby food for their infants are getting a concerning new glimpse at whats inside some of the jars, pouches or grain products. The problem with Gerbers original recipe is that the plums are not as sweet as they used to be. Florida Gun Law Bars Employers from Conditioning Employment on Carry Authorization. A. Pawlowski is a TODAY health reporter focusing on health news and features. (3). Prepared Foods Below are some of the baby foods that the HBBF report indicated for high levels of cadmium: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a maximum allowable limit of 2 parts per billion (ppb) mercury in drinking water, yet the levels of mercury in some common baby food is twice that in some cases. Gerber also used 12 other batches of sweet potato that tests over 20ppb for lead, the EUs upper lenient standard Gerber uses multiple batches of carrots containing as much as 87ppb cadmium, and 75% of the carrots Gerber used had more than 5ppb cadmium, the EPAs drinking water standard., Gerber does not comment on pending litigation, but told FoodNavigator-USA that, We fully stand behind the safety of all of our products,including the products that were the subject of this report. When parents first heard the news that many major baby food brands contain dangerous amounts of toxic heavy metals, most believed the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would step in to better protect children from arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury. Plum also deceives consumers on labels for the pouches, bars, smoothies, and snacks it markets for toddlers, according to CSPI. Plaintiffs allege that the company fails to disclose heavy metal levels on its labels. Moreover, it does not have added preservatives, which are harmful to your childs health. The company has multiple ways to limit exposure to lead. dataLayerNews.related_tags = sanitize_gpt_value2("Baby food, heavy metals, Gerber products company, Beech-Nut Nutrition, Plum Organics, Campbell soup"); 4.7 out of 5 stars with 297 ratings.

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