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If your child was diagnosed with autism after eating toxic baby food, you may be able to recover compensation from the maker. LLN explains.
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Multiple Investigations Find Unsafe Levels of Heavy Metals in Baby Food
In the last few years, parents of young children have been confronted with multiple crises related to tainted baby food. The news of heavy metals in baby food led to public outcry in 2021, followed by a critical baby formula shortage in 2022. Like infant formula, baby food is subject to stringent regulations to ensure that it is safe for consumption by children.
When multiple sources raised concerns about the presence of toxins in baby food, parents understandably directed their concerns at agencies like the FDA as well as the baby food manufacturers. The allegations were first made by the Clean Label Project in 2017 after their testing revealed lead in about a third of the 500 baby food products they used. Further inquiries by the FDA and consumer advocacy groups confirmed the presence of lead and other heavy metals in a significant portion of baby food. This campaign culminated in a Congressional investigation.
In 2021, the results of that probe were made publicly available. Earlier concerns were justified, as the report confirmed that heavy metals were found in baby food products from various companies, particularly in rice and root vegetable-based products. Investigators found evidence that manufacturers did not abide by federal or internal safety standards, nor did they conduct adequate testing. The release of this report initially prompted panic among parents, which has solidified into a wave of product liability lawsuits.
What Heavy Metals Have Been Found in Baby Food
The term heavy metals broadly describes a class of metals and metalloids with high densities or atomic numbers. It has developed a negative connotation linked to cases of contamination, but many heavy metals are commonplace and fairly innocuous, such as silver and gold. In fact, certain heavy metals like iron and zinc are actually necessary for the human body to function.
The heavy metals that have been detected in baby food are also naturally occurring but toxic when ingested.
Thus far, researchers have identified the following harmful heavy metals in baby foods:
While we typically think of lead poisoning in connection to old paint or decaying pipes, there are other sources of exposure in nature, such as soil. The accumulation of excessive lead in the body can manifest as stomach pain, agitation, and, in extreme cases, damage to the central nervous system or brain. Like lead, arsenic has often become synonymous with poison in modern vernacular, and with good reason. The carcinogen arsenic is more commonly found in groundwater, though it has also been detected in air and soil.
Airborn cadmium exposure is typically occupation-related, where it has been known to cause severe respiratory issues. When individuals are subject to harmful levels of cadmium in contaminated water or food, they tend to present with joint pain, kidney damage, and cardiovascular problems. Some research also indicates cadmium may be a carcinogen. Testing has also found mercury in baby food, which is highly alarming considering that organic mercury poisoning can result in damage to the brain and spinal cord.
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