Toxic Heavy Metals In Baby Food Stirs Gillibrand Push For New Rules

NEW YORK — A troubling new congressional oversight report has Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand pushing for legislation to limit levels of heavy metals in baby food.

The junior senator from New York railed against a flawed self-regulation of the industry.

Following a congressional investigation that found many top-brand baby foods, including Beechnut, Gerber, Plum Organics, Parent's Choice and Sprout Organic Foods, contain dangerous levels of toxic heavy metals, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand has come out strongly in support of the Baby Food Safety Act.

"It is outrageous that trusted brands are knowingly selling toxic baby food to unsuspecting parents," Gillibrand said. "Lead and other heavy metals cause serious and permanent damage to our children’s health. We must act now to keep our kids safe and I’m proud to be introducing this bill that will do just that."

Exposure to toxic heavy metals endangers infant neurological development and may cause a variety of health issues, including permanent decreases in IQ, disruptive behavior or socialization challenges in growing children, according to the congressional report. The Baby Food Safety Act would limit the amount of lead, mercury, arsenic, and cadmium contained in baby food by imposing strict requirements on manufacturers to regularly test and verify that their baby foods are under new, lowered limits for these substances. The legislation would also require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to further lower limits for toxic metals within two years, to put regulations in place within three years and to review the regulatory limits every five years.

A recent investigative report from Politico found serious deficiencies in the FDA’s efforts to keep toxic elements out of baby food. The baby food industry currently self-regulates and often disregards its own standards for toxic heavy metals. Many brands of juice, candy, and water have also been found to contain high levels of lead and cadmium.

The bill was sponsored by Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and was cosponsored by Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA).

The full text of the legislation can be found here.