Washington, D.C. (Feb. 4, 2021)—Today, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy, released a staff report showing that baby foods are tainted with dangerous levels of toxic heavy metals that endanger infant neurological development and long-term brain function.

Subcommittee Chairman Krishnamoorthi issued the following statement:

“Baby food manufacturers hold a special position of public trust.  But consumers mistakenly believe that these companies would not sell unsafe products.  The Subcommittee’s staff report found that these manufacturers knowingly sell baby food containing high levels of toxic heavy metals.  I hope companies will commit to making safer baby foods.  Regardless, it’s time that we develop much better standards for the sake of future generations.”

The Subcommittee’s investigation found:

• Top baby foods are tainted with dangerous levels of inorganic arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury.
• Industry self-regulation fails to protect consumers as manufacturers set their own dangerously high internal standards for toxic heavy metal levels.
• Manufacturers routinely ignore internal standards and continue to sell products with higher heavy metal levels.
• Manufacturers’ prevalent practice of only testing their ingredients is concealing higher levels of toxic metal in finished baby foods.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the World Health Organization have declared that inorganic arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury are toxic heavy metals dangerous to human health, particularly to babies and children, who are most vulnerable to their neurotoxic effects.  Even low levels of exposure can cause serious and often irreversible damage to brain development.

“The Subcommittee’s investigation 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,” added Chairman Krishnamoorthi.  “I look forward to FDA’s careful regulation of these toxic heavy metals in baby foods, followed by strict compliance requirements and mandatory consumer labels.”

Click here to read the Subcommittee’s staff report.

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