FDA Establishes Lead Limits in Infant Food – Jay Lee’s U.S. Report (143)

FDA Establishes Lead Limits for Infant Foods

– U.S. Column #143 by Jay Lee

Yogurt, Custard, and Other Products Must Not Exceed 10 Parts Per Billion

Formula, Beverages, and Biscuits for Teething Are Exceptions

Prop 65 Warning May Be Required for Export Products to Amazon

By Jongchan Lee, CEO of J&B Food Consulting

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has established guidelines for lead levels in processed infant foods for the first time in history. According to the new guidelines, manufacturers of infant foods must ensure that lead content in products such as baby yogurt, custards, puddings, single-ingredient meats, processed fruits and vegetables, fruit and vegetable mixtures, and meat-grain combinations does not exceed 10 parts per billion (ppb).

The FDA stated that the guideline applies to foods packaged in jars, pouches, cans, or boxes, including ready-to-eat foods like purees and partially cooked foods such as dry infant cereals.

However, root vegetables like carrots and sweet potatoes (which typically have higher lead content due to soil contamination) and infant dry cereals must not exceed 20 ppb of lead. This guideline does not apply to infant formula, beverages, snacks like teething biscuits, or puffed snacks.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the American Academy of Pediatrics, there is no safe level of lead for infants and young children. However, the FDA reassured that parents should not discard existing infant foods or stop feeding their young children a variety of foods.

By consuming a variety of healthy foods, children are less likely to be repeatedly exposed to the same contaminants from the same food. It also helps provide essential nutrients for healthy development. When the body has sufficient nutrients stored, it may help prevent the harmful effects of lead.

To ensure a variety of foods, the FDA recommends that parents and caregivers feed their children a diverse range of foods from the five food groups: vegetables, fruits, grains, dairy, and protein-rich foods, alternating the foods even if they are the same type.

In 2019, a U.S. private organization reported that 95% of randomly sampled baby foods from supermarket shelves contained toxic metals. The report, which cited internal documents from major baby food manufacturers, revealed that some baby food ingredients contained hazardous metals at levels as low as 10 ppb, prompting congressional investigations.

Lead poisoning has significant impacts on children, as they are smaller and their brains are rapidly developing. A level of lead exposure that would have little effect on adults can severely affect children. Even low levels of exposure can cause central and peripheral nerve damage, learning disabilities, stunted growth, hearing loss, and harm to the formation and function of blood cells.

As a result, products sold in California are required to carry a Prop 65 warning if there is a risk of exposure to hazardous metals. However, consumer lawsuits remain prevalent, and products exported to Amazon may also require a Prop 65 warning for lead and other heavy metals, necessitating risk assessments for these contaminants.

Tags: #Lead #InfantFood #FDA

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