The U.S. Congressional report found that some baby foods contain high levels of toxic metals, with more than 91 times the maximum level of arsenic allowed in bottled water; 177 times the allowable levels of lead, 69 times the limits on cadmium, and five times the levels of allowable mercury.
In April, New York Attorney General Letitia James issued a press release announcing a probe into Gerber, Beech-Nut, Hain (Earth’s Best Organic), and Nurture (HappyBABY); sending letters to each of the baby food manufacturers asking for additional information about levels of arsenic found in their products, as well as advertising and promotional techniques.
Although the manufacturers claim their products are safe and appropriately labelled, the FDA and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have long maintained that exposing infants and children to toxic heavy metals can cause a permanent decrease in IQ, an increased risk of future criminal and antisocial behaviour, and untreatable and frequently permanent brain damage.
Heavy metal exposure to infants is a serious concern. Lead exposure at any level is extremely unsafe for children. Prior studies have linked heavy metal exposure to behavioural impairments, brain damage, damage to the nervous system, seizures, growth impairments, and even death.
The mothers claim they based their decision on which baby food to feed their infants on Gerber’s marketing claims and product labelling, which depicting the products as “organic” and safe for suitable consumption by babies, without any warning the products contained metals that can disrupt the neurological and developmental growth, potentially leading to the onset of autism and attention deficient disorder (ADHD).
