Baby Food
Healthy Solutions
So, you are now checking labels before buying. You're trying to eat healthier, smarter, and cleaner. You're looking for organic certifications, non-GMO verified, independently tested, etc. It's time to do the same for babies and toddlers. Go to the Baby Food Menu Page and see what we have found!
According to a 2021 congressional investigation, some baby food samples contained up to 177 times the lead level, 91 times the inorganic arsenic level, and 69 times the cadmium level allowed in bottled water by federal agencies. Some of the companies were not testing the finished products, just the individual ingredients (see: https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/29/health/baby-food-toxins-update-wellness/index.html). Not all were included and the final product had a cumulative amount leading to underreporting.
The heavy metals found in baby food have been linked to cancer, chronic disease, and neurotoxic effects, and can have devastating effects on a developing child’s brain. The new law requires manufacturers to test their products to a level of six parts per billion for each heavy metal, and if the result is over that, they must specify the number.
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95% of tested baby foods in the US contain toxic metals, report says. Tests of 168 baby foods from major manufacturers in the US found 95% contained lead, 73% contained arsenic, 75% contained cadmium and 32% contained mercury. One fourth of the foods contained all four heavy metals. One in five baby foods tested had over 10 times the 1-ppb limit of lead endorsed by public health advocates, although experts agree that no level of lead is safe. The results mimicked a previous study by the Food and Drug Administration that found one or more of the same metals in 33 of 39 types of baby food tested. Foods with the highest risk for neurotoxic harm were rice-based products, sweet potatoes and fruit juices, the analysis found. “Even in the trace amounts found in food, these contaminants can alter the developing brain and erode a child’s IQ. The impacts add up with each meal or snack a baby eats,” the report said.
“These popular baby foods are not only high in inorganic arsenic, the most toxic form of arsenic, but also are nearly always contaminated with all four toxic metals,” the report said. Prior research has shown that even low levels of arsenic exposure can impact a baby’s neurodevelopment. A 2004 study looked at children in Bangladesh who were exposed to arsenic in drinking water, and it found that they scored significantly lower on intellectual tests. A meta-analysis of studies on the topic found that a 50% increase in arsenic levels in urine would be associated with a 0.4-point decrease in the IQ of children between the ages of 5 and 15.
And you can’t rely on organic either. A 2012 study found that brown rice syrup, a frequent sweetener in organic foods, was also a source of significant levels of arsenic. One “organic” milk formula marketed to toddlers had levels of inorganic arsenic that were six times the levels currently considered safe by the US Environmental Protection Agency.
In the Healthy Babies analysis, four of seven rice cereals contained the most toxic form of arsenic in levels higher than the FDA’s proposed action level of 100 parts per billion (ppb).
Source: CNN
10 Years of Testing Baby Foods for Toxic Heavy Metals – and What Parents Can Do About It. For more than a decade, we’ve tested the foods babies eat for toxic heavy metals, including arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury. These potent neurotoxins can permanently affect a child’s developing brain, lower IQ, and contribute to learning and behavioral problems. Our research has revealed a troubling reality: 95% of baby foods tested are contaminated with at least one of these harmful metals. Our findings sparked a Congressional investigation that uncovered “dangerous levels” of toxic heavy metals in baby foods and led to the creation of the FDA’s Closer to Zero initiative. We also found that homemade baby food is just as likely to be contaminated as store-bought options. In our May 2025 study, we turned our attention to rice — the most widely-consumed solid food in the world and the number one dietary source of arsenic for children. We tested the most common rice types served at home, as well as alternative grains, to find actionable, effective strategies to help families reduce exposures. Our findings show that protecting children from arsenic and other heavy metals in rice isn’t just possible — it’s essential, and entirely within our reach.
Source: Healthy Baby Food.org