FDA limits toxic lead in some baby foods – here's what to know
FILE - The baby food aisle at a grocery store is shown. (Photo by: Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday set maximum levels for lead in baby foods, such as jarred fruits and vegetables, yogurts and dry cereal.
The final guidance, which was first proposed two years ago, is part of an effort to minimize young children's exposure to the toxic metal, which can cause developmental and neurological issues. The agency estimated it could reduce lead exposure from processed baby foods by about 20% to 30%.
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It's part of the FDA's ongoing effort to "reduce dietary exposure to contaminants, including lead, in foods to as low as possible over time, while maintaining access to nutritious foods," the FDA said in a statement.
Here’s what to know:
FDA's lead limits in baby foods
The FDA guidance covers packaged processed foods sold in jars, pouches, tubs or boxes.
It sets a lead limit of 10 parts per billion for fruits, most vegetables, grain and meat mixtures, yogurts, custards and puddings and single-ingredient meats. It sets a limit of 20 parts per billion for single-ingredient root vegetables and for dry infant cereals.
The FDA limits are voluntary for food manufacturers – not mandatory – but they allow the agency to take enforcement action if foods exceed the levels.
"If the agency finds that the level of a contaminant in a food causes the food to be unsafe, we take action, which may include working with the manufacturer to resolve the issue and taking steps to prevent the product from entering, or remaining in, the U.S. market," the agency says.
The guidance comes more than a year after lead-tainted pouches of apple cinnamon puree sickened more than 560 children in the U.S. between October 2023 and April 2024, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The levels of lead detected in those products were more than 2,000 times higher than the FDA's maximum. Officials stressed that the agency doesn't need guidance to take action on foods that violate the law.
What doesn’t the guidance cover?
The new limits on lead for children younger than 2 don't cover grain-based snacks like puffs and teething biscuits, which some research has shown contain higher levels of lead.
They also don't limit other metals such as cadmium that have been detected in baby foods.
What are people saying about the new limits?
Consumer advocates, who have long sought limits on lead in children's foods, welcomed the guidance first proposed two years ago, but said it didn't go far enough.
"FDA's actions today are a step forward and will help protect children," said Thomas Galligan, a scientist with the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
"However, the agency took too long to act and ignored important public input that could have strengthened these standards," Galligan added.
Brian Ronholm, director of food policy for Consumer Reports, called the limits "virtually meaningless because they’re based more on industry feasibility and not on what would best protect public health."
A spokesperson for baby food maker Gerber said the company's products meet the limits.
What to know about lead exposure
There’s no safe level of lead exposure for children, according to the CDC.
The metal causes "well-documented health effects," including brain and nervous system damage and slowed growth and development. Even low levels of lead in blood have been shown to negatively affect a child’s health, the agency says.
However, lead occurs naturally in some foods and comes from pollutants in air, water and soil, which can make it impossible to eliminate entirely.