US finds high levels of toxic heavy metals in baby food
WASHINGTON: US congressional investigators found ‘‘dangerous levels of toxic heavy metals’’ in certain baby foods that could cause neurological damage, a House Oversight subcommittee said in a report released yesterday in calling for new standards and testing requirements.
The panel examined products made by Nurture Inc, Hain Celestial Group Inc, BeechNut Nutrition and Gerber, a unit of Nestle. It said it was ‘‘greatly concerned’’ that Walmart Inc, Campbell Soup Co and Sprout Organic Foods refused to cooperate with the investigation.
The US baby food market was worth an estimated $US8 billion ($NZ11.2 billion) in 2020, according to Euromonitor.
The report urged US regulators to set maximum levels of toxic heavy metals permitted in baby foods and require manufacturers to test finished products for heavy metals, not just ingredients, while baby food companies said they were working to reducing levels of metals that occur naturally in food products.