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Writer's pictureBelly O'So Pregnant

2021 Baby Food Recall: tainted with Arsenic and other harmful metals


 

Introducing your baby to baby food is one of the highlighted milestones that parents look forward to. Excitedly, we carefully pick out the best brands and which flavors to try first. This milestone for new moms may be tainted for a while. I mean, It's not like parents are not dealing with enough, but here we have another thing to be highly concerned about! It's out that the U.S House of Representatives reported on February 4 that popular brands of baby food have been tested for dangerous levels of Arsenic, Lead, Cadmium, and Mercury. Yup, that's right!

 

It all started in November 2019 when the Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy requested internal documents and test results from seven of the largest manufacturers of baby food in the United States.


~ Nurture Inc. of Happy Baby Organics

~ Beech-Nut

~ Hain Celestial Group for Earth's Best Organics

~ Campbell Soup Co. for Plum Organics

~ Walmart Inc. for Parent's Choice

~ Sprout Organics

~ Gerber

 

What's sketchy is that out of the 7 companies Walmart (Parents' Choice), Campbell's (Plum Organic), and Sprout Organics refused to send in their test results of the ingredients and finished products. It is believed that the companies refused to participate since they are aware of the toxic high levels of metals. An external independent study on these companies was done anyways. Come to find out, all 7 companies had high levels of Arsenic, Lead, Cadmium, and Mercury, way higher than expected.

 

When the results came in, all 7 companies were deemed guilty. Not just these companies whose charts are below, but all of them had similar results way over the threshold, using 180 ppb instead of the 100 ppb which was the goal. Don't you think that's overachieving the goal a little more than a bit?

 

But here's the catcher, there is NO federal standard for lead in baby food! No, we're not still living in the 1920's. It does sound insane to know that this is going on in 2021 after all these campaigns that we've seen in our communities. In 1997 by Executive Order 13045, the Task Force made up of 17 federal departments and offices were hired to reduce exposure to lead with the aim of ultimately improving children’s health. I guess they forgot about testing common foods that children ingest.

 

Even if there are no federal standards yet, the FDA, EU, and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) had already placed recommendations for food companies to follow. So, what's the excuse again? Oh, wait the companies haven't given any statements yet. But. this will be interesting to hear.

 

And why we're at it, why did agencies like (EU, FDA, AAP) approve lead to even be in juices, water, formula, etc. in the first place knowing the harmful effects? The Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease has these 4 as the top 10 toxic substances to humans, especially babies. Arsenic, Lead, and Mercury are in the Top 3.

Inorganic Arsenic affects respiratory, gastrointestinal, immunological effects, cognitive issues, etc. Small doses of Lead exposure leads to cognitive and performance issues, delayed puberty, behavioral issues, etc. Cadmium decreases IQ's and causes ADHD. Mercury causes poor nero-development associated with autistic behaviors.



 

This may be political pettiness, with the democrats letting the cat of the bag of companies that supported Trump in one way or the other. What a way to cause chaos now, even when they also knew of the dangers in 1997. Without taking political sides, use this information to help you better decide on what you and your children eat. We already know that what's written on the back of the labels is not 100% accurate. Some information on processing and ingredients can be withheld as long as they are within the guidelines of the FDA. The FDA and others alike should take more responsibility for consumers to have full access to the entire process as well as non-tampered testing results of the before and after production. Parents are wise to make logical decisions if given the whole truth, not in parts. Since 2019, the FDA recommended that the companies test products for toxic heavy metals, label the food as toxic, find substitutes to replace the metals, the FDA should set a max level of toxic heavy metals. Since the pandemic, the process of trying to fill these requirements are moving slowly if not at all.

 

As parents, it's our responsibility to question everything that puts us and our descendants at harm or danger. I know, I know, it's so easy to just garb, buy, pop the top, and feed. But sometimes what's fast and convenient doesn't pan out as the best choice for the present and the future. An inexpensive blender or just a good old whisk is all you need to create your own baby food. Storage can be cheap and easy with freezer zip lock bags that can be labeled and frozen to save time. If you are breastfeeding or planning on it, just know that it is the best organic formula ever made.

 

~💙 Belly O'So Pregnant

"Manifest Birth~ Manifest Life"


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