The amounts of lead, arsenic, and cadmium in baby foods appear to be getting lower, but the overall risk hasn’t changed much in the last five years, according to new testing by Consumer Reports.
Five years ago, Consumer Reports tested 50 baby foods and found concerning levels of heavy metals in most of them.
“About two-thirds were found to contain enough inorganic arsenic, lead and cadmium combined to be associated with potential health risks,” said Consumer Reports’ Kevin Loria.
Consuming heavy metals long-term can lead to a higher risk of various health problems, including lower IQ, behavioral issues, links to ADHD and autism and increased cancer risk.
Five years later, they retested seven baby foods with higher levels of heavy metals. In three of the foods, heavy metal levels declined. But for three others, they say the levels are still concerning.
“Back in 2018 and in our recent tests, baby snack foods, such as puffs, and products made with sweet potatoes and rice fared the worst,” Loria said. “That’s because certain plants, like rice, absorb higher levels of heavy metals than other plants.”
Beechnut, Gerber, Earth’s Best and Happy Family responded by saying that their products are safe, and heavy metals naturally occur in the environment where these foods are grown. The makers of Baby Mum Mum Foods did not respond.
So what can parents do? Consumer Reports’ experts advise minimizing exposure. That does not mean eliminating foods like sweet potatoes because they are filled with nutrients. The key, they say, is feeding children a variety of foods.
Foods with low levels of heavy metals include infant cereals -- from oats or non-rice grains, fresh and frozen fruits, eggs, beans, applesauce, cheese, and yogurt.