Lawmakers target heavy metals in baby food with new law

Two Democratic senators announced Thursday they have introduced new legislation to limit the levels of toxic metals in commercial baby food.

The bill, called the Baby Food Safety Act of 2024, would give the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) new authority to enforce higher safety standards for commercially available baby foods and imported products.

Safety standards have also been strengthened, requiring manufacturers to more thoroughly test for toxic heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury allowed in baby foods.

“Every parent deserves to be confident that the infant food they feed their children is safe and nutritious, but many commonly sold products contain harmful substances such as lead that pose a risk to babies. “Reports of possible substances are extremely concerning,” said Senator Tammy. Duckworth (D-Ill.) co-sponsored the bill with Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.).

“Parents want what's best for their children, and they deserve peace of mind knowing that the food they buy for their infants and young children is safe,” Klobuchar said.

The bill follows a series of efforts asking the FDA to address reports showing high levels of heavy metals in baby food.

Three years ago, the Democratic duo responded to a House Economic and Consumer Policy Subcommittee report that showed “some baby foods are contaminated with dangerous levels of lead, arsenic, mercury, and cadmium.” , has introduced a similar bill. The bill focused on “holding manufacturers accountable” for reducing heavy metals in baby food.

Since then, lawmakers have repeatedly called on the FDA to take further steps to address high levels of heavy metals. Three popular rice cereal baby foods contain high levels of the neurotoxin inorganic arsenic, a report says, and hundreds of children have had “extremely high blood lead levels” and some They sent a letter to the FDA in response to the Apple Cinnamon recall. A sachet of puree.

The bill was introduced alongside a companion bill in the House led by Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthy (D-Ill.) and Rep. Tony Cárdenas (D-Calif.).

“As fathers, we understand the immense responsibility we have to protect our children,” Cardenas said. “That's why I'm proud to join this bicameral, common sense effort that will lead to more thorough oversight and demand accountability from baby food manufacturers. You have the right to have peace of mind knowing that your child's food is safe and free of harmful substances that could have long-term effects on your child's health.”

The Hill has reached out to the FDA for comment.