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Episode Transcription
I’m Susie Craig from Washington State University Extension.
On January 1st, this year, California began requiring baby food testing for heavy metals: Arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury. They require a minimum of monthly testing of a representative sample of baby food which is sold, held, or distributed in California. Results will be available from the California Department of Public Health. Next January, testing results will be posted on the manufacturer’s websites.
Once ingested, heavy metals build up in the body. Infants and toddlers are vulnerable, consumption linked to developmental delays, cognitive impairments, and other serious health problems. For years, regulatory agencies and advocacy groups have called for strict standards and transparency in monitoring and regulating heavy metals in baby food. California is leading the way.
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Resources
California Department of Public Health Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Brach. Baby Food Safety. Accessed online 4/14/24.