(Newser)
– A report by the House Oversight Committee says alarming levels of toxic heavy metals (including arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury) have been found in baby food with important labeling. Heavy metals can endanger the neurological development of the infant in infants. The chairman of the subcommittee expressed frustration with federal regulators, the Washington Post reports. “Over the last decade, advocates and scientists have put this in the attention of the Food and Drug Administration,” said Democratic Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi. “The FDA needs to set standards and regulate this industry much more closely, from now on.” The agency said it is reviewing the group’s findings. The group asked seven labels to provide the results of their internal tests. Gerber, Beech-Nut, HappyBABY and the best organic baby foods on Earth; Baby foods Plum Organics, Walmart’s Parent’s Choice and Sprout Foods didn’t.
Because heavy metals occur naturally, there is no need to panic Consumer reports said the expert. “You want to minimize the risk,” he said, for CBS. “It can’t be eliminated altogether, but it can be minimized.” She suggests parents make sure their child’s diet is varied, avoiding snacks that have high levels of heavy metals, such as cookies and puffs. Rice and sweet potato products absorb contaminants more easily, he said. An American agency classifies arsenic as the most dangerous natural substance, with lead no. 2. “Exposure to these toxic heavy metals affects babies’ brain and nervous system development, ”said an expert from the Environmental Protection Fund. “It affects their behavior, it permanently decreases their IQ and, if you want to reduce it to dollars, their lifetime earning potential.” The committee published its report here. (There is a way to cook rice that lowers arsenic, the researchers say).