Biden's FDA takes baby steps toward limiting toxic heavy metals in commercial baby foods [View all]

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Source: Washington Post

Business

Biden’s FDA takes baby steps toward limiting toxic heavy metals in commercial baby foods

A month after the House oversight subcommittee released a report on the prevalence of arsenic and lead in major baby food brands, the FDA takes the first steps to establishing legal limits on toxic heavy metals

By Laura Reiley
March 5, 2021 at 7:06 p.m. EST

In the wake of a congressional report last month that found the presence of toxic metals at high levels in many baby foods, the Biden administration Friday announced the first steps aimed at reducing arsenic, lead and other toxins in baby and toddler products.

The Food and Drug Administration said in a statement that it will identify maximum safe limits of contaminants in commercial food for babies and toddlers, finalize guidance on reducing inorganic arsenic in apple juice and publish draft guidance on setting maximum lead levels in juices.

The FDA statement also said the agency will increase inspections and testing of baby and toddler foods for heavy metals and make public the results. It will support research that identifies “additional steps that industry can take to further reduce levels,” the agency said in a statement.

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Laura Reiley
Laura Reiley is the business of food reporter. She was previously a food critic at the Tampa Bay Times, San Francisco Chronicle and Baltimore Sun. She has authored four books, has cooked professionally and is a graduate of the California Culinary Academy. She is a two-time James Beard finalist and in 2017 was a Pulitzer finalist. Follow https://twitter.com/lreiley

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/03/05/fda-toxic-metals-baby-food/

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Biden’s FDA takes baby steps toward limiting toxic heavy metals in commercial baby foods

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