US Orders Cuts In Toxic Heavy Metals In Baby Foods - Health Dept.

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 06th March, 2021) US baby food manufacturers were told to measure levels of toxins in infant foods in preparation for regulatory push to cut levels of heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, mercury and arsenic, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said on Friday.

"Today, we issued a letter to industry reminding manufacturers of these types of foods [and] of their existing responsibilities related to these efforts," the FDA said in a press release. "Secondly, the agency is announcing that we'll soon be putting into action a plan aimed at reducing toxic elements in foods for babies and young children to levels as low as is reasonably achievable."

The FDA action followed a report by the House Oversight Committee last month showing baby foods with levels of lead, cadmium, mercury and arsenic dozens of times higher than limits allowed in bottled drinking water sold in the US.

In addition to notifying companies of existing laws targeting chemical hazards in food, the FDA letter also disclosed agency plans for a new regulatory offensive targeting baby food makers.

The FDA said its plans include setting limits for contaminants in key foods, increasing inspections and sampling of foods for babies and young children and increased enforcement.

The report noted that existing regulations require baby food makers to test ingredients for heavy metals but not the finished products consumed by infants.

The letter said the FDA will to set safe limits for contaminants, based on science, increase inspections and sampling of products.