US States Seek Accelerated Removal Of Toxic Metals In Baby Food - Attorney General

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd October, 2021) Attorneys General of 23 US states petitioned the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to speed up efforts to remove heavy metals from infant and toddler food, New York Attorney General Letitia James said on Thursday.

"The petition responds to rising alarm about the health hazards posed by dangerous heavy metals in these foods, and the failure of baby food brands and their suppliers to aggressively reduce these hazards," James said in a press release.

In February, the US House Oversight Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy published a report that determined that there are high levels of toxic heavy metals � including arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury � in baby foods being sold by at least four of the nation's seven largest manufacturers.

"There are common-sense, science-based actions that can drive down the levels of heavy metals in baby foods, which is why we are calling on the FDA to take these actions as soon as possible," James said. "No parent should have to worry about the safety of their children's food."

The petition urges the FDA to issue interim action levels for limiting heavy metal contamination in baby food more swiftly than the timelines announced by the agency in April, according to the release.

The timeline calls for the FDA to propose guidance on limiting lead in baby food by the middle of 2022, guidance for limiting inorganic arsenic by April 2024, and guidance for limiting cadmium and mercury sometime after April 2024, the release said.