Tainted Baby Food

Heavy metals in baby food linked to Autism and ADHD

A government report on toxic heavy metals in baby food found that several brands—including some organic—contain arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and lead at high levels that pose significant dangers to the neurodevelopment of children. Indeed, all of these toxic heavy metals have been associated with autism, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and attention deficit disorder in children.

Parents throughout the country are outraged to learn that baby food products from Happy Family Organics, Happy Baby, Gerber, Earth’s Best Organic, Beech-Nut, Plum Organics, Parent’s Choice, and Sprout Organic Food contain “dangerously high levels” of toxic heavy metals. Worse, the major baby food companies behind these brands knowingly sold tainted baby food to unsuspecting parents, according to the report.

Numerous studies have linked toxic heavy metal exposure to behavior impairments. The link is especially pronounced among babies and young children, whose brains are still developing. Even at low levels, exposure to heavy metals can cause serious and irreversible damage to neurological development.

Tainted Baby Food Lawsuit – Justice for Parents of Children with Autism and ADHD

Our partner, Baum Hedlund Aristei & Goldman, is investigating the link between several major baby foods and heavy metals that are positively associated with autism and ADHD. If you used one of the following baby food brands

• Nurture – Happy Family Organics and HappyBABY
• Beech-Nut
• Hain Celestial Group – Earth’s Best Organic
• Campbell Soup – Plum Organics
• Walmart – Parent’s Choice
• Sprout Foods – Sprout Organic Food
• Gerber

and your child later developed autism or ADHD, our firm is interested in pursuing justice and maximum compensation on your behalf.

What Heavy Metals are in Baby Food?

The U.S. House Oversight and Reform Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy report ‘Baby Foods Are Tainted with Dangerous Levels of Arsenic, Lead, Cadmium, and Mercury’ alleges that toxic heavy metals were found in seven major baby food brands. The baby food report lists staggering levels of the following toxic metals:

• Arsenic
• Cadmium
• Lead
• Mercury

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) allow for 10 parts per billion (ppb) inorganic arsenic, 5 ppb cadmium, 5 ppb lead, and 2 ppb mercury in drinking water. The House baby food report found 177 times more than the acceptable level of lead, up to 91 times more than the acceptable level of arsenic, up to 69 times more than the acceptable level of cadmium, and up to 5 times more than the acceptable level of mercury.

The FDA and the World Health Organization have stated that heavy metals are dangerous to human health, particularly among babies and young children. A WHO report found that arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury ranked among the top 10 chemicals of major health concern.  Toxic heavy metal exposure is capable of causing permanent decreases in IQ and increased risk of future criminal and antisocial behavior in children. Infant exposure to heavy metals can endanger long-term brain function and neurological development.

Which Products Have Toxic Metals?

The baby food products implicated in the 2021 baby food report include popular cereals, sweet potato puree, a variety of juices, and snack puffs, all of which are made by what many parents believed to be trusted baby food brands.

The subcommittee was particularly focused on snack puffs, which along with crackers, cookies, crisps, puffs, and teething biscuits, are particularly high in rice content. The rice puff products named in the baby food report include:

• Apple & Broccoli Puffs (contained inorganic arsenic at 180 ppb)
• Apple Rice Cakes
• Banana & Pumpkin Puffs
• Blueberry Beet Rice Cakes
• Kale & Spinach Puffs
• Purple Carrot & Blueberry Puffs
• Strawberry & Beet Puffs
• Sweet Potato & Carrot Puffs

Baby foods with rice have traditionally been problematic in heavy metals testing, especially when it comes to arsenic levels. In 2016, the U.S. FDA proposed a threshold for inorganic arsenic in infant rice cereal to 100 ppb. The FDA only recently enacted this regulation, which is still ten times greater than the amount of arsenic allowed in bottled water.

If you would like to speak with an experienced consumer attorney legal team about your baby food heavy metals lawsuit, please give us a call at 1-800-LAW-FIRM for a free and confidential case evaluation.