Toxic Baby Foods... "please not again.." what you need to know

July 23, 2022

Jul 23, 2022

This is the stuff I wish we focused on more as a nation, as a people, as a community of informed people with insight and understanding...

.. but that is not who we are, unfortunately.

"The foods with the highest arsenic concentrations were seafoods, including baked cod, canned tuna and fish sticks.

mother carrying baby — Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

'According to the new FDA report, the highest lead concentrations were in baking powder, cocoa powder, baby food sweet potatoes, baby food teething biscuits and sandwich cookies.”

a 2019 report that found one or more heavy metals in 94% of baby foods tested.

“The FDA's latest report analyzes data from federal fiscal years 2018 through 2020 for which the agency conducted 87 food collections, resulting in 3,241 samples of 305 foods and beverages.

Such monitoring is part of the agency's action plan, called Closer to Zero, which was announced in April 2021, to reduce toxic elements in foods for babies and children.

In June, the FDA agreed to reconsider the safety of using bisphenol A (BPA) in polycarbonate plastics, metal can coatings and other materials in contact with food, which may result in strict new limits on the chemical. This came in response to a petition led by the Environmental Defense Fund. FDA will make a final decision by Oct. 31."

Tell me how you feel about some of those items of interest?

What is BPA, and where is it found?

EWG resource

““Over the years, BPA was commercialized and widely adopted for a range of uses. It is a key component in hard, polycarbonate plastic, thermal receipt paper and epoxy resins – the protective lining of food and beverage containers, industrial equipment and piping. It’s also found in sealants used in everything from construction to dentistry.
Due to its widespread use, BPA has become a ubiquitous pollutant of soil, water, air and wildlife. Biomonitoring studies indicate that the chemical can be found in nearly all Americans. BPA has been measured in human blood, urine, breast milk and umbilical cord blood, according to tests conducted by EWG.
Although it may be challenging because of the widespread use of the chemical, there are steps consumers can take to limit their exposure to BPA.
The groundswell of state-level support for regulation, along with persistent pressure from retailers, NGOs and the public, caused the industry to start moving away from BPA. Only after the industry’s permanent abandonment of BPA use in infant formula packaging did the FDA act to ban it from formula. Further attempts to regulate BPA under the Toxic Substances Control Act, or to pass new federal rules, that would prohibit BPA more broadly as a food packaging chemical or for other uses have stalled.””

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Related story all about WHY I HATE GETTING A RECEIPT AT THE STORE.

EWG Resource

Also, if you have kids or are a cashier yourself… at least be aware of the risks. Someday, I think we will look back and question why we ever allowed this to even begin. Usually.. that answer is quite easy to find. 💸

Some related stories I’ve shared in the past that I want to share as a reminder / additional encouragement to help you move in the direction of informed choice and informed decision making as a consumer.