The protective instinct you have for your children is like no other. You want to do everything you can to make sure they are safe and healthy. But what if you learned that some of the most common baby food products on the market contain dangerous carcinogens – which could have long-term consequences on your child’s health?
Toxic contaminants found in baby food
A recent study found that 95% of baby foods contain heavy metals that could have a detrimental effect on a child’s brain development, behavior and attention span.
Research lists fruit juice near the top of the list of hazardous food products manufactured for and marketed toward babies. Rice-based cereals, teething biscuits and baby foods containing carrots and sweet potatoes were also major culprits.
Recognized carcinogens in the items tested included:
- Lead
- Cadmium
- Arsenic
- Mercury
FDA safety regulations
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has some responsibility for public health through its supervision and control of consumables. The agency monitors the use of approved ingredients in infant formula. However, although it released recommendations about the inclusion of inorganic arsenic in infant rice cereal, these are merely guidelines – and there are no established legal requirements.
Options for parents
Homemade baby food is an option for those able to commit the time and money to do-it-yourself purée. Frozen bananas could also serve as a replacement for rice-based teething biscuits. In addition, rinsing rice before cooking – and cooking it in excess water – have been shown to reduce the arsenic content by up to 60%.
However, such measures may not provide much reassurance to concerned parents.
Advocacy groups are pushing for the FDA to implement stronger regulations with respect to such products. If your child has already been exposed to the harmful toxins in such products, you may want to explore your options for legal recourse. Holding companies responsible for producing harmful products could force them to make healthy changes. There is no room for negligence when it comes to the health and wellbeing of your child.