FDA is working to determine what levels are achievable. But is zero achievable? Can an action level be set that provides a sufficient level of safety?
The action level for inorganic arsenic in infant rice cereals that FDA considers achievable with the use of such practices is 100 microgram per kilogram (µg/kg), or 100 parts per billion (ppb)
The action level for lead in apple juice for infants is 10ppb, other juices 20ppb.
These passages from the report:
"The TDS has collected and analyzed baby foods since 1975. In the modernized TDS, baby foods are considered national foods (i.e., not expected to vary by region) and therefore are collected once per year as part of the national collection. In FY2019 FDA collected additional samples of baby foods to obtain information about baby foods with unique ingredients and baby foods with higher consumption (per NHANES/WWEIA). The FY2019 additional baby food sampling was conducted in tandem with select regional collections, and therefore also provided an opportunity to compare certain baby foods collected regionally and nationally. In general, the region and season did not have an impact on the analytical results for elements in baby foods. For a summary of analytical results for elements for each food, see the TDS website (FDA, 2022c), where the summary is available to download. The additional baby food sampling contributed to a total of 384 baby food samples in the FY2018-FY2020 reporting cycle. Of the 1536 analytical results for toxic elements, 995 (65%) were non-detects and 541 (35%) had detectable levels."
"Approximately 51% of the baby food samples analyzed had detectable levels of total arsenic. The highest levels of total arsenic were found in infant cereals and snacks like teething biscuits and puffed snacks. These results agree with historical TDS data as well as sampling performed to support the Arsenic in Rice and Rice Products Risk Assessment (FDA, 2016). Six baby foods containing rice and/or juice exceeded a specified level of total arsenic and were therefore further analyzed to determine the levels of inorganic arsenic. These results are provided in Table 4 below (further information on the total arsenic levels that result in speciation can be found in Appendix B, Table 10 and additional details on arsenic speciation results can be found on the TDS website [FDA, 2022c], where the summary of analytical findings for each food is available to download)."
"Cadmium was not detected in 35% of the 384 baby food samples. The highest level (49 ppb) of cadmium was in a sample of baby food containing spinach as an ingredient. The baby food products containing spinach had levels of cadmium which align with the TDS results for cadmium in raw spinach. The second highest result for cadmium was 41 ppb in baby food carrots. However, the mean concentration of cadmium was 20 ppb across the 14 baby food carrot samples."
"Lead and mercury were not detected in 79% and 97%, respectively of the 384 baby food samples. The highest baby food lead result (38 ppb) was found in a sample of baby food sweet potatoes. There were only 13 samples with detectable results for mercury and all 13 were less than 3 ppb."
https://www.upi.com/Health_News/2022/07/18/Food-and-Drug-Administration-FDA-foods-nutrients-toxins-total-dietary-study-report/2291658150535/
HEALTH NEWS
JULY 18, 2022 / 3:23 PM / UPDATED JULY 18, 2022 AT 5:18 PM
FDA finds toxic arsenic, cadmium, lead in many baby foods
By Judy Packer-Tursman
https://www.upi.com/Health_News/2022/07/18/Food-and-Drug-Administration-FDA-foods-nutrients-toxins-total-dietary-study-report/2291658150535/
HEALTH NEWS
JULY 18, 2022 / 3:23 PM / UPDATED JULY 18, 2022 AT 5:18 PM
FDA finds toxic arsenic, cadmium, lead in many baby foods
By Judy Packer-Tursman
July 18 (UPI) -- The Food and Drug Administration found significant levels of toxic heavy metals in the U.S. food supply during its ongoing monitoring efforts, the agency said in a new report. And baby foods were among the most contaminated for arsenic and lead.
The FDA's report analyzes the most recent data on nutrients and contaminants from its ongoing survey aimed at promoting food safety.
In its report, the FDA found lead in 15% of food samples, arsenic in 43% and cadmium in 61%.
The agency's analysis also found that out of 384 baby food samples collected, 51% had detectable levels of total arsenic. The highest levels of arsenic were found in infant cereals and items like teething biscuits and puffed snacks, the agency said.
In the baby food, the agency found 65% of the samples contained cadmium, 21% contained lead and 3% contained mercury, based on the FDA's percentage listing of samples that were clean, not contaminated.
Charlotte Brody, a registered nurse by training and national director of Healthy Babies Bright Futures, said she worries the federal agency may be overstating the positives.
"There's not supposed to be lead or arsenic or cadmium in any foods. So the fact they make it seem like a victory is very troubling," Brody told UPI in a phone interview Monday.
Moreover, Brody told UPI in a follow-up email that levels of contaminants in baby foods continue to be worrisome.
"Of all foods tested, baby foods were among the most contaminated with inorganic arsenic (the dangerous kind) and the most contaminated of all foods for lead," she said in the email.
Scientists say toxic heavy metals endanger infants' neurological development and long-term brain functioning. Babies and children are most vulnerable to neuro-toxic effects.
Brody added that the government's latest findings -- and much of the positive spin -- may be due to its method for detecting contaminants.
"It's not that food has gotten so much better. It's what the detection limits are," she said.
Brody noted that the FDA has set a higher level for detection of food contaminants than her group, which issued a 2019 report that found one or more heavy metals in 94% of baby foods tested.
"Part of it is the FDA's higher detection limits and part of it is real," Brody said.
She added: "We read this report as regulations work and there need to be more of them," she said. "Where there's been attention, food is cleaner than it used to be."
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.
The foods with the highest cadmium concentrations were sunflower seeds and spinach. "While cadmium was detected in most vegetable samples, many concentrations were low," the FDA said.
The foods with the highest arsenic concentrations were seafoods, including baked cod, canned tuna and fish sticks.
The study -- begun in 1961 and modernized starting in 2013 -- uses foods collected from retail stores to measure concentrations of various nutrients and contaminants.
The FDA describes its "Total Diet Study Report" as "an essential tool" to help the agency prioritize food safety and nutrition efforts.
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.
The FDA's report analyzes the most recent data on nutrients and contaminants from its ongoing survey aimed at promoting food safety.
In its report, the FDA found lead in 15% of food samples, arsenic in 43% and cadmium in 61%.
The agency's analysis also found that out of 384 baby food samples collected, 51% had detectable levels of total arsenic. The highest levels of arsenic were found in infant cereals and items like teething biscuits and puffed snacks, the agency said.
In the baby food, the agency found 65% of the samples contained cadmium, 21% contained lead and 3% contained mercury, based on the FDA's percentage listing of samples that were clean, not contaminated.
Charlotte Brody, a registered nurse by training and national director of Healthy Babies Bright Futures, said she worries the federal agency may be overstating the positives.
"There's not supposed to be lead or arsenic or cadmium in any foods. So the fact they make it seem like a victory is very troubling," Brody told UPI in a phone interview Monday.
Moreover, Brody told UPI in a follow-up email that levels of contaminants in baby foods continue to be worrisome.
"Of all foods tested, baby foods were among the most contaminated with inorganic arsenic (the dangerous kind) and the most contaminated of all foods for lead," she said in the email.
Scientists say toxic heavy metals endanger infants' neurological development and long-term brain functioning. Babies and children are most vulnerable to neuro-toxic effects.
Brody added that the government's latest findings -- and much of the positive spin -- may be due to its method for detecting contaminants.
"It's not that food has gotten so much better. It's what the detection limits are," she said.
Brody noted that the FDA has set a higher level for detection of food contaminants than her group, which issued a 2019 report that found one or more heavy metals in 94% of baby foods tested.
"Part of it is the FDA's higher detection limits and part of it is real," Brody said.
She added: "We read this report as regulations work and there need to be more of them," she said. "Where there's been attention, food is cleaner than it used to be."
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.
The foods with the highest cadmium concentrations were sunflower seeds and spinach. "While cadmium was detected in most vegetable samples, many concentrations were low," the FDA said.
The foods with the highest arsenic concentrations were seafoods, including baked cod, canned tuna and fish sticks.
The study -- begun in 1961 and modernized starting in 2013 -- uses foods collected from retail stores to measure concentrations of various nutrients and contaminants.
The FDA describes its "Total Diet Study Report" as "an essential tool" to help the agency prioritize food safety and nutrition efforts.
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.
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