Toxic Metals in Baby Food - What is Achievable?

FDA rolled out its Total Diet Study Report and the news stories are full of fear-generating titles, such as this one, FDA finds toxic arsenic, cadmium, lead in many baby foods. They quote a clinical nurse ""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,"

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

Supermarket Chain Recalls Seafood Meals After Discovering Print-and-Apply Labels Forgot to List the Seafood Ingredient

Albertsons Companies (NYSE: ACI) has voluntarily recalled three ReadyMeals seafood items prepared in store due to allergens not listed on the ingredient labels. The recall was initiated after an internal technical review identified missing ingredients containing allergens.  The missing items in all cases was the fish, as well as sauce in one of them.

Albertsons Companies Voluntarily Recalls Select ReadyMeals Seafood Products Due to Undeclared Allergens | FDA

Albertsons Companies Voluntarily Recalls Select ReadyMeals Seafood Products Due to Undeclared Allergens
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  July 19, 2022
FDA Publish Date:  July 19, 2022
Product Type:  Food & Beverages  Seafood/Seafood Product
Reason for Announcement:  Undeclared allergens (fish, crustacean, egg, wheat, soy)
Company Name:  Albertsons Companies
Brand Name:  Ready Meals
Product Description:  Seafood Items

NY Company Recalls Gluten Free Cookies for Containing Gluten Due to Ingredient

Sweet Loren’s of New York, NY is voluntarily recalling a single lot code of Sweet Loren’s Sugar Cookie Dough 12oz, because it may contain traces of gluten in product labeled as gluten free.   This issue was identified through testing of the product in-house. The oat flour used was determined to have traces of gluten despite having documentation (COA) declaring it to be gluten free.

Can you rely just on a COA (certificate of analysis)?  Too often, receiving an acceptable COA is the extent of a company's supplier control program.  Clearly, this ingredient needs to be addressed with a Supplier Preventive Control.

https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/sweet-lorens-inc-issues-voluntary-allergy-alert-undeclared-gluten-product
Sweet Loren’s, Inc Issues Voluntary Allergy Alert On Undeclared Gluten in Product
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  July 16, 2022
FDA Publish Date:  July 18, 2022
Product Type:  Food & Beverages  Bakery Product/Mix  
Reason for Announcement:  Undeclared gluten
Company Name:  Sweet Loren’s
Brand Name:  Sweet Loren’s
Product Description:  Sugar cookie dough

Another Family Dollar Warehouse Issue Results in Recall of OTC Drugs

Family Dollar is recalling certain over-the-counter drugs that require temperature controlled storage because it was found the were held at inappropriate temperatures.  Stated in the recall notice, the company is recalling "certain products regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that were stored and inadvertently shipped to certain stores on or around May 1, 2022 through June 10, 2022 due to product being stored outside of labeled temperature requirements."

In February of this year, the company had to recall all products stored in their Arkansas warehouse that was found to be rat infested.  


https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/voluntary-recall-certain-over-counter-products
Voluntary Recall of Certain Over-the-Counter Products
Summary
Company Announcement Date:  July 21, 2022
FDA Publish Date:  July 21, 2022
Product Type:  Drugs
Reason for Announcement:  Products stored outside of temperature requirements
Company Name:  Family Dollar
Brand Name:  Multiple brands
Product Description:  Multiple OTC Medical Products

TX Copacker Recalls Soup Mix After Detecting Undeclared Milk Allergen in Finished Product

MSI Express Inc., a Grand Prairie, Texas establishment, is recalling approximately 16,498 pounds of chicken and rice soup mix products, due to misbranding and undeclared allergen.  The problem was discovered when the establishment notified FSIS that it performed allergen testing validation on finished soup. It was determined that the finished soup tested positive for dairy, an allergen that was not declared on the product label, due to the establishment receiving the incorrect ingredient component.

There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider.

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts/msi-express-inc--recalls-unilever-food-solutions-u-s--knorr-curry-chicken-and-rice
MSI Express Inc. Recalls Unilever Food Solutions U.S. Knorr Curry Chicken and Rice Soup Mix Products Due to Misbranding and Undeclared Allergen

Product Shelf-life Dating - A National Standard to Reduce Food Waste?

An article on CNN decries how food companies put shelf-life dates on their product.  The article states, "There's no national standard for how those dates should be determined, or how they must be described. Instead, there's a patchwork system — a hodgepodge of state laws, best practices and general guidelines."  Should there be a national standard?  Can there be a national standard?

The answer on both accounts is no.  For one, food companies determine their own shelf-life, and it behooves them to put it out as long as possible, but that end point is one often based on quality.  And for me as a consumer, when I buy something, or more importantly eat something, I want it to be good quality.  I realize that it is on me then, to use that food within the stated date.  I paid good money for it and how wise is it to let that food get past that date so I am eating something less than good.

Secondly, food shelf-life can vary greatly depending on ingredients used, type of packaging, how it was processed, etc.   Foods that are minimally process, or contain little to no preservatives will have a shorter shelf-life than more processed foods.  Companies must determine what date they can achieve on individual product types, which takes into account the ingredients, processing, packaging, and storage.  This is not something that can be dictated in a cookie cutter approach.

We seldom see articles that reinforce good consumership....buying what you need, using it in a timely fashion, preparing and serving an amount that will be used, utilizing left-overs, etc.  I want to use food at its best quality, not having to choke something down that is on the verge of spoilage.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/17/business/sell-by-dates-food-safety/index.html
The truth, and strategy, of food expiration dates
By Danielle Wiener-Bronner, CNN Business

Updated 4:38 AM ET, Sun July 17, 2022

New York (CNN Business)When you walk into a supermarket and pick up an item — anything from milk to cereal to a can of beans — you'll likely see a little date on the package preceded by "enjoy by," "sell by," or a similar phrase.

You might think that date is the absolute last day that food is safe to eat. You'd be wrong. But you wouldn't be alone in coming to that mistaken conclusion, because the system behind food label dates is an absolute mess.

Report Survival of COVID Virus Surrogates in Frozen Meat....Is This Concerning...Not Really

A recent study published in Enviromental Microbiology evaluated the ability of SARS-CoV-2 viral surrogates (viruses shown to behave the same way as COVID viruses) to survive in frozen meat. The research concluded, "Viral surrogates differed in survival, depending on food product and temperature, but overall, viruses survived for extended periods of time at high concentrations at both refrigerated and frozen temperatures."

But hold the mass media presses. There is no reason for everyone to wig out. In this study, the viral particles were injected into the raw meat. Guess what, the meat will be cooked. An internally placed enveloped virus will be more likely survive, but externally, on the outside of the package, survival is not likely. and this is how a consumer would be more likely to encounter a viable virus.

Second consideration, the viral particle is unlikely to become airborne when it is inside the meat. Not unless someone is cool vaporizing raw meat juices.

So their statement "The ability of SARS-CoV-2 viral surrogates like Phi 6 and animal coronaviruses to survive for varying extents on some meat and fish products when stored refrigerated or frozen is a significant and concerning finding." This is a media grabbing statement that needs to be drastically qualified.

https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/aem.00504-22
Applied and Environmental Microbiology 7 June 2022
Persistence of Coronavirus Surrogates on Meat and Fish Products during Long-Term Storage
Authors: Emily S. Bailey https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1292-0771 ebailey@campbell.edu, Marina Curcic, Mark D. Sobsey

Florida Company Recalls Frozen Pepperoni Pizza Products Because Company Was Not USDA Inspected

Ready Dough Pizza Inc., a Hialeah, Fla. establishment, is recalling approximately 10,584 pounds of pepperoni pizza products that were produced without the benefit of federal inspection.  The problem was discovered during routine FSIS surveillance activities when it was determined that the pepperoni pizza products did not have the USDA mark of inspection and were produced in an establishment that was not inspected by USDA. The agency also found that some products had the wrong ingredient label or no ingredient labels at all.

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts/ready-dough-pizza-inc--recalls-pepperoni-pizza-products-produced-without-benefit
Ready Dough Pizza Inc. Recalls Pepperoni Pizza Products Produced Without Benefit of Inspection and also Due to Misbranding and Undeclared Allergens

USDA Issues Health Alert for Salad Items Produced with the Wrong Dressing Packet Resulting in Undeclared Allergen

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert due to concerns that the salad dressing component of ready-to-eat (RTE) Caesar salad with chicken may contain egg, a known allergen.  The problem was discovered when the producing establishment notified FSIS that they were informed by a store that the salad dressing packets in the Caesar salad product appeared incorrect. The dressing packets with the salad contain Sweet and Spicy Vinaigrette and not the Creamy Caesar Dressing. These dressing packets are unlabeled and contain egg, which is not declared on the finished product packaging.

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts/fsis-issues-public-health-alert-ready-eat-caesar-salad-chicken-due-misbranding-and
FSIS Issues Public Health Alert for Ready-to-Eat Caesar Salad with Chicken Due to Misbranding and Undeclared Allergens

WASHINGTON, July 12, 2022 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert due to concerns that the salad dressing component of ready-to-eat (RTE) Caesar salad with chicken may contain egg, a known allergen, which is not declared on the finished product label. FSIS is issuing this public health alert to ensure that consumers with an allergy to eggs are aware that these products should not be consumed. A recall was not requested because the products are no longer available for purchase.