Roughly 20% of baby food samples were found to contain lead, more than other foods, according to a new report. Fruit juices were a major culprit, with lead in 89% of grape juice, 67% of mixed fruit juice, 55% of apple juice and 45% of pear juice samples. Researchers found lead in baby versions of apple and grape juices more often than regular versions.
Among other baby food types, root vegetables had lead in 65% of samples and baby food carrots had lead more often than regular carrots. Lead also was found in 47% of crackers and cookies, 29% of fruits including juices and 4% of cereals.
The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), which authored the study, is calling for federal authorities and manufacturers to the lower the amount of lead in food. In the meantime, Academy experts recommend that children eat a variety of foods, stick to proper serving sizes and limit exposure to other sources of lead.
Lead exposure has been associated with health, learning and behavior problems, and no amount is considered safe. To study lead intake in food, the EDF analyzed data from the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) Total Diet Study data from 2003-2013. It found lead in 20% of the 2,164 baby food samples and 14% of the 10,064 other food samples. Among the 57 types of baby food analyzed, 52 had lead in at least one sample. Specific brands were not identified.
