 New
York opens probe into toxic metals in baby food
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[April 30, 2021]
By Jonathan Stempel
NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York's attorney
general said on Thursday she has opened a probe into whether baby food
contains arsenic and other toxic metals, and asked four manufacturers to
provide information on whether their infant rice cereal products are
safe. In letters to Nestle's Gerber, Beech-Nut Nutrition, Earth's Best
Organic maker Hain Celestial Group and Happy Family Organics maker
Nurture, Attorney General Letitia James also said she wants to ensure
the companies' advertising complied with state consumer protection laws.
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 The letters follow a Feb. 4 report by a U.S. House of
Representatives subcommittee that said "dangerous levels of toxic
heavy metals" in some popular baby foods could cause brain and other
neurological damage.
"No child should be exposed to toxic substances in their food," and
parents are entitled to "peace-of-mind" from knowing their
children's food is safe to eat, James said in a statement.
A Gerber spokeswoman said that company's baby food is safe, and that
babies' health and nutrition is "our priority."
Beech-Nut, Hain and Nurture did not immediately respond to requests
for comment.
James wants the companies to inform consumers about the risk of
arsenic contamination and to disclose information about how the
companies test infant rice cereal products by May 28.
The House report said internal company standards permitted excessive
levels of toxic metals in baby food, which was "often" sold with
even higher levels.
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 It noted that the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration has declared that inorganic
arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury are
dangerous, particularly to infants and children.
Manufacturers have said they were working to
reduce levels of metals in baby food.
Many proposed class-action consumer lawsuits
have been filed, and on April 21 the attorney
general in Washington, D.C. sued Beech-Nut over
its labeling.
In March, a group of House Democrats proposed
legislation, the Baby Food Safety Act, to cap
within one year the presence of inorganic
arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury in baby food
and cereal.
(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York;
Additional reporting by David Shepardson in
Washington, D.C.; Editing by Aurora Ellis)
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