FDA Announces New Actions Aimed at Further Reducing Toxic Elements in Food for Babies

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Food and Drug Administration has released more info about the presence of toxic elements, such as arsenic, mercury, cadmium and lead, food for children. Last week, it announced new actions aimed at further preventing or reducing chemical hazards that may be present in foods for babies and young children.

On Friday, FDA issued a letter to industry, reminding manufacturers of these types of foods of their existing responsibilities related to these efforts. Secondly, the agency is announcing that it will soon be putting into action a plan aimed at reducing toxic elements in foods for babies and young children to levels as low as is reasonably achievable.

As parents and caregivers themselves, FDA said it recognized and understood concerns about toxic elements and how they could impact the health of children. It shared the public’s concerns for the health of America’s children, and wanted to reassure parents and caregivers that at the levels found through its testing, children are not at an immediate health risk from exposure to toxic elements in foods. The FDA routinely monitors levels of toxic elements in food, and if it finds that they pose a health risk, the FDA takes steps to remove those foods from the market. Research has shown that reducing exposure to toxic elements is important to minimizing any potential long-term effects on the developing brains of infants and children. A report released last month by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Reform’s Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy also highlighted important questions on what more can be done to reduce toxic elements in baby food.

The FDA issued a letter to manufacturers of foods for babies and young children covered by the preventive control provisions of the Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food rule, as well as persons covered under other rules requiring a hazard analysis. The letter reminds them of their existing responsibility to consider risks from chemical hazards, including toxic elements, when conducting a hazard analysis, including for products for babies and young children. The preventive control provisions require industry to implement controls to significantly minimize or prevent any identified chemical hazards requiring a control. For example, some manufacturers may conduct verification activities like testing the final product. Ultimately, FDA wants consumers to be reassured that manufacturers of foods for babies and young children have a legal responsibility under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act to ensure the safety of their products.

To build on FDA's ongoing work with regulated industry in this area, it intends to address the following areas: