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Research conducted by Consumer Reports found While there are no federal standards for the amount of heavy metals in most baby foods, two popular brands of children’s snacks have been found to contain high levels of lead.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has only set limits on heavy metals in infant rice cereal and juice, but is working to set standards for other categories of baby food.
Tamara Rubin, owner of Lead Safe Mama, posted an article on her website alleging that LesserEvil and Serenity Kids products contain lead.
While Rubin’s company is focused on preventing lead poisoning, he also works to raise parental awareness about sources of lead exposure, such as Stanley tumblers that have been found to contain lead.
More recently, Rubin found high levels of lead in cassava-based snacks like Serenity Kids Puffs, leading Consumer Reports to test four cassava products from Lesser Evil and Serenity Kids, as well as two Once Upon a Farm products that contained sorghum.
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Consumer Reports tested several different types of baby puffs and found that some contained high levels of lead. (Scott Meadows/Consumer Reports website)
The investigation found that Lesser Evil’s Lil’ Puffs Intergalactic Voyager Veggie Blend puffs “contain more lead per serving than any of the 80 baby foods Consumer Reports has tested since 2017.”
Specifically, testing found lead content at 112% of the Maximum Allowable Level (MADL) established by California Proposition 65.
Dr. James E. Rogers, director of food safety testing at Consumer Reports, said children should consume no more than half a serving of Intergalactic Voyager Veggie Blend Puffs per day.
Consumer Reports also found high levels of lead in LesserEvil’s Lil’ Puffs Sweet Potato Apple Asteroid and Serenity Kids’ Tomato & Herb and Bone Broth puffs.
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In a report, Consumer Reports showed how much food children actually consume when eating Snack Puffs. (Consumer Reports website)
LesserEvil’s Asteroid Puffs contained 60% lead from MADL, while Serenity Kids Tomato & Herbs contained 53% lead.
Based on these levels, Rogers recommended giving children a maximum of 1.5 puffs per day.
Rogers warned that Puffs’ serving sizes are smaller than people think: According to Consumer Reports, a serving of Intergalactic Voyager Veggie Blend is 17 puffs, while Serenity Kids’ Puffs come in a 1.5-ounce container with six servings.
According to Consumer Reports, the Once Upon a Farm products tested contained “very low” levels of lead — some of the lowest levels in any baby food the company has ever tested.
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Consumer Reports tested several children’s snacks and found that some contained high levels of lead. (Consumer Reports website)
“Clearly some manufacturers need to do more to eliminate heavy metals from snack foods, and there may be concerns about cassava-based foods in particular,” Rogers said.
Rogers acknowledged that the FDA has recently proposed limiting lead and other heavy metals in some baby foods, but noted that snack foods are not in the category subject to lead regulations.
“Authorities need to rigorously scrutinize the snacks parents give to their children to make sure they don’t contain dangerous levels of lead and other contaminants,” he said.
LesserEvil did not respond to FOX Business’ request for comment on the lead levels.
Jenny Shen, director of brand marketing for Serenity Kids, told Fox Business that the company’s puffs have always been safe to ingest.
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Cassava root and fresh cassava flour (Wayne Hutchinson / Farm Images / Universal Images Group / File / Getty Images)
“All of our products test well below the maximum allowable intake levels established by California Proposition 65,” Shen said. “We have always addressed lead and all heavy metals head-on because we are confident in the safety of our products and ingredients and believe our products are healthier than alternatives that currently exist.”
Shen, like Consumer Reports, said the FDA doesn’t have standards or benchmarks for regulating heavy metals across all baby food categories. Instead, the agency only provides draft guidance on the subject.
In the absence of these standards, Serenity Kids has developed its own standards and ensures all products meet California Proposition 65 heavy metal exposure standards, which are among the lowest published standards in the United States.
“Our puffs are completely safe to consume and comply with applicable regulations, such as Proposition 65, the US heavy metals law, which is based on recommended intake amounts,” Shen said.
She also explained that heavy metals like lead are prevalent in the food system.
Serenity Kids Puffs are made with cassava, which Consumer Reports says tests have shown to contain high levels of lead. Similarly, other root vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, carrots, and beets, also contain high levels of lead.
Dr. Angelia Seyfarth of the University of Delaware’s Department of Plant and Soil Sciences told Consumer Reports that lead can be naturally present in soil or can get there through contamination. Lead accumulates in plant roots, but doesn’t move much beyond the roots, Dr. Seyfarth said.
Cassava is also sometimes processed into flour and baked as a snack food, further increasing lead concentrations.
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Shen explained that because Serenity Kids’ products contain whole food ingredients, the company has state-of-the-art quality programs and testing protocols. For example, she said, the company tests all of its products and takes remedial steps to find foods with the lowest possible contaminant content, then works with suppliers to prioritize them for infant use.
“We also carefully vet all of our suppliers to ensure they are using the cleanest ingredients possible so you can rest assured about the safety of your food,” Shen said. “We have always addressed lead and all heavy metals head on because we are confident in the safety of our products and ingredients and believe our products are healthier than alternatives that currently exist.”
