A new study has just been published on the subject of what’s in baby formulas and baby foods. This time, researchers in Stockholm found ‘alarming’ levels of arsenic yet again in rice foods and also high levels of some minerals in formulae. Check my previous articles on this subject below for more background.
In this study, the Swedish researchers reported higher than desirable levels of arsenic, cadmium and lead in rice-based infant foods, such as cereal and porridge:
“Alarmingly, these complementary foods may also introduce high amounts of toxic elements such as arsenic, cadmium, lead and uranium, mainly from their raw materials,” wrote the authors, from Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm. “These elements have to be kept at an absolute minimum in food products intended for infant consumption.”
The foods were produced by global manufacturers such as Nestle and Mead Johnson. According to the Sunday Telegraph, the manufacturers insisted their products were safe:
“The Sunday Telegraph contacted each of the major manufacturers of leading brands of baby food sold in the UK but most refused to reveal the levels of toxic contaminants found in their products. Heinz, Cow & Gate, Nestle, and HiPP all insisted their foods contained levels that were within safety limits.”
Dr Karin Ljung, who led the Swedish research, said: “The producers will say they are not above any guideline values and it is true – they are following all the rules. The trouble is that the guidelines are not based on infant exposure. As we are getting more information coming out, it is may be time to reconsider what these safety limits are.”
The FSA is currently evaluating the guidelines on this issue so we wait to see what they have to say. Meantime, check my previous articles here for ways to limit your intake to toxic metals like this.
Related Articles
- Arsenic and toxic metals found in baby foods (telegraph.co.uk)