In an assertive push to safeguard the health of the nation’s youngest consumers, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, along with a cohort of 20 attorneys general, has called upon the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to implement stringent measures to remove toxic metals from baby foods. Citing the stark realities of recent recalls and hundreds of cases of childhood lead poisonings, these state legal heads are pressuring the FDA to set clear industry standards for testing and safety.
According to the office of the Illinois Attorney General, the attorneys general dispatched a letter to the FDA demanding the agency to lay down specific guidelines for baby food manufacturers. These regulations should mandate testing of all finished products for the presence of lead and other dangerous metals. An alarming spate of lead poisonings traced to cinnamon applesauce pouches retailed at several establishments, including those in Illinois, has sparked an urgent call for action.
Lead, historically known as a stealthy scourge, has wormed its way into the diets of unsuspecting infants, through products that were not pre-tested for toxic metals and eventually recalled. Exemplified by the nearly 400 children affected by lead poisoning connected to the brands WanaBana, Schnucks, and Weis, sold in Dollar Tree stores, the gravity of this health crisis is palpable. At least sixteen of these cases reported hail from Illinois, underscoring the local severity of this national problem.
The attorney general's call to action serves as a grim reminder of the delays in policy adjustments that remain a haunting presence over the most vulnerable populations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified a significant number of childhood lead poisonings from the consumption of the implicated cinnamon applesauce pouches. Consumers are being advised to dispose of any remaining recalled products by cautiously emptying the contents into trash bins to prevent potential salvage and consumption.
The frustration stemming from the FDA's sluggishness to act is evident in the coalition’s past and present efforts to prompt reform. In past years, the FDA had already acknowledged the heightened susceptibility of babies and toddlers to the adverse effects of toxic metals. However, the agency has set a single action level for just one toxic metal in one category of baby food thus far, essentially leaving the onus on manufacturers to test their products at their discretion.
This longstanding issue not only represents a significant public health concern but also underscores environmental injustice. Lead exposure, disproportionately plaguing low-income and communities of color, is compounded when toxic metals are present in food sources. Such disparities further tilt the scales against these children, who are already navigating a myriad of environmental hazards daily.
In an initiative titled “Closer to Zero,” launched by the FDA in April 2021, a promise was made to propose action levels for various toxic metals in baby foods. Despite initial timelines indicating action for lead by April 2022 and for inorganic arsenic by April 2024, these deadlines have stealthily vanished from the agency’s website. The recent letter reiterates not just a plea, but a demand for instantaneous and impactful FDA intervention.
Joining Raoul in this urgent appeal are attorneys general from a roster of states, spanning from Colorado to Wisconsin. Their solidarity signifies the wide-reaching concern and uncompromising stance on an issue that hits home for every parent: the basic right to a safe and healthy start for their children.
