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| | Reducing toxic metals in food (23rd Jun 21 at 2:32am UTC) | | Reducing toxic metals in food
Toxic elements like lead, arsenic, mercury, and cadmium in food are not a new problem. But when they show up in pureed vegetables and other foods intended for babies, alarm bells go off. That’s what happened in recent months following a bombshell congressional report that found neurotoxic metals in baby food from multiple manufacturers. In this episode of Stereo Chemistry, host Kerri Jansen and C&EN reporter Britt Erickson explore the fallout from that report and renewed efforts by baby food manufacturers, regulators, advocacy groups, and agricultural scientists to rein in the problem.To get more news about Emeramide buy, you can visit fandachem.com official website.
Jane Houlihan: Parents are confused about what to do. We’ve also heard from many people who thought that the FDA—the government—was protecting them from these kinds of contaminants in food, and I think what the congressional report showed is that there’s not the level of protection we need.
Kerri Jansen: That was Jane Houlihan, research director at the advocacy group Healthy Babies Bright Futures which provides advice to parents on reducing children’s exposure to certain toxic chemicals. Jane is talking about parents’ reactions to a report released in early February by a US congressional subcommittee. The report found concerning levels of toxic metals in several brands of baby food. And keep in mind the fruits and vegetables that end up in pouches and jars in the baby food aisle are the same foods that the rest of us eat, too. So this got us wondering: Where do these metals in our food come from? And what can be done to reduce exposure to these contaminants?
In this episode of Stereo Chemistry, we’ll hear from agricultural scientists who are investigating how growing conditions may affect metal concentrations in veggies commonly used in baby food, such as carrots and sweet potatoes. And we will hear about ongoing efforts by industry and regulators to bring down levels of toxic metals in foods, particularly food intended for children. I’m your host, Kerri Jansen.
Britt: Well I was surprised by the findings. When my children were young, I worried about things like bisphenol A in polycarbonate baby bottles and applesauce cups. Back then, we lived in an 1840s farmhouse, so lead paint was a really big concern. I never thought about metals in fruits and vegetables though. I’m probably going to get my soil tested now though.
Kerri: Yeah, that’s understandable. So what are the particular metal contaminants that we’re talking about here in regards to baby food?
Britt: In food, the metals of biggest concern are lead, mercury, and cadmium, all of which are neurotoxic. Arsenic is also a big concern in food, but as a chemist I’d like to point out that it is actually not a metal, but rather what we call a metalloid. It behaves like a metal and a nonmetal. But many people incorrectly refer to arsenic as a metal.
Kerri: Duly noted. So what are the health concerns related to exposure to these toxic elements?
Britt: The primary concern is adverse effects on brain development in children. Arsenic, lead, and mercury can harm the developing brain, leading to impacts like IQ loss, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and behavioral and learning problems. Less is known about the neurotoxicity of cadmium. To get a better sense of this, I talked with pediatrician Phil Landrigan. Phil directs the Program for Global Public Health and the Common Good at Boston College, and he has a long history of witnessing firsthand the effects of lead in children.
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