WASHINGTON – A letter sent today by the Food and Drug Administration to manufacturers of baby and toddler food reminding them that they must comply with the manufacturing rules outlined by the Food Safety Modernization Act does not go far enough to protect the health of our children, said the Environmental Working Group.
The letter follows a congressional investigation that found that several brands of widely sold baby foods contain dangerous levels of toxic heavy metals. The FDA must set mandatory health-based standards that companies must adhere to in order to protect babies from exposure to metals and other toxic chemicals.
Below is a statement from EWG Senior Vice President for Government Affairs Scott Faber:
Although it’s good that the FDA is putting food companies on notice that their food safety plans must address toxic metals, today’s announcement does not set standards for metals or deadlines to meet them. Without mandatory FDA standards, food companies will continue to simply police themselves.
Read more on the findings of the congressional investigation here.
