Why there still aren’t limits on lead in baby food

MicroWave@lemmy.world to News@lemmy.world – 203 points – Why there still aren’t limits on lead in baby food
nbcnews.com

An outbreak of lead poisonings in children, tied to contaminated cinnamon applesauce pouches, illustrates the gaps in how heavy metals in foods are regulated.

Despite strong efforts to limit lead exposure from sources like paint and gasoline, the U.S. government doesn’t broadly limit lead levels in food, a blind spot that’s become all the more glaring, experts say, as cases of lead poisonings in young children linked to contaminated cinnamon applesauce continue to mount.

As of Tuesday, lead poisoning had been reported in at least 65 children, all younger than 6, who ate pouches of now-recalled cinnamon apple puree and cinnamon applesauce, up from 57 cases two weeks ago, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

Children under the age of 6 are most vulnerable to lead poisoning, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. The heavy metal can lead to developmental problems, damage to the brain and nervous system, and problems with learning, behavior, hearing and speech. Lead exposure can lead to lower IQ and underperformance in school, according to the CDC.

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lol. Okay candybrie, I'm going to break down what could have happened, again.

  1. the cinnamon used in the applesauce was somehow grown in soil that contained a ridiculous amount of lead. No conspiracy, just human error.

  2. Equipment used in the processing of the cinnamon contained lead. That lead accidentally got into the processed cinnamon. No conspiracy, just human error.

  3. Lead was deliberately added to the cinnamon to either increase its weight or alter its color. That's a thing that happens. Possibly one person, maybe more were involved, but it's not what most people would consider a conspiracy. It's just people being lazy, unscrupulous, or greedy.

Don't take my word for it, here's a link to a peer reviewed paper measuring lead levels in spices:

Adulteration of spices can occur at any point along the supply chain due to the intentional or inadvertent addition of lead. Lead may be added as a coloring agent, or to add weight for products sold by weight, or it can be introduced because of poor processing equipment; the presence of lead in air, dust, or soil where food is grown or processed can also contribute toward contamination. In addition, poor regulatory controls in some countries can further impact the safety of food supplies.