➎ Baby Foods with Arsenic and — and Safer Choices

About toxic heavy , including arsenic and lead:

• Often found in , water and food • Health risks include and decreased learning ability for children • Some foods have higher levels and pose greater risks • FDA hasn’t set safety standards for in many popular foods • Until FDA acts, there are easy ways to cut down on toxic heavy metals in your baby’s or toddler’s diet

➊ Snacks

Puffs and other snacks made with flour are Puff snacks (rice) Puff98 ppb snacks (rice) high in arsenic. Choose rice-free packaged snacks. 98 ppb Better yet, try these healthy snacks with fewer contaminants recommended by Consumer Reports: apples, applesauce (unsweetened), Rice-free 93% less bananas, barley with diced Rice-freebaby snacks 93% less baby7.1 ppb snacks toxic heavy metals vegetables, beans, cheese, grapes 7.1 ppb toxic heavy metals (cut lengthwise), hard-boiled eggs, peaches, and yogurt. 0 20 40 60 80 100 0 20 40 60 80 100

➋ Cereal Infant Rice cereal Infant85 ppb Rice cereal 85 ppb Infant rice cereal is the #1 source of arsenic in infant’s diets. Choose other cereals that are naturally low in arsenic, Other Infant 84% less OtherCereals Infant 84% less like oatmeal and multi-grain. Cereals14 ppb Arsenic (inorganic) 14 ppb Arsenic (inorganic)

0 20 40 60 80 100 0 20 40 60 80 100

Teething biscuits Teething& rice rusks biscuits Rice is high in arsenic and a top exposure source for toddlers. Simple steps can help: &64 rice ppb rusks 64 ppbWhat • Cook rice in extra water that you pour off before eating, to cut down arsenic levels by 60 percent, according to FDA studies. to do • For the lowest levels, buy basmati rice grown in California, , and Pakistan. White rice has less arsenic than . Other soothing • Avoid rice from Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, or simply “U.S.” It has the highest levels, according to testing by Consumer Reports. aboutOther soothing foods for • Eat a91% variety less of grains to help reduce your family’s arsenic exposures. Try amaranth, quinoa, buckwheat, millet and polenta foodsteething for 91% less (all gluten-free),toxic heavy or bulgur, metals barley and farro (these contain gluten). teething6.0rice ppb toxic heavy metals 6.0 ppb

0 20 40 60 80 100 0 20 40 60 80 100 healthybabyfood.org

Carrot (Baby Food) Fruit Juice Carrot28 ppb (Baby Food) Fruit8.2 ppb Juice 28 ppb 8.2 ppb Sweet Potato (Baby Food) Sweet19 ppb Potato (Baby Food) 19 ppb 68% less Tap2.6 ppb Water 68%toxic less heavy metals Other Fruits & Up to 73% less 2.6(typical) ppb toxic heavy metals OtherVeggies Fruits (Baby & Food) Uptoxic to heavy73% less metals (typical) Veggies7.4 ppb (Baby Food) toxic heavy metals 7.4 ppb 0 2 4 6 8 10 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 0 2 4 6 8 10 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 Puff snacks (rice) 98 ppb

Puff snacks (rice) 98 ppb Rice-free 93% less baby snacks 7.1 ppb toxic heavy metals

0 Rice-free20 40 93%60 less 80 100 baby snacks 7.1 ppb toxic heavy metals

0 20 40 60 80 100 Infant Rice cereal 85 ppb

Infant Rice cereal 85 ppb Other Infant 84% less Cereals Puff snacks (rice) 14 ppb Arsenic (inorganic) 98 ppb

0 Other20 Infant40 84%60 less 80 100 Cereals ➌ Teething14 ppb FoodsArsenic (inorganic) Rice-free 93% less baby snacks Teething biscuits often contain arsenic, 7.1 ppb toxic heavy metals 0 Teething20 biscuits 40 60 80 100 & rice rusks lead, and cadmium. They also lack 64 ppb nutrients and can cause tooth decay. 0 20 40 60 80 100 Doctors and dentists recommend other Teething biscuits solutions for baby teething pain. Try a Other soothing & rice rusks , a 64 foodsppb for 91% less frozen banana peeled and chilled teething toxic heavy metals cucumber, or a clean, cold wet washcloth Infant Rice cereal 6.0 ppb or spoon. Stay with your baby to watch for 85 ppb Other soothing any choking. 0 foods20 for 40 91%60 less 80 100 teething toxic heavy metals 6.0 ppb

Other Infant 84% less Carrot (Baby Food) Cereals 0 Fruit Juice20 40 60 80 100 28 ppb Arsenic (inorganic) 14 ppb ➍8.2 Drinksppb

SweetApple, Potato pear, (Babygrape Food) and other fruit juices have 0 20 40 60 80 100 Carrot (Baby Food) 19 ppb Fruit Juice 28lead ppb and arsenic. Levels aren’t as high as Tap8.2 ppb Water 68% less in some other foods, but toddlers drink 2.6 ppb toxic heavy metals Otherjuice Fruits often, & so it’s a top Upexposure to 73% source. less (typical) Sweet Potato (Baby Food) Teething biscuits Veggies (Baby Food) toxic heavy metals 719.4Tap ppbppb water and milk are better drinks & rice rusks for thirsty toddlers. Serve whole or 64 ppb Tap Water 0 2 4 68%6 less 8 10 0 pureed5 fruits10 (like applesauce)15 20 instead25 30 2.6 ppb toxic heavy metals Other Fruits & Up to 73% less (typical) Veggiesof fruit (Baby juice, Food) for more healthytoxic heavy fiber and metals Other soothing 7.4nutrients. ppb Doctors advise avoiding fruit juice foods for 91% less 0 2 4 6 8 10 0 altogether5 in10 a baby’s15 first year.20 25 30 teething toxic heavy metals 6.0 ppb

0 20 40 60 80 100 ➎ Fruits & Veggies Carrots and sweet potatoes are a great source Carrot (Baby Food) Fruit Juice 28 ppb of Vitamin A and other nutrients your baby 8.2 ppb needs. But they are also high in two toxic metals, lead and cadmium. Variety is Sweet Potato (Baby Food) : give your baby these plus 19 ppb the solution other fruits & veggies during the week, for Tap Water 68% less benefits without the excess risk. 2.6 ppb toxic heavy metals Other Fruits & Up to 73% less (typical) Veggies (Baby Food) toxic heavy metals 7.4 ppb

0 2 4 6 8 10 0 5 10 15 20 25 30

NEW TESTS SHOW THE 6 TYPES OF BABY FOOD PARENTS SHOULD LIMIT - AND SAFER CHOICES

What’s in my baby’s food? To find out more about the safety of your baby's food, read our full report A national investigation finds 95 percent of baby foods tested contain toxic chemicals that lower babies’ IQ, including arsenic and lead Report includes safer choices for parents, manufacturers on levels of toxic heavy metals like lead and arsenic in 168 store-bought and retailers seeking healthy foods for infants

baby foods. Download the report at healthybabyfood.org IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

Healthy Babies Bright Futures | Jane Houlihan, Research Director and Charlotte Brody, National Director | October 2019

R5 • DRAFT UPDATED: OCTOBER 15, 2019 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

Note: Concentrations shown and the term “less toxic metals” are based on the average of the sum of four metals (inorganic arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury) unless otherwise noted. Averages are based on data from the current study combined with FDA’s market basket study data (the Total Diet Study, FDA 2014-2017). The abbreviation “ppb” refers to parts per billion.

UPDATED: OCTOBER 15, 2019