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Many parents are already well aware of the fact that consumer products made in China, and particularly those marketed for children, have a not-so-hot track record of safety. But a recent investigation conducted by the Oakland, California-based

Environmental Law Foundation (ELF) has revealed that many popular baby food products manufactured right here in the U.S. are also highly contaminated with potentially dangerous levels of lead.

As reported by the

San Diego Union-Tribune, ELF recently conducted tests on 1,500 samples of baby food, packaged fruit, and juice products and found that many contain levels of lead exceeding the 0.5 micrograms (mcg) per serving maximum established under California’s Proposition 65. Based on data collected by the

University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC), which was used for the analysis, many of the baby food products tested were found to contain anywhere between 2 and 29 mcg per serving of lead, or as much as 58 times the maximum threshold.

“Gerber Products, Del Monte Foods, Beech-Nut Nutrition and many other makers of baby foods and juices are selling products containing lead at levels that require warning labels under California Proposition 65,” explains an

Associated Press release concerning the allegations of a lawsuit filed by ELF on behalf of consumers. “[B]oth sides in the case agree that baby foods containing carrots, peaches, pears and sweet potatoes have some lead. Also covered by the suit are grape juice and fruit cocktail.”

A link to the complete ELF report, entitled

Lead Found in Children’s Foods and Baby Foods; Legal Notices Sent to Law Enforcement, can be found here:
http://www.envirolaw.org/documents/FINALNewsRelease.pdf

Many children’s, baby food manufacturers are in violation of California law

For its research, ELF focused not only on baby food but also other foods that are commonly consumed by children. According to an announcement made by the group, it collected and tested as many brands in each category as it could find, particularly in California where Proposition 65 requires the labeling of products that contain levels of lead above the threshold. By addressing this violation of the law in the state of California, ELF will inadvertently, if successful, require food manufacturers to reformulate their products for the benefit of not only Californians but all Americans.