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Does baby food really contain heavy metals that are toxic for my baby? Well according to the tests that Consumer Reports conducted on fifty nationally distributed packaged baby and toddler foods, it definitely does. In this episode we are joined by James E. Rogers PhD, he is the Director of Food Safety Research and Testing at Consumer Reports who will be talking about how the heavy metals in baby food study was conducted, why they chose the tested baby foods, what the tests found and some recommendations for parents who are considering some of these products for their babies.

SUMMARY OF EPISODE

In this episode I’m interviewing @consumerreports James E. Rogers, PhD who discusses:

• The type of work that Consumer Reports conducts and how they are working at the State and Federal levels to advocate for new regulations or laws that can bring about various improvements for consumers as well as how consumers can get involved in the Consumer Reports advocacy movements

• How heavy metals work their way into various foods that we consume as adults or that are found in various popular baby foods

• The results of the Heavy Metals in Baby Food Study and how the baby food brands were chosen to be tested as well as the health effects that heavy metals may have in babies and older children 

• The Baby Food Safety Act which was the result of the congressional study that was done where data was requested from seven different baby food manufacturers and it was found that their end product was not being tested for levels of heavy metals but ingredients were and these also contained high amounts of heavy metals

ABOUT THE GUEST

• James E. Rogers, PhD is the director of Food Safety Research and Testing at Consumer Reports who is responsible for leading the food safety and sustainability operations of the organization, including food testing, data analysis, and risk and safety assessments.

• Prior to his tenure at Consumer Reports he worked for the Food Safety Inspection Services (FSIS) arm of the US Department of Agriculture. 

• James was involved in the testing of heavy metals in baby foods that showed concerning levels of arsenic, cadmium, and lead in many popular baby and toddler food products which he also mentions was his first full study at Consumer Reports.

LINKS FROM EPISODE

Other episodes mentioned: 

• Episode 31 “Fish: How to Introduce Your Baby to this Potentially Allergenic Food”

• Episode 99 “Are Organic Foods Better for My Baby?”

• Episode 160 “Why White Rice Cereal Should Not Be Your Baby's First Food with Alan Greene, MD”

Consumer Reports Links:

• Consumer Reports Study Protocol: Heavy Metals in Children’s Food August 2018

• On Your Mind: Food and Nutrition Questions 

• Consumer Reports Chart of 50 Baby and Toddler Foods Tested

• Are Frozen Fruits and Vegetables Healthy and Safe?

• The Difference Between Labels on Organic and ‘Natural’ Foods

• Heavy Metals in Baby Food: What You Need to Know

• Congress Moves to Limit Heavy Metals in Baby Food

• Join Consumer Reports in taking Action today! Click Here for more information on campaigns and petitions available 

Other links mentioned:

• Staff Report- Baby Foods are Tainted with Dangerous Levels of Arsenic, Lead, Cadmium, and Mercury” 

• Healthy Babies Bright Futures

• FDA-Closer to Zero: Action Plan for Baby Foods

• FDA Response to Questions About Level of Toxic Elements in Baby Food, Following Congressional Report

• The Baby Food Safety Act of 2021

TRANSCRIPT OF EPISODE

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