New York State’s long-standing fight to omit lead and other toxic metals from baby food is now highlighting the state’s food testing efforts, while the federal government is delaying the enactment of stricter nationwide standards.
Previously, Letitia James, New York Attorney General, spearheaded a coalition pressuring the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to accelerate the enaction of limits to be placed on the toxic elements permitted in baby food. James approached the issue in an urgent matter following a report that linked hundreds of childhood lead poisoning cases to recently recalled products.
According to the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, inspectors and a lab are employed on the front lines to safeguard the food supply statewide.
The agency’s deputy commissioner, Katie Howard, stated, “We want New Yorkers to know that there is a dedicated team that is vigilant and proactively watching our food supply to protect public health.” Altogether, the state has jurisdiction over more than 36,000 food establishments. Approximately 130 recalls were issued after inspectors seized more than 652,000 lbs (296,000 kilograms) of violative products statewide in 2013.
For additional perspective, scientists test more than 20,000 samples yearly for contaminants at the state’s food lab.
The director of the food lab, Maria Ishida, said, “We collect food samples from grocery stores and farmers and test for microbiology, contaminants, or chemical contaminants.” To test food samples, the lab uses various methods, such as inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, to locate toxic heavy metals in baby food, including lead, arsenic, and cadmium.
Howard continued, “That sampling gets pulled to the food lab, where our team analyzes to determine if anything would impact health and safety.” If violations are found, the state immediately moves to give companies prompt notification and coordinate necessary recalls based on the various levels of risk involved with the particular food.
Ishida said, “They are going to classify the gravity of the problem and go back to the establishment about the violation. Independent of the gravity, it can be a recall Class 1 or Class 2.”
Although the federal government has only set limits on inorganic arsenic and its amount in infant rice cereal, James and many others insist the FDA must do a lot more because, simply put, no level of lead should be considered safe for children to consume.
Howard said, “I want to assure New Yorkers you have a dedicated team working daily to ensure the health and safety of your food supply. You may not see us, but we are there inspecting.”
The FDA maintains a position that says it is actively working to develop additional toxic element limits for baby foods. However, a timeline has yet to be provided. Numerous consumer advocates continue to bolster that our federal regulators require much faster action.
