Does gerber baby food have arsenic
Gerber Baby Food Lawsuits — Lawsuit Information Center
Current research and testing have shown that Gerber and other major brands of baby food contain dangerously high levels of toxic heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, and mercury. These harmful metals are well known to cause health complications and neurologic damage in developing children. The development of conditions such as ADHD and autism may be linked to the consumption of these toxic baby foods.
The product liability lawyers at Miller & Zois are currently seeking cases from children (and their parents) who consumed contaminated Gerber baby foods and were later diagnosed with neurologic health conditions such as autism.
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Gerber Baby Food Found to Contain High Levels of Toxic Metals
Heavy metals like lead, arsenic, mercury, and cadmium are well known to be toxic to the human body. Many of them, such as lead and mercury, have been specifically linked to neurological problems in young children with developing brains. This is why keeping these metals away from children has been a major public health priority for many years. Unfortunately, recent research has shown that we may have actually been feeding these toxic metals to our children for years.
In 2021, the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy released a Staff Report entitled Baby Foods Are Tainted with Dangerous Levels of Arsenic, Lead, Cadmium, and Mercury (the “Staff Report”). The Staff Report detailed the Subcommittee’s findings from an investigation into claims that major baby foods like Gerber were being sold with high levels of toxic heavy metals. The Subcommittee investigation was based on lab test results and internal documents from baby food manufacturers.
The results of the investigation fully confirmed that Gerber and other commercial baby foods “are tainted with significant levels of toxic heavy metals, including arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury.
” The Staff Report also noted that exposure to these contaminants is harmful to infant neurological development and brain function.
The Staff Report found unsafe levels of heavy metals in baby food products from 7 of the largest manufacturers in the U.S., including Gerber, which is the biggest baby food manufacturer in the world. The Staff Report details the levels of toxins found in the various food brands based on testing. The levels of toxic metals in Gerber were much lower compared to other major brands, but they were still well above the maximum safe levels set by the FDA.
(a) Arsenic Levels in Gerber Baby FoodOf all the toxin heavy metals covered by the Staff Report, arsenic is considered the most hazardous. In young children, exposure to arsenic is known to cause not only neurologic problems, but it can also damage the central nervous system.
Both the FDA and the EPA have set maximum safe arsenic levels for bottled water at 10 ppb.
The Staff Report found that Gerber baby food products used ingredients that contained over 90 ppb inorganic arsenic based on lab testing. This is 9 times the FDA maximum safe level.
Lead is considered the second most toxic of the heavy metals that are known to post a threat to human health. Lead exposure (even at small levels) is associated with a range of bad health outcomes, particularly neurologic and cognitive developmental issues in children.
The FDA’s maximum safe level for lead is 5 ppb in drinking water, 20 ppb in juice and 100 ppb in candy products. According to the Staff Report, Geber used ingredients in its baby food that tested as high as 48 ppb for lead.
(c) Mercury Levels in Gerber Baby FoodMercury ranks 3rd behind arsenic and lead in terms of the most harmful of the heavy metals featured in the Staff Report on baby foods. Studies have shown that pre-natal exposure to mercury can lead to adverse neurologic development.
More specifically, high blood levels of mercury in toddlers have been positively associated with “autistic behaviors.”
Mercury can be harmful even at extremely low levels. The FDA has capped the maximum safe level of mercury in drinking water at 2 ppb. The Staff Report does not contain information on the levels of mercury in Geber baby foods because the Subcommittee relied on information provided by Gerber. Gerber advised the committee that is does not test for mercury in its products.
(d) Cadmium Levels in Gerber Baby FoodCadmium ranks fourth on the list of hazardous toxic metals in baby foods. Cadmium exposure in children has been linked to lower IQ and the development of ADHD. The FDA has set the maximum safe limit for cadmium in drinking water at 5 ppb. The Staff Report found that Gerber baby food products containing carrots were contaminated with cadmium. Over 75% of Gerber’s carrot foods contained over 5 ppb cadmium and some contained up to 87 ppb.
The toxic health effects of heavy metals are well recognized, but a growing body of scientific research is beginning to specifically connect exposure to these materials to autism, ADD, and other neurologic disorders. A number of medical studies have identified a connection between regular exposure to heavy metals during gestation, infancy, and childhood and higher rates of autism.
A study published in 2014 looked at the impact of prenatal and early infancy exposures to mercury. The study concluded that mercury exposure resulted in a twofold increase in the risk of developing both autism or ADD. Three years later, a similar study on children in Korea found a similar association between mercury exposure and autism/ADD rates.
A possible connection between arsenic exposure and higher autism rates was identified in a meta-analysis study conducted by a research team at the University of Buffalo and published in 2019.
A more extensive study was published the following year which found the same positive association between autism and exposure to mercury, arsenic, and cadmium during infancy.
The Staff Report regarding heavy metals in baby foods like Gerber has led to a number of product liability lawsuits against Gerber by parents claiming that their children developed autism (or other disorders). These lawsuits are partly based on the findings in the Staff Report which clearly show that Gerber was aware of the fact that its baby food products contained heavy metals well above the maximum safe limits set by the FDA.
Since the Staff Report was published in February 2021, Gerber Products Company has been named as a defendant in a number of consumer class action and product liability lawsuits involving toxic metals in baby food products. Our firm is currently seeking Gerber toxic baby food lawsuits. Call today for a free consultation 800-553-8082.
Gerber Lawsuit | Toxic Heavy Metals
- Brief Summary: A U.S. government report concluded that Gerber knowingly sells baby foods that contain dangerous amounts of toxic heavy metals linked to neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism and ADHD. While other brands have issued recalls on products that tested above dangerous thresholds for arsenic in baby foods, Gerber has taken "no such actions to protect consumers."
- What We Are Saying: “The scientific literature shows a strong and consistent signal between exposure to heavy metals in young babies and neurodevelopmental disorders like autism and ADHD. We believe Gerber has known that its baby foods are dangerous but the company refuses to take responsibility to protect children from harm.” – Baby Food Lawyer Pedram Esfandiary
- What You Can Do: Parents may choose to pursue a baby food lawsuit against Gerber, alleging the company knowingly sold baby foods with dangerously high levels of arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury.
If your child developed autism or ADHD after consuming baby foods from Gerber, you may be eligible to join a Gerber lawsuit.
Information on Gerber Lawsuits
- Is Gerber Baby Food Safe?
- Is Gerber Organic Food Safe?
- Why Are Heavy Metals in Baby Food Bad for Babies?
- Which Gerber Foods Have Heavy Metals?
- Is There a Gerber Food Recall?
- Do I Qualify for a Lawsuit Against Gerber?
- What is My Gerber Lawsuit Worth?
- How Do I Choose the Best Baby Food Lawyer for My Gerber Lawsuit?
Is Gerber Baby Food Safe?
No. Gerber food products have high levels of toxic heavy metals.
In February of 2021, a U.S. House Oversight subcommittee issued a report that found tremendous amounts of toxic heavy metals in baby food products from several major brands, including Gerber. The report stated that Gerber and other manufacturers "knowingly" sold baby food products like purees, cereal, and rice puffs that contain dangerous amounts of arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury.
Numerous studies have found links between these toxic heavy metals and neurodevelopmental disorders in children, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
The report found the following:
Arsenic: Gerber used 67 batches of rice flour with over 90 parts per billion (ppb) of inorganic arsenic.
Lead: Gerber used ingredients in its baby food products that contained up to 48 ppb of lead. Many of Gerber’s ingredients tested over 20 ppb lead. The average amount of lead in Gerber juice concentrates was 11.2 ppb.
Cadmium: 3 out of 4 Gerber carrots tested for cadmium at levels above 5 ppb. Some contained more than 87 ppb of cadmium.
Mercury: Like many of the other baby food manufacturers mentioned in the subcommittee report, Gerber rarely tests its baby foods for mercury.
The same government subcommittee issued a follow-up report in September of 2021 that specifically called out Gerber for failing to properly test its products and issue a baby food recall.
According to the September report, Gerber food products tested at above-average amounts of inorganic arsenic compared to Beech-Nut, another major baby food brand. But while Beech-Nut issued a recall on some of its products, the subcommittee said Gerber took "no such actions to protect consumers."
Is Gerber Organic Food Safe?
No, Gerber organic baby food products also tested high for toxic metals. Per the government subcommittee report, Gerber’s Organic Rice Cereal tested up to 76 ppb inorganic arsenic and contained, on average, 65.6 ppb inorganic arsenic. Gerber charges consumers 36.4% more for its Organic Rice Cereal than for its standard product, even though the levels of arsenic present in both are substantial.
Why Are Heavy Metals in Baby Food Bad for Babies?
Heavy metals are dangerous for young children because they consume more food in relation to their body weight and absorb heavy metals more readily than adults. Linda McCauley studies environmental health effects as Dean of the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing at Emory University.
According to McCauley, “[n]o level of exposure to these metals has been shown to be safe in vulnerable infants.” McCauley adds that exposure to several sources of heavy metals can cause cumulative effects that are particularly dangerous for babies.
Keep in mind that it is not just the presence of heavy metals in baby food that is harmful to babies and young children—it is the staggering levels present in the ingredients and foods.
- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allows a maximum level of 10 ppb arsenic in bottled water. Gerber baby food ingredients tested at over 90 ppb arsenic.
- The FDA allows a maximum level of 5 ppb lead in bottled water. Gerber baby food ingredients tested up to 48 ppb lead.
- The FDA allows a maximum level of 5 ppb cadmium in bottled water. Gerber baby food ingredients tested up to 87 ppb cadmium.
- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) allows a maximum of 2 ppb of mercury in drinking water.
Gerber rarely tests its products for mercury.
The FDA and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have said that babies and young children who are exposed to heavy metals may suffer from a permanent decrease in IQ, an increased risk of future criminal and antisocial behavior, and untreatable, potentially permanent brain damage.
For more information on the dangers of toxic metals, please read our expert reports:
- Dr. Michael Aschner
- Dr. Hannah Gardener
- Dr. Beate Ritz
- Dr. Kevin Shapiro
Which Gerber Foods Have Heavy Metals?
Two government reports and testing from consumer advocacy organizations have found heavy metals in the following Gerber baby food products and ingredients:
- Arrowroot Biscuits
- Barley Single Grain Cereal
- Carrot Sitter 2nd Food
- Carrot Supported Sitter 1st Goods
- Conventional Carrots
- Conventional Sweet Potatoes
- Diced Carrots Veggie Pickups
- Flour Rice Long Grain
- Fruit & Veggie Melts Truly Tropical Blend Free
- Grape Juice White
- Multigrain Cereal
- Oatmeal Single Grain Cereal
- Organic Rice Cereal
- Organic Sweet Potatoes
- Probiotic Rice Banana Apple Cereal
- Rice Single Grain Cereal
- Sweet Potato Sitter 2nd Foods
- Sweet Potato Supported Sitter 1st Foods Tub
- Whole Wheat Whole Grain Cereal
You can read more about baby foods to avoid in our blog.
Is There a Gerber Food Recall?
As of April 2022, Gerber has failed to issue a baby food recall over heavy metals in food. The failure to recall its products is particularly concerning because the government baby food report issued in September of 2021 said Gerber “should recall two infant rice cereal product codes and consider discontinuing sales of its rice cereal.”
Per the report, Alaska state health officials tested products from both Beech-Nut (another major baby food company) and Gerber for heavy metals. The results of the testing were nearly identical: Gerber food products averaged 87.43 ppb inorganic arsenic, which was 2 ppb higher than Beech-Nut’s 85.47 ppb. Two Gerber products tested above 100 ppb for inorganic arsenic, which is above the FDA’s current limit for inorganic arsenic in infant cereal.
In response to the testing, Beech-Nut announced that it was recalling some of its infant rice cereal products and leaving the infant rice cereal market altogether.
Even though Gerber products presented at least as much danger to babies as Beech-Nut products, Gerber “has taken no action to protect babies that could be harmed by its products,” the report stated. The subcommittee added that there “is no excuse for Gerber’s delay in recalling its dangerous products.”
Do I Qualify for a Lawsuit Against Gerber?
Yes, parents may file a lawsuit against Gerber and/or other baby food companies if their children consumed substantial quantities of baby foods and later developed autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and/or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). To join a Gerber lawsuit, the first thing you will need to do is contact a baby food lawyer taking on these cases and see if you qualify.
At Baum Hedlund, the process to see if you qualify for a Gerber lawsuit is simple. First, you contact our firm and one of our representatives will ask that you complete a case evaluation form. This will take about 15 -20 minutes to complete.
Once we receive your case evaluation form, our legal team reviews it and responds to any questions you may have about filing a case.
What is My Gerber Lawsuit Worth?
Here is a general guide to how compensation might work in these cases.
A lawsuit seeks financial compensation called damages. Damages in a lawsuit against Gerber and/or other baby food companies are calculated based on, among other things, health care bills (money already spent and future costs of care), loss of earnings if a parent had to stop working to take care of their child, and the injury, pain and suffering caused to the child and family. There is also the possibility for punitive damages against Gerber and other companies. Punitive damages are exemplary damages awarded at the court's discretion when a defendant’s actions are particularly harmful.
Parents with children who have been diagnosed with autism or ADHD know that health care services for their children are often expensive and sometimes are not covered by insurance.
Speech therapy, occupational therapy, and other services are necessary for children with these diagnoses. In many cases, therapies are needed for years.
A lawsuit seeks to compensate parents for these and other expenses because they never would have purchased Gerber baby foods (or foods from other companies) if Gerber had disclosed the dangers of toxic heavy metals on its food labels.
How Do I Choose the Best Baby Food Lawyer for My Gerber Lawsuit?
When choosing a lawyer for a case like this, there are a few things to consider. First, you want to make sure your lawyer has the experience and resources needed to win your case. Second, your lawyer should be committed to sending a strong message to baby food manufacturers: failure to protect the health of young children comes with consequences.
The attorneys at Baum Hedlund have a proven track record in mass tort cases involving consumer harm. In 2019, our firm and co-counsel won a $2.055 billion jury verdict in a case involving a defective consumer product that we alleged caused our clients to develop cancer.
This historic verdict helped pave the way for settlement agreements worth nearly $11 billion for thousands of people with similar claims. Put simply, we know what it takes to go up against corporate giants and win.
Our baby food lawyers were among the first in the country to investigate this serious public health issue and pursue justice for parents. As of this writing, we represent well over 1,000 children from across the country in this litigation. Our firm filed the first baby food lawsuit in California and perhaps, the country, last year on behalf of a young boy named Noah who developed ASD and ADHD after consuming baby foods from Gerber and several other manufacturers. You can learn more about this case and the litigation in this episode of Spotlight on America, an award-winning investigative news program airing on 90+ TV stations across the country. The program includes profiles of our client, Noah Cantabrana, and interviews with Noah’s mother, Melissa Cantabrana, and Baum Hedlund baby food lawyer Pedram Esfandiary.
Experts from the Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy of the US House of Representatives found dangerous levels of toxic metals in the baby food of several American brands. CNN writes about the progress of the investigation.
- Testing found high levels of substances such as arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury in baby products. These heavy toxic metals pose a serious health hazard to children. nine0006
- Products from Gerber, Nurture Inc., Hain Celestial Group and Beech-Nutrition.
- Manufacturers are accused of knowingly selling these unlabeled products to parents who are unaware of the risks they are putting their children at.
- Experts and the World Health Organization also draw attention to the fact that exposure to these metals can lead to a decrease in intelligence, inhibition of the neurological development of infants and impaired brain function. nine0006
US baby food market situation
According to the 2019 Healthy Babies Bright Futures (HBBF) report, 95% of baby food samples tested contain at least one of four substances: arsenic, mercury, cadmium or lead.
- Experts tested 168 baby food brands. 25% of them contained all four substances at once.
- The researchers specifically recommended avoiding rice-based foods, as well as carrots, sweet potatoes, and fruit juices. nine0006
- Instead, scientists recommended steaming vegetables for children, feeding them cereals, fruits for breakfast, and using a frozen banana or chilled cucumber to relieve teething pain.
In Russia
, New Zealand (1), Russia (4), Finland (1), Switzerland (1) and Estonia (1), which are sold in Russia. nine0003
- Experts did not reveal any violations, but only the Belarusian product showed full compliance with all quality standards.
- Experts tested the mixtures for microbiological safety and the presence of preservatives and antibiotics.
- The results showed that the products are "free of dangerous microorganisms (including salmonella), mold and yeast, preservatives and antibiotics, lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic.
"
Child food poisoning cases
- On November 24, 2009, two businessmen were executed in China for producing and selling baby milk containing melamine, which is widely used to make dyes, glues and concrete. As a result of drinking poisoned milk, six children died, and more than 300 thousand fell ill with severe urolithiasis. In total, businessmen sold 1,500 tons of melanin milk.
- In January Emmanuel Besnier, CEO of Lactalis, announced that 12 million cans of salmonella-contaminated baby food were being withdrawn from sales worldwide. Products for babies were produced at a factory in the commune of Craon. At the time of the announcement of the seizure in France alone, 37 children had contracted salmonellosis. The age of the sick - from 2 weeks to 9months.
Arsenic, lead and mercury found in popular brands of baby food
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Popular brands of baby food found arsenic, lead and mercury
American... RIA Novosti, 02/05/2021
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MOSCOW, February 5 - RIA Novosti. High levels of heavy toxic metals, including arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury, have been found in some U.S. baby formulas that can lead to neurological damage in children, according to a U.S. House of Representatives study. Economic and Consumer Policy Subcommittee experts examined the domestic documentation from Gerber, Nurture Inc, Hain Celestial Group Inc, Beech-Nutrition, who provided data on a voluntary basis in response to a subcommittee request.
It was based on reports of the presence of metals a year earlier. Walmart, Campbell and Sprout Organic Foods refused to cooperate with the investigators. "The subcommittee investigation proves that commercial baby food contains dangerous levels of arsenic, lead, mercury and cadmium. "metals pose a serious health hazard to infants and toddlers. Manufacturers knowingly sell these products to unsuspecting parents, despite internal company standards and test results, and without any warning labels," the subcommittee on economic and consumer policy said in the text of the study. in the structure of the Committee on Oversight and Reform in the US House of Representatives. It is noted that exposure to toxic heavy metals leads to a "permanent decrease in IQ", as well as a decrease in "infant neurological development and long-term brain function." According to the US regulator and WHO, these four heavy metals are hazardous to human health, "especially for infants and children, who are most susceptible to their neutrotoxic effects.
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MOSCOW, February 5 - RIA Novosti. High levels of heavy toxic metals, including arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury, have been found in some US baby formulas that can lead to neurological damage in children, according to a US House of Representatives study.
Experts from the Economic and Consumer Policy Subcommittee reviewed internal documentation from Gerber, Nurture Inc, Hain Celestial Group Inc, Beech-Nutrition, which provided data on a voluntary basis in response to a subcommittee request. It was based on reports of the presence of metals that appeared a year earlier. nine0003
August 15, 2020, 02:05 AM
Sugar in baby food deemed dangerous for adults
Walmart, Campbell and Sprout Organic Foods refused to cooperate with the investigators.
"Subcommittee investigation finds that commercial baby food contains dangerous levels of arsenic, lead, mercury, and cadmium.
