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After months of breastfeeding or bottle-feeding, it can be surprising to realize that your still-tiny baby is actually ready for “real” food. This exciting (albeit messy!) transition may be a little bittersweet and can feel overwhelming, especially considering the numerous baby food options available in 2022.

We’ve rounded up some of this year’s best baby foods to help you get started on the right foot — er, spoon.

Both the World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommend exclusively breastfeeding babies for the first 6 months of life. Formula-fed infants are ready to start solid foods when they start showing signs that they’re ready.

In some cases, you may start solids around 4 or 5 months, but it’s best to discuss this with your pediatrician. If your doctor doesn’t have a different recommendation, most babies are ready to start soft or pureed foods by the time they’re about 6 months old.

If you’re picking commercially prepared baby food (versus making your own), it’s wise to start with simple, one-ingredient baby food. Most commercial baby food is labeled stage 1, 2, or 3 based on the texture and number of ingredients.

For instance, stage 1 baby food has the smoothest texture and typically has one ingredient, such as pureed pears. So, for your 4- to 6-month-old, you’ll want to start with stage 1 baby food.

Starting with one food at a time helps you monitor for any adverse reactions or food allergies. The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology recommends monitoring each food for 3 to 5 days.

There isn’t really a perfect first food — the choice is yours! Some good foods to start: infant cereal (preferably oat or whole grain), meat purees such as chicken or turkey, or single-ingredient purees of fruits or veggies.

If you’re debating whether to start with fruits or veggies first, the AAP suggests that an infant’s preferences for sweets won’t budge even if veggies are introduced first. Mashed peas just don’t taste as good once you’ve had applesauce.

We chatted with pediatricians, read the research, polled real-life parents, read reviews, and used our own babies as taste testers (although we can’t say their opinions on nutritional value are very authoritative) to bring you some of the top baby food brands available. In addition:

We looked for foods that are certified USDA organic and have non-GMO verified ingredients.
We focused on baby food that’s free of added sugar (but have called out one or two products that contain it).
The baby foods on our list are free of harmful preservatives.
We called out the brands that market their products as gluten-free and allergen-free.

All products are also vetted by our medical standards team, which evaluates brand integrity and product safety.

Reducing Exposure to Toxic Elements in Baby Foods

Three brands in this article — Gerber, Beech-Nut, and Happy Baby — were mentioned in a February 2021 Congressional Report for products containing significantly high levels of toxic heavy metals, including arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury. The FDA has since launched the Closer to Zero: Action Plan for Baby Foods to address exposure to toxic elements from eating baby foods.

Best overall baby food: Beech-Nut Naturals Stage 1
Best organic baby food pouches: Plum Organics Stage 1
Best budget-friendly baby food: Gerber Organic 1st Foods
Best baby food for constipation: Gerber Natural 1st Foods (Pear)
Best organic jarred baby food: Happy Baby Organics Clearly Crafted Stage 1
Best personalized subscription service: Cerebelly
Best fresh baby food: Once Upon a Farm Cold-Pressed Organic Baby Food
Best first baby cereal: Gerber Organic 1st Foods Single Grain Cereal
Best, most interesting baby food blends: Little Spoon Complex Solids
Best all-around clean baby food: Baby Gourmet

Best overall baby food

Beech-Nut Naturals Stage 1

This affordable baby food is an all-around fan favorite. Beech-Nut baby foods come in recyclable glass jars and are available in both natural and organic varieties. Blends are available in every stage, from single-ingredient foods for brand-new eaters (like butternut squash and plum) to multi-food blends with chunkier textures for older babies.

The ingredients in Beech-Nut baby foods are simple, with no artificial additives. Plus, these little glass jars are available at most grocery stores, so they’re easy to find. However, while it’s great for recycling purposes, glass can be dangerous — always supervise your little one around glass.

Beech-Nut Naturals are free of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) but not certified organic (unless you shop their organics line). They contain no added sugar.

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Best organic baby food pouches

Plum Organics Stage 1

If sustainability, organic foods, and non-GMO ingredients are important to you, Plum Organics has a great line of baby food options to try.

Their BPA-free pouches are super convenient and available in a variety of fruits, veggies, and grains for each stage of eating. These foods have no added salts or sugars, so they’re nutritious and simple for baby’s maturing digestive system. They’re also widely available and can be purchased in bulk for greater savings.

And while feeding experts definitely discourage using pouches exclusively, there’s no denying that pouches are very convenient for occasional on-the-go feedings. To make sure your baby is still progressing in their journey through solid foods, try squeezing the pouch contents into a spoon. And be sure to watch out for the small plastic caps, as they’re a choking hazard.

Plum Organics is certified organic and non-GMO, and their baby food doesn’t contain added sugar.

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Best budget-friendly baby food

Gerber Organic 1st Foods

Gerber is the classic baby food brand, and they’ve made changes over the last few years to make their food more health-conscious (e. g., starting an organic line). Yet they have maintained their status as one of the most affordable prepared baby food brands on the market.

They offer benefits like glass jars, organic ingredients, and a wide variety of food choices at a lower cost than some other brands on our list.

Gerber Organic is USDA organic, non-GMO, and free of added sugar.

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Best baby food for constipation

Gerber Natural 1st Foods (Pear)

Sometimes babies get a little constipated when they’re beginning their solid food journey, especially if they’re eating a lot of dairy or iron-fortified cereal. In addition to continuing breast milk, some foods may help relieve your little one’s digestive discomfort, including all the “P” fruits.

So prunes, pears, plums, and peaches are some options to help keep tiny bowels on the move. You can find great fruit purees in any brand on our list, but one of the more cost-effective is the Gerber brand. The good news is that many babies love fruit, so it shouldn’t be too hard to get your little one to down some prunes or pears.

This product is made with non-GMO ingredients and pears grown with Clean Field Farming practices. It doesn’t contain added sugars.

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Best organic jarred baby food

Happy Baby Organics Clearly Crafted Stage 1

Another great organic baby food option, the Happy Baby company offers their organic baby food jars at most stores — although not quite as widely as Beech-Nut and Plum Organics.

Happy Baby jars offer a wide variety of foods, from kale and mango to spinach and peaches and chia seeds. You can start with their single-ingredient jars (this is important for ruling out allergies, as well as to help baby learn to like spinach even when it’s not disguised by pears). Then, you can move on to their fruit and veggie blends as your little one grows.

High quality ingredients, creative flavors, and no artificial ingredients all make Happy Baby a solid (no pun intended) choice.

Happy Baby is USDA organic and doesn’t contain added sugars.

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Best personalized subscription service

Cerebelly

Cerebelly allows you to personalize your subscription of baby food pouches based on your child’s age, leaning on science to determine what foods will benefit them at their stage of development.

You’ll take a quiz that asks about the current development and language cues your baby is showing (responding to their name, grasping toys, using noises to show emotion, etc.). It also asks about motor, social, and visual skills.

The results will clue you in on key nutrients that may benefit your little one and customize your baby food pouches based on this.

To boot, the brand has earned the Clean Label Project Purity Award (which evaluates products for toxins and contaminants), is certified USDA organic, and contains no added sugars.

Shop now at Cerebelly

Best fresh baby food

Once Upon a Farm Cold-Pressed Organic Baby Food

These organic, cold-pressed baby food pouches and cups are found in the refrigerated section at your grocery store (and yes, they have to be refrigerated at home). The company also has a subscription delivery option to make baby food even more convenient for your busy schedule.

Creative names like Wild Rumpus Avocado and Magic Velvet Mango will have you smiling, and the variety of flavors will (hopefully!) appeal to your little one. Once Upon a Farm offers a variety of food stages, so you can start with their purees and move on up to their finger and toddler foods as your baby grows.

Once Upon a Farm is certified organic and non-GMO. Their products contain no added sugars and are Clean Label Project certified.

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Best first baby cereal

Gerber Organic 1st Foods Single Grain Cereal

This simple cereal is a great first food for baby. You can mix this one-ingredient whole grain cereal with breast milk, formula, or water to provide your little one with some crucial nutrients (such as iron) and experience with spoons and textures.

The AAP recommends oatmeal or multigrain cereals over rice cereals, as they have a lower risk of exposure to chemicals such as arsenic (which is sometimes a concern with rice products).

As your baby gets used to other foods, you can also mix this cereal with fruit or yogurt to provide a heartier meal.

Gerber Organic is certified USDA organic and non-GMO, but this product does contain some added sugars.

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Best, most interesting baby food blends

Little Spoon Complex Solids

Once your baby is ready for more advanced blends, Little Spoon has a unique line of complex blends that contain multiple purees as well as other seeds and grains for texture.

For example, one blend contains quinoa, butternut squash, and apple. Another contains kale, white bean, pear, basil, quinoa, and avocado oil.

Little Spoon purees use certified organic and non-GMO ingredients. They’re free of added sugar.

Shop now at Little Spoon

Best all-around clean baby food

Baby Gourmet

Baby Gourmet is another Clean Label Project Purity Award winner, which means they go above and beyond to ensure their baby food is free of harmful toxins that naturally occur in the environment.

This Canadian company is also set to donate 1 million meals to vulnerable populations by 2025. It’s founded and run by moms, which can be reassuring.

Baby Gourmet is certified organic and non-GMO by both U.S. and Canadian standards. All packaging is BPA-free. Products contain no added sugar.

Shop now at Baby Gourmet

As a general guideline, it’s a good idea to start with iron-fortified baby cereals or pureed meats if your infant is breastfed. Breastfed babies are more likely to need extra iron than formula-fed babies.

It’s also advisable to start with simple, single-ingredient purees of meat, vegetables, and fruits.

Choosing brands that are certified organic, use BPA-free materials, and are conscious of using whole food ingredients (e.g., they don’t add “extras” like salt, sugar, or corn syrup) helps ensure a healthy start for your little one.

According to the AAP, you shouldn’t give babies under age 1 cow’s milk, honey, unpasteurized dairy, or undercooked meat, as these can be an infection risk for a baby’s developing immune system.

You’ll also want to avoid foods that are hard or sharp or present a choking risk (for instance, chips, nuts, popcorn, raisins, raw apples, raw carrots, whole grapes, hot dogs). For a more comprehensive guide to which foods to give and what to avoid, check out our article on infant nutrition and starting solids.

While experts used to advise waiting to introduce highly allergenic foods (such as dairy, wheat, nuts, and eggs) until after the first year, the experts now say that delayed introduction of these foods may increase a child’s risk of food allergies. So, with the guidance of your pediatrician, go ahead and introduce those foods within the first year.

Seek immediate emergency medical attention if you notice swelling of the tongue and mouth, wheezing, or trouble breathing after your child eats certain foods

Some babies are raring to go when it comes to trying food, while others may take a little more convincing. Either way, definitely get your camera on video mode, as there are bound to be some hilarious faces and some impressive food spillage along the way.

Here are some pro tips to help make the process as smooth as possible:

Wait until your baby shows signs of readiness for solid food.
Keep trying. It can take 5 to 10 exposures for a baby to accept a new food.
Make it fun and silly.
Cook and eat as a family as much as possible.
Let your baby play with the spoon and even the food! While incredibly messy, this helps them get comfortable with the textures, smells, and tastes of new foods.
Talk with your pediatrician if you have any questions or concerns. They’re a great resource and want to help you grow a happy, healthy baby.

What’s the best baby food for growth and weight gain?

If your baby is under 6 months and breastfeeding, it’s recommended that you stick to that exclusively for 6 months. When you’re ready to introduce solids after 6 months, it should be in addition to breastfeeding and formula, not as a replacement.

If your baby is formula-fed, they may begin eating solids sooner than 6 months. While no one specific food is recommended, a variety of foods and colors is best, including meats, vegetables, and fruits. One of the key foods that can help with growth and weight gain is avocados (high in healthy fats and fiber but low in sugar).

Always discuss your baby’s dietary changes with your pediatrician and attend regular checkups to monitor growth.

What’s the easiest food for babies to digest?

Just like adults, babies do best with regular bowel movements. If they’re having a hard time with this, oatmeal is one food known to be easy to digest and promote regularity, as it contains higher amounts of dietary fiber.

It may also help to focus on quantity. Try feeding your baby smaller meals more often, rather than fewer larger meals. This may be easier on their system and allow them to digest foods more easily.

What’s the best baby food to start with?

Mashed banana and avocado are some of the most popular solids to start with. Soft, ground oatmeal is also great. When it comes to fruit and vegetable purees, focus on variety, but don’t overdo it with those that are naturally high in sugar (such as berry purees).

Most importantly, at 6 months old, all foods should still be pureed and cooked. Once your baby is 9 months old and older, you can start to introduce vegetables cut into pieces. The only other no-no is honey, which they shouldn’t have until they’re over a year old.

It can feel like a lot of pressure to choose the best nutrition for your child, especially when trying to capitalize on the years before they start demanding chicken nuggets and ice cream. But there are a lot of great, healthy options available in 2022.

Whether you choose to make your own baby food, buy jars or pouches, or use a baby food subscription service, there are a number of resources to help you feed your baby.

Plum Organics Baby Food Recall 2022: Which Products Were Affected?

Updated on 18 February 2022 • 10 minute read
2188

Overview

Campbell Soup Company (makers of Plum Organics) is among the popular baby food brands called out in recent Congressional baby food safety reports for having dangerously high levels of toxic heavy metals. (1)(2)

That’s alarming because exposure to heavy metals, even at low levels, can cause permanent damage to your child’s brain development. It may lead to behavioral problems and IQ decrease. (3)(4)

That’s why parents and lawmakers are pressuring the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) to implement stricter measures to ensure that the baby food manufacturers will also test their finished products for heavy metals, not just the raw materials. (5)

How did the brands react to the Congressional reports? Did they issue recalls on the affected products and change their internal testing policies? Continue reading to find out.

Plum Organics Recalls

Despite being included in the two Congressional reports for having high levels of heavy metals, Plum Organics and the other brands reportedly refused to recall their products. (1)(2)

These are the only recalls that the company has issued:

Plum Organics Rice Milk Snacks Recall (2014)

In September 2014, Plum Organics issued a voluntary recall on its line of Little Crèmes organic rice milk snacks because some of the pieces might pose a choking hazard on children. (6)(7)

The Little Crèmes baby food pouches contain small, bite-sized snack pieces. They’re designed to soften in your child’s mouth within less than 20 seconds, making the pieces easier to swallow. (6)

But several customers reported that their children choked on the snack item. (6)

The company immediately recalled the affected products. They explained that the snack items were designed to soften quickly. But they only found out later that some of the pieces take much longer than expected, creating a choking hazard, especially for babies and very young children. (6)

This baby food recall affects all lots or batches of these Little Crèmes varieties: (7)

Super Purples (acai, blackberry & purple carrot)
Super Reds (pomegranate, beet & berry)
Super Greens (kale, apple & sweet potato)

The following are the affected products with these details: (7)

Baby Little Crèmes Sweet Potato Kale Apple – 8ct

Item number: 1559
Selling unit UPC: 846675000330
Case UPC: 846675001559
Best by date codes: 05AUG14 to BB 12AUG15

Baby Little Crèmes Blackberry Acai – 8ct

Item number: 1542
Selling unit UPC: 846675000347
Case UPC: 846675001542
Best by dates codes: 05AUG14 to BB 12AUG15

Baby Little Crèmes Beet Berry Pomegranate – 8ct

Item number: 1535
Selling unit UPC: 846675000323
Case UPC: 846675001535
Best by date codes: 05AUG14 to BB 12AUG15

According to the recall advisory, these products shouldn’t be consumed and must be disposed of immediately. These recalled products have been shipped to online retailers, groceries, and specialty stores across the United States. (7)

Plum Organics assured affected consumers that the products had been sufficiently tested before being released to the public. (7)

They promised to investigate the matter and find a way to improve their products before releasing them to consumers. (7)

But company spokesperson Anna Burr said that they aren’t planning to continue making Little Cremes. (7)

No other Plum Organics products were affected by this recall. (7)

If you bought these products, you may contact the company for reimbursement through the Plum Organics Consumer Hotline at 866-535-3774. It’s open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. (7)

You may also send your concerns regarding the recall or other questions to [email protected]plumorganics.com. (7)

Plum Organics Pouch Products Recall (2014)

Following complaints from 14 customers that they received products with damaged spouts in March 2014, Plum Organics recalled two baby food pouches for potential choking hazards.

A manufacturing defect may cause parts of the packages’ plastic spouts to detach. This small, plastic fragment can become a choking hazard for babies. (8)

Plum Organics clarified that there was no problem with the quality of these products’ affected contents. (8)

The company found manufacturing damage to the rim, which caused a depression to this spot. Some of the products may also have some small, loose pieces of plastic materials attached to damaged portions. (8)

These products are pureed foods intended for infants who are six months old and older. No other batch of baby food flavors was included in this product safety issue. (8)

The following lots of Plum Organics baby food pouches were included in this recall: (8)

World Baby Italy (Zucchini & Spinach with Pasta Marinara), with a BB or “Best By” date code of “09Sep14.”
World Baby Thailand (Roasted Pumpkin & Coconut Rice), with a BB or “Best By” date code of “10Sep14. ”

Approximately 12,000 cases of the products have been shipped out to major store outlets and retailers in the US, including the following: (8)

Ralph’s
Walgreens
Albertsons
Amazon
Babies R Us
Target
Safeway
Whole Foods
HEB
Kroger

According to the advisory, the recalled products have been sold online and in brick-and-mortar stores. (8)

The baby food pouches may include a specially designed spoon, but babies can also suck the food directly from the bag through a plastic spout. (8)

This spout is designed to stay on the plastic pouch while your baby is eating, but the manufacturing may cause it to become detached. Though it’s small, this plastic spout can pose a choking hazard to your baby. (8)

According to the company, there have been no injuries or serious medical concerns reported regarding this issue. But they reportedly recalled these products out of an abundance of caution for your baby’s safety. (8)

If you’re unsure whether your product is included in the recall, make sure to check the lot code and expiration date found at the back of the packaging. (8)

You may also physically inspect the spout area. If there’s a visible depression around the rim or if you find fragments of the plastic material, don’t feed the pouch to your baby. (8)

You can reach the Plum Organics Consumer Hotline 24/7, including weekends, through 866-535-3774 to process your reimbursement or ask about other baby food safety concerns. (8)

Plum Organics Pouch Products Recall 2013

In November 2013, Plum Organics recalled the following kids lines due to a manufacturing defect that may cause spoilage and possible bacterial infection: (9)

Tots Mish Mash
Baby Stage 2
Kids pouch products

The spoilage might cause the contaminated pouch to swell. The company decided to recall the affected products out of an abundance of caution. (9)

You’re advised not to feed your child with any recalled products because these could cause serious health risks and may lead to:

Diarrhea
Nausea
Stomachache
Bloating
Gas

Seek immediate medical attention if your child becomes lethargic as a result of ingesting any of these recalled baby foods.

The affected baby food products have the letters “AT” after the lot code or “BEST BY date.” (9)

Make sure to check if your product has the following BEST BY date range listed on the pack: AUGUST 5th 2014 to DECEMBER 8TH 2014. (9)

The president and co-founder of Plum Organics, Neil Grimmer, issued the following statement: (9)

“As a father of two, I know how it feels to want nothing but the very best for our kids and yours. Over the years, Plum has worked hard to earn the trust of parents, and we fully intend on maintaining that trust. We are taking every action to ensure that our highest standards are being met.”

Affected customers were asked to message [email protected]plumorganics.com or call 866-495-3774 for a product replacement voucher. (9)

This product recall mostly affected Plum Organics products sold in Indiana. (9)

Plum Organics In The Congressional Report On Toxic Baby Foods

First Subcommittee Congressional Report

Last February 2021, a detailed Congressional Report on toxic products by the US Congress Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy showed that several baby food manufacturers aren’t doing anything about the high levels of toxic elements in their products.

The Subcommittee asked the following brands for product testing results and their internal policies on heavy metals: (1)

Campbell’s Plum Organics
Nurture, Inc. (HappyBABY and HappyTOT)
Beech-Nut Nutrition Company (Beech-Nut)
Hain Celestial Group, Inc. (Earth’s Best Organic)
Gerber
Walmart Inc. (Parent’s Choice)
Sprout Foods, Inc. (Sprout Organic Foods)

Of these seven baby food manufacturers, only Gerber, Beech-Nut, Nurture, and Hain provided the Subcommittee with what they were asked for. But even then, the Subcommittee expressed alarm that these companies knew that their products contained heavy metals. (1)

The baby food manufacturers created internal standards with increased limits for their products or raw materials to pass. So, their tests showed that their products passed. But in reality, their results are several times higher than the maximum allowable levels set by the FDA for food. (1)

FDA maximum limits for infant rice cereal in ppb (parts per billion): (10)

100 ppb inorganic arsenic

FDA maximum limits for bottled water:

10 ppb inorganic arsenic

5 ppb cadmium

5 ppb lead

EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) maximum limits for drinking water (may also apply to food):

2 ppb mercury

Does Plum Organics Have Heavy Metals?

According to the Subcommittee, Plum Organics refused to submit their internal standards or actual test results. Instead, the company insisted that their finished products “meet criteria.” (1)

But a Healthy Babies Bright Futures report showed the following results for Plum Organics Just Sweet Potato Organic Baby Food: (11)

Mercury:

Less than 0.142 ppb

Inorganic Arsenic:

Up to 3.1 ppb

Lead:

Up to 5.6 ppb (exceeds the 5-ppb limit)

Cadmium:

Up to 2.3 ppb

In response to the Congressional report, Campbell Soup Company issued a statement explaining that they replied quickly to the Subcommittee’s questions and never refused anything requested of them: (12)

“We responded quickly to their questions … and never refused anything requested of us. We are surprised that the Committee would suggest that Campbell was less than full partners in this mission. We welcomed the opportunity to work with the Committee in 2019—and continue to do so today.

We want to assure our consumers, the Committee, and any other interested stakeholders that our products are safe.

In our submission, we noted the unfortunate lack of a current FDA standard for heavy metals in baby food. As we told the Committee in our response, our testing showed each product was well within levels deemed acceptable by independent authorities.”

Second Congressional Report

The Subcommittee submitted a follow-up report in September 2021, announcing that Alaska independently tested the baby food products from the report and still found dangerously high levels of inorganic arsenic. (2)

Despite Alaska’s test results, the follow-up Congressional baby food report revealed that the manufacturers failed to notify the public or recall the affected products from the market. (2)

After the first Congressional report was released, Campbell protested their inclusion in the list of companies that didn’t respond to the investigation. They also explained how they came up with their internal standards: (13)

“In the absence of a federal standard, Campbell applies criteria derived from California’s Proposition 65, the European Union, and the World Health Organization—along with general guidance from the FDA on lead not specific to baby foods—in its testing of Plum Organics’ products.

Our testing showed each product was well within levels deemed acceptable by independent authorities.”

Are Plum Organics Toxic?

Plum Organics provided the Subcommittee with its test results and internal company documents.

Though the company continues to insist that their products pass, the Subcommittee pointed out the following results:

Arsenic: Over 200 ppb arsenic for 100% of Plum’s Super Puff rice-based products (tested from 2017 to 2019)
Lead: Over 5 ppb lead for 54. 5% of Plum Organics products
Cadmium: Over 5 ppb cadmium for 38.3% of Plum Organics products

Internal documents Plum Organics provided the Subcommittee showed that all products exceeded 200 ppb, with some having levels of arsenic as high as 470 ppb. (2)

The company reported these test results for Plum Organics Super Puffs results for arsenic to the Subcommittee: (13)(14)

Apple with spinach (testing date 10/28/2017) – 201 ppb
Mango with sweet potato (testing date 10/28/2017) – 222 ppb
Blueberry with purple sweet potato (testing date 10/28/2017) – 218 ppb
Strawberry with beet (testing date 10/29/2017) – 228 ppb
Apple with spinach ( testing date 03/16/2018, sample 1) – 243 ppb
Apple with spinach ( testing date 03/16/2018, sample 2) – 462 ppb
Apple with spinach ( testing date 03/16/2018, sample 3) – 384 ppb
Blueberry with purple sweet potato (testing date 03/16/2018, sample 1) – 245 ppb
Blueberry with purple sweet potato (testing date 03/16/2018, sample 2) – 277 ppb
Blueberry with purple sweet potato (testing date 03/16/2018, sample 3) – 422 ppb
Blueberry with purple sweet potato (testing date 03/16/2018, sample 4) – 389 ppb
Blueberry with purple sweet potato (testing date 03/16/2018, sample 5) – 470 ppb
Mango with sweet potato (testing date 03/16/2018, sample 1) – 456 ppb
Mango with sweet potato (testing date 03/16/2018, sample 2) – 388 ppb
Strawberry with beet (testing date 03/16/2018, sample 1) – 217 ppb
Strawberry with beet (testing date 03/16/2018, sample 2) – 468 ppb
Strawberry with beet (testing date 03/16/2018, sample 3) – 410 ppb
Strawberry with beet (testing date 03/16/2018, sample 4) – 225 ppb

Plum also told the Subcommittee that it initially tests for total arsenic. But “where total ppb is less than the more stringent FDA standard of 100 ppb, we do not speciate.” It means that they don’t test inorganic arsenic content if the total arsenic levels are high. (2)

Does Plum Organics have lead?

The following are the test results for lead of some Plum Organics products tested from October 2017 to September 2019: (13)(14)

Mighty Morning Bar Blueberry Lemon – 73 ppb
Super Puffs Mango with Sweet Potato – 49 ppb
Super Puffs Strawberry with Beet – 48 ppb
Mighty Sticks Apple Carrot – 43 ppb
Teensy Snacks Berry – 35 ppb
Super Puffs Apple with Spinach – 31 ppb
Grow Well Tummy – 31 ppb
Grow Well Muscle – 29 ppb
Little Teethers Blueberry – 29 ppb
Mighty Snack Bars Strawberry – 29 ppb
Super Puffs Blueberry with Purple Sweet Potato – 28 ppb

As much as 38. 3% of Plum Organics products exceeded the maximum cadmium limit (5 ppb). Seven of the products have over 25 ppb of cadmium: (13)(14)

Mighty Nut Butter Bar Peanut Butter – 25 ppb
Mighty Morning Bar Apple Cinnamon – 43 ppb
Mighty Morning Bar Blueberry Lemon (testing date 7/20/2018) – 31 ppb
Mighty Morning Bar Blueberry Lemon (testing date 9/25/2019) – 29 ppb
Mighty Veggie Spinach, Grape, Apple & Amaranth – 26 ppb
Stage 2 Pumpkin, Spinach, Chickpea & Broccoli – 33 ppb
Little Teethers Apple with Leafy Greens – 26 ppb

The regulatory limit for mercury is 2 ppb (for drinking water). While most of the tested Plum Organics baby foods showed levels below 4 ppb as declared by the company, the following exceed that number:

Mighty Sticks Berry Beet – 6 ppb
Teensy Snacks Peach – 5 ppb

Plum Organics explained that there are no regulatory limits for mercury for these products. The company said that it doesn’t use high-risk ingredients, like shellfish. They pointed out that “acceptable limits of methyl mercury in certain seafood range from 500 ppb to 1000 ppb” under EU (European Union) regulations. (13)(14)

The company further explained: (13)(14)

“WHO/JECFA (Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives) has a mercury exposure limit of 2.3 ug/day for a 10 kg child. A concentration of 5 ppb and 6 ppb for mercury in product would be 0.05 and 0.06 ug for a 10 kg child, significantly below the WHO/JECFA exposure limit.”

Class Action Against Plum Organics For Heavy Metal Content

After the first Congressional report was released, furious parents filed class-action lawsuits against the companies on the list. (15)

A lawsuit filed against Plum Organics in a federal court in Camden, New Jersey, declared that claims against the company could exceed $5 million. This lawsuit described the brand’s organic baby foods as “tainted with toxic heavy metals. ” (15)

But the company stands by its standards and plans to defend the case vigorously. (15)

“Campbell is confident in the safety and quality of our products,” spokesperson Thomas Hushen said. (15)

Reducing Heavy Metals in Baby Food Products

The US PIRG (Public Interest Research Group), Consumer Reports, and other concerned groups call for the approval of the Baby Food Safety Act of 2021. They pointed out that heavy metals can greatly affect the brain and body development of young children. (5)

The Baby Food Safety Act will require baby food manufacturers to test and disclose results to parents and regulators if passed into law. It will direct the FDA to make and implement stricter heavy metal limits for all baby foods. (5)

In response, the FDA announced its action plan called “Closer to Zero,” which aims to reduce toxic heavy metals from baby foods by lowering the allowable limits. (16)

If approved, it will lower the limit to 10 ppb in other baby foods and 15 ppb for infant cereal, as proposed by the Baby Food Safety Act. (2)

Healthier Baby Food Products

What is the safest baby food brand?

The following baby food products may be healthier alternatives you can pick for your baby:

Yumi (subscription-based)
Little Spoon (subscription-based)
Little Journey Organics
Once Upon A Farm
Serenity Kids

REFERENCES

(1) https://oversight.house.gov/sites/democrats.oversight.house.gov/files/2021-02-04%20ECP%20Baby%20Food%20Staff%20Report.pdf

(2) https://oversight.house.gov/sites/democrats.oversight.house.gov/files/ECP%20Second%20Baby%20Food%20Report%209.29.21%20FINAL.pdf

(3) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23570911/

(4) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4418502/

(5)

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/shopping/2021/06/09/beech-nut-baby-food-recall-2021-rice-cereal-arsenic/7621243002/

(6) https://abc7news.com/emeryville-plum-organics-recall-little-cremes-organic-rice-milk-snacks/301686/

(7) https://www. businesswire.com/news/home/20140905005933/en/Plum-Organics-Voluntarily-Recalls-Little-Cr%C3%A8mes-Organic-Rice-Milk-Snacks-Due-to-Potential-Choking-Hazard

(8) https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2014/03/plum-organics-childrens-products-recalled-for-choking-hazard/

(9) https://www.campbellsoupcompany.com/newsroom/press-releases/plum-organics-voluntarily-recalls-a-range-of-pouch-products/

(10) https://www.fda.gov/food/metals-and-your-food/arsenic-food-and-dietary-supplements

(11) http://www.healthybabyfood.org/sites/healthybabyfoods.org/files/2019-10/BabyFoodReport_FULLREPORT_ENGLISH_R5b.pdf

(12)

https://www.campbellsoupcompany.com/newsroom/news/our-statement-on-the-committee-on-oversight-and-reforms-baby-food-report/

(13) https://www.plumorganics.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/2021.02.25-Campbell-Plum-Organics-Response..pdf

(14) https://oversight.house.gov/sites/democrats.oversight.house.gov/files/Plum%20Organics%20Test%20Results.pdf

(15)

https://www. courierpostonline.com/story/news/2021/02/12/campbell-soup-plum-baby-food–heavy-metal-smid/6730565002/

(16) https://www.fda.gov/food/cfsan-constituent-updates/fda-shares-action-plan-reducing-exposure-toxic-elements-foods-babies-and-young-children

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