Worrying levels of lead and arsenic said to have been found in popular baby food

This is terrifying!

A Consumer Report has apparently found worrying levels of lead and arsenic in popular brands of baby food. Shockingly, most of the foods tested during the report were shown to contain high levels of heavy metals. A U.S. study carried out by non-profit organization Clean Label Project in 2017 released findings showing toxins like arsenic, lead, and mercury may be in popular infant formula and baby foods and according to the recent 2018 Consumer Report, unfortunately for parents, their findings were accurate. The Consumer Reports food safety team tested 50 packaged food from across the United States which included brands such as Beech-Nut, Gerber, Baby Mum-Mum, Earth’s Best, Happy Baby, and Sprout as well as several other brands for traces of cadmium, lead, mercury, and inorganic arsenic. Apparently at least one of these heavy metals were found in each of the products tested and of the 50 products tested those containing rice and sweet potato were found to show the highest contamination. According to Scary Mommy James E. Rogers, Ph.D., director of food safety research and testing at Consumer Reports said;

"Babies and toddlers are particularly vulnerable due to their smaller size and developing brains and organ systems.They also absorb more of the heavy metals that get into their bodies than adults do.” Also, the risks from heavy metals accumulate in the kidneys and other internal organs over time, making it more dangerous the earlier the exposure."

It has been suggested that parents who have fed their children these brands bring them to their doctor to have them tested and either stop or limit their intake of these products. Personally, I would chuck them all in the bin because there is no way I would allow my child to continue consuming food tainted by heavy metals. As of yet none of the brands tested has released a statement on the matter.