All 7 of the tested rice cereals contained high Cadmium levels exceeding the CR limit of 1ppb. In general, avoid the Sprout prunes organic baby food (high Lead), and Beech-Nut Classics Mixed Vegetables (high Lead). The results mimicked a previous study by the Food and Drug Administration that found one or more of the same metals in 33 of 39 types of baby food ... to reduce toxic heavy metals in baby … But there are steps you can take to reduce your child's exposure. 12 of the 13 formulas exceeded the AAP and EDF limit of 1 ppb (parts per billion) of Lead. Brown rice had more inorganic arsenic than white … "Peeling definitely helps, and if you peel even a little more deeply, you can remove more of the heavy metals," she said. Better yet, serve small pieces of real fruit, which are even healthier.". That doesn't mean homemade baby food isn't an excellent way to control pesticides and other contaminants, said Altmann, as long as you prepare a variety of foods. As for juice, the group says it's best to avoid juice for children under 1. Let your child choose what and how much to eat of what you put on the table.". Arsenic, lead and mercury have all been shown to interfere with brain development and cause permanent IQ reductions in children. "I usually advise minimizing the plastic that you use," Altmann said, especially when it comes to hot or heated food. ", Even in the trace amounts found in food, toxic metals can erode a child's IQ, cause developmental and behavior problems, and impact kidneys and liver, according to the. Some voluntary changes by manufacturers have already helped. Of the 12 teething biscuits and rice cakes, all but one (the Cuetara Animal Crackers) showed unacceptably high levels of Arsenic. These are ubiquitous, toxic chemicals in the food supply.". All 11 of the tested non-rice (oatmeal or multi-grain) baby cereals contained high Cadmium levels exceeding the CR limit of 1ppb. That's good news, considering kiddie staples such as macaroni and cheese showed up in the Healthy Babies list of most neurotoxic foods. Given how much Arsenic was found in the baby cereals containing rice, it shouldn't be surprising that teething snacks (like baby Mum-Mums and HappyBABY Rice Cakes) would also contain very high levels of Arsenic. Here's the good news: There are actions you can take to reduce your infant's exposure to these toxic metals, and in doing so, improve your own health and that of your entire family. In general, avoid sweet potato purees and Gerber products containing carrots. You can begin "picky-proofing" when baby begins eating solid foods. All 7 of the tested rice cereals contained high Arsenic levels exceeding the HBBF limit of 25ppb (parts per billion). The group tested for lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium and an additional neurotoxin called perchlorate. "This is cause for concern but not alarm," Houlihan said. "It's also important to reduce heavy metal exposures while a baby is developing in the womb. Take rice, for example, the leading culprit in arsenic exposure because it is grown in water. Other changes that can occur include growing crops in cleaner fields that have lower levels of heavy metals. Then you can kind of pop them out and put them into bigger containers if you like.". When combined with the recent reports of high levels of Glyphosates found in oatmeal-based baby foods, options are slowly narrowing. Thirteen different baby formulas were tested, including organic and conventional baby formula types. "There's not any one brand or a single container of food we tested that is cause for panic in any way. "But don't cater to them and limit the menu to only things the child readily accepts," warns Satter. We do not recommend feeding your baby rice baby cereals, given the alarmingly high Arsenic levels found in all tested products. "A small amount of juice is OK," the recommendations say, "but make sure it's 100% fruit juice to avoid added sugar. Still, in the Healthy Babies analysis, four of seven rice cereals tested contained the most toxic form of arsenic in levels higher than the FDA's proposed action level of 100 parts per billion (ppb). Heavy Metals in Baby Foods - Vegetable Purees The tested Animal Crackers are very difficult to find. "Heavy metals are so common in the environment that crops pick them up in fields. 33 of the 38 tested vegetable purees contained excessive levels of Lead, especially the Sweet Potato purees. The worst part is that heavy metals are consistently linked to adverse health outcomes for children. Following these tips will help parents survive the picky eating era and set their child up for later success, experts said. "A cold piece of melon, a frozen banana, a peeled cucumber are better choices if you watch closely for choking. Rice is at the top of the list because it has extremely high concentrations of inorganic arsenic. Rice teething rusks and other teething biscuits, Altmann said, are more like snacks which have no nutrition and are not good choices to soothe a baby's pain. Since we started this site in 2009, over 100 million parents and parents-to-be have trusted us to provide honest and well-researched information on the topics of pregnancy, parenting, and baby and toddler gear reviews. They found concerning results for even the best organic baby foods and best organic formulas. The fruit puree winners with the lowest overall Arsenic, Lead and Cadmium levels were the Beech-Nut and Gerber Banana purees (Stage 2).