Question

Research on Potential Contaminants in Baby Food. Plan of work. List materials and methods that you would use in your research to find contaminants in baby food. Use subheadings with proper explanation and/or purpose of each method proposed about how this method will help understanding what, if any alternate approach will be used etc.

Answer 1

USE OLD TECHNIQUES TO FEED INFANTS:

One of the reasons exposures add up dangerously for infants is the lack of variety in their diet.

Take 4- to 6-month-olds for example. Many parents still follow old, outdated guidelines on the best first foods, or believe they need to introduce one food at a time, waiting a few days to see if an allergy will occur.

There's no recommendations anymore on what you have to start with, stressed pediatrician Dr. Tanya Altmann, author of "What to Feed Your Baby."

"There's not a certain color order," Altmann said. "You don't have to wait days in between introducing new foods. You don't have to hold off on any allergenic foods, unless there is an existing allergy in the family.

TOXICS IN BABY FOOD:

The heavy toxic metals found in the baby food include lead, arsenic, mercury and cadmium. According to a news release, these toxins can affect the growth of a baby's brain, lower IQ and increase the chance of cancer as well as lifelong deficits in intelligence.

"Arsenic, lead and other heavy metals are known causes of neurodevelopmental harm," said Philip Landrigan, a pediatrician at Boston College.

“Low-level exposures add up, and exposures in early life are especially dangerous. The cumulative impact of exposures is what makes this a significant concern that demands action,”

SOME OF THE BRANDS PROVIDING LEAST CONTAMINATED FOOD:

A few of the popular brands tested include Gerber, Up&Up, Parent's Choice, Similac and Enfamil. Some of the types of baby food tested include infant formula, infant cereal, teething biscuits and rice puffs.

These products were bought from 14 different metropolitan areas and 17 retailers, including supermarkets, dollar stores, baby stores and superstores.

According to the report, 94% of the tested products contained lead, 75% had cadmium, 73% had arsenic and 32% had mercury.

Rice-based foods contained the most toxic chemicals, according to the report.

HOW TO PROTECT INFANTS?

"Parents can protect their babies today by choosing nutritious and affordable alternatives to the most contaminated foods," Landrigan said. "And to protect the babies of tomorrow, the food companies and the FDA need to step up and do more."

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.

"There is definitely something we can all do about it," said Jane Houlihan, the national director of science and health for Better Babies Bright Futures, a coalition of advocates committed to reducing babies' exposures to neurotoxic chemicals.

"(There) are actions that the Food and Drug Administration, baby food companies and parents can take," Houlihan said. "And we really need all three. We need the FDA to speed up developing guidelines on safety standards for these toxic metals. Companies can be acting now to get metals out of foods. And there are simple steps that parents can take."