Some products intended to be used as baby formula and baby food has been found to contain high levels of arsenic. While Charlotte consumers are aware that arsenic levels in apple juice has been an issue, the report of arsenic in baby formula and baby food surprised many.
Shoppers at a local health food store in Charlotte commented that they thought all baby formulas and baby foods would be safe and not contain arsenic. Foods intended for the public are properly inspected, aren’t they? No, they are not all inspected.
Brown rice syrup is often used as a sweetener in foods. As this may contain organic levels of arsenic that are higher than what is considered safe, consumers should be aware of this issue.
The following is taken from Environmental Health Perspectives, which is published by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences:
CONCLUSIONS: There are currently no US regulations applicable to As in food, but our findings suggest that the OBRS products we evaluated may introduce significant concentrations of Asi to an individual’s diet. Thus, we conclude that there is an urgent need for regulatory limits on As in food.
According to reports the research did not result in any baby formula or baby food being recalled.
Some in Charlotte have resorted to making their own baby food in an effort to avoid foods that contain arsenic or pesticides. This is often difficult to do because so many foods do contain organic arsenic, which can naturally occur in the soil.
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