Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi Responds to FDA Announcement Addressing Toxic Heavy Metals in Baby Food, Calls for More Enforceable Action to Further Protect Babies and Infants

WASHINGTON - On Monday, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) welcomed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s establishment of new guidelines for the levels of lead in processed baby foods. The announcement comes after calls from Congressman Krishnamoorthi during congressional hearings and an investigation led by the congressman calling on the FDA to act and tackle levels of toxic heavy metals found in baby foods. However, while the FDA's new guidelines are applauded, more action is needed since nearly all baby food available for purchase online and in stores is already in compliance with these limits. Furthermore, these guidelines are not enforceable and do not cover popular baby food products and other foods parents feed their young children, including certain cereals, teething biscuits, and more, despite research indicating high levels of lead found within them.

"The FDA's announcement of its safety guidance for lead levels in baby foods is an important, if overdue, step forward for protecting our children," Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. "Significant work remains as the FDA still needs to set guidance for levels of inorganic arsenic, cadmium, and mercury in baby food while ensuring producers adhere to these standards. The new guidance was released as part of the FDA's Closer To Zero initiative, a program launched to combat the dangerously high levels of toxic heavy metals in leading baby foods which my Oversight Committee investigation uncovered in 2021. To protect our children from the dangerous developmental consequences posed by the widespread neurotoxins, it is essential that the FDA accelerates the Closer to Zero initiative to provide guidance levels for other heavy metals widely present in baby food. Further, Congress must act to strengthen enforcement and industry efforts to develop safer baby foods, which is why I will be reintroducing the Baby Food Safety Act with my colleagues from the House and Senate."

Congressman Krishnamoorthi has been a leader in Congress calling for more action to be taken against toxic heavy metals in baby food. In May 2024, Congressman Krishnamoorthi introduced the bicameral Baby Food Safety Actwith Congressman Tony Cárdenas (D-CA) in the House and Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) in the Senate. In April 2024, Congressman Krishnamoorthi confronted FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf during a House Oversight Committee hearing, demanding updates from the agency on when guidelines against heavy metals would go into effect.

In 2021, when Congressman Krishnamoorthi was chairman of the House Oversight Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy, the congressman's investigationinto heavy metals found baby foods had lead levels up to 177 times those that are allowable in drinking water. The investigation pushed the FDA to create its Closer to Zero imitativewhich set timelines for the FDA to meet when regulating toxic heavy metals.