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Empowering Providers & Patients with Trusted Resources
Ready for January 2? Equip your practice with essential tools and information to navigate food safety and testing regulation changes that go into effect in January 2025.
Get the Materials Your Practice Needs
We have developed resources to support your practice and patients. Empower your office to stay ahead and educate your patients so they understand the new publicly available data on heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury).
Sign up today to receive the Patient & Provider – Understanding Heavy Metals in Food tool-kit, delivered directly to your practice.
- What Parents Need to Know About Heavy Metals? (English + Spanish)
- What Providers Need to Know About Heavy Metals? (English + Spanish)
- The Top 10 Questions Asked By Parents & Caregivers About Heavy Metals in Foods Intended for Infants and Children. (English + Spanish)
- How Clean Label Project Gets Us Closer to Zero Report
- Discount Codes for Clean Label Project Brands
- And More!
Validated Resources
Use these guides to educate yourself and your staff on the latest research and best practices for reducing contaminant exposure.
Heavy Metals in Baby Foods: The Top 10 Questions Asked by Parents & Caregivers
Lead and cadmium contamination in a large sample of United States infant formulas and baby foods.
Join Us at the American Academy of Pediatrics 2024 National Conference & Exhibition
We are excited to participate in the American Academy of Pediatrics 2024 National Conference & Exhibition from September 27 – October 1, 2024, in Orlando, FL. This premier event is the largest gathering of pediatric professionals, offering cutting-edge education, innovation, and networking opportunities.
Product Theater
Heavy Metals in Infant Formula & Foods: New Regulations and How to Prepare Caregivers
Moderator
Jaclyn Bowen MPH, MS
Executive Director,
Clean Label Project
Sunday, September 29 at 1:15pm-1:45pm EST
Orange County Convention Center, West Building, Hall C
Theater A, booth 174
The Clean Label Project
Join us for an in-depth discussion on the new regulations around heavy metals in infant formula and foods, and how pediatricians can prepare caregivers to navigate these changes.
Not designated for CME credit
About the Clean Label Project
Who We Are
The Clean Label Project is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing truth and transparency to consumer product labeling. Our mission is to educate consumers, advocate for better standards, and hold brands accountable for the safety and purity of their products. Through rigorous scientific testing and research, we analyze food, beverages, and consumer products for industrial and environmental contaminants, including heavy metals, pesticide residues, and plasticizers.
Here To Support Your Practice
The Clean Label Project, in partnership with the Baby Coalition, is dedicated to ensuring that your practice is ready for the upcoming changes in infant and child nutrition regulations, particularly in light of AB 899 and the FDA’s Closer to Zero initiative. Our mission is to provide clear, actionable information to help you guide your patients through these new standards with confidence.
About the Baby Coalition
The Clean Label Project Baby Coalition
The Baby Coalition is dedicated to educating consumers, retailers, fellow brands, and the medical and regulatory communities on the risks of environmental and industrial contaminant exposure. Our mission is to advocate for progressive legislative and policy issues, raise awareness of the risks associated with contaminants and other chemicals of concern, and work across the supply chain to promote better food and consumer products for vulnerable populations.
Improving infant, children, and maternal health through education on the risks of toxins and contaminants and advocating for reform.
Meet Our Members
Frequently Asked Questions
With new state regulations mandating the disclosure of heavy metal levels in baby food, alongside heightened consumer, media, and regulatory scrutiny, medical providers should anticipate an increase in questions from concerned parents and caregivers. Drawing on seven years of experience in addressing consumer inquiries, Clean Label Project—a national nonprofit dedicated to transparency in product labeling and the organization behind the largest study on heavy metals in baby foods and infant formula—has identified the top questions providers may face. This resource turns complex issues into actionable advice, empowering informed decisions for children’s health.
What are heavy metals, and why are they in baby food?
Heavy metals like lead, arsenic, mercury, and cadmium are naturally found in soil and water, which can result in their presence in crops used for baby food. Heavy metals are in our food source – these metals aren’t added intentionally but can be absorbed by plants as they grow. They are of particular focus in baby food and infant formulas because babies are small, and the first 1000 days of life is an extraordinary time of brain and immune system development.
Is it safe to feed my baby commercial baby food and formula?
Commercial baby foods and formulas are generally safe. Offering a variety of foods is a smart way to minimize potential exposure to heavy metals from any one source.
How do heavy metals affect my baby's health?
Long-term exposure to high levels of heavy metals can impact brain development and disrupt other bodily functions, but occasional low-level exposure is generally not harmful.
Which baby foods are most likely to contain heavy metals?
Rice-based products, root vegetables, and certain fruits like apples and grapes may have higher levels of heavy metals. Offering a variety of foods is a smart way to minimize any potential exposure to heavy metals from any one source.
How can I reduce my baby’s exposure to heavy metals?
Offer a diverse range of foods, especially those rich in iron and calcium, to support the reduction of heavy metal absorption. Choose products featuring the Clean Label Project certification seal, which indicates that brands are committed to sourcing ingredients and formulating products with stringent measures to minimize heavy metals and other contaminants.
Are homemade baby foods safer than store-bought?
Homemade foods can be a good option, but generally, heavy metals are naturally present in soil and water. This means they can be found in both store-bought and homemade baby food
Is organic baby food free from heavy metals?
Organic baby foods may have lower levels of pesticides but are not necessarily free from heavy metals, which are present in the environment. The issue of heavy metals is applicable to all foods.
Should I avoid rice-based products entirely?
Rice-based products should be limited, but they don’t need to be entirely avoided. Alternatives like oats and barley can be offered.
What is the government doing to regulate heavy metals in baby food?
Ongoing efforts at the state and federal level are being made to reduce heavy metal content in baby food. In the meantime, choosing brands with Clean Label Project certification seal is a good step as these companies are proactively and voluntarily going above current requirements to monitor and minimize heavy metals and other contaminants in their products.
Should I get my baby tested for heavy metal exposure?
If you have concerns, let’s talk about your child’s potential exposure risks and whether testing might be beneficial. While food is one possible source, other exposure routes could include water, soil, and even paint, particularly in older homes.
