Twenty-One AGs Urged the FDA to Adopt Stronger Guidance on Lead Levels in Baby Food

New York Attorney General Letitia James led a coalition of 21 attorneys general comments on the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) draft guidance on lead levels in food for babies and young children. In their comments, the AGs suggested a number of revisions to the guidance which would achieve a standard that is more protective. Lead exposure in infants and young children has been shown to cause developmental delays in learning and behavior, and is associated with a cascade of other health risks. Some of the coalition’s suggestions included foods for children 3 and younger, rather than only 2 and younger; include grain-based snacks; and ensure FDA action levels are developed based on the higher consumption percentile of 97.5 instead of 90, protecting more of the population by reducing the amount of people exposed to lead in the covered foods.