Concerning levels of lead have been found in some veggie puff snacks made by Lesser Evil and Serenity Kids according to Consumer Reports.
The heavy metal lead has been connected to developmental and other types of disabilities in children.
Healthy Alternative Marketing
Veggie puffs are popular with some parents who try to make foods such as carrots, tomatoes, and beets more tasty and appealing for their kids.
However, cassava-based brands have been discovered to contain extreme levels of lead and other heavy metals the advocacy group has warned consumers.
Cause for Concern
Consumer Reports found concerning levels of lead in both products tested from Lesser Evil and one product from Serenity Kids.
Their findings have cautioned that even a single serving from these products could prove to be damaging.
Large Test Group
Since 2017 the advocacy group has tested over 80 baby foods and did not find any of them contained more lead than one product.
The Intergalactic Voyager Veggie Blend puffs contained more lead per serving compared to any of the other baby foods they have tested.
Limiting Quantities
According to the head of food safety testing at Consumer Reports, James E. Rogers: “We think kids should consume less than half a serving a day of those.”
The other two products that were tested, Lesser Evil’s Lil’ Puffs Sweet Potato Apple Asteroid and Serenity Kids’ Tomato & Herb Bone Broth puffs contained high enough lead levels for the group to advise consuming only 1.5 servings a day.
Problems with Rice Snacks
According to tests made by the Consumer Reports group, puffs and similar snacks that are rice-based can be found to contain high levels of arsenic.
When this was discovered many manufacturers switched to using other forms of starches such as the root cassava or the gluten-free grain sorghum.
Sorghum Products Safer?
In another analysis by Consumer Reports two products from Once Upon a Farm, the company co-founded by Jennifer Garner, were tested.
It was found that the sorghum-based products were found to contain very low levels of lead, some of the lowest in all baby foods tested by the advocacy groups.
Worries About Cassava Foods
According to Rogers: “Clearly, some manufacturers need to do a better job of keeping heavy metals out of their snack foods.”
He went on to say “There may be some particular concerns about foods made with cassava”, hinting at the potential need for further study.
Parents Speak Out
In an interview with CBS, mother Macarena Rizzo voiced her worries over feeding veggie puffs to her children.
Speaking with Anna Werner she said she was: “Very, like, disappointed because I thought that I was making a good choice or like a smart choice, and it seems like it’s not.”
Long Term Impacts
While there isn’t a cause for immediate concern for parents who have given their children cassava-based snacks there could be long term implications for their health.
In the amounts of lead found by Consumer Reports, it is possible that the risk of developmental problems such as lower IQ, ADHD, and autism could be raised over long-term consumption of these products.
Awareness of Lead Intake
Rogers warned parents about the need to “account for the fact that small amounts of lead can add up and that children may be exposed to some lead in drinking water or their environment.”
He stressed in terms of monitoring children’s food intake, “that’s why foods with more lead should be minimized in a child’s diet.”
Statements from Companies
Both Lesser Evil and Serenity Kids claim that their products are in line with federal and state guidelines when it comes to testing their products.
Even though Once Upon a Farm contained some of the lowest levels of lead they did make a statement explaining to consumers that it is “virtually impossible” to avoid heavy metals in the environment.
With product recalls for salmonella outbreaks in potatoes and cucumbers on many Americans’ minds, consumers may be becoming more cautious about what they and their children are consuming.
