Building upon a December 2022 report on the levels of toxic heavy metals in dark chocolate, Consumer Reports recently published new findings about the contaminants in other kinds of chocolates, suggesting that one-third of chocolate products contain high levels of heavy metals.

With California Assembly Bill 899 recently being signed into law, any baby food products sold or made in the state will require testing for arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury, beginning January 1, 2024. Consumer disclosures will be required a year after.

This article discusses the consumer and regulatory drivers of the current focus on heavy metals in foods for babies and young children, and also explores the congressional investigation and FDA's subsequent Closer to Zero effort. It also discusses the latest developments and what moves can be expected next from FDA. 

In support of FDA's Closer to Zero initiative, researchers have conducted a risk assessment that estimates the U.S. population’s dietary exposure to cadmium. The study found children aged 6–24 months and 24–60 months to be the populations most highly exposed to cadmium, with concerning levels of exposure when compared to guidelines set by regulatory agencies.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has put out a call for experts to estimate the global disease burden of certain conditions associated with dietary exposure to cadmium, methylmercury, inorganic arsenic, and lead.

According to new tests by Consumer Reports, although the amounts of lead, arsenic, and cadmium in baby foods appear to be getting lower, the overall risk hasn’t changed much in the last five years.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released a final guidance for industry, titled, Action Level for Inorganic Arsenic in Apple Juice, which identifies an action level of 10 parts per billion (ppb) for inorganic arsenic in apple juice. 

A recent study published in Food and Chemical Toxicology suggests that lead, cadmium, and mercury have varying negative effects on human brain development and cognition. 

A study led by Tulane University recently found that some commonly consumed beverages contain levels of toxic metals that exceed federal drinking water standards. The study was conducted to fill knowledge gaps, as there are few peer-reviewed studies examining the contents of U.S. beverages.

Consumer Reports (CR) recently tested canned tuna from popular brands, and observed varying levels of mercury, a toxic heavy metal found in foods, on a can-to-can basis.