Lead is unfortunately common in popular baby food pouches.
FDA Warns Parents of High Lead Levels in WanaBana Fruit Pouches
According to a KSAT News report, the FDA has issued a warning to parents over high lead in popular food pouches for children.
According to the FDA, the WanaBana fruit pouches were linked to 4 cases of lead poisoning in children in North Carolina. They tested the food pouches and found “extremely high” amounts of lead. The company agreed to voluntarily recall the product, which is sold at many major retailers, including Amazon, Dollar Tree, and Sam’s Club. The FDA urged parents to get their children’s blood tested for high levels of lead if they consumed the product. The warning applies to WanaBana apple cinnamon fruit puree pouches and includes all lot codes and expiration dates.
Did You Know?
Low levels of lead in food contribute to 400,000 deaths a year, mostly due to cardiovascular issues.
Why Lead is in Baby Food and How to Recognize Lead Poisoning in Children
Many parents rely on baby food pouches for a convenient and supposedly healthy source of nutrition for their children. Unfortunately, these products, which are marketed to parents as healthy and safe, often contain trace amounts of lead and other heavy metals that are extremely dangerous for your child, especially if they are younger than 6 years old.
Let’s look at how lead gets into baby food and how to recognize lead poisoning in your child.
Why is Lead in Baby Food?
Children are far more susceptible to lead poisoning than adults, and it is more dangerous for a small child to consume lead. However, children are often exposed to lead through their food.
Lead gets into baby food through the manufacturing process and contaminated soil. Gasoline and paint containing lead can take years to filter out of the soil. Lead-contaminated soil is a common problem near major highways. It is also introduced through pesticide use, though there is no difference in lead amounts between organic baby foods that don’t use pesticides and non-organic baby foods. Lead can also contaminate food at the manufacturing plant where it was produced, even if the vegetables were purchased from clean sources.
How to Recognize Lead Poisoning in Your Child
Lead poisoning can lead to serious illnesses and developmental issues in your young children. If you recognize these signs in your children, take them to a doctor immediately.
Short-Term Exposure
- Headaches
- Vomiting/abdominal pain
- Anemia
- Constipation
Long-Term Exposure
- Developmental Delay
- Sluggish Behavior
- Irritability
- Weight Loss
- Difficulty Learning
- Hearing Loss
- Pica (eating paint and other non-food items)
- Seizures
Lead poisoning can also lead to miscarriages and reproductive issues in pregnant women.
The products on the shelves in the United States are supposed to be safe. If your child has been poisoned by baby food products in San Antonio, call our child injury attorneys at Carabin Shaw today.
Hire Carabin Shaw Child Injury Attorneys
Products that harm children should not be sold to parents in San Antonio, and they are often marketed as being safe and healthy. If your child has contracted lead poisoning from contaminated baby food or toys in San Antonio, hire our child injury attorneys at Carabin Shaw at 800-862-1260. We’ve defended parents across Texas for 30 years because we care. We look forward to serving you.
Contacting a Carabin Shaw attorney is free and does not obligate you to work with the firm.