Congressional Report Finds High Levels of Heavy Metals in Baby Foods
- Did your child develop autism after consuming baby food from any of the following manufacturers?
- Beech-Nut
- Earth’s Best Organic (Hain Celestial Group)
- Gerber
- HappyBABY (Nurture)
- Parent’s Choice (Walmart)
- Plum Organics (Campbell Soup Company)
- Sprout Foods
- A recent study by the U.S. Congress has determined that baby food products carrying these brands have contained elevated levels of heavy metals like mercury and lead.
“Baby Foods Are Tainted with Dangerous Levels
of Arsenic, Lead, Cadmium, and Mercury”
–U.S. Congressional Report, (February 4, 2021).1
- Many health research studies have connected heavy metal consumption with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.2 3
- You may be entitled to financial compensation for your injuries.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a condition that affects
how a person perceives and socializes with others.
The symptoms and severity of autism can vary widely with different individuals, so the condition is described as a ‘spectrum’.
Symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder can include:
Routines or rituals • Unusual sensitivities • Speech Challenges • Unusual bodily movement • Unusual focus of attention • Discomfort interacting with others • Difficulty communicating with others
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises that if your child has symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder, you should contact a healthcare professional to have your child screened for ASD.
- There is no cure for ASD, but there are autism therapies that can greatly help a child’s development.
- Info about screening for ASD is available on the CDC Website.
- Early intervention is important, so the CDC urges you to act quickly if you are concerned.
NOTE: The issue of dangerously high levels of heavy metals in baby foods should not be confused with misinformation about the effects of vaccinations, including the various COVID vaccines.
The CDC states:
“Reputable scientific studies have shown that mercury in vaccines given to young children is not a cause of autism.”4
A report by the U.S. Congress found heavy metals in popular brands of baby food.
The Congressional health report found elevated levels of heavy metals in baby food products manufactured under the following brands:
Beech-Nut | Sprout Foods |
Gerber | HappyBABY (Nurture) |
Parent’s Choice (Walmart) | Plum Organics (Campbell Soup Company) |
Earth’s Best Organic (Hain Celestial Group)
Consumer groups have been warning that popular baby foods contain elevated levels of neurotoxic metals for several years.5
It is impossible to avoid all environmental contaminants, including heavy metals. Even making your own baby food will not avoid contaminants in the produce used to make it.
But higher concentrations of heavy metals can enter the soil, water and food chain through environmental exposure and pesticides containing heavy metals.
Steps can be taken to reduce these metals. However, the Congressional report found that companies did not attempt to remove high levels of heavy metals in baby foods.
“Internal company standards permit dangerously high levels of toxic heavy metals, and documents revealed that the [baby food] manufacturers have often sold foods that exceeded those levels.”
– U.S. Congressional Report, (February 4, 2021).6
Medical research shows a connection between ingesting heavy metals and developing Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
Trace amounts of minerals can affect bodily function and development.
The human body contains trace amounts of many different minerals.7
Trace minerals like iron and zinc play an important role in regulating bodily functions.8
The body can also be negatively affected by trace amounts of minerals like heavy metals.9
Some metals are safe at a low level, but in excess amounts cause bodily damage.
A heavy metal that harms the body is described as neurotoxic:10
Arsenic | Aluminum | Antimony |
Beryllium | Cadmium | Copper |
Lead | Manganese | Mercury |
Selenium
In particular, heavy metals can harm the brain and nervous system.11
Even in trace amounts, heavy metals like lead, mercury, arsenic and copper can negatively affect brain development and function.12
In fact, many health studies have shown the connection between heavy metals and mental disorders or abnormalities. 13
Different metals may negatively affect the body in different ways.
Heavy metals can cross the Blood-Brain Barrier.14
The nervous system and circulatory system have defenses to protect the brain from contaminants. This series of defense mechanisms is often called the blood-brain barrier.
Many heavy metals can evade these defenses and cross the blood-brain barrier. Crossing the blood-brain barrier allows these heavy metals to affect the brain function and development.15 Often these effects are negative.
“Numerous studies have confirmed that heavy metals play a crucial role in the development of autism spectrum disorders.”16
Studies of children with autism have found elevated levels of lead and arsenic.17
“The children with autism had significantly (p < 0.001) higher in-hair concentration levels of lead, mercury and uranium.”18
Children diagnosed with autism had different levels of zinc and manganese.19
Study “found multiple significant correlations of severity of autism and the urinary excretion of toxic metals.”20
Toxic heavy metals can cause brain abnormalities that are associated with a diagnosis of autism.21
Two consistent abnormalities found in people diagnosed with autism are “Purkinje cell loss and increased brain volume…both can be caused by environmental factors, specifically heavy metal toxicity.”22
Purkinje cells are a type of brain cell involved in coordination. Abnormal Purkinje cells can be caused by a variety of heavy metals,23 including lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic and bismuth.
Various heavy metals in the environment can accelerate autism symptoms.
Environmental exposure to toxic metals like aluminum, lead, mercury and arsenic is associated with ASD.24
“The incidence of ASD [autism] has accelerated since the past decade, portraying environment as one of the primary assets…”25
Children diagnosed with autism had elevated levels of toxic heavy metals in the deciduous teeth (baby teeth).
In people diagnosed with autism, the more severe a person’s condition was, the higher concentration of toxic heavy metals were found in the person’s body.26
What is Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)?
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a condition that affects the ways in which an individual perceives and socializes with others.
ASD can look very different depending on the person.
A wide variety of symptoms and behavior may qualify for a diagnosis of autism.
Autism is also more mild in some people, and more severe in others. Some people diagnosed with ASD are very high-functioning. Others require special assistance and even life-long medical care.
That is why the condition is described as a spectrum, and known as Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Asperger’s Syndrome is a previous name for ASD.
In the past, autism has been described under different names. One well-known condition of high-functioning autism was known as Asperger’s Syndrome. Some people still use the term Asperger’s, but most health experts place that diagnosis as part of ASD.
Symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Because ASD is a spectrum, the types and severity of ASD symptoms can range greatly, depending on the individual person.
- Symptoms can take a while to appear. But most people with ASD display some symptoms by age two.
- Many symptoms get worse as a person ages. As ASD symptoms grow worse, the condition can be extremely challenging for people and their caregivers in the teen and adult years.
- Autism therapy helps many people with ASD live highly-functioning, normal or near-normal lives, especially with early intervention. Early detection is key.
Symptoms used to diagnose Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can include:
Social communication and interaction limitations
One indicator of autism spectrum disorder is having problems with communicating and interacting with others. These problems may include:
Disconnection from others:
- Discomfort with eye contact
- Discomfort with being held or cuddled
- Failure to hear others talking or respond to their name
- Retreating into their own world instead of playing with others
Difficulty communicating with others:
- Lack of clear facial expressions
- Difficulty reading others’ facial expressions, tone of voice, or posture
- Not understanding what others are saying, or inability to answer questions
- Not understanding or sensing the feelings of others
- Inappropriate social behavior (passive, aggressive, or disruptive)
Speech Challenges:
- Delayed or slurred speech
- Unusual speech patterns, including a robotic or sing-song-like style of talking
- Being able to speak then losing that ability can also be a symptom of ASD
Different behavior patterns
A person with autism spectrum disorder may also display repetitive patterns of behavior, or limited interest in subjects and activities. These may include:
Routines or rituals:
- Someone with ASD may become extremely upset or alarmed if the ritual is changed in any way.
- A person with ASD may have very particular food preferences (refusing certain foods, or foods with certain textures).
Unusual sensitivities:
- Sensitivity to sound, touch or bright light
- Indifference to temperature or pain
- Self harm (biting or head-banging)
Unusual bodily movement:
- Repetitive bodily movements, like rocking, flapping hands or spinning
- Lack of coordination
- Exaggerated body language
- Stiff or abnormal movement (clumsiness, stepping on toes)
Unusual focus of attention:
- Stiff or abnormal movement (clumsiness, stepping on toes)
- Focusing on a task or object with abnormal intensity
- A person with ASD may be fascinated by an object’s details without understanding the purpose or function of the object (e.g., spinning wheels on a toy car without understanding what the toy is.)
- Resistance to imaginative or creative play
NOTE: Not everyone with behaviors or traits that may indicate autism actually has ASD. Some people are more introverted, or have sensory sensitivities but do not fall on the autism spectrum.
If you believe your loved one has symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD):
Routines or rituals • Unusual sensitivities • Speech Challenges • Unusual bodily movement • Unusual focus of attention • Discomfort interacting with others • Difficulty communicating with others
The CDC advises you to contact a healthcare professional to have your child screened for ASD.
There is no cure for ASD, but there are autism therapies that can greatly help a child’s development. Early intervention is important.
Info about screening for ASD is available on the CDC Website.
Lawsuits for Autism Spectrum Disorder caused by heavy metals in baby foods.
Many popular baby foods may contain heavy metals associated with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
A 2021 Congressional report found that baby food products manufactured by a number of popular brands contain “dangerous levels of arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury.27
“According to internal company documents and test results obtained by the Subcommittee, commercial baby foods are tainted with significant levels of toxic heavy metals, including arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury.
“Exposure to toxic heavy metals causes permanent decreases in IQ, diminished future economic productivity, and increased risk of future criminal and antisocial behavior in children.
“Toxic heavy metals endanger infant neurological development and long-term brain function.”28
– U.S. Congressional Report, (February 4, 2021).29
Arsenic, Lead, Cadmium and Mercury are some of the metals that health research has connected to a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).30 31 32 33
“Children in their early childhood also are particularly vulnerable to the neurotoxic effects of exposures to heavy metals because their brains are still in the developing stage.”34
Legal liability for manufacturers and distributors of dangerous products.
Under Federal and Texas state civil laws, a person or company is legally responsible for harm they cause if they are acting:
Negligently
Negligence is the legal term for carelessness. Manufacturers must be cautious and careful enough in researching their product to understand its dangers before putting them on the market.
Recklessly
Reckless means a person understands their behavior is very risky and may hurt others but ignores the risk.
Some manufacturers may have ignored warning signs that indicated they were selling a product that was more dangerous than labeled, reported or permitted by law.
Intentionally
People and companies are responsible for actions and behavior they do on purpose.
In the worst cases, some companies actually know of a product’s danger and hide the information to have it approved or marketed.
Note: There were many different manufacturers and distributors of many types of baby food.
Each case is different, and if you believe baby food products contributed to your loved one’s development of ASD, speak to a Texas personal injury lawyer with experience in mass torts and dangerous products.
A person injured by a dangerous product can often recover financial compensation for:
- Medical Bills (including ongoing care)
- Lost Wages and Earning Potential
- Anguish and Trauma
Someone who is injured can file a tort lawsuit. If many people have been injured by the same medication, they can combine their lawsuits into a mass tort lawsuit.
But winning a dangerous product personal injury lawsuit can be complex.
It can include investigating medical studies, corporate publications and using testimony from experts on how the medication caused an injury. This is not easily done, particularly when drug companies show up with an army of lawyers.
If your child or loved one has been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and consumed any of the baby food products found in the Congressional report, speak to a Texas personal injury attorney with experience in dangerous products and mass tort law.
A Texas Personal Injury Law Firm That Knows What You’re Up Against
Justinian & Associates Has Always Helped People Who Were Injured By Dangerous Products.
Personal injury lawsuits involving dangerous products like drug prescriptions, chemical fertilizers or tainted products like baby foods containing heavy metal are typically more complicated than the average fender-bender.
Baby Food Autism Lawsuits Can Be Very Complex to Prove
Winning a mass tort lawsuit for injuries caused by baby foods containing dangerous levels of heavy metals usually involves proving that the manufacturers did not properly warn people taking it of the potential risks.
That can include investigating medical studies, corporate publications and using testimony from experts on how the medication caused an injury.
The Congressional report finding dangerously elevated levels of heavy metals in many popular baby food products is potent evidence. However more is needed to prove an individual case.
In addition, there is no simple test for ASD, and proving a diagnosis involves having a loved one examined by a healthcare professional who can provide an official diagnosis.
Showing how a product caused an injury can require legal and scientific expertise which many Texas personal injury attorneys simply do not have.
The court may combine a lawsuit for Autism Spectrum Disorder brought on by baby food products containing heavy metals with similar lawsuits against the same baby food manufacturers or distributors.
Cases involving dangerous products are often combined into a larger lawsuit like a class-action lawsuit or a mass tort lawsuit.
These cases often involve tens of thousands of injured consumers, and courts may look at all the cases at once. These types of lawsuits are known as mass torts.
Justinian & Associates has focused on mass torts involving dangerous since we were founded. We have successfully represented many victims harmed by large chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturers.
In fact, attorneys at Justinian & Associates are sometimes assigned by the court to organize and present the law and facts of the case on behalf of thousands of clients in mass tort cases.
All of this is not easily done, particularly when big companies
and their insurers show up with an army of lawyers.
But battling bullies is what Justinian & Associates does best.
We Are Warriors For The Injured
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and consumed any of the baby food products found in the Congressional report, now is the time to seek legal assistance.
You need experienced attorneys on your side.
Our Texas and San Antonio mass tort lawyers have successfully represented dozens of victims injured by dangerous pharmaceuticals and other hazardous substances. That’s exactly why we were founded.
The legal team at Justinian and Associates has years of experience dealing with personal injury cases involving health conditions like ASD, and dangerous products like the popular brands found by Congress to contain heavy metals.
We have the knowledge, experience, resources, and trained investigators to take on large adversaries like billion-dollar manufacturing companies.
All we do is fight for injured victims.
Our only goal is justice for our clients, whatever that means for them.
And we do not accept defeat.
Unless we get you money for your injuries, you don’t pay us a dime.
The Time to Act is Now
Your rights can be lost if you wait.
There are laws that limit how much time you have to file a lawsuit after being injured. They are known as statutes of limitation. They may apply to your lawsuit to recover for your injuries. The countdown may already have begun. The statute of limitations (how long you have to file a case) may already be counting down. Don’t let it expire!
Call, text or email us for a free consultation, with no obligation.
Speak to a Texas personal injury attorney from Justinian & Associates (not a “screener” or paralegal) to understand your rights.
[1] Baby Foods Are Tainted with Dangerous Levels of Arsenic, Lead, Cadmium, and Mercury, Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy, Committee on Oversight and Reform U.S. House of Representatives (February 4, 2021).
[2] Analysis of lead, arsenic and calcium content in the hair of children with autism spectrum disorder, Joanna Fiłon, Jolanta Ustymowicz-Farbiszewska & Elżbieta Krajewska-Kułak, BioMed Central (BMC) Public Health (2020).
[3] Metallic insignia in primary teeth: A biomarker for Autism Spectrum Disorders, Kanwalpreet Kaur, Bharat Suneja, Sunaina Jodhka, Jasvir Kaur, Amanpreet Singh, Saini Ravinder Singh, Journal of Indian Society of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry (2021).
[4] Understanding Thimerosal, Mercury, and Vaccine Safety, CDC.gov (2013).
[5] Everything You Need to Know About Heavy Metals and Contaminants in Baby Food, Sally Kuzemchak, Parents.com (April 04, 2021).
[6] Baby Foods Are Tainted with Dangerous Levels of Arsenic, Lead, Cadmium, and Mercury, Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy, Committee on Oversight and Reform U.S. House of Representatives (February 4, 2021).
[7] Homeostatic regulation of trace mineral transport by ubiquitination of membrane transporters, Stephen R. Hennigar and James P. McClung, Nutrition Reviews (2016).
[8] High concentration of toxic metals in children’s scalps is likely the cause of autism, Majda Samih, Current Topics in Toxicology (2020).
[9] The Relationship Between the Level of Copper, Lead, Mercury and Autism Disorders: A Meta-Analysis, Hamed Jafari Mohammadabadi, Aryoobarzan Rahmatian, Fatemeh Sayehmiri, and Mohammad Rafiei, Pediatric Health, Medicine and Therapeutics (2020).
[10] Neurotoxic effects of selected metals., A. Wennberg Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health (1994)(“A chemical is considered to be neurotoxic if it is capable of inducing a consistent pattern of neural dysfunction or lesion in the nervous system.”).
[11] The Relationship Between the Level of Copper, Lead, Mercury and Autism Disorders: A Meta-Analysis, Hamed Jafari Mohammadabadi, Aryoobarzan Rahmatian, Fatemeh Sayehmiri, and Mohammad Rafiei, Pediatric Health, Medicine and Therapeutics (2020).
[12] The Relationship Between the Level of Copper, Lead, Mercury and Autism Disorders: A Meta-Analysis, Hamed Jafari Mohammadabadi, Aryoobarzan Rahmatian, Fatemeh Sayehmiri, and Mohammad Rafiei, Pediatric Health, Medicine and Therapeutics (2020).
[13] The Relationship Between the Level of Copper, Lead, Mercury and Autism Disorders: A Meta-Analysis, Hamed Jafari Mohammadabadi, Aryoobarzan Rahmatian, Fatemeh Sayehmiri, and Mohammad Rafiei, Pediatric Health, Medicine and Therapeutics (2020).
[14] Brain barrier systems: a new frontier in metal neurotoxicological research, Wei Zheng, Michael Aschner, and Jean-Francois Ghersi-Egeac, Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology (2003).
[15] Brain barrier systems: a new frontier in metal neurotoxicological research, Wei Zheng, Michael Aschner, and Jean-Francois Ghersi-Egeac, Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology (2003).
[16] Analysis of lead, arsenic and calcium content in the hair of children with autism spectrum disorder, Joanna Fiłon, Jolanta Ustymowicz-Farbiszewska & Elżbieta Krajewska-Kułak, BioMed Central (BMC) Public Health (2020).
[17] Analysis of lead, arsenic and calcium content in the hair of children with autism spectrum disorder, Joanna Fiłon, Jolanta Ustymowicz-Farbiszewska & Elżbieta Krajewska-Kułak, BioMed Central (BMC) Public Health (2020).
[18] Toxic trace elements in the hair of children with autism, Abdullahi Fido, Samira Al-Saad, Journal of Health Psychology (2005).
[19] Metallic insignia in primary teeth: A biomarker for Autism Spectrum Disorders, Kanwalpreet Kaur, Bharat Suneja, Sunaina Jodhka, Jasvir Kaur, Amanpreet Singh, Saini Ravinder Singh, Journal of Indian Society of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry (2021).
[20] The Severity of Autism Is Associated with Toxic Metal Body Burden and Red Blood Cell Glutathione Levels, J. B. Adams, M. Baral, E. Geis, J. Mitchell, J. Ingram, A. Hensley, I. Zappia, S. Newmark, E. Gehn, R. A. Rubin, K. Mitchell, J. Bradstreet, and J. M. El-Dahr, Journal of Toxicology (2009).
[21] Evidence of toxicity, oxidative stress, and neuronal insult in autism, Janet K. Kern, Anne M. Jones, Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health (2006).
[22] Evidence of toxicity, oxidative stress, and neuronal insult in autism, Janet K. Kern, Anne M. Jones, Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health (2006).
[23] Evidence of toxicity, oxidative stress, and neuronal insult in autism, Janet K. Kern, Anne M. Jones, Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health (2006).
[24] Role of metallic pollutants in neurodegeneration: effects of aluminum, lead, mercury, and arsenic in mediating brain impairment events and autism spectrum disorder, Ishnoor Kaur, Tapan Behl, Lotfi Aleya, Md. Habibur Rahman, Arun Kumar, Sandeep Arora & Rokeya Akter, Environmental Science and Pollution Research (2021).
[25] Role of metallic pollutants in neurodegeneration: effects of aluminum, lead, mercury, and arsenic in mediating brain impairment events and autism spectrum disorder, Ishnoor Kaur, Tapan Behl, Lotfi Aleya, Md. Habibur Rahman, Arun Kumar, Sandeep Arora & Rokeya Akter, Environmental Science and Pollution Research (2021).
[26] The Severity of Autism Is Associated with Toxic Metal Body Burden and Red Blood Cell Glutathione Levels, J. B. Adams, M. Baral, E. Geis, J. Mitchell, J. Ingram, A. Hensley, I. Zappia, S. Newmark, E. Gehn, R. A. Rubin, K. Mitchell, J. Bradstreet, and J. M. El-Dahr, Journal of Toxicology (2009).
[27] Baby Foods Are Tainted with Dangerous Levels of Arsenic, Lead, Cadmium, and Mercury, Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy, Committee on Oversight and Reform U.S. House of Representatives (February 4, 2021).
[28] Baby Foods Are Tainted with Dangerous Levels of Arsenic, Lead, Cadmium, and Mercury, Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy, Committee on Oversight and Reform U.S. House of Representatives (Feb. 4, 2021).
[29] Baby Foods Are Tainted with Dangerous Levels of Arsenic, Lead, Cadmium, and Mercury, Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy, Committee on Oversight and Reform U.S. House of Representatives (Feb. 4, 2021).
[30] Role of metallic pollutants in neurodegeneration: effects of aluminum, lead, mercury, and arsenic in mediating brain impairment events and autism spectrum disorder, Ishnoor Kaur, Tapan Behl, Lotfi Aleya, Md. Habibur Rahman, Arun Kumar, Sandeep Arora & Rokeya Akter, Environmental Science and Pollution Research (2021).
[31] Analysis of lead, arsenic and calcium content in the hair of children with autism spectrum disorder, Joanna Fiłon, Jolanta Ustymowicz-Farbiszewska & Elżbieta Krajewska-Kułak, BioMed Central (BMC) Public Health (2020).
[32] The Relationship Between the Level of Copper, Lead, Mercury and Autism Disorders: A Meta-Analysis, Hamed Jafari Mohammadabadi, Aryoobarzan Rahmatian, Fatemeh Sayehmiri, and Mohammad Rafiei, Pediatric Health, Medicine and Therapeutics (2020).
[33] High concentration of toxic metals in children’s scalps is likely the cause of autism, Majda Samih, Current Topics in Toxicology (2020).
[34] Metallic insignia in primary teeth: A biomarker for Autism Spectrum Disorders, Kanwalpreet Kaur, Bharat Suneja, Sunaina Jodhka, Jasvir Kaur, Amanpreet Singh, Saini Ravinder Singh, Journal of Indian Society of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry (2021).
[35] Baby Foods Are Tainted with Dangerous Levels of Arsenic, Lead, Cadmium, and Mercury, Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy, Committee on Oversight and Reform U.S. House of Representatives (February 4, 2021).
[36] Baby Foods Are Tainted with Dangerous Levels of Arsenic, Lead, Cadmium, and Mercury, Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy, Committee on Oversight and Reform U.S. House of Representatives (February 4, 2021).