Life Css

Some children’s juice products in U.S. contain lead

June 12, 2010

The levels of lead exceeded the state law — and in some cases also exceeded federal levels for young children, the report said, citing test results provided by the Environmental Law Foundation (ELF), a San Franscisco-based nonprofit organization.

The group purchased dozens of brands of juices and fruit products around California and sent them to an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-certified lab in Berkeley, the report said.

The products tested ranged from nationally recognized brands to more niche market favorites, but the results were troubling across the board, said the report.

For example, a single serving of Raley’s private-labeled premium apple juice, Santa Cruz Organic Concord Grape Juice and Dole Pear Halves each contained levels of lead beyond what federal regulators consider safe, the report said.

“Many individual servings of apple juice, grape juice, packaged peaches and pears and fruit cocktail – all lunchbox staples – contained lead above the daily limit for young kids. Those limits were established by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration,” the report noted.

In a written statement, the West Coast supermarket chain Raley’s said the company was surprised by the lead levels since its suppliers and private brands routinely monitor their products, but the company said it has ordered independent tests to check for lead.

The ELF said it undertook the testing to see if the kid-friendly juice and food products were complying with a California law that requires manufacturers to post safety warnings on products if they exceed lead levels set by state scientists.

The group has sent notices of suspected violations of state law to California’s attorney general, Jerry Brown. The foundation’s president, Jim Wheaton, said such tests can go a long way toward changing company behavior.

The Food and Drug Administration would not comment on the foundation’s findings, though a spokesman confirmed that the federal limits for lead were last updated nearly two decades ago.

In the meantime, many scientists, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, now say that there is no safe level of exposure to lead.

Filed under: Health

Tags: Some children's juice products in U.S. contain lead