Multiple exposures to toxic heavy metals are caused not only by contaminated formulas and foods, but also by contaminated water. Municipal tap water, groundwater or well water is used to reconstitute powdered formulas and cereal foods: it may contain high levels of toxic chemicals. This same water is used for cleaning feeding equipment and for drinking. The risk is increased because powdered formulas and foods prepared with water are the sole or the major source of food and drink at the most vulnerable stage of infant and young child development.
These multiple exposures pose a threat to the health of infants and young children’s health when they are not breastfed. Both short-term and long-term survival, and healthy development of infants and young children are threatened by this ‘double dose’ of toxic chemicals.
Staff Report
Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy
Committee on Oversight and Reform
U.S. House of Representatives
February 4, 2021
Click to access the full report:
Published in February 2021 the Report provides results of testing since 2019:
Inorganic arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury are toxic heavy metals. The Food and Drug Administration and the World Health Organization have declared them dangerous to human health, particularly to babies and children, who are most vulnerable to their neurotoxic effects. Even low levels of exposure can cause serious and often irreversible damage to brain development.”
Staff Report
Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy
Committee on Oversight and Reform
U.S. House of Representatives
September 29, 2021
Click to access the full report:
Testing included 3 more baby food companies and even more products – with firm recommendations to the US FDA and to the baby food industry. The Report concludes:
The Subcommittee’s investigation continues to reveal that commercial baby foods contain dangerous levels of arsenic, lead, mercury, and cadmium. These toxic heavy metals pose serious health risks to babies and toddlers. Manufacturers knowingly sell these products to unsuspecting parents, in spite of internal company standards and test results, and without any warning label.”
In March 2025 Consumer Reports published results showing continued contamination of baby formulas by toxic heavy metals. Arsenic in its inorganic form is of particular concern because formula fed babies may ingest a double dose of arsenic in powdered formulas as well as in the water used to prepare formulas and to wash feeding equipment:
By Lauren Kirchner – Investigative Reporter
Published March 18, 2025·Updated March 21, 2025
Read the full article on the Consumer Reports website:
By Kevin Loria – Senior Health & Food Reporter
Published June 27, 2023·Updated July 6, 2023
Read the full article on the Consumer Reports website:
- Protect, promote and support exclusive breastfeeding
Research shows that exclusive breastfeeding can protect against exposures to arsenic, even in countries such as Bangladesh where arsenic levels in groundwater are high, “Very little arsenic is excreted in breast milk, even in women with high exposure from drinking water. Thus, exclusive breast-feeding protects the infant from exposure to arsenic.”
READ MORE: Breast-feeding protects against arsenic exposure in Bangladeshi infants
Fängström B, Moore S, Nermell B, Kuenstl L, Goessler W, Grandér M, Kabir I, Palm B, Arifeen SE, Vahter M. Breast-feeding protects against arsenic exposure in Bangladeshi infants. Environ Health Perspect. 2008 Jul;116(7):963-9. doi: 10.1289/ehp.11094. PMID: 18629322; PMCID: PMC2453168.
In the USA research has also shown that “breastfed infants have lower arsenic exposure than formula-fed infants, and that both formula powder and drinking water can be sources of exposure for U.S. infants.”
READ MORE: Estimated Exposure to Arsenic in Breastfed and Formula-Fed Infants in a United States Cohort
Dargahi A, Zandian H, Samiee F, Farzipour S, Sheikhmemari N, Kazemipour-Khabbazi S, Assessment of toxic metals and trace elements in breast milk of mothers and their health risks to infants: A cross-sectional study in Ardabil, Northwest Iran, Food and Chemical Toxicology, 10.1016/j.fct.2025.115389, 200, (115389), (2025).
- Take regulatory action on toxic heavy metals in formulas
We need to exert pressure on regulatory agencies and health authorities, at national and local levels. The 2021 US Congressional Report notes “The Trump administration ignored a secret industry presentation to federal regulators revealing increased risks of toxic heavy metals in baby foods… The Trump FDA took no new action in response. To this day, baby foods containing toxic heavy metals bear no label or warning to parents.” In an update on March 21 2025 Consumer Reports stated that on March 18th, the day after their results were shared, the FDA “announced a new initiative to strengthen its oversight of the formula industry, including increased testing for heavy metals and other contaminants.”
- Continue testing and publish results
Parents, care-givers and health professionals can select brands of powdered formula in the US that have lower levels of inorganic arsenic or other metals such as lead. Consumer Reports provides details of some of these brands:
READ MORE: We Tested 41 Baby Formulas for Lead and Arsenic
Consumer Reports By Lauren Kirchner – Investigative Reporter – Published March 18, 2025·Updated March 21, 2025.
- Create pressure on local authorities to eliminate toxic heavy metals in water supplies:
At local level, we must urge municipalities to act to decontaminate household water supplies. Old arsenic mines in the Swiss Alps had contaminated public water supplies in several regions. By 2025 their town councils had installed filtration systems to meet WHO standards of water quality.
- Litigation by concerned parents to increase pressure on policy-makers:
In March 2025, a new class action lawsuit accuses Abbott Laboratories of failing to disclose that its Similac infant formula contains heavy metals, such as arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury:
READ MORE: Similac infant formula class action alleges products contain heavy metals
Edited by: Top Class Actions . April 3, 2025.
