Parents claim the contaminants caused autism and ADHD
of ConsumerAffairs-
Major brands including Walmart, Gerber, and Beech-Nut must face a lawsuit alleging baby food products contained toxic metals linked to developmental disorders.
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Parents claim exposure to arsenic, lead, mercury, and cadmium caused children to develop autism and ADHD.
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The case stems from a 2021 Congressional report, with the judge ruling that failure to meet internal safety limits could support claims of harm.
A federal judge has ruled that several top baby food manufacturers and retailers must face a nationwide lawsuit alleging their products contained dangerous levels of toxic heavy metals that caused serious neurological harm to children.
In a decision handed down Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley said parents can move forward with claims that more than 600 baby food products may have contributed to the development of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children.
The lawsuit names major industry players including Walmart, Beech-Nut (owned by Nestl), and Gerber (owned by Hero Group). Other brands involved are Earths Best Organics (Hain Celestial), Happy Baby and Happy Tot (Danone), Plum Organics (Sun-Maid), and Sprout Organic (Neptune Wellness Solutions).
"Simply not OK"
Parents allege that some companies ignored internal safety limits for heavy metals like arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury, while others never addressed the risks. The judge ruled that such failures made it plausible to claim the baby food was unsafe, even if no specific toxicity threshold was crossed.
Selling baby food with lead and arsenic is simply not OK, said plaintiff attorney R. Brent Wisner, calling the ruling a critical step toward holding companies accountable for decades of malfeasance.
The lawsuit follows a 2021 Congressional subcommittee report that found dangerous levels of heavy metals in baby foods sold across the country.
The companies have denied wrongdoing, claiming their products are safe and that trace metals are naturally present in the environment. They argue that the presence of detectable heavy metals alone does not make food defective.
Campbells, which formerly owned Plum Organics, has been dismissed from the case. Meanwhile, Amazon and Whole Foods also face related suits for selling the contested products.
Posted: 2025-04-04 17:15:25
