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FDA Issues Final Guidance for New Action Levels of Lead in Baby Food

The FDA published final guidance establishing new action levels for lead in processed foods intended for babies and young children. The guidance, released by the agency on Jan. 6, sets a lead action level at 10 parts per billion (ppb) for fruits, vegetables (excluding single-ingredient root vegetables), mixtures (including grain- and meat-based mixtures), yogurts, custards/puddings, and single-ingredient meats; 20 ppb for single-ingredient root vegetables; and 20 ppb for dry infant cereals. The guidance doesn't cover "infant formula, beverages, or snack foods like puffs and teething biscuits," as the FDA is collecting additional data on these items.

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The guidance is part of the FDA's Closer to Zero initiative, which "focuses on a variety of actions that can be taken to reduce levels of lead and other contaminants in food products for babies and young children to as low as possible." Removing lead entirely from food products is not possible, but "setting action levels like those in the guidance can help lower levels of contaminants in foods when a certain level of a contaminant is unavoidable," the agency said in a news release.