New Report Says There Might Be Lead In Your Baby Food

Lead was once commonly found in paint and plumbing, but recent efforts have reduced the use of the toxic metal to minimize the health problems that can affect those who come in contact with it. However, a new report by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) shows that lead is still lingering in consumers' diets — specifically in baby food.

In the report, the organization found that lead was detected in 20 percent of baby food samples, in comparison to 14 percent of other foods studied.

Of the baby foods that contained lead, there were eight types of products that had lead in more than 40 percent of samples. Lead was most commonly found in the following types of baby food:

— Fruit juice, with 89 percent of grape juice containing detectable levels of lead, 67 percent of mixed fruit, 55 percent of apple, and 45 percent of pear.

— Root vegetables, with 86 percent of sweet potatoes and 43 percent of carrots containing lead.

— Cookies, with 64 percent of arrowroot cookies and 47 percent of teething biscuits containing lead.

Although anyone can be affected by the harmful effects of the heavy metal, children are particularly vulnerable, as exposure to low levels of lead can "cause serious and in some cases irreversible neurological damage," according to the World Health Organization.

To help protect children from the effects of lead, the EDF urges parents to consult with pediatricians on ways to reduce exposure. In addition, the organization suggests doing some investigating on baby food companies to find out whether they regularly test their products for lead.

Lead isn't just affecting baby food, but has been the culprit in the ongoing water contamination in Flint, Michigan. To read more about the Flint water crisis, click here.