@article{1ffe844f702a4b33868d75b38813a729,
title = "Cereal and Juice, Lead and Arsenic, Our Children at Risk: A Call for the FDA to Re-Evaluate the Allowable Limits of Lead and Arsenic That Children May Ingest",
abstract = "Eliminating heavy metal contamination of foods is a goal yet to be achieved in the U.S. In recent months, efforts have been underway to have the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) re-evaluate the permissible limits of lead (Pb) and arsenic (As) allowable in cereals and juices aimed for consumption by children. This report discusses the recent scientific literature that support proposed revisions in these limits. It presents proactive suggestions for the FDA to consider in its response to concerns of ongoing Pb and As exposures in food and drinks. While more scientific studies are needed to better define {\textquoteleft}safe{\textquoteright} levels of Pb and As exposures and ingestion of these elements in general are neurotoxic, the higher sensitivity of children to these toxic elements makes it imperative that the FDA adjust standards to be most protective of infants, toddlers, and children.",
keywords = "Federal Drug Administration (FDA), arsenic poisoning (As), children, infants, juice, lead poisoning (Pb), manufacturing safety guidelines, rice cereal, risk factors, toddlers",
author = "Neuwirth, {Lorenz S.} and Ericka Caba{\~n}as and Patrick Cadet and Wei Zhu and Markowitz, {Morri E.}",
note = "Funding Information: One way to diminish neurotoxic element exposures would be to add updated intake limits to each food{\textquoteright}s product label, just as is currently required for nutrients. This would limits to each food{\textquoteright}s product label, just as is currently required for nutrients. This would be no different from the legal requirement for other risks, such as the label stating: “U.S. be no different from the legal requirement for other risks, such as the label stating: “U.S. Surgeon General Warning: Smoking Causes Lung, Cancer, Heart Disease, Emphysema, And May Surgeon General Warning: Smoking Causes Lung, Cancer, Heart Disease, Emphysema, And May Complicate Pregnancy” that appears on tobacco products. In the present case, it could be Complicate Pregnancy” that appears on tobacco products. In the present case, it could be presented in the same manner for labels on foods and drinks, e.g., “U.S. Surgeon General presented in the same manner for labels on foods and drinks, e.g., “U.S. Surgeon General Warning: Product May Contain Lead or Arsenic” (followed by the amount and compared to the federal/government standard). Such a transparent and informed approach, by re-evaluating the allowable Pb or As limits for commercially sold food and drink products and separating these allowable limits between infants, toddlers, children and adults (i.e., establishing clear daily limits for the range of developmental time-periods), may lessen the social and economic costs associated with childhood Pb-and As-poisoning across the lifespan [17]. The goal should allow consumers to be made aware of the toxic elements in their foods with the use of warning labels so that informed health choices can be made and the growth and neurodevelopment of infants, toddlers, and children left unaffected bdyr iPnbk-p arnodd uAcsts-efxoproqsuuarleitsy. Tashseusrea wncaer,nsianfget yla,btrealnsssphaoruelndcyb,eanfodrmesatalibzleisdh aincgroqsus aallilt yfo-soodu arcnedd dcroinnskumpraobdleucgtosodfosrfoqrupaeliotyp leasosfuarlalnacgee,sstaofceotyn,sutrmanesspaaferelyn.cy, and establishing quality-sourced consumable goods for people of all ages to consume safely. Author Contributions: L.S.N., E.C., P.C., W.Z. and M.E.M. wrote and approved the manuscript. AAullthauotrhCoorsnthraibveutrieoands:aLn.dS.aNg.r,e Ee.dCt.,o Pt.hCe.,p Wub.Zli.s ahnedd Mve.rEs.iMon. wofrothtee amnadn aupspcrriopvt.ed the manuscript. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. Funding: The study was funded by a Faculty Development Grant (FDG) awarded to L.S.N. Funding: The study was funded by a Faculty Development Grant (FDG) awarded to L.S.N. Institutional Review Board Statement: Not applicable. Institutional Review Board Statement: Not applicable Informed Consent Statement: Not applicable. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.",
year = "2022",
month = may,
day = "1",
doi = "10.3390/ijerph19105788",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "19",
journal = "International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health",
issn = "1661-7827",
publisher = "Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)",
number = "10",
}
