{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://krishnamoorthi.house.gov/media/press-releases/reps-krishnamoorthi-sykes-pallone-and-cardenas-introduce-improving-newborns", "Reps. Krishnamoorthi, Sykes, Pallone, and C\u00e1rdenas Introduce The Improving Newborns\u2019 Food and Nutrition Testing Safety (INFANTS) Act to Address Alarming Levels of Toxic Heavy Metals Found in Baby Food", "2023-12-18", "2023", "2023-12", "Democrat", "House", "IL", "Raja Krishnamoorthi", "K000391", "krishnamoorthi.house.gov", "krishnamoorthi", "https://krishnamoorthi.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Today, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi joined with Reps. Emilia Sykes (OH-13), Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) and Tony C\u00e1rdenas (CA-29) in introducing the Improving Newborns\u2019 Food and Nutrition Testing Safety (INFANTS) Act, legislation which will set requirements that baby food products be tested for toxic heavy metals and the results be reported to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).\n\n\u201cFor several years, I have been investigating the dangerous levels of neurotoxins such as lead, inorganic arsenic, mercury, and cadmium in leading baby foods while advocating for higher safety standards to protect our children,\u201d Rep. Krishnamoorthi said. \u201cIt is critical that Congress mandate sampling, testing, and reporting requirements for manufacturers to assist the FDA in monitoring the levels of these toxic heavy metals so that families know the food they are feeding their children is safe.\u201d\n\n\u201cParents have enough on their plates \u2013 they shouldn\u2019t have to worry if the food they are feeding their infants and toddlers contains dangerous amounts of toxic heavy metals like lead or arsenic. I introduced the INFANTS Act alongside Reps. C\u00e1rdenas and Krishnamoorthi to require commonsense nutrition testing that will keep our babies safe and healthy,\u201d Rep. Emilia Sykes said. \u201cThe INFANTS Act will provide parents with much-needed peace of mind and ensure infants and toddlers have the safe, nutritious food they need to grow and develop.\u201d\n\n\u201cParents should not have to worry about whether the food they buy for their children is contaminated with bacteria, lead, or another toxic heavy metal. In just the last few months, we have read frightening reports about contaminated applesauce leading to potential lead poisoning in dozens of children. This followed tragic stories last year about infants becoming sick and even dying after drinking infant formula contaminated with cronobacter bacteria. The INFANTS Act would establish a testing regime to ensure toddler and infant food products are free of dangerous contaminants and clarify FDA\u2019s authority to recall adulterated products. I\u2019m grateful to Congresswoman Sykes for her leadership and look forward to working together to see this bill signed into law,\u201d Rep. Frank Pallone, Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said.\n\n\u201cAssessing the safety of baby and toddler food is of paramount importance to ensuring the health of our nation\u2019s children,\u201d Rep. Tony C\u00e1rdenas said. \u201cThe INFANTS Act will demand more accountability from food manufacturers as they test their final products for toxic heavy metals, improve the U.S. Food and Drug Administration\u2019s (FDA) ability to conduct oversight, and provide parents and caregivers the much-needed assurance that the food they give to their children is safe.\u201d\n\nThere is currently no federal mandate for testing finished baby food products for contaminants like heavy metals, including lead, cadmium, and mercury. Exposure to toxic heavy metals can cause permanent decreases in IQ, diminished future economic productivity, and increased risk of future criminal and antisocial behavior in children. Toxic heavy metals endanger infant neurological development and long-term brain function. As opposed to just testing the ingredients, heavy metal levels can be higher after food processing. Additionally, FDA does not require powdered infant formula manufacturers to have a regular environmental monitoring for powdered infant formula\u2019s exposure to cronobacter spp. and salmonella, two bacteria which have caused infections after being found in infant formula.\n\nThe INFANTS Act of 2023 would:\n\nRequire the owner, operator, or agent in charge of a food facility that manufactures or processes food in final product form, including infant and toddler food, to:\n\nCollect representative samples of each food manufactured or processed and test those samples at least once per quarter for contaminants, including toxic elements like lead, cadmium, mercury, and arsenic;\n\nPrepare a written sampling plan for sampling and testing and ensure it is carried out; and\n\nMaintain records of sampling and testing and allow those records to be inspected and copied by FDA.\n\nSpecify that foods manufactured or processed by facilities that fail to follow sampling and testing requirements are adulterated under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act;\n\nRequire records to be provided to FDA, at FDA\u2019s request, in advance of or in lieu of an inspection, within a reasonable timeframe, within reasonable limits, and in a reasonable manner;\n\nClarify FDA\u2019s mandatory recall authority over infant or toddler foods that bear or contain a contaminant that renders the product adulterated;\n\nClarify that manufacturers of infant formula must notify FDA within 24 hours if they acquire knowledge that the infant formula they manufacture does not contain adequate nutrients or is otherwise adulterated or misbranded; and\n\nRequire manufacturers of powdered infant formula to establish and implement an environmental monitoring program to verify the effectiveness of sanitation and hygiene controls where food has the potential to be exposed to Cronobacter spp. or Salmonella.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://krishnamoorthi.house.gov/media/press-releases/reps-krishnamoorthi-sykes-pallone-and-cardenas-introduce-improving-newborns"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9526642970740795, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}