FDA proposes draft cadmium limits for baby food
The FDA has proposed draft limits on cadmium, a toxic metal, in processed baby foods, Bloomberg Law and Contemporary Pediatrics reported. Fruits, most vegetables and mixed foods would be capped at 10 parts per billion. The levels are nonbinding, and the FDA is taking public comments through December 22.
The FDA has proposed draft limits on the heavy metal cadmium in processed baby foods, Bloomberg Law and Contemporary Pediatrics reported. The limits cover foods for children under 2, Contemporary Pediatrics said. The agency released the draft action levels on Thursday.
Research has linked cadmium to a range of developmental and health problems, Bloomberg Law reported. It gets into crops such as root vegetables and cereal grains through soil, water and air, Contemporary Pediatrics said. Babies can be more at risk because of their metabolism and small size, the FDA said.
The draft sets different levels for different foods, Contemporary Pediatrics reported. Fruits, most vegetables and mixed foods would be capped at 10 parts per billion. Single-ingredient carrots and single-ingredient meats would be capped at 25. Yogurts, puddings and custards would be capped at 20, and dry infant cereals at 45.
The draft does not cover infant formula, toddler drinks, homemade foods or snacks, Contemporary Pediatrics said. The FDA estimates that 93% of fruit, vegetable and mixed food samples already meet the proposed levels, it reported.
These are draft levels, and they are nonbinding. "Action levels are nonbinding," Contemporary Pediatrics noted, though the FDA may treat foods above them as adulterated. The FDA said "our expectation is that industry will strive for continual reductions over time," according to Contemporary Pediatrics.
The agency also says the levels are not meant to steer what parents buy, Contemporary Pediatrics reported. The FDA urges a varied diet with many kinds of foods, it said.
The public can comment on the draft levels through December 22, 2026, at regulations.gov under docket number FDA-2025-D-4023, the FDA said. The agency plans a free webinar on November 16. It also released draft guidance on chemical hazards in food, with comments due January 21, 2027.
The draft is part of the FDA's Closer to Zero effort to cut the heavy metals children get from food, the agency said. That effort has already set levels for lead in baby foods and arsenic in infant rice cereal.
What we know: The FDA has proposed draft, nonbinding cadmium levels for baby foods, with comments due December 22.
What we don't: When the FDA will finalize the levels, or whether they will change after public comment.
Where outlets agree Bloomberg Law and Contemporary Pediatrics report that the FDA released draft cadmium limits for baby foods on Thursday.
Where they differ The cited reports agree on the key facts so far.