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Food Safety – Baby Food Recall
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Food Safety – Baby Food Recall
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Food Safety
food secull
USDA
and
New
Inspection Service
Release
Media Communications Office
FSIS-98-RC-16
(202) 720-3897: FAX: (202) 720-5704
Contact: Linda Swacina
Pager # 800-759-8888
PIN 8953573
Chris Church
HEINZ RECALLS VEGETABLE CHICKEN DINNER BABY FOOD
Washington, October 9, 1998-The H. J. Heinz Co., a Pittsburgh-based
food processing firm, is voluntarily recalling one day's production of its
vegetable chicken baby food because the product may contain elevated
concentrations of lead, the U. S. Department of Agriculture announced today.
All 4-oz. jars of [Heinz Building Block 2 Vegetable Chicken Dinner[]
(baby food) with a code beginning with [P3117WB] are being recalled. "P-51"
appears inside the USDA inspection seal on the product label. The product was
distributed to retail food stores nationwide.
"Because of the potential public health risk associated with exposure to
elevated concentrations of lead, especially in young children, we urge
consumers who have purchased the suspect product to return it to the place of
purchase," said Thomas J. Billy, administrator of USDA's Food Safety and
Inspection Service. USDA is informing the public 50 consumers who may have
purchased this product can check their cupboards. Parents whose children have
consumed this product regularly for several weeks and are concerned should
contact their pediatricians.
The problem was discovered by the Food and Drug Administration in the
course of conducting its Market Basket Survey. Jars tested in the day's
production contained 20-22 micrograms of lead per 4-ounce jar. According to
FDA, children from 6-11 months receive, on a daily basis, an average of 4.1
micrograms of lead from food, and children from 12 months to 2 years receive
on a daily basis an average of 5.3 micrograms of lead from food. Children and
adults are exposed to low levels of lead from food and other sources every
day.
Immediately after being notified by FDA of the results, FSIS--which
regulates meat and poultry products--worked with the company to initiate the
product recall.
Consumers with questions about the recall may phone the toll-free USDA
Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-800-535-4555. The hotline can be reached from
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday. Consumers may also
wish to call the Heinz Consumer Hotline at 1-800-782-8408.
#
NOTE: Access news releases and other information at the FSIS Web site on the
Internet's World Wide Web at http://www.fsis.usda.gov
Q and A Sheet for Lead in Heinz Baby Food, October 9, 1998
Q
What is lead?
A
Lead is an element and occurs both by itself as a metal in the earth's crust and in
combination with other elements.
Q
How can lead hurt my child?
A
Everyone in industrial societies has a small body burden of lead. When too much lead
builds up in a child's body, it may be associated with lower IQ, behavior disorders,
anemia, slowed growth, and impaired hearing.
Q
What is the acceptable intake of lead?
A
According to the Food and Drug Administration, the Provisional Tolerable Daily Intake
Level for lead is 6 µg/day for children under 6 years of age. This level assures a 10-fold
margin of safety. This means a child would have to ingest 60 ug per day to absorb
enough lead to be of concern.
Q
What was the level of lead found in the Heinz 2 Vegetable Chicken baby food?
A
The level found was about 200 µg/kilogram. Heinz sampled two additional jars from the
same lot, and found similar results. This equals 20-22 ug of lead per jar.
Q
Would this level exceed FDA's recommendation?
A.
Heinz 2 Vegetable Chicken Dinner is sold in 4-oz jars. Yes, a jar of baby food would
exceed FDA's recommendation by almost four-fold, if the baby ate one jar per day.
Q
If a child has been eating Heinz baby food with this amount of lead in it for the last year,
will this increase the amount of lead in the child's body?
A
Yes, it will. Keep in mind that a child would have to ingest 60 ug of lead per day to
develop a blood lead level of concern, three times the amount in one jar of baby food.
Q
What is the typical daily exposure of children to lead?
According to FDA, children from 6 - 11 months receive, on a daily basis, an average of
4.1 ug of lead from food, and 22 ug from other sources; children from 12 mos. to 2 years
receive an average of 5.3 ug of lead from food, and 22 ug from other sources. So one jar
of baby food contains 4-5 times the amount of lead a child would typically eat in one day.
Q
How long has the problem existed at Heinz?
1
A
We do not yet know how long the problem has existed at the Heinz company. Heinz
routinely stores samples from each lot, so that this type of problem can be traced back to
its beginning. Heinz is analyzing these samples and other Heinz products now. We hope
to have the answers soon.
Q
How will I know if my child has a problem?
A
Most children exposed to lead do not show any symptoms. If the child has consumed this
product regularly for several weeks and you are concerned, take the child to a
pediatrician for a blood lead test. The level of concern for children 0-6 years of age is 10
µg lead/deciliter.
Q
How did lead get into the baby food?
A
We do not know how the lead got into the baby food, but we are attempting to find out.
Q
What is the government doing to help?
A
The government is requesting that the H.J. Heinz Company recall the baby food that we
know is affected and is informing consumers through a press release.
Q
What is the primary lead exposure source for children?
A
The primary source is deteriorating (peeling, cracked) leaded paint that creates leaded
dust. Intact leaded paint is generally not hazardous.
Q
Is the method used for lead sensitive enough to detect it at levels of concern?
A
Yes, the method used by FDA has a sensitivity of better than 5- 10 ppb, which is
sufficiently sensitive to detect levels that may have health consequences for children.
Q
How was the problem discovered?
A
The problem was discovered during an FDA Market Basket Survey. This is a quarterly
survey in which a range of foods representing a typical American diet are analyzed for
various substances, including lead. This particular sample was taken in March 1998, and
analyzed on September 25, 1998.
2