From theepochtimes.com
Food manufacturers are not currently required to test final products for contaminants.
Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Robert Califf testifies to a House of Representatives committee in Washington, on April 11, 2024. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
The head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is urging lawmakers to pass legislation mandating food manufacturers test for lead in their food products from overseas.
Speaking to the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, Dr. Robert Califf said the FDA needs lawmakers to enact legislation granting the agency authority to make lead testing compulsory among such manufacturers, as it is unable to do so alone.
Under current laws, manufacturers are not required to test final products for contaminants before entering the U.S. market.
“I think the best way to think about the FDA in general is that we’re referees, you all in Congress actually write the rule book; much like in any sport it’s the leadership that writes the rule book and we enact what’s in the rule book,” Dr. Califf said. “In the case of food establishments, like most sports, the first line of defense is the players in the game which is the industry that produces the products,” he continued.
“By and large they do a great job but sometimes they don’t and as referees, we have to be really wise about where we step in because we don’t have an unlimited budget,” he added.
The FDA head noted the agency supervises around 275,000 registered manufacturing facilities both in the United States and overseas but budget constraints mean the agency often has to rely on the manufacturers to conduct testing.
Applesauce Products Recalled Over Lead
Dr. Califf’s comments come after the FDA said in March that it had identified six cinnamon products in the U.S. containing lead.
At the time time, the agency said the lead levels ranged from 2.03 to 3.4 parts per million (ppm), which is relatively low, although officials noted prolonged use could still be unsafe.
Last fall, the agency also recalled thousands of cinnamon applesauce products that it said were contaminated with lead, this time ranging from 2,000 to nearly 5,000 ppm.
“In the case of cinnamon applesauce, if there had been mandatory testing when it got imported into the U.S. from Ecuador, the stores that were selling it probably would have picked it up at that point,” Dr. Califf told lawmakers on Thursday.
Lead Poisoning Signs, Symptoms
Lead is toxic to humans, and there is no safe level of exposure.
Children from low-income households and those who live in housing built before 1978—before lead in paint was banned by the federal government—are at the greatest risk of lead exposure, the CDC warns.
Symptoms of lead poisoning are often difficult to detect, particularly in children, and may not appear until dangerously high levels accumulate.
In children, the signs and symptoms of lead poisoning may include tiredness, fatigue, vomiting, irritability, loss of appetite, hearing loss, constipation, and seizures.
Symptoms of lead exposure in adults include headaches, abdominal pain, vomiting, anemia, muscle aches and pain, irritability, fatigue, high blood pressure, and reproductive issues, the agency said. source
At least the FDA is taking this serious, but it seems crazy to me that no one was checking contaminants in food! The FDA was trusting the food manufacturers to test, but it was not mandatory.
Something smells awfully fishy to me.
So glad at least something’s being said. Mexican cinnamon, sold in stores, used in foods, is very cheap& can cause liver damage at certain levels. Ceylon cinnamon is expensive, but acts very effectively to control blood sugar& does not cause harm. It is one of the spices from the fabled Spice Islands. Navies were built, wars were fought, and Empires were made on the trade routes to get these spices. They were medicinal, as well as culinary treasures.
I will contact my senator. China
matters interest her. She’s working against their influence. China is buying up agricultural properties, taking over meat processing plants. Smithfield & all it’s affiliates are China owned.
It has been said that the high lead content in the Roman aqueducts, and other items like cookware were a cause of the downfall of the Romans .
Lead poisoning.
One of my favorite things is dark chocolate. Some brands , even expensive ones, may have excessive lead.
I grew up playing with toys that had lead paint and I’m sure all the houses my parents rented had lead paint and maybe the schools i went to. Then there was a big deal about removing it when my kids were growing up. I am relatively healthy but my children have suffered allergies which get worse with age. My niece and nephew have all kinds of health and behavior issues and they are somewhat younger than my kids. They cannot eat most foods anymore. My daughter is a teacher and has all kinds of special needs kids with behaviors which we think stem from foods, medicines and even vaccines they have consumed.
Really surprised about this lead issue coming up again. I thought the food manufactures were under strict supervision. When i worked for a distributor of fluid power products we did not sell to the food manufacturers b/c of the strict need to keep the food uncontaminated.
Despite all this it is really amazing how much our bodies can deal with and recover from. We have an amazing designer!
We sure do have an AMAZING designer!
Amen! And he designed His own detoxing agents as well. I also have multiple allergies, but I try natural products carefully to see if I can tolerate them. Milk thistle works great for me. In the “ old days” they used “ spring tonics” to clear the body of whatever. Some popular ones are – dandelion, milk thistle, yellow dock. My liver # were improved after taking these. My blood sugar# good, since using Ceylon cinnamon. My cholesterol ok , I think because of Norwegian cod liver oil liquid, not capsules. I was just taken off blood pressure meds. Don’t need them anymore. Eating greens is important. Kale, spinach, etc.
Bon appetite’ and saying Grace to our Great Provider.