Washington, DC: Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), a senior member of the House Oversight Committee,reintroduced the Baby Food Safety Act of 2026, legislation to establish enforceable limits on toxic heavy metals in infant and toddler food and strengthen testing and transparency requirements for manufacturers. The legislation is co-sponsored by Representatives Melanie Stansbury (D-NM), Seth Magaziner (D-RI), Emilia Sykes (D-OH), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Madeleine Dean (D-PA), and Ted Lieu (D-CA), as well as Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC).
“For years, parents have been forced to navigate a marketplace where too many baby foods contain dangerous levels of toxic heavy metals, and the federal government has not acted quickly or effectively to fix it,” said Congressman Krishnamoorthi. “Our legislation sets clear, enforceable limits, puts real deadlines on the FDA, and requires rigorous testing and transparency from manufacturers. Parents must be able to trust that the food they’re feeding their children is safe.”
The legislation builds on Congressman Krishnamoorthi’s groundbreaking congressional investigation that uncovered dangerously high levels of toxic heavy metals in leading baby food products and helped spur federal action on the issue.
The Baby Food Safety Act would require the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to set limits on dangerous contaminants—including lead, cadmium, mercury, and arsenic—in baby food, while mandating regular testing, recordkeeping, and accountability across the industry. The legislation improves the FDA’s “Closer to Zero” initiative by establishing enforceable timelines and a structured process to drive continuous reductions in toxic exposure. It also complements state-level laws that require testing and public disclosure of contaminant levels.
“The need to establish public health limits on toxic elements in baby food is long overdue,” said Brian Ronholm, Director of Food Policy at Consumer Reports. “Parents and caregivers need assurances that the food they feed their babies won’t increase health risks. Consumer Reports commends Rep. Krishnamoorthi for his continued work on this issue.”
The bill is also endorsed by the Environmental Defense Fund.
