California Mandates Disclosure of Heavy Metal Levels in Baby Food for Companies

Starting in January 2025, baby food manufacturers selling in California will be required to disclose test results for four heavy metals—arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury—via a QR code on product packaging. This mandate, introduced by Assembly Bill 899 (AB 899), was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom in October 2023 and calls for monthly testing of baby food for these contaminants.

Manufacturers must include a QR code on their packaging, which links to publicly available test results, including batch numbers and relevant information from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on toxic heavy metals.

Response to Heavy Metal Contamination
California's decision to implement AB 899 follows a 2021 U.S. Congressional report revealing dangerously high levels of heavy metals in major baby food brands, including arsenic levels up to 91 times the legal limit for drinking water and lead levels up to 177 times higher.

Sarah Sorscher, director of regulatory affairs at the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), emphasized the responsibility of manufacturers to ensure safe products. She noted that while consumers may use the information to research baby food brands, it is the manufacturers' duty to prevent contamination, particularly in food for young children. She also pointed out that the U.S. lacks comprehensive standards for heavy metal contamination in food, with the FDA only recently finalizing voluntary action levels for lead in children's food.

QR Code Transparency
To comply with the new law, brands must conduct monthly testing and provide consumers with easy access to the results via QR codes. However, concerns have been raised about how clearly the results will be presented. Rick Andrew, a product certification consultant, warned that without proper context, the data could mislead consumers and lead to poor decision-making.

On a more optimistic note, Sieh Ng, a research microbiologist at the Australian CSIRO, hailed the law as a major milestone for baby food safety. He predicted that the regulation would prompt widespread testing across the industry, with major manufacturers adopting QR codes for nationwide transparency. He also suggested that organic brands may use this as an opportunity to distinguish themselves by going above and beyond the legal requirements to demonstrate their commitment to safety and quality.

California Setting the Standard
While AB 899 currently applies only to baby food sold in California, other states are beginning to implement similar measures. Maryland will require baby food testing disclosures starting in January 2026, with manufacturers required to begin testing from January 1, 2025. On January 6, Virginia introduced House Bill 1844, which would mandate heavy metal transparency starting in January 2026. The bill would also prohibit the sale of baby food exceeding FDA-stipulated heavy metal limits and require consumers to report products exceeding these limits.

California's regulations often set trends for the rest of the country, and it’s expected that the new legislation will prompt other states and manufacturers to standardize QR code labeling and transparency across all markets.