BARTOW, Fla. – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and first lady Casey DeSantis held a news conference Friday in Polk County to announce independent state testing of baby formulas for the presence of heavy metals and pesticides.
Current results of the testing are available to view on ExposingFoodToxins.com. Among the list of different baby formulas that the state says it’s tested, some are flagged for the presence of arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury and/or pesticides at levels that allegedly exceed what’s acceptable according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
“Of the 24 infant formulas tested, 16 of those formulas contained at least one, if not more, heavy metals that exceeded federal standard,” Casey DeSantis said. “Mercury was the most common, detected above federal benchmarks in 16 formulas. Arsenic exceeded benchmarks in five formulas, cadmium three, and lead two. Importantly, six of the formulas showed elevated metal levels in every sample purchased from different locations, and that tells us it’s not a one-off shipment or a single store issue. It points to systemic problems in sourcing or in manufacturing. But there is a silver lining, however, that is really important to mention; some of the formulas did not show elevated levels. That tells us that contamination is not inevitable. There are better choices for parents, but we have to stay on top of this and we have to drive accountability.”
Florida’s first lady framed these efforts as a federal force-multiplier, juxtaposing them with nutrition messaging from the White House.
While some of the tested formulas that were flagged are still reportedly available through Florida’s federally-funded Women, Infants and Children Program (WIC), Casey DeSantis said the state would work with federal partners to provide more options for families dependent on WIC.
The DeSantis’ were joined at Golden Ridge Groves in Bartow by Florida Lt. Gov. Jay Collins and Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo.
According to its website, Golden Ridge Groves is a family-run farm that offers seasonal experiences that celebrate Florida’s agricultural roots.
Watch the news conference again in the media player below or by clicking here.
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