21 Pesticides Found in Baby Food Sold by Target

Lab tests of two items — the non-organic apple and the pear fruit purees for…

Children's Health Defense

A new investigation led by Friends of the Earth found an alarming number of pesticide residues in baby food manufactured and sold by Target (NYSE: TGT) under its house brand Good & Gather.

Lab tests of two items — the non-organic apple and the pear fruit purees for babies — revealed the presence of 21 pesticides, including 12 classified as highly hazardous to human health or the environment.

Neonicotinoid pesticides were present in 100% of the baby food samples tested. These chemicals have been linked to birth defects of the heart and brain, learning disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder, damage to the nervous system and hormone disruption.

Neonicotinoids are also among the most ecologically disastrous pesticides since DDT.

U.S. agriculture has become nearly 48 times more toxic to insects, including essential pollinators like bees, since the introduction of neonicotinoids. And they are a critical factor driving over 200 endangered species toward extinction, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Organophosphate pesticide metabolites (meaning the breakdown products of pesticides) were also found in 100% of the baby food samples. Scientists have called for a complete ban on organophosphates, as they are known to be highly toxic to children’s developing brains, even at low levels of exposure.

They are associated with reduced IQ, attention disorders, delayed motor development and learning disabilities. They have also been shown to harm bees, birds and aquatic organisms like fish.

In addition, 10 of the pesticides found in Target’s baby food are linked to endocrine disruption. Incredibly small amounts of endocrine-disrupting chemicals — the equivalent to one drop in 20 Olympic swimming pools — can alter brain development, hormones, immune systems and more.

Babies are particularly vulnerable to the harms of pesticides. Their brains and bodies are developing so rapidly that small exposures can result in lifelong impacts.

Children also have greater exposure to pesticides than adults because they eat more per pound of their body weight. The American Academy of Pediatrics asserts that “children’s exposure to pesticides should be limited as much as possible.”

“Pesticides are poisons. The latest science is clear that small exposures to pesticides matter and that cumulative exposures add up, particularly in tiny, rapidly developing babies,” said Kendra Klein, Ph.D., deputy director of science at Friends of the Earth.

“As a mom and scientist, it’s particularly alarming that we found so many toxic pesticides in food intended for babies. Access to clean food is a human right – especially for our kids, who are most vulnerable. ”

Five pesticides classified as highly toxic to bees and three classified as highly toxic to aquatic organisms such as fish were detected in Target’s baby food, raising serious concerns about negative impacts on biodiversity in Target’s food and beverage supply chains…