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Maryland is now the second state in the nation to require baby food manufacturers to test their products for toxic heavy metals like lead and arsenic.

State Delegate Deni Taveras, a scientist by trade, and her Chief of Staff, Jason Nunez, a father, drafted the bill, inspired by Spotlight on America’s investigations.

The Spotlight team has reported on contamination in baby food for many years, exposing the failures of Congress and the FDA to set limits for heavy metals, which are known neurotoxins that threaten a child’s development.

Maryland’s law will have an impact far beyond the state’s borders.

The law will require a QR code on the label with testing results by January of 2026. Then, consumers will be able to scan baby food products with their phone to access key information about the presence of contaminants.

California was the first state to pass a law requiring testing of baby food, which went into effect January 1st.

Maryland’s law is named for 18-month-old Rudy Callahan, who was poisoned by lead after eating WanaBana cinnamon applesauce pouches. The pouches are now the subject of an international investigation. Lead in the cinnamon was found to be 2,000 times higher than proposed safety standards. More than 500 people have been poisoned across 44 states, mostly toddlers around Rudy’s age.

Rudy is being monitored after his exposure, but because of lead’s neurotoxic and cumulative effects, his parents tell us it’s a waiting game to see how it will impact Rudy’s development, and that he is already showing signs of speech delays.

To watch our interview with the Callahan family, click here.

Sources tell us at least six other states are looking at laws similar to Maryland’s. In the meantime, Congress has not passed federal legislation placing standards on baby food makers, and the FDA has not implemented limits on toxic heavy metals in baby food.



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