Are there pesticide residues in manufactured baby food?
Manufacturers take stringent precautions to make sure that pesticide residues in baby foods are kept to a minimum. Infant formula and manufactured baby food are monitored as part of the official pesticides monitoring programme overseen by the Pesticide Residues Committee (PRC). Pesticide residues have occasionally been found in baby foods at very low levels that would not harm babies. Under European law, there is a maximum residue level (MRL) of 0.01mg/kg for individual pesticides in infant formula and manufactured baby foods. In March 2005, tighter controls on these foods were introduced for a small number of pesticides that are considered more toxic and have very low acceptable daily intakes (ADIs). The level of residues of these pesticides allowed in infant formula and manufactured baby foods is now even lower, to make sure that babies and young children don’t exceed the ADI. These are precautionary measures because most of these pesticides aren’t allowed to be used in the EU.
