Snack food is a favorite pastime for kids, and some of their favorites include chocolate, juice, yogurt, biscuits, and cookies. According to recent reports in media outlets, some of the treats that were quite well-liked among youngsters were found to contain lead, which made several toddlers feel ill.
Lead Contamination on Children's Snacks
Pexels/George Pak
Being exposed to lead can result in significant cognitive and behavioral issues. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, heavy metals such as information can enter food products from the soil, air, water, or water supply and through industrial operations. Recently, about 22 toddlers in 14 different states became ill due to lead that was associated with contaminated pouches of cinnamon apple puree and applesauce. As a result, health officials in the United States are urging doctors to be on the lookout for probable cases of lead poisoning in children.
Based on a report from CBC News, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated that children aged one to three were among the individuals affected, and at least one of these kids had a lead in their blood level that was eight times greater than the level considered to be concerning. Headaches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, a change in activity level, and anemia were some symptoms that people reported experiencing. Children's fruit puree pouches manufactured by WanaBana apple cinnamon fruit puree, Schnucks, and Weis cinnamon applesauce are associated with an outbreak resulting from the illnesses.
As mentioned, those products were distributed both in-store and online. Lead levels in children who may have consumed the products should be determined, and parents and caregivers should refrain from purchasing or serving them. However, affected children may exhibit no symptoms, according to the experts. On the other hand, CDC mentioned that as of Thursday, Nov. 7, these cases were found in a total of 14 different states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington.
Harmful Effect of Consuming Foods that Contain Lead
Naturally occurring lead could be found in the outer layer of the Earth, which is a dangerous element. The extensive use has led to widespread environmental contamination, exposure among people, and serious implications for public health in many world regions. As they absorb four to five times as much ingested lead from any particular source as adults, young infants are especially susceptible to lead poisoning.
When lead-contaminated food is consumed, it is carried throughout the body and deposited in several organs, including the kidneys, the liver, the brain, and the bones. Lead is stored in the body, primarily in the teeth and bones, where it gradually builds up. In addition, children are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects that lead exposure can have on their health. The brain and the central nervous system are both susceptible to serious damage when exposed to high quantities of this element, which can result in unconsciousness, convulsions, and even death in extreme cases.
Kids who can pull through a severe case of lead poisoning may be left with a lasting intellectual handicap as well as behavioral issues. It is now known that lead can induce a spectrum of injuries across several different body systems, even at lower levels of exposure that do not elicit any evident symptoms. In particular, exposure to this chemical can harm a child's brain's development, leading to a lower intelligence quotient (IQ), changes in behavior such as a shorter attention span, greater antisocial behavior, and lower educational achievement.
