Popular kids’ food Lunchables has been found to contain large amounts of lead and ingredients linked to cancer in its pre-packaged meals, according to a new study.
12 Lunchable products were tested by Consumer Reports, which found that five contained over 50% more lead than California’s legal amount.
Following the revelations, the quick-fix children’s lunch product, which has been used by parents for decades, could soon be removed from the shelves.
Amy Keating, a dietitian at Consumer Report, stated:
“There’s a lot to be concerned about in these kits.”
“They’re highly processed, and regularly eating processed meat, a main ingredient in many of these products, has been linked to increased risk of some cancers.” added Keating.
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Lunchables found to contain relatively high lead levels https://t.co/tAEGCeGXBw
ABC News 7 reported:
Consumer Reports said sodium levels in the store-bought lunch and snack kits it tested ranged from 460 to 740 milligrams per serving, or “nearly a quarter to half of a child’s daily recommended limit for sodium.” The group found that sodium levels in the turkey and cheddar school versions of Lunchables contained 930 mg of sodium compared to 740 mg in the store-bought version.
Consumer Reports said it tested 12 store-bought versions of Lunchables and similar ready-to-eat meal kits, including from Armour LunchMakers, Good & Gather, Greenfield Natural Meat Co. and Oscar Mayer, and also found lead, cadmium, or both in all, although none of the kits exceeded any federal limit. The testing also surfaced high levels of sodium in the other lunch kits.
Cadmium has been linked to kidney and bone disease and cancer, according to the World Health Organization. As natural elements, heavy metals such as lead and cadmium are in the soil in which crops are grown and thus can’t be avoided. Some crop fields and regions, however, contain more toxic levels than others, partly due to the overuse of metal-containing pesticides and ongoing industrial pollution.
“Lunchables are not a healthy option for kids and shouldn’t be allowed on the menu as part of the National School Lunch Program,” Brian Ronholm, director of food policy at Consumer Reports, said.
“The Lunchables and similar lunch kits we tested contain concerning levels of sodium and harmful chemicals that can lead to serious health problems over time.”
“The USDA should remove Lunchables from the National School Lunch Program and ensure that kids in schools have healthier options,” he added.
The Daily Mail reported:
The school cafeteria version of the Lunchables was found to contain between 460 to 740 milligrams per serving, which is ‘nearly a quarter to half of a child’s daily recommended limit for sodium’ – no more than 1,500 mg per day for four- to eight-year-olds.
Consumer Reports found that the turkey and cheddar school variety of Lunchables contained 930 mg of sodium, while the store-bought version contained 740 mg.
None of the kits tested exceeded any federal limits, but five of the 12 kits exceeded California’s maximum allowable dose level (MADL) for lead or cadmium, which was used because there are no federal limits for heavy metals in most foods, and California’s are the most protective available.
Children are at a higher risk than adults because a smaller amount of lead can have a larger health effect on them.
A review of 17 studies found that being exposed to lead early in life is linked to a higher risk of criminal behavior in adulthood.
READ: GREAT RESET: Cancer Cells Discovered in Bill Gates-Backed Lab-Grown Meat
