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119-hr-8429119th CongressWALLET

Baby Food Safety Act of 2026

Sponsored By: Representative Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8]

Introduced

Summary

Enforceable limits on lead, cadmium, mercury, and arsenic in infant and toddler foods. This bill would create a new contaminants framework that sets science-based limits, requires testing and traceability, and strengthens enforcement for baby foods and certain fruit and vegetable purees and juices.

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  • Families and caregivers: Baby foods would be subject to firm contaminant limits and routine testing in final form, increasing transparency about what is in products for infants and toddlers.
  • Manufacturers and importers: Companies would need a control program, regular sampling and testing not less than quarterly, accredited labs, and detailed records kept for at least two years or the product's shelf life. Importers must verify accuracy of records tied to these tests.
  • FDA and enforcement: The Food and Drug Administration would get deadlines to issue initial limits with final limits soon after. Lead, arsenic, and cadmium limits are targeted by the end of 2026 and mercury by 2029. The agency could require public evidence summaries, obtain records remotely, treat excess contaminants as adulteration, and criminalize failures to follow testing and record rules.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 2 mixed.

FDA testing, inspections, and traceability plans

This bill would require the FDA to run its own sampling and testing program to check baby foods and support periodic reviews of contaminant limits. The FDA would study how many inspections are needed so imported foods meet domestic inspection levels and report to Congress within one year. The FDA would finalize a plan by Jan 20, 2027 to implement an additional traceability rule for certain foods. The FDA's annual food safety report would include more details on inspection findings and importer compliance.

Toxic element limits for baby food

This bill would require the FDA to set maximum levels for lead, cadmium, mercury, and arsenic in baby foods and in foods mostly made of fruit or vegetable purees or juices. The FDA would publish proposed limits for lead and arsenic by Dec 31, 2026; cadmium by Apr 30, 2027; and mercury by Apr 30, 2029, take at least 45 days of public comment, and finalize each limit within 18 months. Limits would have to reflect levels that can harm infants and consider how avoidable the contaminant is in production. The FDA would review the limits at least every 4 years.

New testing and record rules for baby-food makers

This bill would require facilities that make baby food or fruit and vegetable purees to have written sampling and testing programs. Beginning within 180 days, facilities would collect representative final-product samples and test at least quarterly and after major changes for lead, cadmium, mercury, and arsenic. Tests would have to be done by accredited labs and facilities would keep sampling and test records for at least 2 years or the product's shelf life. The FDA could request records remotely. Failure to follow the testing, sampling, or record rules would be a new prohibited act and could carry criminal penalties. The testing and sampling requirements would not start until two years after enactment.

Importers must verify baby-food records

This bill would require importers of baby food and covered products to monitor and verify the accuracy of the sampling and testing records for their shipments. The change would add an explicit verification duty for importers under the importer requirements.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8]

IL • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Stansbury, Melanie A. [D-NM-1]

    NM • D

    Sponsored 4/22/2026

  • Rep. Magaziner, Seth [D-RI-2]

    RI • D

    Sponsored 4/22/2026

  • Rep. Sykes, Emilia Strong [D-OH-13]

    OH • D

    Sponsored 4/22/2026

  • Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]

    DC • D

    Sponsored 4/22/2026

  • Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]

    MI • D

    Sponsored 4/22/2026

  • Rep. DeLauro, Rosa L. [D-CT-3]

    CT • D

    Sponsored 4/22/2026

  • Rep. Dean, Madeleine [D-PA-4]

    PA • D

    Sponsored 4/22/2026

  • Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 4/22/2026

  • Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1]

    WA • D

    Sponsored 4/29/2026

  • Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7]

    IN • D

    Sponsored 5/13/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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