Relevance of Food Labels' "Use By" and "Sell By" Statements

In another Rodale News post, the authors question "use by" and "sell by" statements on food labels. The article can be accessed here. They reference a study co-authored by the Harvard Law School Food Law and Policy Clinic and the Natural Resources Defense Council that can be accessed here.

Are Juice Companies Tricking Us?

There's a posting from Rodale News entitled "6 Surprising Ways Juice Companies Trick You" that can be accessed here. The authors reference ingredients such as fungicide and African beetles in certain products.

Gerber Childrenswear Class Action Settlement

If you purchased new Gerber children clothing containing tagless labels from 2005 through 2009 you may be included in a recent class action settlement with Gerber Childrenswear. Please see www.GCWsettlement.com for more information about the settlement and how to file a claim, or click here to visit that site.

FDA bans BPA in baby formula packaging

The Hill's RegWatch (Ben Goad) published an article yesterday, announcing that the Food and Drug Administration has finally decided to prohibit bisphenol A (BPA) from use in baby formula packaging. Click here to read the story. While a milestone for consumers, FDA did not make a finding that BPA poses health risks, though it has been linked to infertility and cancer.

Fragrance -- "Not So Sexy"

The Campaign For Safe Cosmetics recently released its report entitled "Not So Sexy/The Health Risks Of Secret Chemicals In Fragrance." You can read the report by clicking here.

Cadmium in Children's Jewelry

I've been digging into Cadmium and whether it's found in products intended for use by children. I'm particularly interested in children's products because kids are more vulnerable to chemical toxicities than are adults.

Anyway, Cadmium has reportedly been found in cheap jewelry sold by retailers like Claire's, Wal-Mart, and Target. Here's a link to a CBS story re Claire's, Wal-Mart, and Cadmium jewelry. Here's a link to TheSmartMama.com's investigation re Target.

Rather than characterizing what I've found about the nasty characteristics of Cadmium, here are a few links: Scorecard's summary; National Toxicology Program substance profile; International Agency for Research on Cancer.

And, by the way, human exposure can be via the dermal route. See e.g., Godt, et al., “The toxicity of cadmium and resulting hazards for human health”,Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology 2006, 1:22.

Rule on Lead Safety

The New York Times reported yesterday that the EPA is now on track to implement a regulation requiring the construction industry to help prevent lead poisoning in children. Congress reportedly passed the legislation in 1992, but it took a lawsuit by environmental and public interest groups to pressure EPA to issue the rule. Click here to read the article.

FDA Crackdown on Food Labels

A couple of weeks ago, ABC News published the above-entitled story. FDA Commissioner Dr. Margaret Hamburg sent letters to 17 food manufacturers concerning their deceptive food labeling. Widely recognized manufacturers such as Dreyers Grand Ice Cream, Inc., Beech-nut, and Nestle were among recipients of Dr. Hambur's letters. Click here to read the story. Click here to see the list of companies and products.

Cell Phone Radiation

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has published an article related to cell phone radiation, so you can read it by clicking here.

New Jersey Court Rules That Lawsuit Related To Baby Personal Care Products May Proceed

A federal judge in New Jersey recently upheld some consumer claims related to commonly recognized personal care products that are intended for use on infants -- namely, Johnson's Baby Shampoo and Target's Equate Tearless Baby Wash. One or both products allegedly contain methylene chloride, a substance banned by the FDA. Click here for information about methylene chloride. Click here to read the story published by Law.com.