American Heart Association reports most pre-packaged meals, snacks for toddlers contain too much salt
April 3, 2013
New Orleans, LA – Nearly 75 percent of commercial pre-packaged meals and savory snacks for toddlers are high in sodium, according to research presented at the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology and Prevention/Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism 2013 Scientific Sessions.
In the first study to look at the sodium content in U.S. baby and toddler foods, researchers compared the sodium content per serving of 1,115 products for babies and toddlers using data on major and private label brands compiled by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
Some toddler meals had as much as 630 mg of sodium per serving. (Courtesy American Heart Association)
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Sues Maxfield & Oberton Over Hazardous Buckyballs® and Buckycube™ Desk Toys
July 30, 2012
Action Prompted by Ongoing Harm to Children from Ingested Magnets
Washington, D.C. – In an effort to prevent children from suffering further harm, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) staff filed an administrative complaint against Maxfield & Oberton Holdings LLC, of New York, NY, alleging that Buckyballs and Buckycubes contain a defect in the design, packaging, warnings, and instructions, which pose a substantial risk of injury to the public.
The Commission voted 3-1 to approve the filing of the complaint, which seeks, among other things, an order that the firm stops selling Buckyballs and Buckycubes, notify the public of the defect, and offer consumers a full refund.
Buckyballs® High Powered Magnets Sets that were Recalled by Maxfield and Oberton in May 2010.
Two Strangulation Deaths Prompt Summer Infant to Recall Video Baby Monitors with Cords
February 15, 2011
Firm to Provide New On-Product Label and Instructions
Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), in cooperation with Summer Infant Inc., of Woonsocket, RI, is announcing the voluntary recall to provide new on product label and instructions for about 1.7 million video baby monitors with electrical cords.
The cords can present a strangulation hazard to infants and toddlers if placed too close to a crib. Because of this serious strangulation risk, parents and caregivers should never place these and other corded cameras within three feet of a crib.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXhuZivjxUk[/youtube] [Read more]
Consumer Reports’ tests find some items high in heavy metals are still on the market
September 8, 2010
Cell phone charm from Claire’s caused greatest concern
Yonkers, NY — Consumer Reports’ latest tests of 30 children’s and household products found three items containing worrisome levels of heavy metals: A metal and rhinestone hair barrette with a high level of total cadmium, a cell-phone charm with lead levels so high it would be illegal if it were considered a children’s product, and samples of a popular children’s vinyl raincoat that were purchased in late 2009 and had parts that exceeded legal lead limits for children’s products. The raincoat was reformulated and labeled “100 % lead free” and CR’s tests of the newer version showed it contained only low or trace amounts of lead.
Four years after CR began routinely checking consumer products for heavy metals, and two years after sweeping rules sought to limit lead in children’s products, CR examined a variety of children’s products and household items that seemed likely to contain heavy metals, based on past recalls and the magazine’s previous tests. Of the more than 30 products CR tested using an initial screening method called X-Ray fluorescence (XRF), 14 showed relatively high levels. They were sent for further testing to an outside lab to determine total amounts of lead, cadmium, and mercury. [Read more]
