Earth’s Best brand baby foods are made by Hain Celestial Group, Inc. But who would imagine that a baby food might include heavy metals? The complaint for this class action alleges that certain of its Earth’s Best baby food products contain heavy metals, “including inorganic arsenic, cadmium, and lead at levels above what is considered safe for babies…”
The class for this action is all persons in Ohio who bought and consumed the products at issue from the beginning of the applicable limitations period through the date the class is certified in this case. The products at issue in this case include the following, although others may be added in Discovery:
- Stage 1: Baby Chicken & Chicken Broth
- Stage 2: Sweet Potato and Chicken Dinner
- Stage 2: Chicken & Rice
The Earth’s Best website is quoted in the complaint as saying the company “ensures a high degree of attention on to both ingredient and product quality and safety—from procuring, handling, storing, blending, and packaging through distributing Earth’s Best products to our consumer.”
Page 5 of the complaint shows images of two jars of Earth’s Best baby foods. The jars for the products bear the words “organic” and “nurturing baby the purest way[.]” Nothing suggests or admits the presence of heavy metals.
According to the complaint, the baby food market is “exploding,” with a particular increase in baby food that is organic or otherwise “healthy” in some way.
How do we know that the baby food contains heavy metals? The complaint points to a report from a US House of Representatives Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy, which it says showed that baby foods made by Hain are contaminated with “significant” levels of the heavy metals.
The complaint alleges, “Exposure to heavy metals causes permanent decreases in IQ, diminished future economic productivity, and increased risk of future criminal and antisocial behavior in children. Toxic heavy metals endanger infant neurological development and long-term brain function.”
Also, the complaint cites the subcommittee’s findings on the amounts of heavy metals Hain has allowed into its baby food, including permitting lead levels that “surpass every existing standard for lead…” and not even testing for mercury. It compares these levels with various standards for permissible levels of these substances and notes the various kinds of damage that the substances can cause in human beings.
The counts include violations of the Ohio Consumer Sales Practices Act and unjust enrichment.
Article Type: LawsuitTopic: Consumer
Most Recent Case Event
Earth’s Best Baby Foods Arsenic, Cadmium, Lead Content Complaint
February 9, 2021
Earth’s Best brand baby foods are made by Hain Celestial Group, Inc. But who would imagine that a baby food might include heavy metals? The complaint for this class action alleges that certain of its Earth’s Best baby food products contain heavy metals, “including inorganic arsenic, cadmium, and lead at levels above what is considered safe for babies…”
Earth’s Best Baby Foods Arsenic, Cadmium, Lead Content ComplaintCase Event History
Earth’s Best Baby Foods Arsenic, Cadmium, Lead Content Complaint
February 9, 2021
Earth’s Best brand baby foods are made by Hain Celestial Group, Inc. But who would imagine that a baby food might include heavy metals? The complaint for this class action alleges that certain of its Earth’s Best baby food products contain heavy metals, “including inorganic arsenic, cadmium, and lead at levels above what is considered safe for babies…”
Earth’s Best Baby Foods Arsenic, Cadmium, Lead Content Complaint