Happy Tot Serves ‘Alarming’ Levels of Lead In Baby Food, Claims Lawsuit

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Nurture, Inc, along with Whole Foods and Target, have been accused of selling Happy Tot brand baby food that may contain dangerous levels of lead in a lawsuit filed in California Tuesday.  

The Ecological Alliance filed the complaint claiming that two particular products were found to contain far higher levels of lead than deemed safe. Defendant Nurture makes Happy Tot baby food products, while Whole Foods and Target, also named in the lawsuit, sell the lion’s share, according to the plaintiff.  

“Whole Foods wouldn’t sell an apple grown with pesticides, yet they keep selling baby food containing appalling amounts of lead to unsuspecting parents,” a lawyer representing the Ecological Alliance said in a statement after the lawsuit was filed. 

Happy Tot Cheese & Spinach Ravioli with Marinara Sauce contains 12 times the maximum safe amount of lead, while just one of the brand’s Apples and Spinach Soft-Bakes Oat Bars contain more lead than an infant or toddler should consume in an entire day, says the lawsuit.  

The Ecological Alliance says that independent testing of baby food and other products revealed dangerously high levels of lead in the two Happy Tot products. However, the plaintiff notes that lead exposure at any level is hazardous for children.  

“Let’s be clear: No amount of lead is safe for a child to consume, although low levels are allowed by law due to naturally occurring lead in the soil,” noted the plaintiff’s lawyer.  

The lawsuit notes that the testing was conducted to determine whether the products complied with California laws requiring manufacturers to warn consumers about toxins.  

“Not warning parents of dangerous lead levels is a violation of California law, but it’s really a human rights violation. A baby food company should know lead hurts children and should never sell a product with this much lead,” continued the lawyer in his statement.  

The division of Nurture that makes the Happy Tot products, Happy Family Organics, says that all of its products must pass “rigorous” safety tests on its website.  

“We can say with the utmost confidence that all Happy Family Organics products are safe for babies and toddlers to enjoy and we are proud to have best-in-class testing protocols in our industry,” says the website. “We only sell products that have been rigorously tested and we do not have products in-market with contaminant ranges outside of the limits set by the FDA.” 

Heavy metals can enter foods through soil or water and can be introduced through additives and mixes, according to recent research. Pediatricians say that while the levels found in single baby food items do not pose a significant health risk to babies, long-term exposure can cause lasting neurodevelopmental disabilities in children. 

Gerber, Earth’s Best, Nurture, Plum Organics, Beech Nut, Walmart, and other baby food producers face multiple legal actions over allegations their products contain toxic ingredients.   

In April, the Food and Drug Administration released an action plan to reduce the levels of lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury found in baby foods after facing strong political and community pressure. 

Have you purchased Happy Tot baby food products? Are concerned that they may contain lead? Tell us in the comment section below! 

The plaintiff is represented by Vineet Dubey of Custodio & Dubey LLP. 

The Happy Tot Toxic Baby Food Class Action Lawsuit is Ecological Alliance v. Nurture Inc., Case No. 21STCV22139 in Los Angeles Superior Court.  

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