Subscribe with Feedburner

SafeMama Sponsors

Eco-friendly products for family, pets and home

Fellow Safe Mamas

Grab Our Badge!

Missions We Support

GoGoShopper.com: Daily Coupons

PR Web Coupons

Know you are protected with great local car insurance

Dec

16

Holiday Safety Tips From SafeMama

Filed Under Articles, Healthy Holidays | 4 Comments

Pin It

Hey everyone! Are you all getting jingled out like I am? My preparations are almost done and now the kids are off from school. They even slept late this morning so they are all revived and ready to drive me nutty! But I secretly love it. We have cookies to bake and neighbor gifts to construct. But I also have some safety procedures to do each year.

Now is as good a time as any to make sure your home and your gifts are safe so you can enjoy your holly jolly self into the new year. Please check out my latest article 5 Holiday Safety Tips For Your Home on the Allstate Community Blog! I appreciate your support and hope you find it helpful! Ho ho ho

Nov

3

General Mills Muir Glen Ditching BPA in Canned Tomatoes But…

Filed Under Articles, Bisphenol-A | 12 Comments

Pin It

I ran over an article at the same time that my friend from Ely Organics did on Facebook and we were questioning the accuracy of the information. So of course we started digging around and I decided to give Muir Glen a call to get clarification. Or at least as much clarification as a helpful customer service rep is allowed to give me.

The article in question, published in The Independant on November 1st said (amongst other things)

“General Mills, the US giant behind the Green Giant tinned brand, has already ditched BPA from its Muir Glen tomato range, while Campbell Soups says it has done “hundreds” of tests exploring alternatives.”

While this is definitely good news, it’s also kind of a sweeping statement that leaves more questions than comforting answers. A quick look at the Muir Glen website reveals a statement made by the company informing us that they will be transitioning to BPA free cans.

“Muir Glen has been working diligently with our can suppliers to develop and test alternative linings that do not use BPA, and we have successfully identified and tested an alternative that has proven safe and viable in our processing of tomatoes. We are transitioning to cans with liners that do not use BPA as we are canning this year’s tomato harvest.”

Great! But…. still, we’re left with the following questions: Are they on the shelves now? If not how will I know? When will the new cans BE on the shelves? and the million dollar question “What is the new lining made of?” What if it ends up being worse than BPA? Once upon a time BPA was “safe and viable” We know where that got us. So I called and here’s what I found out:

The 411: According to customer service rep I spoke to, who was quite helpful told me that the new harvest of tomatoes will be packaged in the new BPA Free lined cans. The new BPA free canned tomatoes are not yet on the shelves. They will also not be labelled BPA Free. I asked “How will customers know which ones are which?” He told me they will eventually be given a date of production and that all cans made after that date will be packaged in the BPA free cans. As of right now they do not have that date of production available. The rep recommended I call back in February to obtain a date of production.

I also inquired about the new lining and all he was able to tell me was that it was a BPA Free non-epoxy lining. Not entirely helpful but it was all he knew for now. I worry that a new lining will just lead to the same situation all over again that we have now with BPA. What is it? How did they test it? This is what keeps me up at night. I’m weird like that.

I was a little surprised when he asked me if I would like the cans to be labeled BPA Free. I practically screamed YES into his ear and he said he would pass that information along to the company. Hopefully is enough of us ask for it, that might actually happen and it will catch wind with other canned food makers.

Jun

14

Study Finds Lead In Kids Drinks

Filed Under Articles, Food Safety | 37 Comments

Pin It

One of our wonderful readers emailed me about this over the weekend (Thanks Vanessa!) and of course I was all over it, checking it out. I’m not the first to report on it but I felt it warranted SafeMama attention. A study done by the Environmental Law Foundation (ELF) revealed that a large number of juice and baby food brands, including organic brands, exceeded levels of lead that would be dangerous for the 6 and under age set. This infuriates me beyond belief.

It infuriates me for obvious reason but mainly because of the inclusion of the brands I have grown to trust showed up on the list. The Earth’s Best pictured here is a product I have given to my son many times. It sickens me. It’s things like this that make a parent think “I give up! Everything is toxic!” and is really discouraging. So many parents strive to find the best products, the safest products, the best food, buy organic, for our kids only to find out that the things we thought we did right were not. Who would think a box of organic apple juice could possibly contain LEAD?!

They have published the list of products tested for lead (PDF) and listed the brands that exceeded the CA Prop 65 limit of 0.5 micrograms of lead per serving and those who did not exceed it.

Update (6/15/10) This is the response I got from Earth’s Best on Facebook which is now buried by their father’s day contest submissions:

“Earth’s Best: Hi Katherine, thank you for your question. Earth’s Best Organic ® juice products are safe and meet our high standards for quality. The Environmental Law Foundation (“ELF”) claims are specific to California Proposition 65 and name over 100 companies and nearly 400 products. We do not yet have information on the report’s alleged findings on our Earth’s Best Organic® Apple Juice and are currently investigating the matter.”

Update (6/16/10) I encourage you, before you freak out entirely, to read the perspective of my friends at Z Recommends on this topic. I think it’s clear that the issue is something parents are concerned about but perhaps its gotten blown out of proportion - on purpose. Definitely something to chew on.

I have also come to a few other realizations since the publication of the study done by ELF. One is the lack of solid information. They make some very grand claims and provide very little information or details (to the public) about the study claiming its proprietary and legal sensitive. There are questions about what sizes, portions, containers, etc were actually tested and they also do not reveal the actual lead content results. I have contacted ELF and of course got no response as of yet. I assume they are busy after announcing this but I am holding out hope to get some clearer facts.

Here’s another take on it from Healthy Child Healthy World.

Apple Juices Tested that exceeded the Prop 65 lead limit:

Beech Nut 100% Apple Juice
Earth’s Best Organics Apple Juice
First Street 100% Apple Cider from concentrate
First Street Apple Juice from concentrate 100% juice
Full Circle Organic Apple Juice
Gerber 100% Juice Apple Juice
Great Value 100% No Sugar Added Apple Juice
Hansen’s Natural Apple Juice
Kroger 100% Juice Apple Juice
Langers Apple Juice 100% Juice
Minute Maid Juice Apple – 100% Apple Juice
Motts 100% Apple Juice
O Organics Organic Unfiltered Apple Juice Not From Concentrate
Old Orchard 100% Apple Juice
Parade 100% Juice Apple
Raley’s Premium 100% Apple Juice not from Concentrate
Safeway 100% Juice Apple Cider
Safeway 100% Juice Apple Juice
Stater Bros. 100% Juice Apple Juice
Sunny Select 100% Apple Juice
Trader Joe’s Certified Organic Apple Juice, pasteurized
Tree Top 100% Juice Apple Cider
Walgreens Apple Juice from concentrate 100% juice
Walnut Grove Market 100% Apple Juice

Grape Juices That Exceeded Prop 65 Lead Limits:

365 Everyday Value Organic 100% Juice Concord Grapes
First Street Grape Juice from concentrate 100% juice
Gerber 100% Juice – White Grape Juice
Great Value 100% Grape Juice
Kedem Concord Grape Juice 100% pure grape juice
Kroger Grape Juice 100% Juice
Langers Grape Juice (Concord)
Langers Red Grape Juice
O Organics Organic Grape Juice from concentrate
R.W. Knudsen Just Concord Grape Juice
R.W. Knudsen Organic Just Concord
Raley’s 100% Grape Juice
Safeway 100% Juice Grape Juice
Safeway Organic Grape Juice
Santa Cruz Organic Concord Grape Juice
Stater Bros. 100% Juice Grape Juice
Stater Bros. 100% Juice White Grape Juice
Sunny Select 100% Grape Juice
Trader Joe’s Concord Grape Juice made from fresh pressed organic concord grapes
Tree Top 100% Juice, Grape
Valu Time Grape Drink from Concentrate
Walgreens Grape Juice from concentrate 100% juice
Walnut Acres Organic Concord Grape
Walnut Grove Market Grape Juice
Welch’s 100% Grape Juice (from Welch’s Concord Grapes)
Welch’s 100% Red Grape Juice from Concentrate

ELF also tested packaged peaches, pears and fruit cocktail – all of which are listed in the document they published online. (See Here)

What Do I Do Now?

I absolutely loathe posting articles like this when I don’t have a “best course of action” or “alternative” to recommend. But really, I don’t know what the best thing is to do. But if you are concerned, like me, I would check your juice box brands and packaged fruit against the PDF and toss any offenders. Not worth the risk, right?

I have switched my son to filtered water in his packed lunches for camp and school for other reasons beyond this one, so I am one of the lucky ones to not have an issue but I know MANY people rely on boxed drinks and fruit for their kids. What worries me is that they didn’t test every brand possible, even though they tested a lot. ELF has issued a violation letter to all offending brands so hopefully measures will be taken. I know I’ll be waiting to hear a follow up from ELF n the status of this issue and will certainly post follow up here on SafeMama.

In the meantime, I am going to be writing a few letters to the offending brands I have used in hopes that some outraged parents like myself can get these companies to do more proactive testing in areas like this.

Here is an NPR story transcript on the subject.

Jun

2

Toxic America Premiers Tonight on CNN

Filed Under Articles | Comments Off

Pin It

I don’t usually post about television here on SafeMama but I thought this was particularly relevent, and exciting that this information is making it to CNN. A two part televised look at “Toxic America” – hosted by Sanjay Gutpa, MD, the medical correspondent for CNN. In the two part series, the first which debuts tonight called Toxic Town, starts with a look at Mossville, Louisiana. The residents who have been struggling for decades to get government help for problems they say are related to toxic chemical plants (specifically the PVC plant in town). After a year-long study, Dr. Gupta goes on location to investigate and try to get answers.

Tomorrow night in the second part, Toxic Childhood, is where they’ll focus on the hidden effects of toxins on all of us, especially pregnant mothers. The team dissects the latest science on how to minimize risks to pregnant woman and children form potentially harmful chemicals found in the air, in homes, food and in common household products.

To watch, or set your DVR to record starting tonight June 2,2010 at 8pm on CNN. Check your local listings for channel.

CNN also has a great article and video on the Dirty Dozen, taping into pesticides in produce. Not new information to us but some might want to see the coverage of it on CNN.

May

28

New FDA Research Says Vitamin A Additive in Sunscreens May Speed Skin Tumors

Filed Under Articles, Skin Care | 13 Comments

Pin It

Scary headline, huh? Some of you may have already read about this and I wish I had been able to post about it sooner but my kids are off from school and I’ve barely even had time to sit down let alone type. Anyway, recent research came to the surface from an FDA study that indicates that a semi common additive in sunscreens, Vitamin A or retinyl palmitate, may actually speed the growth of skin tumors and lesions when exposed to sunlight.

The Environmental Working Group released their Sunscreen Guide for this year and I know I have questioned their recommendations in the past. I believe I was right in my skepticism in years past. But this time they have done a stellar job checking out basically every sunscreen known on the market, and I agree with just about all of their top choices. Included in their new guide is a detailed run down of the new research findings from the FDA study, so if you are so inclined to read the whole shebang, by all means, do check it out.

Why Is It Used? Retinyl palmitate is added to sunscreens because of its anti aging effects as an antioxidant. About 41% of all sunscreens contain it (according to EWG). It’s also used in cosmetics and other skin care items but based on the information released by the FDA they are “concerned” about the safety of its use in topical applications.

This means a slight need for a revision to SafeMama’s Sunscreen Cheat Sheet for this year because I strive to select the safest of the safest while also trying to provide choices. But I feel this is enough to warrant a revision to the list. I will post an update once I have thoroughly reviewed the items we have listed.

My question to our readers is would you rather us remove any sunscreens containing Vitamin A or retinyl palmitate – or would you rather we apply a notation to the products listing making readers aware of its presence? My knee jerk reaction was to remove any offenders completely but sometimes that generates a lot of questions so I am open to my lovely readers feedback on this one. So far it seems that Mexitan is the only brand containing retinyl palmitate. What say you?

May

18

Government Bans DHA/ARA Additives in Organic Baby Formula

Filed Under Articles, Food Safety | 23 Comments

Pin It

I have to thank Janelle from Healthy Child for reminding me to post about this. I read about it a few days ago and have been meaning to share it here. Since we published our Formula Analysis, it became evident that just about all organic baby formula uses the DHA/ARA additive using a controversial extraction method that uses a potential neurotoxin called hexane. With the exception of Nature’s One, which uses an aqueous process to extract the additive (although they do not add it to their formula – it is provided as a separate product you can add yourself) all organic formulas use the DHA/ARA extracted with hexane. Almost all the companies I spoke to said much of the same thing. That there is no detectable hexane levels in the formulas and that this hexane extraction method (most commonly coming from a company called Martex Corporation) is the “only FDA approved method of DHA extraction”, which I think isn’t the case but that’s another article.

The Department of Agriculture had said three years ago that this DHA additive “violated federal standards and should be banned from products carrying the federal organic label“. That was of course overruled by a USDA manager who was being heavily lobbied by formula makers.

This decision by the Obama administration to ban the additives from organic food is a good step in the direction we all want things to go. Better regulations on organic food and more confidence from consumers that the USDA seal actually means something and isn’t governed by deals and lobbyists. Of course, the executives who have a monetary interest in seeing these additives remain in organic food will lobby against this decision. But in the meantime the USDA will craft guidelines in phasing out the additives.

SOURCE

Update: I want to make it clear that this ban was limited to organic baby formula and baby food. I also think personally that the addition of DHA to baby formula is a positive thing and by no means should anyone stop using products containing DHA, including Milk or supplements. I’m merely interested in the processing methods and what that means for organic baby products.

Feb

1

Scientists Link Flame Retardants to Reduced Fertility

Filed Under Articles | Comments Off

Pin It

We’ve covered the basics of flame retardants in the past. But new studies show that Flame Retardants may reduce Fertility.

Epidemiologists from the University of California at Berkeley studied 223 pregnant women in California’s Salinas Valley, an agricultural community with predominantly low-income, Mexican immigrants. More than 97 percent of the women had PBDEs in their blood, and those with high levels were half as likely to conceive in any given month as the women with low levels.

That’s not to say that this is a problem that is only relegated to low-income Mexican immigrants. Having been through fertility treatments in order to conceive, I constantly question what was the cause of my fertility issues. I’m sure it was a combination of things, but I will forever wonder if my journey towards a greener lifestyle is what helped me become pregnant a second time. Of course, I’ll never know, but that’s what I like to believe.

We listed the ways to avoid PBDE’s in the prior post, and the Environmental Working Group, also has ways to lower exposure in your home. One of the things that we didn’t list last time, that stands out now:

When purchasing new products look for these brands, which have publicly committed to phasing out all brominated fire retardants: Acer, Apple, Eizo Nanao, LG Electronics, Lenovo, Matsushita, Microsoft, Nokia, Phillips, Samsung, Sharp, Sony-Ericsson, and Toshiba.

We realize that taking all of these measures is expensive. I wouldn’t suggest you rent a dumpster and pitch all of your old stuff, but as it starts to need replacing, look for companies that aren’t using flame retardants. Do your research, and don’t be afraid to call a company and ask them.

Jan

22

Study Links Non-stick Chemicals to Thyroid Illnesses

Filed Under Articles, Chemicals, Food Safety | 1 Comment

Pin It

This is not shocking news to me. We wrote about safer cookware last year and the EWG has been hemming and hawing over PFOA‘s for years. A new study, done by British researchers found that people with high levels of the chemical perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in their blood have higher rates of thyroid diseases — conditions which affect the body’s metabolism.

What are PFOA‘s?

Perfluorooctanoic Acid (referred to as PFOA) is a chemical that is impervious to heat and acid, which is the main compound used in non-stick surfaces. It is commonly known as Teflon which is the brand name. This chemical can also be found in coated papers and fabrics.

The British researchers looked at 3966 American adults aged 20 and above whose blood serum was sampled between 1999 and 2006 for PFOA. They found that those with the highest PFOA concentrations (above 5.7 nanograms per milliliter) were more than twice as likely to report current thyroid disease than individuals with the lowest levels (below 4.0ng/ml).

How Can I Avoid PFOA?

Choose safer cookware. There are quite a few “green” cookware lines available on the market. I’ve used GreenPan myself but a friend of mine is really happy with the CuisineArt GreenGourmet line of cookware. Cast iron and plain ol’ stainless cookware are safer bets too.

Avoid certain brand names. Teflon, Zonyl, Stainmaster, Staindefender, Silverstone and Scotchgard are a few of the brands that contain or produce the chemicals in question.

Jan

12

Cadmium in Children’s Jewelry

Filed Under Articles, Toy Safety | Comments Off

Pin It

A few friends have mentioned this recent news to me and I’ve been meaning to talk about it here for a while. Children’s jewelry tends to pop up often in CPSC’s recall notices quite a bit due to lead. But now in the news is cadmium in childrens jewelry. Let’s talk about cadmium. Cadmium is a soft blueish-white metal that occurs naturally in certain soil and is used many times in rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries, but also is used in pigments, electroplating to prevent corrosion on metal and as a stabilizer in plastic. Why is it a concern? Cadmium is highly toxic and carcinogenic (causes cancer).

So why is it in childrens jewelry? Good question. A while back the CPSC came down on jewelry manufacturers for using lead in children’s jewelry so those manufacturers looked for an alternative. That alternative was cadmium. Its cheap and easy to work with, but is just as if not more toxic and dangerous to kids than lead.

Children can be exposed by sucking or biting such jewelry. But without direct exposure, most people do not experience its worst effects: cancer, kidneys that leak vital protein and bones that spontaneously snap.

The worrisome results came in tests of bracelet charms sold at Walmart, at the jewelry chain Claire’s and at a Dollar N More store. High amounts of cadmium also were detected in “The Princess and The Frog” movie-themed pendants.

Eighty-nine items were free of cadmium.

I hate to say it but I would avoid metal kids jewelry if at all possible (costume jewelry, charms, pendants, etc) – especially if your child tends to put stuff in their mouths. They pop up in the recall notices constantly, are cheaply made in usually China, and yes the little girls love it but surely there are safer choices out there until regulators can get a grip on this market of items.

Read about the whole ordeal here. Also, Walmart has pulled some of the offending jewelry off their shelves but who knows how much of it was already sold to unknowing customers.

Sep

15

Is your cell phone safe?

Filed Under Articles | 5 Comments

Pin It

cellphone Remember when we were kids, phones were attached to the wall? You generally had one line for the whole house to share, and you had to practically cut the lines so your sister would let you use the phone already! Now we live in a day in age where just about everyone has a mobile phone. I have to admit, while it’s a bit pretentious and ridiculous to see these young kids with cell phones these days (and there are emergency only options), it’s a great way to keep track of your kids.

But, there’s the whole debate on whether or not your mobile phone is emitting radiation, and with phones being given to younger and younger kids, it begs the question. Is your phone safe? Think about it. Their generation has no idea that we actually had to share a phone with a rotary dial. They will never know life without a cell phone.

One of our favorite organizations, The EWG has put together a great guide on the best (and worst) cell phones, ranked by the amount of radiation emits. Sadly, my beloved iPhone is one of the highest emitting phones (of course it is). You can look up your current phone as well as find the best options for your family. Not eligible for an upgrade yet? EWG has also put together some great tips to reduce your exposure:

Use a headset or speaker phone
hold phone away from your body
choose texting over talking

Read all 8 tips on reducing your exposure over at Environmental Working Group as well as much more information on the risks of children using mobile phones.

SEARCH

Subscribe with Feedburner

SafeMama Sponsors

Fellow Safe Mamas

Grab Our Badge!

Missions We Support

Dec

16

Nov

3

Jun

14

Apple Juices Tested that exceeded the Prop 65 lead limit:

Grape Juices That Exceeded Prop 65 Lead Limits:

What Do I Do Now?

Jun

2

May

28

May

18

Feb

1

Jan

22

What are PFOA‘s?

How Can I Avoid PFOA?

Jan

12

Sep

15