Nestle says Gerber baby foods in China are safe after social media post
- Swiss conglomerate rejects warning from association that the products contain toxic metals ‘to a dangerous degree’
- Group says the notice, which was widely circulated, was misunderstood and meant to be internal
Nestle on Tuesday said its Gerber baby cereal products made and sold in China are safe and it had reported to authorities an association that advised its members, in a post on social media, to stop selling the products.
“All Gerber products produced in China comply with China’s food safety standards on complementary foods for infants and babies,” the Swiss multinational food and drink conglomerate said in a statement.
Chinese social media users on the weekend shared screenshots of a February 6 notice issued by an association called the Maternal and Child Industry Committee of China Commercial Economy Society, which said that Gerber products contain toxic metals “to a dangerous degree”.
The group cited a recent report by US congressional investigators who said they had found “dangerous levels of toxic heavy metals” in certain baby foods that could cause neurological damage, including Gerber.
A spokesman for the US Food and Drug Administration said it was reviewing the report by the US investigators and noted that toxic elements are present in the environment and enter the food supply through soil, water or air.
