Behind the QR Code: How Baby Food Companies Are (and Aren’t) Complying with Toxin Testing Laws with @consumerreports Jessica D'Argenio Waller episode artwork

EPISODE · Oct 16, 2025 · 32 MIN

Behind the QR Code: How Baby Food Companies Are (and Aren’t) Complying with Toxin Testing Laws with @consumerreports Jessica D'Argenio Waller

from Baby-Led Weaning with Katie Ferraro · host Katie Ferraro

#66: How are parents supposed to navigate picking baby foods that contain the least amount of harmful toxins if food companies don’t disclose that info? A new California law, AB 899, requires baby food companies to test for toxic elements like lead and arsenic—and to post those results online. But when Consumer Reports writer and nutritionist Jessica D’Argenio Waller investigated 39 popular baby food brands, she found that some are making it nearly impossible for parents to access that information. In this episode Jessica joins me to explain what AB899 means for parents everywhere (...not just in California), which companies are stepping up with true transparency and why finding out what’s really in your baby’s food shouldn’t require a scavenger hunt. Listen to this episode to learn: 1. What California’s new baby food transparency law requires…and why it matters even if you don’t live in California 2. How Consumer Reports investigated the 39 baby food brands they studied…and which ones you probably won’t be buying anymore 3. Why you can’t totally prevent toxic element exposure for your baby (even if you don’t buy baby food), but how you can minimize risk if you’re doing baby-led weaning Shownotes for this episode can be found here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.babyledweaning.co/podcast/66⁠ Links from this episode: • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get $10 off first year of Consumer Reports membership when you sign up here (this is not an affiliate link): https://www.cr.org/blw • Baby-Led Weaning with Katie Ferraro program with the 100 First Foods™ Daily Meal Plan, join here: ⁠https://babyledweaning.co/program⁠ and get $50 off when you sign up using the code BLWPOD50 • Baby-Led Weaning for Beginners free online workshop with 100 First Foods™ list to all attendees, register here: ⁠https://babyledweaning.co/baby-led-weaning-for-beginners⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Other episodes related to this topic: •  Episode 208 Heavy Metals in Baby Food with @consumerreports James E. Rogers, PhD • Episode 232 Tuna Talk: Is it Safe for Babies to Eat Canned Tuna with @consumerreports Michael K. Hansen, PhD • Episode 394 How Heavy Metal Levels in Baby Food Have & Haven't Changed in 5 Years with @consumerreports James E. Rogers, PhD • Episode 474 How to Pick Your Next Breast Pump with @consumerreports Angela Lashbrook • Episode 448 The Plastic Chemicals Hiding in Your Baby’s Food with Consumer Reports' James E. Rogers, PhD • Episode 482 - High Chair Safety Testing with @consumerreports Joan Muratore 🌱 🌱🌱🌱 🌱 Not sure about which foods to offer your baby next? Get your copy of my original 100 FIRST FOODS list on my free online video workshop called ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BABY-LED WEANING FOR BEGINNERS⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 💯 💯 💯 💯 💯 Want guided help on how to make all of the 100 FIRST FOODS™ safely for your baby? My program BABY-LED WEANING WITH KATIE FERRARO has a 100 FIRST FOODS daily meal plan and everything else you need to start solid foods safely with baby-led weaning. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠CLICK HERE TO JOIN⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. and save $50 off when you sign up using the code BLWPOD50. 👀 👀 👀 👀 👀 Be sure to follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@babyledweanteam⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on Instagram and our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Baby-Led Weaning YouTube channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for more information about helping your baby transition to solid foods safely. 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 If you learned something from this episode and like this podcast, your review means the WORLD to us and helps other parents find this important evidence-based infant feeding info. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to leave a review on Apple podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠rate this show on Spotify podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and thanks for being a part of this amazing and supportive baby-led weaning community! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Oct 16, 2025

Embed this episode

NOW PLAYING

Behind the QR Code: How Baby Food Companies Are (and Aren’t) Complying with Toxin Testing Laws with @consumerreports Jessica D'Argenio Waller

0:00 32:45

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Baby-Led Weaning with Katie Ferraro?

This episode is 32 minutes long.

When was this Baby-Led Weaning with Katie Ferraro episode published?

This episode was published on October 16, 2025.

Can I download this Baby-Led Weaning with Katie Ferraro episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!