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April 12 (UPI) -- The U.S. Food and Drug administration is urging Congress to pass legislation to mandate food manufacturers to test imported products for lead. Dr. Robert Califf, commissioner of the FDA, made the comment Thursday during a hearing by the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability that addressed an array of issues from COVID-19 to vaping.
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Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., ranking member of the committee, had asked Califf what was preventing his agency from inspecting products for lead in connection to hundreds of confirmed, probable and suspected cases of lead and chromium poisoning throughout the country linked to cinnamon applesauce pouches imported from Ecuador.
Califf replied that the FDA should be looked at as the referee enforcing a rule book written by Congress, with the manufacturers being the players in the sport who are the first line in defense against committing violations.
He said that generally companies do a good job on self policing, but occasionally they don't.
"And as referees, we have to really be wise about where we step in because we don't have an unlimited budget," he said. "But what we can do, for example in food for children, is have the manufacturers be required to do the testing, which is the way the drug system works."
If the manufacturers of the cinnamon applesauce had been mandated to be tested, the contaminated products would probably have been intercepted, he said.
"So you're advocating mandatory testing? You would like us to give you that authority?" Raskin asked.
"Yes," Califf said.
According to the U.S. Disease Control and Prevention, there have been at least 519 confirmed, probable and suspect cases of lead and chromium poisoning traced to imported applesauce pouches produced by brands WanaBana, Schnucks and Weis.
Lead exposure in children is associated with learning and behavior problems, as well as hearing and speech issues and slowed growth and development, the federal agency said.
