What Is the FDA’s Closer to Zero Plan?

The United States Food and Drug Administration is responsible for evaluating the safety of our food, both domestic and imported, to ensure that the products we ingest are actually safe to consume. Food products are monitored for toxins, contaminants, and pesticides and then examined for the level of exposure and risk. Currently, the FDA has initiated its Closer to Zero plan, which outlines a strategy to reduce the exposure to toxic metals in the food eaten by babies and small children. The goal of this initiative is to reduce the risk to nearly nothing; to get it as low as it can go. 

Metals are naturally occurring elements, and it’s normal for some amount of metal to reach us through the air, soil, and water. However, it’s the level of those metals in the environment that would be of concern when we consume products grown or gathered from contaminated air, soil, or water. Geographical differences need to be considered and so does past contamination from previous industrial, manufacturing, and agricultural efforts in that area.

With some food items, metals that are good for us are being added into the food supply, such as products fortified with iron. Because modern diets seem to lack some beneficial nutrients, healthy metals are often overlooked. It is possible that through natural processes, agricultural processes, and human intervention, we can inadvertently give children and babies more heavy metals than they need. The FDA’s Closer To Zero plan outlines their efforts to reduce the amount of heavy metals in the products created specifically for use by babies and small children. The agency is committed to reducing the risk of babies and young children being exposed to toxic metals such as cadmium, arsenic, lead, and mercury through their diets. The FDA specifically targeted these groups because the bodies of babies and small children are more vulnerable to exposure to toxins due to their body size and metabolic capabilities. 

It is reassuring to see the FDA including heavy metal in our food supply in their list of drafted priorities for 2022. Reach out to us at Chelation Health Products if you have more questions about heavy metal toxicity and the food supply or would like to shop for Chelation therapy products.