The plan from Sen. Laura Fine, D-Glenview, requires manufacturers to test samples of their baby food products for toxic elements like arsenic, cadmium, lead or mercury. [Health News Illinois] 

Manufacturers would also have to provide information about their product on their website, including the name and level of each toxic heavy metal found in the food and a link to the Food and Drug Administration’s website with information about the health risks of toxic heavy metal exposure for children.

Fine said the measure will provide toxin-free food that has been thoroughly tested and give parents the “peace of mind that they are giving their child the best possible nutrients.”

“Our children deserve access to safe foods to aid them in those crucial early years, and we must be proactive in our efforts to ensure food safety,” she said.

The plan unanimously passed the Senate’s Public Health Committee.

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