Prof. Ryan Prosser, School of Environmental Sciences, spoke to Today’s Parent magazine about what parents need to know about potential neurotoxins in baby food and baby cereals.

He explained that many heavy metals that can affect young brains occur naturally in soil and rock. He also noted that it is challenging for governments and regulatory bodies to set limits on these metals that would be both protective and achievable.

He suggested parents may want limit the amount of processed food they feed their children as well as buy more local foods whenever possible to help limit the amount of heavy metals they ingest.

Prosser researches the impacts that chemicals used in industry, agriculture and commerce, have on the environment.