FDA’s deputy commissioner for human foods, Jim Jones, has caused a firestorm by suggesting that the evidence collected by the FDA leads it to believe the lead-tainted cinnamon applesauce pouches imported into the U.S. was the result of a deliberate act.
The FDA and CDC have identified at least 65 victims in what is expected to be a much wider public health emergency. Lead poisoning impacts children greatly, in even small amounts, and has been linked to anti-social behavior, ADHA, Autism, reduced brain capacity, reduced brain elasticity, mental retardation, cognitive deficiency, drug use, lower IQ and standardized test results, and even criminal behavior in young adults.
All 65 of the victims have been less than six years old.
“so far all of the signals we’re getting lead to an intentional act on the part of someone in the supply chain and we’re trying to sort of figure that out . . . We’re going to chase that data and find whoever was responsible and hold them accountable.”
FDA’s deputy commissioner for human foods, Jim Jones
What was the purpose of poisoning cinnamon the lead? According to one expert, may not have been with the intent to target children. That would, of course, be even more frightening. However, lead is a heavy metal and would increase the weight of a product sold by the ounce, such as cinnamon. It may have been intentionally added to increase the weight of the product.
Austrofood and Wanabana USA are apparently taking steps to cover medical bills. But, says national food poisoning lawyer Ron Simon, who filed the first personal injury lawsuit in the WanaBana Lead Poisoning Outbreak, “lead poisoning is so much more dangerous than that, and simply compensating people for medical bills does not even come close to understanding the impact of lead poisoning on children’s development.”
