0 Drowning is leading cause of unintentional death among children 1 to 4

A report by the Consumer Product Safety Commission finds that there were more than 400 deaths over a five year period among children 5 years old and younger due to unintentional drowning in the home.

It can take just a few inches of water for a young child to drown. The CPSC is urging parents to look for and protect against drowning risks inside and around their homes.

The report on in-home drownings and non-fatal submersions in products including bathtubs, buckets, and bath seats, as well as other products, shows that from 2006 to 2010, there were 684 incidents involving children younger than five, including more than 434 deaths and 233 injuries.

Of the reported fatalities, 28 percent involved a lapse in supervision, such as a parent or caregiver leaving the bathroom to answer the phone or door, or retrieving a towel. In 23 percent, the child was left with another child, usually older. In 10 percent, the child was found in a product outside the home, like decorative yard equipment or a bucket. And another 3 percent were found inside the home in a bucket, container or trash basket that was being used for cleaning.

For tips on how to give your baby a bath safely, follow our safety advice for baby's bath time, including never leaving your baby unattended during bath time, filling the tub with as little water as possible, and always empty the tub immediately after bath time.

And follow the CPSC's child bath safety tips as well, including the following:
CPSC's drowning prevention safety tips include:

• Always keep a young child within arm's reach in a bathtub.
  
• Don't leave a baby or young child in a bathtub under the care of another child.
  
• Never leave a bucket containing even a small amount of liquid unattended. Toddlers are top heavy and they can fall headfirst into buckets and drown. After using a bucket, always empty and store it where young children cannot reach it. Don't leave buckets outside where they can collect rainwater.
  
• Consider placing locks on toilet seat covers in case a young child wanders into the bathroom.
  
• Learn CPR. It can be a lifesaver when seconds count.

Consumer Reports safety experts advise against using infant bath seats and inflatable bath tubs. For more read our dangerous bath products report, which is part of our Baby bathtub buying guide.

Source:
In Home Danger: CPSC Warns of Children Drowning in Bathtubs, Bath Seats and Buckets [CPSC]

0 Consumers Union calls for investigation into dangers posed to children by single-use detergent packs

Today Consumers Union, the advocacy arm of Consumer Reports, asked the Consumer Product Safety Commission to take steps regarding the dangers posed to children from single-use detergent packets. Since the beginning of the year, poison-control centers have received almost 3,000 calls regarding exposure to single-use laundry and dishwasher detergent packs involving children five and younger.

Single-use laundry detergent packets, similar to what we've seen in dishwashers for years, are the latest thing in detergent and the fastest growing segment of the industry. The small size of the packets makes them attractive to children, and the bright colors and squishy textures of some packaging could be enticing children. In some cases, children who ingested a pod have been put on ventilators or undergone surgery to treat swelling and ulceration injuries from exposure to the detergents.

In a letter addressed to Inez Tenenbaum, chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, Consumers Union asks the agency to consider regulations to require adequate child-safe packaging, as well as prominent warning labels:

"We are concerned that the old packaging is still being sold in stores. All manufacturers should step up their efforts to make these products safer and to prevent easy access by children. In addition to improving the packaging (through effective child-resistant packaging and prominent warning labels, for example), manufacturers should consider changing the color of these products or package them in opaque wrapping or plastic to make them less appealing to children."

Earlier this year, Tide added a double-latched lid to the plastic tubs that hold individual Tide Pods to make the containers harder to open.

All detergents (and household cleaners) should be kept out of the reach of children. If your child does swallow one of these single-use detergent packs, call the poison-control helpline immediately at 800-222-1222, since serious effects can happen very quickly.

Also take note that our latest laundry detergent tests have found that the cleaning performance of many of these single-dose packets appears to be an issue. Our laundry detergent Ratings have plenty of better choices in both liquid and powdered detergents.

Previously:
Single-dose detergents a poisoning hazard for young children
What you need to know about single-dose laundry detergents

Source:
Consumers Union calls for investigation into safety hazards of detergent packets [Consumers Union]

0 Members of Congress introducing bill to limit arsenic in rice products

Our analysis found varying levels of arsenic in
more than 60 rices and rice products.

Three members of Congress on Friday said they are introducing the "R.I.C.E Act" to limit the amount of arsenic permitted in rice and rice-based products. The proposed legislation follows a Consumer Reports investigation that found worrisome levels of arsenic, including the inorganic form, in many of the more than 60 products tested.

There are currently no federal standards for arsenic in most foods, including rice and rice-based products.

The "R.I.C.E Act" (Reducing food-based Inorganic and organic Compounds Exposure Act) requires the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to set a maximum permissible level of arsenic in rice and food containing rice, according to a statement from the three members, Reps. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), and Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.).

"The idea that high levels of arsenic, a known carcinogen, are present in rice, cereal, and other common, everyday foods is absolutely outrageous," DeLauro said. "The federal government has an obligation to every American family to ensure that the food they consume is safe and should not make them sick. This is not the first time we have been alerted to the dangers of arsenic, and quite simply we must do more to ensure that our food supply is safe."

Urvashi Rangan, Ph.D., director of safety and sustainability at Consumer Reports, welcomed the move. "Our tests show that there is a real need for these kinds of limits," Rangan said. "The goal of our report is to informnot alarmconsumers about the importance of reducing arsenic exposure and offer actions they can take moving forward, such as limiting their rice consumption. We believe the government needs to regulate arsenic in food, and this new bill in Congress would help establish meaningful limits on arsenic in rice and rice products."

Earlier this week, the FDA and the Illinois Attorney General's office said that their own tests of rice and products such as infant rice cereals have detected the most toxic form of arsenic at levels that were consistent with Consumer Reports' results.

While arsenic can get into rice and other plants from soil or water due to weathering of arsenic-containing minerals in the earth, humans are more to blame than Mother Nature for arsenic contamination in the U.S. today, in part due to residues of past arsenical insecticide use and continuing use of fertilizers that contain arsenic.

For more of our coverage, check out Arsenic in your food and Arsenic in your juice, plus our chart detailing the root of the arsenic problem.

Sources:
DeLauro, Pallone, Lowey Introduce Legislation To Limit Arsenic In Rice [Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro]
Members of Congress Introduce "R.I.C.E. Act" to Limit Arsenic in Rice Following Consumer Reports Investigation [Consumers Union]

Consumer Reports

0 Trader Joe's peanut butter recall shows the need for tougher food safety regulations

Boutique food chain Trader Joe's has issued a nationwide safety recall for its Creamy Salted Valencia Peanut Butter, said the Food and Drug Administration. The concern over possible salmonella contamination in the 16-ounce jars of the peanut butter staple underscores the need for the Food Safety Modernization Acta toughened safety bill whose implementation has been stalled by the U.S. government for the past nine months, says Consumers Union, the advocacy arm of Consumer Reports.

According to the FDA, the agency is still investigating how the peanut butter might have become tainted with the salmonella bug. And while both the agency and supermarket chain say that no illnesses have been tied to the peanut butter, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that 29 illness have been reported in 18 states. Trader Joe's says its Creamy Salted Valencia Peanut Butter is being recalled and pulled off shelves "out of an abundance of caution."

Still, the current peanut butter recalland last year's recall of Smucker's chunky peanut butterfor salmonella-based health risks emphasized the need for stricter food safety regulations.

Jean Halloran, Ph.D., director of food-policy initiatives for Consumer Reports, says the regulations to carry out the Food Safety Modernization Act, a bill passed by Congress in January of last year in part because of the Peanut Corporation of America fiasco of 2009 remains stalled with the Office of Management and Budget review process. Says Halloran:

FDA has drafted the rules that are designed to prevent problems like this. Without them, we can't even be sure that the peanut butter sandwiches we send to school in our kids' lunches will be safe. OMB should release the rules now.

If you're looking for alternative for your kids' weekday lunches, see our story on how to make healthy school lunches your kids will love. And for more information about how to get involved with food safety, see our website: NotInMyFood.org.

Source:
Trader Joe's Voluntarily Recalls Creamy Salted Valencia Peanut Butter Because of Possible Health Risk [FDA]
A Note To Our Customers About Trader Joe's Creamy Salted Valencia Peanut Butter Recall [Trader Joe's]
Trader Joe's recalls peanut butter linked to salmonella outbreak [Associated Press via NY Daily News]

0 Teens are learning distracted driving behavior from parents

Risky driving behavior by teenagers is too often learned through observing their parents, according to a new survey. About 90 percent of the teens report observing their parents talking on a cell phone while driving, while 88 percent said they saw them speed.

Conducted by Liberty Mutual Insurance and SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions), the survey of 1,700 11th and 12th graders finds these teens witness frequent, dangerous driving behavior by their parents. And the teens mimic these bad practices.

Behavior	Parents (observed)	Teens (self-reported)
Talking on cell phone while driving	91	90
Speeding	88	94
Texting	59	78
Driving without a seat belt	47	33
Driving under the influence of alcohol	20	15
Driving under the influence of marijuana	7	16

"The best teacher for a teen driver is a good parental role model," says Stephen Wallace, senior advisor for policy, research and education at SADD.

Whether you're a parent, friend, or sibling, set a good example. Stop the car in a safe place if you need to use a cell phone. And if you're riding with a driver compelled to talk or text with a phone, offer to do it for them. Using a phone behind the wheel can be tempting, but the risks are real and truly not worth it.

Driving under the influence or not wearing a seatbelt are foolish choices. These are not new risks and the consequences are well established. Any responsible driver knows better.

For more information, visit our guide to distracted driving.

0 Sony's new PlayStation 3 is slim, light, and on sale soon

Photo: Sony

Sony has announced some upcoming updates to its console-gaming line, including a slimmer PlayStation 3, PlayStation Plus for the Vita hand-held console, and games for PlayStation Mobile.

Most significant, the-long rumored even-slimmer PlayStation 3 is now official: The company says it is 20 percent lighter and roughly 25 percent smaller (at 1.4 x 2.3 x 9 inches) than the current PS3 system. A $270 package goes on sale on September 25, including 250GB of memory; a couple of games, Uncharted 3: Game of the Year Edition and Dust 514; and a $30 voucher to purchase digital content for the latter, a combination first-person shooter and multiplayer online game.

Then on October 30, you'll be able to buy a $300 version of the new PS3 with 500GB of memory and Assassin's Creed III, a bloody and popular action-adventure game. The new PS3 system comes in "charcoal black"; it will be available in white as well, but only in Japan for now.

As for the PlayStation Vita, Sony's PlayStation Plus service will now be available on that hand-held gaming device. PlayStation Plus ($50 a year) gives subscribers access to free games and discounts on digital content. Sony announced a few new games for the Vita as well, but not enough to really bolster the system's thin lineup.

And finally we heard about an update to PlayStation Mobile, Sony's mobile gaming service: Exclusive games begin to arrive on October 3. 30 games will be available at launch and accessible from The PS Vita and all other PlayStation Certified mobile devicesboth phones and tablets.

We'll be purchasing and testing the new, slimmer PS3 as soon as it is available; watch for an overall update to our game-hardware buying advice soon!

Sony PlayStation Vita review
Nintendo 3DS XL offers bigger, better hand-held gaming

0 FDA, Illinois Attorney General find levels of arsenic in rice comparable to Consumer Reports' findings

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Illinois Attorney General's office said on Wednesday that their own tests of rice and products such as infant rice cereals have detected the most toxic form of arsenic at levels that were consistent with Consumer Reports' results.

While there are federal limits for arsenic in drinking water, no such limits exist for most foods. Consumer Reports' food-safety experts have asked the FDA to set standards, starting with rice and fruit juices. Our previous tests found some apple and grape juices also can contain high levels of inorganic arsenic, the form that is known to cause cancer of the bladder, lung, and skin. It also increases risks for cardiovascular disease and poses special risks for pregnant women and young children.

"We understand that consumers are concerned about this matter. That's why the FDA has prioritized analyzing arsenic levels in rice," said FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg, M.D. The agency is analyzing a total of about 1,200 samples by the end of this year and on Wednesday released results for the first 200.

FDA Deputy Commissioner for Foods Michael Taylor, said, "The FDA's ongoing data collection and other assessments will give us a solid scientific basis for determining what action levels and/or other steps are needed to reduce exposure to arsenic in rice and rice products."

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan also has called on the FDA to quickly adopt federal standards to limit dietary exposure to inorganic arsenic, especially in foods eaten by babies, based on lab tests her office commissioned that detected troubling levels of inorganic arsenic in infant rice cereals, which often are a baby's first food. "Parents and caregivers should moderate the amount of rice products they feed their children, while the FDA sets standards to limit this known carcinogen in our food, " said Madigan. She suggested relying on Consumer Reports' recommendations for serving limits to reduce dietary exposure to arsenic for both children and adults.

While arsenic can get into rice and other plants from soil or water due to weathering of arsenic-containing minerals in the earth, humans are more to blame than Mother Nature for arsenic contamination in the U.S. today, in part due to residues of past arsenical insecticide use and continuing use of fertilizers that contain arsenic.

For more of our coverage, check out Arsenic in your food and Arsenic in your juice, plus our chart detailing the root of the arsenic problem and the video below from the Today Show, which features Urvashi Rangan, Ph.D., director of consumer safety and sustainability for Consumer Reports.

Source:
FDA releases preliminary data on arsenic levels in rice and rice products [FDA]

Andrea Rock

0 Tuna in schools often high in mercury, study finds

Canned white tuna served in schools has higher than expected levels of mercury, according to a study released yesterday by the Center for Science in the Public Interest and eight other consumer and environmental groups. Our previous research found similar concerns for canned tuna purchased in grocery stores.

Some children may be at greater risk from mercury in tuna than previously thought, according to the report. Independent studies indicate that mercury causes adverse effects at much lower levels of exposure than previously indicated.

The team of researchers tested the mercury content of 59 samples, representing eight brands of tuna, sold to schools in 11 states. Mercury levels in both white (albacore) and light tuna were highly variable from sample to sample, according to the report. While mercury levels were similar to what has been reported for canned tuna sold in supermarkets, the average mercury level in 11 samples of white tuna served in schools was much higher than the Food and Drug Administration's reported average, according to the report.

Test results also found that the 48 samples of light tuna averaged slightly lower mercury levels than the FDA's reported average.

"Kids who eat tuna frequently can easily get very high mercury doses," said Ned Groth, Ph.D., an environmental health scientist who prepared the report. "Some of the larger doses are clearly far too high to be acceptable."

Based on the findings, the researchers advise schools and parents not to serve any white tuna to kids and to limit consumption of light tuna to twice a month for most kids and only once a month for children under 55 pounds.

Bottom line: Only a small fraction of children probably eat enough tuna to be at risk, according to the report. But parents should monitor their children's canned tuna consumption at home and at school and offer them other seafood choices, such as shrimp and salmon, which are just as nutritious as tuna but contain far less mercury.

See our story, Mercury in Canned Tuna Still a Concern, including Lower Mercury Choices.
And see our advice for healthy school lunches.

Source
Popular Children's Lunch Contains Hidden Danger, Groups Warn [CSPI]

0 Is organic meat safer?

An article out last week about organic food argued, among other things, that while organic meat does have lower levels of antibiotic-resistant bacteria than conventionally raised meat, that really doesn't mean much since bacteria are killed during cooking anyway. Our response: Hogwash.

If that were true, "we would not have had 136 illnesses and one death from antibiotic-resistant salmonella in ground turkey last year, or an estimated tens of millions of food-borne illnesses every year," wrote Jean Halloran, Ph.D., director of food-policy initiatives for Consumer Reports, in a letter to the editor published today in the New York Times.

"Unfortunately, bacteria survive," Halloran says. "Most cooks do not treat their kitchen like a Level 4 biohazard facility. The cook may use the same knife on raw meat and salad greens. The chicken from the grill may still be a bit pink in the middle, the beef burger rare."

That rift between real-world cooking practices and the controlled world of lab studies makes organic meat the safer choice for consumers, according to Halloran.

See our report "How Safe Is That Bird?" And see our earlier blog "Don't Give Up On Organic Food".

0 Window blinds from Blinds Xpress recalled due to strangulation hazard

An example of the Blinds Xpress window blind
cord that might entrap and choke unsupervised
children.

A recall of nearly 500,000 window blinds from Blind Xpress in Linovia, Mich., has been issued by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The horizontal and custom-made vertical blinds have cords that can strangle young children, warns the federal agency.

As with previous recalls of window blinds. the Blind Xpress models have adjustment cords that might entangle unsupervised children.

Consumer-safety groups, such as Consumer Reports, and industry associations, including the Window Covering Safety Council (WCSC), have for years warned about the strangulation hazard in window blinds. The WCSC has information on basic cord safety and offers a free repair kit to modify hazardous blinds such as those from Blind Xpress.

See Consumer Reports' Designing baby's nursery for more tips on how to decorate with style and safety in mind.

If you own the recalled Xpress window blinds, immediately stop using the window coverings and contact the WCSC (800-506-4636; www.windowcoverings.org) to receive a free repair kit.

An example of how an infant can become entangled and possibly killed by an adjustment cord of another Blinds Xpress window blind. (Source: CPSC)

Source:
Death of Child Prompts Recall of Window Blinds by Blind Xpress [CPSC]

0 Don't give up on organic food, our experts urge

A new review of previous research on organic food is getting a lot of media attention for concluding that the published literature "lacks strong evidence" that organic food is significantly more nutritious than conventionally grown food. But news reports covering the findings may be oversimplifying or distorting what the study really found, according to our in-house experts, and consumers shouldn't be misled into believing that there isn't a benefit to paying more for organics, particularly for certain populations.

The review, conducted by researchers at Stanford University, was a meta-analysis of data from 240 studies comparing organically grown versus conventionally grown food. Seventeen of the studies were done in humans; the rest looked just at the foods themselves. The researchers looked at three main variables: health outcomes, nutrient levels, and levels of contaminants, including pesticide residues. They concluded that "the published literature lacks strong evidence that organic foods are significantly more nutritious than conventional foods," though consuming them "may reduce exposure to pesticide residues and antibiotic-resistant bacteria."

But the study has serious limitations, several of which the authors acknowledge. Among them:

• The analysis included plenty of studies that did find a nutritional benefit to eating organic food, such as higher levels of phosphorous and phenols (a type of antioxidant compound) in organic produce and more omega-3 fatty acids in organic milk and chicken. Some other studies weren't able to identify a benefit, meaning the findings overall were heterogeneous, or mixedwhich is very different from "no benefit" across the board.
• Only three of the 17 human studies in the analysis looked at health outcomes, and two of those focused on allergies in childrenan odd metric for comparing organic to conventional diets, since there's no reason that organic diets should correlate with fewer allergies. "That isn't part of what organic food production even is and it isn't surprising to learn there may not be any difference" in the rates of allergies between children who eat organically and those who don't, says Urvashi Rangan, Ph.D., director of consumer safety and sustainability for Consumer Reports, adding that it was interesting that the authors also found one study that did suggest a benefit, for childhood eczema.
• It could take many years for the cumulative effects of pesticide buildup in the body from eating conventionally grown food to show up. Cancer risks, for example, are calculated over long periods of exposure to carcinogens. The human studies in the Stanford analysis lasted at most two years.
• The study downplays the importance of the prohibition of antibiotics in organic agriculture, which can help counter the serious public-health problem of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Such bacteria have increased greatly in prevalence in recent years, possibly due to the routine use of antibiotics in conventionally raised farm animals. Indeed, the meta-analysis determined that conventionally produced chicken and pork had a 33 percent higher risk for bacteria that's known to be resistant to at least three antibiotics.
• The perception of better nutrition is only one reason that people might choose to eat organically. Even if the research in that area remains murky, it's clear that organic diets provide less exposure to pesticides and antibiotics, two potential safety benefits, and that organic agriculture is better for the environment. A nationally representative poll of Americans conducted by Consumer Reports earlier this year found that 86 percent want their local supermarkets to carry meat raised without antibiotics, and the majority said they'd be willing to pay extra for that feature.

"Organic was meant as a healthier way of farming that is good for the environmentand that has been proven true," Rangan says. "Fewer pesticides and antibiotics, 100 organic animal feed (which cannot have poultry litter and other animal byproducts), hygiene management on the farm: These are all healthier practices for the environment and in some cases, humans too. In fact, we are learning more and more about the benefits that organic farming and sustainable agricultural practices can have on the health of people."

Bottom line: We stand by our long-held advice. It's worth it to buy organic versions of the foods that are likely to have the highest levels of pesticides when grown conventionally, as well as organic poultry and milk, to reduce exposure to antibiotics. Those choices are especially important for pregnant women and children.

Watch a video about when it pays to buy organic. Learn which items you should buy organic for babies and kids, and which you can skip.

Source
Are Organic Foods Safer or Healthier Than Conventional Alternatives? [Annals of Internal Medicine]

0 Single-dose detergents a poisoning hazard for young children

In the wake of five incidents in which children were seriously injured after swallowing detergent pods, a group of doctors is calling for improved safety warnings and childproof packaging for single-dose laundry and dishwasher detergents. "This is a significant public health issue," which requires a rethink, the doctors wrote in a pediatric journal.

"Dishwasher and washing machine liquitabs are now a common finding in most homes, but unfortunately, seem very attractive to young children due to their bright colouring and soft sweetie-like texture," the Scottish doctors wrote in the Archives of Disease in Childhood. They said they have written to manufacturers asking for enhanced safety precautions.

The cluster of cases, which occurred within a span of 18 months, involved children under the age of two, including one 10-month-old. All five children were admitted to the same hospital in Glasgow, Scotland, as emergencies, emitting a high pitched wheeze that indicated a blockage in the airway.

The oldest of the five children was treated with antibiotics and steroids, but the other four had to be put on a ventilator for several days to treat swelling and ulceration. In one child the swelling and ulceration was so extensive that surgery was required, according to the report. All the children eventually recovered.

Detergent packs are the fastest growing segment of the industry, so safety is indeed a concern. As we reported earlier this year, Tide added a double-latched lid to the plastic tubs that hold the individual Tide Pods to make the containers tougher to open. Between February and June, poison-control centers received more than 700 calls regarding exposure to single-use laundry detergent packs involving children age five or younger. In response to the reports, the Consumer Product Safety Commission is taking a closer look at the single-use packs.

Consumer Reports recommends keeping all detergents, along with any household cleaner, out of the reach of children. And if your child does swallow one of these single-use laundry packs, call the poison-control helpline immediately at 800-222-1222, since serious effects can happen very quickly.