Bill Would Set Arsenic, Lead Limits in Juice

U.S. Representatives Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) introduced a bill Wednesday that would require the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to set safety standards for arsenic and lead in juices.

The "Arsenic Prevention and Protection from Lead Exposure in Juice Act of 2012" or "APPLE Juice Act of 2012" is in response to a Consumer Reports investigation that found levels of arsenic and lead that exceeded the federal standards for drinking water in 10 percent of apple and grape juice samples tested in New Jersey, New York and Connecticut.

As the lawmakers note, both arsenic and lead are known to affect brain development in children. Both toxins are pervasive in the environment -- both naturally occurring and the result of pesticide use, emissions and other industrial and agricultural chemicals. In both cases, the federal government has set a safety threshold for drinking water but not for juice.

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