Un año después, todavía hay pesticidas tóxicos en los alimentos para bebés de Target.

Lab tests reveal residue from 16 highly hazardous pesticides in baby food from Target’s Good & Gather line

WASHINGTON — Un investigación Una investigación liderada por Amigos de la Tierra encontró una cantidad alarmante de residuos de pesticidas en alimentos para bebés fabricados y vendidos por Objetivo (NYSE: TGT) bajo su marca propia Bueno y reúnanse. Lab tests of two items – the Apple Fruit Purée and Pear Fruit Purée for babies – revealed the presence of 29 pesticides, including 16 classified as highly hazardous to human health or the environment and 10 that are banned in the European Union. A parent sitting down to feed their baby with the most-polluted jar tested would be unknowingly feeding their child 18 different toxic pesticides.  

In 2024, Friends of the Earth conducted similar tests on the same Good & Gather baby food products. Disturbingly, more pesticides – and more hazardous pesticides – were detected in the baby food this year compared to last year. This news comes on the heels of Target’s recently released 2025 Sustainability and Governance Report. The company fails to address any sustainability or health concerns related to pesticides in its report. 

“After the tests last year, we hoped that Target would address the serious harms to human health and biodiversity caused by the toxic pesticides in its supply chain,” said Sarah Starman, senior food and agriculture campaigner at Friends of the Earth. “Instead, we were deeply disappointed to find even more toxic pesticides in Target’s baby food this year. Target can and must do better for our kids and all of us.” 

Eight of the pesticides found in Target’s baby food are linked to hormone disruption. Extremely small amounts of hormone disrupting chemicals, one part per billion – equivalent to one drop in an Olympic-size swimming pool – can pose risks to brain development, metabolism, the immune system, and more. We found pesticides linked to endocrine disruption at levels ranging from 2 to 197 parts per billion.

Additionally, six of the pesticides found in the baby food are labeled “probable” or “likely” carcinogens by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Childhood exposure to carcinogens is a mounting concern as rates of childhood and young adult cancer are increasing in the U.S. 

Along with human health, the testing results raise serious concerns about negative impacts to biodiversity. Four pesticides classified as highly toxic to bees and five classified as highly toxic to aquatic organisms, such as fish, were detected in Target’s baby food. 

Neonicotinoid pesticides were present in the majority of the baby food samples tested. Neonicotinoids have been linked to birth defects of the heart and brain, autism spectrum disorder, damage to the nervous system, and hormone disruption. They are also among the most ecologically disastrous pesticides since DDT. U.S. agriculture has become nearly 48 veces más tóxico para los insectos, incluidos polinizadores esenciales como las abejas, desde la introducción de los neonicotinoides. Y son un factor crítico. llevando a más de 200 especies en peligro de extinción hacia la extinción, según la Agencia de Protección Ambiental.

Organophosphate pesticide metabolites (meaning the breakdown products of pesticides) were also found in the majority of the baby food samples. Scientists have called for a prohibición total de los organofosforados, Dado que se sabe que son altamente tóxicos para el cerebro en desarrollo de los niños, incluso en bajas concentraciones, se asocian con un coeficiente intelectual reducido, trastornos de atención, retraso en el desarrollo motor y dificultades de aprendizaje. También se ha demostrado que perjudican a las abejas, las aves y los organismos acuáticos como los peces.  

Infancy is a time of particular vulnerability to the harms of pesticides because babies’ bodies are in critical stages of development. Early exposure can impact children for life. Children also have greater exposure to pesticides than adults because they eat more per pound of their body weight, and their bodies are less efficient at detoxifying pesticides. The American Academy of Pediatrics asserts that “children’s exposure to pesticides should be limited as much as possible.” 

“Los pesticidas son venenos. La ciencia más reciente lo deja claro. Las pequeñas exposiciones a pesticidas importan and that cumulative exposures add up,” dijo Kendra Klein, doctora y subdirectora científica de Amigos de la Tierra.. “As a mom and scientist, it’s alarming to see so many toxic pesticides in food intended for babies, who are most vulnerable. Clean food is a human right – especially for our kids.”

Target is lagging behind other food retailers when it comes to taking action on pesticides. La compañía Kroger (NYSE: KR), Alimentos integrales (NASDAQ: AMZN), Walmart (NYSE: WMT), Meijer (NASDAQ: MYE), y Águila gigante han publicado políticas en respuesta a Amigos de la Tierra Índice de minoristas amigables con las abejas that include time bound commitments aimed at reducing pesticide use in their fresh produce supply chains. While Target has created a policy, it does not include specific metrics for transitioning away from pesticide use, advancing safer methods of farming like organic agriculture, or a timeline for implementation. Research shows Los alimentos orgánicos reducen de forma rápida y drástica la exposición de los niños a los pesticidas..

Since 2024, Friends of the Earth and more than Otras 40 organizaciones ambientales y de salud pública across the country have been calling on Target to address pesticide use in its supply chain. Target has not responded to these calls. The coalition of organizations urging Target to act on pesticides includes Center for Food Safety, People & Pollinator Action Network, Re:wild Your Campus, Beyond Pesticides, and Pesticide Action & Agroecology Network. 

Contacto experto: Kendra Klein, 415-350-5957, [email protected]
Contacto de comunicaciones: Lindsay Tice, 202-783-7400, ext. 8403