One Year Later, Toxic Pesticides Still Present In Target’s Baby Food

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

WASHINGTON — An investigation led by Friends of the Earth found an alarming number of pesticide residues in baby food manufactured and sold by Target (NYSE: TGT) under its house brand Good & Gather. 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 times more toxic to insects, including essential pollinators like bees, since the introduction of neonicotinoids. And they are a critical factor driving over 200 endangered species toward extinction, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

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 complete ban on organophosphates, as they are known to be highly toxic to children’s developing brains, even at low levels of exposure. They are associated with reduced IQ, attention disorders, delayed motor development, and learning disabilities. They have also been shown to harm bees, birds, and aquatic organisms like fish.  

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.” 

“Pesticides are poisons. The latest science is clear that small exposures to pesticides matter and that cumulative exposures add up,” said Kendra Klein, PhD, deputy director of science at Friends of the Earth. “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. The Kroger Company (NYSE: KR), Whole Foods (NASDAQ: AMZN), Walmart (NYSE: WMT), Meijer (NASDAQ: MYE), and Giant Eagle have released policies in response to Friends of the Earth’s Bee-Friendly Retailer Scorecard 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 organic food rapidly and dramatically reduces children’s exposure to pesticides.

Since 2024, Friends of the Earth and more than 40 other environmental and public health organizations 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. 

Expert contact: Kendra Klein, 415-350-5957, [email protected]
Communications contact: Lindsay Tice, 202-783-7400, ext. 8403