Beware Imported Foods

By Dr. Brian McDonough, Medical Editor

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - We live in a world where food products are often received from a wide variety of countries. For instance, rice imported from Asia, Europe, and South America is found in a variety of products, including baby food. It is important to study these foods because we often detect issues with quality control.

For instance, in a study presented at a meeting of the American Chemical Society, researchers detected high levels of lead in imported rice – with the highest levels coming from Taiwan and China. Lead can have many harmful effects in children including impaired cognitive development and intellectual performance.

Only 7% of rice in the United States is imported.