Nik Rajkovic / news@whmi.com

Michigan's Dana Nessel joins a coalition of attorneys general calling on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to protect babies and young children from lead and other toxic metals in baby food.

The coalition cited recent findings of hundreds of cases of childhood lead poisoning linked to recalled cinnamon applesauce pouches that were sold in stores throughout the country without first being tested for toxic metals.

Despite the agency concluding years ago that the metabolism and smaller bodies of babies and young children make them more vulnerable to the harmful effects of toxic metals, the FDA has established only one action level for one type of toxic metal (inorganic arsenic) in one type of baby food product (infant rice cereal) to date.

Under current FDA policy, baby food manufacturers are left to decide whether or not to even test their products for toxic metals and other contaminants.

The now-recalled WanaBana pouches were sold in Dollar Tree stores throughout the country. Anyone who still has them still have them in their homes should pitch them right away.