Baby food giants beat back class claims of autism link

But claims against Gerber, Whole Foods and other companies over other harms, such as IQ loss and learning disabilities, will continue for now.(CN) — A federal judge on Wednesday handed partial summary judgment to baby food makers in a lawsuit in which parents claimed their babies developed autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder from consuming metal-contaminated productsThe judge had allowed the multidistrict class action to proceed to “general discovery” — to gather evidence that products made and sold by Gerber, Whole Foods, Nestle, Walmart and 10 other companies could at least in theory be linked to neurodevelopmental disorders or other problems, such as IQ loss and learning disabilities. After seeing that discovery, U.S. District Judge Jacqueline Corley that the plaintiffs hadn’t met their burden.“Plaintiffs have presented no admissible evidence supporting the general causation element of their claims,” Corley wrote in her short 8-page ruling. “That is the end of it.”For the plaintiffs, the ruling contained one silver lining. Though the claims that the products caused autism and ADHD have reached their end, the claims over other harms survive for now because the general discovery order did not focus on those injuries.The summary judgment ruling does also not apply to claims involving the consumption of infant formula.In the consolidated master complaint, filed in 2024, the plaintiffs claimed baby food manufacturers “knowingly sold baby food products contaminated with lead, arsenic, mercury, cadmium, and aluminum. They did this knowing that toxic heavy metals, when consumed by babies, are known to cause brain damage and neurodevelopmental harm.”The parents noted a 2021 congressional report which found “commercial baby foods are tainted with significant levels of toxic heavy metals, including arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury. Exposure to toxic heavy metals causes permanent decreases in IQ, diminished future economic productivity, and increased risk of future criminal and antisocial behavior in children. Toxic heavy metals endanger infant neurological development and long-term brain function.”The companies insist their products are safe, and say heavy metals occur naturally in soil and water. They also denied the existence of any evidence linking such low levels of those metals to autism and ADHD.In 2025, Corley dismissed claims against three of the companies, as well as two of Nestle’s subsidiaries, finding they had nothing to do with making or selling the products in California.The parties attorneys did not respond to emails requesting a comment on Wednesday’s summary judgment ruling by press time.Subscribe to our free newslettersOur weekly newsletter Closing Arguments offers the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world, while the monthly Under the Lights dishes the legal dirt from Hollywood, sports, Big Tech and the arts.Additional Reads