New regulations governing baby food safety in Virginia will take effect on January 1, 2026. The Baby Food Protection Act, passed by the Virginia General Assembly in 2025, requires manufacturers to test for four heavy metals—lead, arsenic, mercury, and cadmium—in baby food products. These elements can occur naturally or accumulate from human activity.
Manufacturers must disclose test results both on their websites and through scannable QR codes placed on certain product labels. The law prohibits the manufacture or sale of baby food products that exceed action levels set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for these toxic elements. FDA action levels are already established for lead in various baby foods such as fruits, vegetables, mixtures with grains or meats, yogurts, custards/puddings, single-ingredient meats and root vegetables, and dry infant cereals; as well as for arsenic in apple juice.
The law applies to all baby food produced from January 1, 2026 onward that is manufactured or sold within Virginia. Products made before this date may continue to be sold so retailers can use up existing inventory. “Baby Food Product” is defined as any food marketed specifically for children under two years old but does not include infant formula.
Manufacturers are required to test a representative sample from each production batch at least monthly using a qualified laboratory. Test results must remain publicly available on the manufacturer’s website throughout the product’s shelf life plus one additional month. When necessary, a QR code or similar machine-readable code must be included on each label so consumers can access test data and relevant FDA guidance.
Enforcement of the new law falls under the VDACS Food Safety Program. This program will request manufacturers’ testing records, review labels of baby food products sold in Virginia, and respond to consumer complaints about possible violations.
Many companies selling baby food in Virginia may already comply with these requirements due to similar laws enacted previously in California (effective January 2024) and Maryland (effective January 2025). On December 16, 2025, VDACS notified businesses involved in manufacturing or selling baby foods about the upcoming changes via email.
For more information about compliance with the Baby Food Protection Act or questions regarding its requirements, individuals can contact the VDACS Food Safety Program at 804-786-3520 or foodsafety@vdacs.virginia.gov.
