Baby food gets healthier. Let’s just call it baby cuisine (News from the Natural Products Expo)

ANAHEIM -- Baby food is no longer just mushy, creamy, bland stuff in little jars. That couldn’t be more apparent at the Natural Products Expo.

Manufacturers are now promoting baby food enhanced with probiotics, vitamins and minerals and “hidden� vegetables. One maker of premier, healthy baby foods -- Happy Baby -- has grown from being in five stores three years ago to 5,000 today.

Gerber, that old standby, has a line of certified-organic products such as organic brown rice. Natural, low-sugar juices for babies and toddlers are also hot items, as are healthier snacks.

Another natural-baby category that seems to be growing is lotions and ointments made from natural products. And Jane Goodall has joined with Fiberlink Textiles Inc. to produce a line of natural and organic baby products that benefits the Jane Goodall Institute, which pioneers chimpanzee research. The line features organic cotton bibs, bags, blankets, crib sheets and more.

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