How to limit babies’ exposure to toxic heavy metals

Some popular baby foods have higher levels of toxic heavy metals than others. Charlotte Brody, the national director of Healthy Babies Bright Futures, discusses how parents can limit their children’s exposure.

If you are buying a nutrition or snack bar, you may want to think twice about which one you are buying, according to a new report.

The Clean Label Project, a nonprofit organization that tests consumer products for industrial and environmental contaminants, tested 165 of the most popular snack bars – and found that all of the products had detectable levels of heavy metals.

Popular snack, nutrition bars tested for heavy metals

The snack bars tested were sourced from Nielsen, SPINS and Amazon’s best-seller lists.

Clean Label Project evaluated products for six key categories of contamination: heavy metals, pesticides, glyphosate, bisphenols (BPA/BPS), phthalates and acrylamide. In total, the team gathered over 20,000 data points across 50 brands to see how these snacks stack up.

FILE: Man eating an energy bar. (Credit: BSIP/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

According to the findings, none of the snack bars tested passed the Clean Label Project’s testing, and all of them contained heavy metals like lead and cadmium, pesticides, and industrial chemicals such as BPA and phthalates.

By the numbers:

The study found that all of the products tested had detectable levels of heavy metals, with 22% of products exceeding California’s Prop 65 limits for lead and 6% for cadmium.

Organic products also came with concerns, as certified-organic bars, on average, had 28% more heavy metals. In addition, products marketed as “Gluten-Free,” “Non-GMO,” “Vegan,” “Soy-Free,” and “Dairy-Free,” on average, consistently tested higher in heavy metals.

Meanwhile, bars labeled “Kids,” on average, had significantly lower levels of heavy metals, pesticides, and phthalates than their adult counterparts.

What they’re saying:

“It’s important to understand that not all contaminants are the result of negligence,” Jaclyn Bowen, Executive Director of Clean Label Project, told ConsumerAffairs.  explained. “Heavy metals like arsenic, lead, and cadmium can occur naturally in soil and water. But what makes the situation worse is how human activity – like industrial pollution, mining, and even agricultural practices – has intensified the presence of these substances in our food system.”

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She continued” “This means contamination is often less about a single bad actor and more about a broader, systemic issue. That’s why we need smarter sourcing, better testing, and stronger accountability throughout the supply chain. Brands that are proactively looking for these risks, and addressing them, are the ones setting the new standard for safety. Consumers deserve products that are not just marketed as healthy, but truly proven to be safer.” 

The Cleanest Snacks and Nutrition Bars

Dig deeper:

While none of the tested bars became Clean Label Project Certified, the organization released sixteen products with the lowest levels of these contaminants, which they called the “Clean 16.” 

• Nature Valley Sweet & Salty Nut Cashew Granola Snack Bar
• Made Good Strawberry Granola Minis
• Sunbelt Oats and Honey Granola Snack Bar
• Bobo’s Strawberry Stuff’d Oat Bites
• Bobo’s Chocolate Chip Oat Bites
• Kind Breakfast Protein Almond Butter
• Kind Core Caramel & Almond Sea Salt
• Kind Protein From Real Food Peanut Butter Bar
• Quest White Chocolate Raspberry Bar
• Nick’s Peanut Single-serve Keto Bar
• Nature Valley Sweet & Salty Nut Almond Granola Snack Bar
• Luna Lemon Zest Organic
• RXBAR Coconut Chocolate Bar
• Quaker Chewy Yogurt Strawberry Granola Snack Bar
• Annie’s Chewy Granola Birthday Cake
• Think High Protein Lemon Delight Bar

What they’re saying:

“The report also highlights that contamination doesn’t just come from the food itself – it can happen during processing or through packaging materials. That’s why we’re urging more transparency and better testing practices industry-wide. Consumers deserve to know not just what they’re eating, but how it was made,” Bowen continued to Consumer Affairs.

A full list of Clean Label Project certified products can be found at www.cleanlabelproject.org.

FDA on heavy metals in food

Big picture view:

There are currently no comprehensive federal regulations specifically targeting dietary exposure to heavy metals in food, with most safety efforts focused on physical and microbiological contaminants, according to Clean Label Project.

But states like California have led the charge with Prop 65, a state law aimed at protecting public health by reducing exposure to certain toxic chemicals.

Recent discussions in Congress and the FDA are also pushing for stricter standards on heavy metals and industrial chemicals in food products. Initially focused on infant foods with its “Closer to Zero” initiative, it signals growing concern over contaminants in food across all categories.

The Clean Label Project is a national nonprofit with a mission to bring transparency to food and consumer product labeling.