Recent headlines about heavy metals in some baby foods have many parents on edge and wondering how they can minimize exposure for their little ones. Seeking out products that test for heavy metals is one important step parents can take. We’re proud to share that due to our commitment to safety and testing, every single one of our products has been awarded the Purity Award by the non-profit consumer advocacy organization, Clean Label Project. Clean Label Project conducts independent, third-party testing for more than 200 different contaminants including heavy metals, plasticizers, pesticides and other toxins; and they concluded that Mission MightyMe meets their high standards.  

We recently sat down with Clean Label Project founder and executive director, Jackie Bowen, to find out everything parents need to know about heavy metals and how they can reduce exposure for their little ones.

Q&A with Jackie Bowen, Executive Director of the Clean Label Project 

What are heavy metals exactly? 

The topic of heavy metals in food, especially baby food, can be scary for many parents and caregivers because of the uncertainty and the complex nature of the issue. “What are heavy metals?” “Why are they bad?”

Heavy metals are elements and elements are the building blocks of chemistry. Think back to that periodic table of elements in grade school with boxes like Nitrogen, Iron, and even Oxygen and Hydrogen, which are the components of drinking water. Some elements like Oxygen, as essential for life. However, other elements can have negative health impacts, especially if we are exposed to them in high quantities. Some of those elements with negative health impacts are naturally occurring in the earth’s crust and can be absorbed into our food supply. Those elements, specifically Lead, Arsenic, Cadmium, and Mercury are referred to as “Heavy Metals” and are the elements that we focus on for food safety. 

How do heavy metals get into our food? 

Heavy metal elements are naturally occurring in the earth’s crust, so there is no way to completely avoid them. However, some industrial agricultural techniques and air pollution have caused certain soils and water sources to become increasingly concentrated with heavy metals, so where ingredients come from really matters to minimize exposure.

How can I tell which products are high or low in heavy metals?

The best way to know what levels of heavy metals are present in ingredients and finished products is to test them. But there currently are no federal regulations requiring food brands to test and evaluate incoming ingredients for heavy metals. That’s why it’s so wonderful to have brands like Mission MightyMe, who voluntarily and proactively think about food safety differently by searching for suppliers who consistently deliver ingredients that minimize exposure and by testing their finished products for heavy metals. Testing for heavy metals, in addition to pesticides and plasticizers is so important. In fact, that’s why the Clean Label Project was created, to independently evaluate brands and their finished products and highlight brands that exceed current minimum food safety regulations. When you see one of our seals of approval, you know it has been independently tested and evaluated. This is important for the health and safety of my family and yours. 

What risks do heavy metals pose to babies?

The World Health Organization says that the first 1,000 days of life (from conception until the age of two) are critically important to long term health and wellness. It is the window of opportunity when optimum brain and immune systems are formed. According to the AAP, toxic metal exposure can be harmful to the developing brain. It's been linked with problems with learning, cognition and behavior. We don’t have direct data on how much exposure to different metals is too much, so it’s best to take steps where you can to minimize it.

What is the Federal government doing about heavy metals? And how do I minimize my child's exposure? 

Currently there are no federal regulations requiring testing of foods for heavy metals. However, the US federal government recently established the Closer to Zero Act, which requires the FDA to oversee a process of evaluating testing of heavy metals in baby foods. California passed legislation that requires heavy metal testing of baby foods starting January 1, 2024 and to publish levels starting January 1, 2025. This important step has already begun a process by many baby food manufacturers to test for heavy metals. To avoid having to research every product that you feed your baby, you can always look for Clean Label Project Purity Award-winning brands like Mission MightyMe. In the absence of federal law, these brands are already voluntarily and proactively thinking about heavy metals when it comes to ingredient sourcing to help protect my family and yours. 

Does choosing organic or non-GMO foods make a difference? 

After testing thousands of certified organic and non-certified foods and consumer products, I can tell you with confidence that the organic promise of less exposure to pesticides absolutely holds true. 

However, organic has its limitations. The USDA National Organic Program is silent when it comes to heavy metals. While USDA organic doesn't allow the use of harsh synthetic fertilizers, it does allow the use of conventional compost on soil. Conventional compost is permitted by the USDA because there is just not enough volume of certified organic compost to satisfy the soil fertilizer needed on organic farms. So, while there is clearly a benefit to buying organic, there’s still room for improvement with USDA Organic on reducing exposure to heavy metals. And the unfortunate reality is that certified organic agriculture is still limited to a very small amount of food production in the United States, so we’ve got a lot of work to do!

Would it be safer to just grow my own garden or make my own baby food?

Growing your own food is a wonderful activity to do with your family as well as a great way to control exposure to pesticides, but it doesn’t limit your exposure to heavy metals. The only way to know the amount of heavy metals in soil or foods is to test them and heavy metal testing is expensive. That’s why Clean Label Project certification is so important. It shows which brands have taken the time and expense to test their products for heavy metals and pesticides for you, which is the only way to know heavy metal levels. 

What else can I do to reduce exposure to heavy metals? 

• Diversify! Remember, the goal is to make sure your child is getting all the good nutrients they need to grow and thrive, so mixing it up is a great way to cover all your nutritional bases while limiting your exposure to any one food. 

• Make healthy fish choices. Some types of fish can be high in a form of mercury called methylmercury, and other metals. Of most concern are large, predatory fish that eat other fish and live longer, such as albacore/white tuna, orange roughy, shark, and swordfish. Fish can be an excellent source of protein and other nutrients children need, so look for better options like light tuna (solid or chunk), salmon, cod, whitefish, and pollock.

• Don't smoke or vape. Secondhand smoke from both regular and e-cigarettes can expose children to metals such as cadmium and lead. Vaping allows toxic metals from the vape coils to get into the air and be inhaled. 

• Check your water. Heavy metals can get into tap water: for example, arsenic can contaminate well water, and older pipes may contain lead. You can contact your local health department to have your water tested.

• Look for Clean Label Project certified products. These products are from brands that are voluntarily and proactively screening and testing for over 200 industrial and environmental contaminants such as heavy metals in addition to pesticide and plasticizers that have been linked to long-term issues like infertility and reproductive harm. 

• Ask questions and demand answers. Clean Label Project has a growing list of certified brands and the website provides you with quick and easy solutions for your family. Have a favorite product or brand that isn’t certified? Use social media to ask questions and demand answers. Tell these brands that minimizing exposure to heavy metals is important to you and your family. 

• Work with your physician. All children are unique so work with your pediatrician or family medicine doctor to make sure your child is getting all the vitamins and minerals they need to grow and thrive as well as minimizing exposure to heavy metals. 

What does Clean Label Project certified mean? And how do I find CLP certified brands?

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

Food and consumer product safety in America is primarily focused on pathogen and microbiological contaminants. However, there is an increase in consumer, media, and academic attention being paid to the health consequences of exposure to heavy metals, pesticide residues, and plasticizers. Yet, consumers will never find this information on product labels. 

Clean Label Project is committed to changing the definition of food and consumer safety through the use of data, science, and transparency and awards brands with products that place an emphasized focus on purity and surpass the minimum regulations required by FDA, like Mission MightyMe.  

Clean Label Project encourages brands to join us in becoming part of the solution to address the growing consumer concern of industrial & environmental contaminants and toxins in both food and consumer products.

The Clean Label Project Purity Award and Certified seals serve as a marker of quality for brands with products that are taking the extra steps to minimize consumer exposure to known chemicals of concern like heavy metals, pesticide residues, and plasticizers. 

Check out all of the Clean Label Project certified baby brands.