Popular organic kids' snacks found to contain high levels of lead

A study by Consumer Reports found that some kids' snacks have high levels of lead. Federal standards for heavy metals in baby foods are not set. Recently, cassava-based snacks like Serenity Kids puffs were found to have high lead levels. LesserEvil and Serenity Kids products were tested, along with Once Upon a Farm products containing sorghum. LesserEvil's Intergalactic Voyager Veggie Blend puffs had the most lead per serving of all baby foods tested since 2017. Consumer Reports recommends kids have less than half a serving of these puffs per day. LesserEvil's Asteroid puffs had lead levels at 60% of the MADLs, while Serenity Kids Tomato & Herbs puffs had lead levels at 53%. Once Upon a Farm products had very low lead levels. Snack foods are not currently regulated for lead levels. Food safety is important, and LesserEvil complies with California Prop 65 and federal standards for testing their products. Serenity Kids ensures their products meet California Prop 65 exposure thresholds for heavy metals. Lead can be found in food, and cassava, used in Serenity Kids puffs, has been shown to have high lead levels. The company tests all products and works with suppliers to prioritize foods with low levels of contaminants. They vet suppliers to ensure clean ingredients for safety. Some veggie puffs from Lesser Evil and Serenity Kids have high lead levels, which can be harmful to children. Consumer Reports advises limiting consumption of certain puff products. Rice-based snacks can have high arsenic levels. Lesser Evil's snacks had low lead levels compared to other baby foods tested. Manufacturers need to work on reducing heavy metals in snacks, especially those made with cassava. Lead occurs naturally due to pollution and contamination in water and soil. Lesser Evil addresses heavy metals to ensure product safety. Once Upon a Farm also works to reduce heavy metals in products by using organic ingredients and testing materials likely to contain metals. The company chose sorghum for its puffs as it is less likely to have heavy metals than rice or cassava.