Why There’s Still Lead in Baby Food (and What the FDA Isn’t Telling You)

Hey!

You know my motto:Test with a Kit, not a Kid.

But what about food?

Food can’t be tested with a kit—not when we're talking about single- or double-digit parts per billion (ppb). And the truth is: no level of lead is safe.

So what’s the deal? Why is there lead in food at all?

Most of it gets there by accident—though sometimes, like with the WanaBana applesauce pouch scandal, it’s intentional. In that case, cinnamon was laced with lead to make it heavier and look nicer.

But usually, it’s just fallout—literally lead that fell from the sky

Back when we burned leaded gasoline, lead dust spread across the entire environment, contaminating soil, air, and water. That dust still lingers in agricultural soils, and plants suck it up, passing it through the food chain.

Lead levels in food are lower than they were 50 years ago…but let’s not throw a party just yet.

That’s not because we cleaned the earth. It’s because the lead is slowly leaching out of the topsoil with every harvest.

Plants absorb it → we eat them → it moves through us.

It’s a slow detox of the soul… and that's great in theory but that lead winds up in human bones, brains, hearts and arteries.

The FDA Is (Kind Of) Finally Paying Attention

As part of its Closer to Zero initiative, the FDA finalized guidance for baby foods on January 6, 2025. Here’s what they said:

• 20 ppb for dry infant cereals

• 20 ppb for single-ingredient root veggies

• 10 ppb for all other baby foods (fruits, purees, yogurts, etc.)

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These sound strict, but here’s the catch:They excluded the four biggest sources of dietary lead for babies:

1. Snack foods (like teething biscuits and puffs)

2. Beverages (like toddler juices)

3. Infant formula

4. Homemade baby food and raw produce

   
   

Collectively, these make up over 85% of a baby’s dietary lead exposure.

So even if companies follow the rules, the FDA is still leaving babies exposed—while the European Union already regulates all of these categories.

According to FDA scientists, 1 in 10 babies and toddlers consumes more lead per day than the FDA says is safe (2.2 µg/day). That’s over 2.6 million children—and those numbers are from FDA’s own research.

FDA’s action levels sound stricter than Europe’s at first glance, but since they’re only applied to a small subset of foods and aren’t enforceable, they protect far fewer kids.

The worst part?The FDA ignored comments from experts, skipped better available data, missed their own deadlines, and finalized the same weak proposal they started with two years ago.

Bottom line:

The food system isn’t safe just because it’s inspected.And lead in food isn't someone else’s problem.

Although the level of lead in food is the lowest its been in 50 plus years no lead is better, even if consumption of this lead doesn't lead to elevated blood lead levels there really is not a "safe" level technically since all lead is toxic.

You can take control now.

Want the real facts?

Want to protect your family? Stick around.I’ve got more coming your way soon.

—EricEverythingLead.

Test with a kit. Not a kid.