- According to Consumer Reports, fewer than 16 baby food brands are transparent about test results for toxic elements such as lead in their products.
- Meanwhile, companies like Little Spoon and Sprout Organics are asking parents to provide their best purchase date and lot number to access testing information.
- Parents need to have easier access to complete information about the contents of baby products, as these types of toxic substances can cause real harm to young children.
When you’re grocery shopping with a toddler in tow, a deadline looms. If you don’t act quickly, you risk missing out on time when your baby is sleeping peacefully or playing in the cart. This means, of course, that you don’t always have the time to scrutinize ingredient labels on baby food. And if you’re selling it at your local grocery store, many of you might assume that the baby food on the shelves is free of lead, arsenic, and other elements that research suggests can harm developing bodies. And it will take even less time to visit a brand’s website or go on a fishing expedition to find this information.
But some states are leading the way in providing parents with more information about the ingredients in baby food, with new laws in place to help parents across the country decide on the safest baby food for their children. California law currently requires brands to test most baby foods for toxic ingredients at least once a month and publish the results on their websites.
What does California law require of baby food brands?
California Assembly Bill 899, which went into effect in 2024, requires baby food manufacturers to test products sold in the state for lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury at least once a month.
Starting this year, brands will be required to post test results that reveal which products contain toxic ingredients on their website and include a QR code on the label. This makes it easier for families to access the complete ingredient list, allowing them to make more informed choices about which brands to feed their children.
how consumer report We used this law to assess which baby food brands report toxic ingredients in their products
consumer report Unleaded Kids, a nonprofit organization focused on protecting children from lead exposure, analyzed data posted on baby food brands’ websites to help parents find out which baby food companies are providing this information, thanks to California law.
“We wanted to answer one question: How easy is it for busy, time-poor parents to find and understand important information about what’s in baby food?” says Jessica D’Argenio Waller. MSc, Central Nervous System, LDN, Consumer Reports reporter, and certified nutritionist. “We found widespread transparency in reporting baby food contaminants.”
What’s the answer? Of the 39 brands they evaluated, less than half (16) made it easy for families to find information about harmful elements in baby food. According to Consumer Reports, “Brands that made test results for all their products easily accessible on their website received the highest ratings.”
Waller explained how Consumer Reports rates baby food brands, and two doctors used this information to discuss what parents can do.
Most baby food brands don’t make test results easily accessible
Waller said Consumer Reports and Unread Kids compared brands that sell a variety of products, including pouches, jars, puffs and teething crackers. Reporters examined product packaging and company websites to see which brands provide information about which toxic chemicals (if any) have been detected within their product range.
“Were all test results for all products and batches clearly listed on the company’s website?” Waller said of the question the Consumer Reports team wanted to answer. “Or did parents have to go to the store and look up lot codes, expiration dates, UPCs, etc.? Or, worst of all, did they have to buy the product before seeing the results? Because what good is public testing results if you don’t have easy access to them?”
However, it’s important to note that this report only examined data from brands that disclosed information about ingredients and contaminant testing under new California law.
“This doesn’t mean that other baby foods aren’t safe, but rather that we don’t have enough information to make that decision,” explains Dr. Brynta Basager, a family physician.
Which brands are transparent about contaminant testing?
Sixteen baby food companies, including Earth’s Best, Plum Organics, and Once Upon a Farm, test their products for contaminants (arsenic, lead, cadmium, mercury) and provide easy access to test results.
For example, the brand Cerebelly has a handy table on its website that includes columns for lot number, test date, and product name. The last column indicates whether a particular chemical (such as lead) was detected in each product.
“This is great news for parents. This important information should be easy to find,” says Waller.
How some baby food brands complied with California law
However, customers will have to work hard to find information about testing for 21 companies, including Little Spoon, Sprout Organics, and Beech-Nut. These brands either do not provide direct access to test results or force parents to search for the best purchase date or lot number to access test information.
Consumer Reports noted that these brands exploit loopholes in the law to make it difficult for parents to access information about test results before purchasing the product.
Some companies, such as HappyBaby and Serenity Kids, require you to enter a lot code or best buy date to see test results for a particular product. This means you need to physically hold the product to see if it contains harmful elements, Consumer Reports notes. It also takes time to enter a series of numbers on a website, which means parents may not have done so, leaving room for error.
Other companies, such as Love Child Organics, do not have a publicly accessible list of test results anywhere on their site. The only way to access your test results is to scan the QR code printed on each individual package.
“We also found that the two companies included in our analysis have not yet made publicly accessible test results available on their sites, even though disclosure requirements went into effect in January,” Waller said.
Jessica D’Argenio Waller, MS, CNS, LDN, Consumer Reports reporter, registered dietitian
“It’s no exaggeration to say that parents spend hours scouring company websites and product labels just to find out what’s in their baby food,” says Waller. “And realizing that something meant to feed a child may contain harmful elements is inherently stressful and anxiety-provoking. That’s why this information needs to be easy to find and understand, without adding to the burden on parents.”
—Jessica D’Argenio Waller, MS, CNS, LDN, Consumer Reports reporter, registered dietitian
Contaminants pose a major threat to babies, so companies need transparency
Exposure to toxic substances such as lead early in life can lead to neurological problems and developmental delays.
“A baby’s brain, immune system, and body are still developing,” explains Inderpal Randhawa, M.D., board-certified allergist, pediatrician, pulmonologist, and founder and CEO of the Food Allergy Institute in Long Beach, California. “Heavy metals can affect growth, learning, and behavior, and some research suggests that early exposure to toxic substances can also affect immune regulation and increase the risk of certain conditions such as food allergies.”
But it’s reassuring to know that more than a dozen brands are making test results for these factors clear and easy to find.
“Transparency is a huge step forward. Parents can now see exactly what’s in their baby’s food,” says Dr. Randhawa. “This openness helps families make choices that protect their brain, immune, and gut health, all of which are important to lowering their chances (of disease).”
Tips for choosing baby food
Experts suggest taking advantage of this information, or the lack of information for some brands, to make a decision you feel comfortable with.
When buying baby food, consult an expert parents I spoke with the recommender:
- Prioritize brands that are easy to find results. Save Olivia Benson’s Clue Hunt Law and Order: SVU. “As a parent, you don’t have to put on your detective hat to find out what’s in your baby’s food,” argues Waller. “Increased transparency makes it easier to compare products and avoid risky choices.”
- Check the results. Once you know which brands are more transparent about their testing information, use that knowledge to your advantage. “Choose a brand that has consistently low metal content,” says Dr. Randhawa. “This supports overall health and avoids potential immune stress.”
- Looking at the whole label. Dr. Basager suggests making sure your baby food (or the standard meal you serve at home if you’re doing baby-led weaning) contains iron, vitamin C, and calcium. “These minerals reduce the absorption of heavy metals and help prevent anemia, which is common in children who are overexposed to heavy metals,” explains Dr. Basagar.
Despite news that many brands are not providing transparent results when testing for toxic ingredients in baby food, doctors stress there is no need for parents to panic.
“Most baby foods are safe to eat, but some have lower levels of heavy metals than others,” says Dr. Randhawa. “The goal is to reduce repeat exposure, especially during the first few years.”
