A Critical Update from Tamara Rubin:

As expected, the recent testing of this Matcha product revealed the presence of Lead, Cadmium, and Arsenic. It is universally acknowledged by federal health agencies that there is no safe threshold for Lead exposure, especially concerning for pregnant women and children. Therefore, this Matcha poses significant health risks if consumed by pregnant women or women of reproductive age. Scientific evidence also indicates that even very low, trace levels of Lead—below previously accepted safety limits—can impair reproductive health in both men and women. Chronic, daily intake of low-level Lead can lead to serious health issues, including increased risks of cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline, kidney problems, and hypertension. For your reference, a selection of pertinent scientific studies and articles is provided below, illustrating the breadth of research on Lead’s health impacts:

• 2024 August — Harvard Health
• 2021 Study on Lead and Reproduction
• 2019 Harvard Health Article on Lead Risks
• 2022 Analysis — No Safe Level of Lead Exposure
• 2014 Research by F. Rabito — Reproductive Concerns
• 2011 Article on Male Infertility
• 2006 Study on Heavy Metals

To facilitate comparison, scroll down to view a chart showing all Matcha products tested to date. The complete original lab report for this specific product is also available at the bottom of this article—please continue scrolling past social media share graphics and charts to access it. For further insight, visit our articles page for all published reports related to Matcha or Matcha-flavored products.

The full laboratory report for this product is located at the bottom of this page.

For safer dietary and supplement options, explore our curated lists on the Food and Supplement Testing Landing Page. We also offer a dedicated list of safer snack choices here. Additionally, our most recent update features a list of 50 tested foods and supplements deemed safer based on laboratory findings. Support our independent, crowd-funded testing initiatives through our GoFundMe campaigns. Your contributions help sustain our work. Thank you!

For newcomers to the Lead Safe Mama website:

Tamara Rubin is a recognized advocate, filmmaker, and mother who has personally experienced Lead poisoning with her children. Her dedication to child health and consumer safety has earned multiple federal awards. She founded Lead Safe Mama, LLC, a woman-owned small business committed to community-driven efforts for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and safe consumer products.

• Lead Safe Mama, LLC has successfully facilitated six product recalls since July 2022, collaborating with the FDA and CPSC.
• All test results published on this platform are scientifically verified, accurate, and reproducible.
• Visit our press page to see media coverage of our work.

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Support our independent testing and advocacy efforts by shopping through our affiliate links or making a direct donation here. Your support helps us maintain an ad-free experience and expand our outreach.

Understanding Action Levels:

It’s crucial to understand the concept of ‘Action Levels’—the thresholds at which health authorities recommend intervention. The original lab report details the specific metal concentrations detected in this product. The accompanying graphic displays these levels alongside the detection thresholds and the 2021 proposed Action Levels by the scientific community for infant and child health. Key points include:

• The 2021 Action Levels are designed to protect human health by setting safe thresholds for heavy metals in foods and supplements.
• Action Level vs. Maximum Allowable Level: The latter refers to regulatory limits, which many manufacturers misconstrue as safe thresholds. In reality, any detection above the Action Level indicates an unsafe product, especially considering the cumulative effect of heavy metals.
• Accumulation Matters: Heavy metals build up in the body over time, making even small, incidental exposures potentially harmful.
• Safety at the Action Level: Products testing at or above these thresholds are considered unsafe for children by health authorities. These levels are not related to serving sizes but are based on total ingested quantities.
• Limitations of Serving Size: Relying on serving sizes is misleading since real-world consumption often exceeds standard servings, and multiple foods contribute to overall toxicant exposure.
• Implications for Consumers: The scientific consensus is clear: there is no safe level of Lead exposure. Therefore, products should be evaluated based on their total heavy metal content regardless of serving sizes.

In 2021, these Action Levels were proposed as optimal protective thresholds. Although they were not adopted into law, industry resistance claimed they were unattainable. However, many tested products demonstrate that compliance is feasible; several have been found to test ‘non-detect’ for Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, and Arsenic, with detection thresholds as low as <1.5 ppb. This demonstrates the possibility for safer food and supplement manufacturing. The list below, which is continually expanded, highlights products that meet these stringent standards, verified through independent third-party testing conducted by Lead Safe Mama, LLC. For each product, refer to the lab report for specific detection limits. To access full reports, enter the product’s brand name into the search bar on our website and scroll to the corresponding article.

Updated List as of February 15, 2025 — 50 Products:

• Baby Food — 1 — Little Spoon Kale, Carrot + Pear BabyBlends
• Baby Food — 2 — Little Spoon Butternut Squash + Blueberry BabyBlends
• Baby Food — 3 — Little Spoon Sweet Potato BabyBlends
• Baby Food — 4 — Little Spoon Sweet Potato + Carrot BabyBlends
• Baby Food — 5 — Little Spoon Banana + Pitaya BabyBlends
• Beverage — 1 — Honest Kids Organic Appley Ever After Apple Juice Drink: https://amzn.to/4fjGhov
• Beverage — 2 — Olipop Grape Tonic: https://amzn.to/4cjFYZu
• Breakfast Item — 1 — Nature’s Path Envirokidz Organic Panda Puffs: https://amzn.to/4fo1crf
• Breakfast Item — 2 — One Degree Organic, Gluten-Free, Sprouted Rolled Oats (Canada): https://amzn.to/3WIQ1BN
• Candy — Lindt White Chocolate Bar (Made in USA, New Hampshire): https://amzn.to/3OXkyIm
• Candy — Cavendish & Harvey Wild Berry Drops, not organic (Germany): https://amzn.to/3Z1Jxjr
• Coffee & Tea — 1 — Chameleon Handcrafted Organic Cold Brew Concentrate: https://amzn.to/3OcrH77
• Coffee & Tea — 2 — Tao of Tea Organic Genmaicha (from Japan): https://amzn.to/3Dp8Fsd
• Coffee & Tea — 3 — Califia Farms Almond Latte Cold Brew: https://amzn.to/4gTTGoJ
• Coffee & Tea — 4 — Death Wish Organic Espresso Roast Ground Coffee: https://amzn.to/3yo1eiL
• Coffee Creamer — Plant-Based — 1 — Laird Superfood Coconut Creamer: https://amzn.to/4fItA7A
• Coffee Creamer — Dairy — 2 — Organic Valley Grassmilk Half and Half: https://amzn.to/4fHJIWT
• Dairy, Cheese — Babybel Mini Original Snack Cheese: https://amzn.to/3ZY5noO
• Fruit Snack — 1 — GoGo Squeez Organic Apple Sauce Pouch: https://amzn.to/3XhWYLe
• Fruit Snack — 2 — Kirkland Organic Apple Sauce Pouch: https://amzn.to/4gOYpZ9
• Fruit Snack — 3 — Pure Organic Layered Fruit Bars — Strawberry Banana Flavor: https://amzn.to/3WQEekA
• Fruit Snack — 4 — Once Upon A Farm Dairy-Free Fruit Smoothie — Strawberry Banana Swirl: https://amzn.to/3CPMbAw
• Fruit Snack — 5 — Pure Organic Layered Fruit Bars — Raspberry Lemonade Flavor: https://amzn.to/3XcFsIp
• Infant Formula — 1 — Bobbie Organic Gentle Infant Formula Milk Powder: https://amzn.to/3YYb849
• Infant Formula — 2 — Bobbie Organic Infant Formula Milk Powder: https://amzn.to/3VOr4Vy
• Infant Formula — 3 — Bobbie Grass-Fed Milk-Based Powder: https://amzn.to/3ZlAaeJ
• Infant Formula — 4 — ByHeart Infant Formula (USA-made, non-organic): https://amzn.to/48DJjTb
• Infant Formula — 5 — HiPP Bio Combiotik Stage 1 Infant Formula: https://amzn.to/3BVU7zI
• Infant Formula — 6 — HiPP HA Stage PRE (0+ months): https://amzn.to/3ZlAaeJ
• Infant Formula — 7 — Holle Bio Goat Stage 2 Infant Formula (European, organic): https://amzn.to/3BVU7zI
• Infant Formula — 8 — Kendamil Goat Infant Formula (non-organic): available at Target
• Infant Formula — 9 — Kendamil Organic Follow-On Milk (European, Cow Milk): available at Target
• Infant Formula — 10 — Kendamil Whole Milk Infant Formula: available at Target
• Infant Formula — 11 — Kendamil Organic Infant Formula: available at Target
• Ingredient — 1 (salt) — Jacobsen’s Sea Salt (Oregon, USA): https://amzn.to/4dcbk5L
• Ingredient — 2 (baking flour) — Jovial Organic Einkorn Flour (Italy): https://amzn.to/3LIqxix
• Ingredient — 3 (seeds) — Costco Kirkland Organic Hemp Seeds: https://amzn.to/4e05RP9
• Ingredient — 4 (seeds) — Navitas Organic, Gluten-Free Chia Seeds (Mexico): https://amzn.to/3YvE7xC
• Ingredient — 5 (vinegar) — Napa Valley Naturals Organic Red Wine Vinegar: https://amzn.to/4jWhHOg
• Ingredient — 6 (beans) — Jovial Organic Chickpeas (Italy): https://amzn.to/4iRON1l
• Oil — 1 — Chosen Foods 100% Avocado Oil (non-organic): https://amzn.to/3YDZSuv
• Oil — 2 — Dr. Adorable’s Organic Perilla Seed Oil (Korea): https://amzn.to/3NDt7Yc
• Oil — 3 — Dr. Bronner’s Regenerative Organic Coconut Oil: https://amzn.to/40xwBmv
• Plant-Based Milk — 1 — Kiki Milk Organic Plant-Based Milk: https://amzn.to/3AA6Qrt
• Plant-Based Milk — 2 — West Soy Unflavored Unsweetened Organic Soy Milk: https://amzn.to/4dwev8l
• Supplement — 1 — Baby Ddrops Organic Vitamin D3 for Babies: https://amzn.to/49C3ktH
• Supplement — 2 — Doctor’s Best Vitamin C with Q-C: https://amzn.to/4hlVvea
• Supplement — 3 — Nordic Naturals Omega-3 Fish Oil: https://amzn.to/48q1j2V
• Supplement — 4 — Mary Ruth’s Organic Toddler Multivitamin Liquid Drops: https://amzn.to/3YPhcgx
• Supplement — 5 — Pendulum Metabolic Daily Dietary Supplement: https://amzn.to/4gY5wOm

Access all lab reports for these tested products and more at this link. Stay tuned for ongoing updates!

Additional Testing for Trace Arsenic Levels:

Below are five products that exhibited trace amounts of Arsenic—levels considered safe by current standards, with detection thresholds specified in each report:

• Infant Formula — Kendamil Goat Toddler Milk (non-organic): traces of Arsenic detected. Available at Target or European formula suppliers.
• Fruit Snack — That’s It Apple Cherry Bars (non-organic): https://amzn.to/4fHkSWV
• Oil — Chosen Foods 100% Pure Avocado Oil (organic): https://amzn.to/3BVQYQa
• Supplement — Now Sunflower Lecithin (non-organic): https://amzn.to/3AFdHzO
• Supplement — WishGarden Immune Boost Seasonal Rescue: https://amzn.to/3Cd940N

Note: Amazon affiliate links are used for these products.

Publication Date and Further Details:

Published: February 25, 2025 — Tuesday. For the complete laboratory report and additional insights, continue scrolling down this page.

Important Context and Scientific Consensus:

• There are virtually no safety thresholds established for heavy metal contamination in foods and supplements for adults or the general population in the U.S.
• Existing guidance for adult products frequently fails to protect health because it does not account for typical consumption patterns, which are often much higher than standard serving sizes, especially in children.
• Our primary focus remains on safeguarding children’s health, advocating for standards that eliminate exposure risks regardless of product labeling or intended age group.
• Applying the 2021 proposed Action Levels universally aligns with scientific consensus: there is no safe level of Lead exposure. These thresholds serve as practical benchmarks for industry compliance and consumer safety.
• Heavy metals accumulate in the body, and even small, seemingly insignificant exposures can lead to long-term health issues.
• Products testing at or above the Action Levels are deemed unsafe for children, emphasizing the importance of evaluating total heavy metal content rather than relying solely on serving sizes or regulatory limits.
• The industry often claims unattainability of these standards; however, many products have been verified as non-detect for heavy metals at extremely low detection limits, demonstrating achievable safety targets.

For ongoing updates and full reports, visit this link. Your support through shopping via our affiliate links or donations is invaluable in continuing this vital work.

Remember: There is no safe level of Lead exposure. This fundamental truth is supported by all scientific and medical experts dedicated to Lead poisoning prevention.

Laboratory Report Access:

To review the detailed lab report for the specific product pictured above, please scroll down to the bottom of this page.