Important Update on General Mills Rice Chex Cereal Testing Results

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Published April 3, 2025 — Thursday

Dear Readers,

This article provides critical information regarding the recent laboratory testing of the General Mills Rice Chex Cereal, which is depicted above. The test results revealed concerning levels of heavy metal contaminants, specifically Cadmium and Arsenic. While the presence of Arsenic was anticipated—given that rice-based products tend to absorb this element from contaminated soil and water—the detection of Cadmium raises new concerns. This contamination is likely linked to the use of phosphate fertilizers in rice cultivation, which can introduce Cadmium into the food chain.

It is especially alarming that this product is often served as a snack—dry and without milk—to children with autism or food sensitivities, populations that are already vulnerable due to their health conditions. Cadmium is classified as a carcinogen, and its presence in a common childhood snack could pose increased health risks, which is unacceptable for products marketed for or frequently consumed by children.

For more detailed information, please explore the following links:

  • Rice Product Testing
  • Breakfast Cereal Testing
  • General Mills Product Testing

The full original laboratory report for this product is available at the bottom of this article. Please scroll down to review it.

To support informed decision-making, we offer several curated lists on our food and supplement testing landing page. These lists include safer choices for foods, supplements, and cosmetics, all vetted through independent, third-party laboratory testing. We also feature a dedicated list of safer snack options, accessible here. Additionally, our most recent updated list encompasses 67 products that have been rigorously tested and found to be free of detectable levels of Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, and Arsenic, providing a valuable resource for health-conscious families.

Our comprehensive collection of laboratory reports is accessible on our main testing page. Bookmark this page for ongoing updates, as new reports are added regularly. Every report is generated through community-funded, independent testing, ensuring transparency and accuracy. If you’d like to support further testing initiatives, please consider visiting our GoFundMe campaigns.

For newcomers to Lead Safe Mama:

Tamara Rubin is a distinguished advocate dedicated to preventing childhood Lead poisoning and enhancing consumer goods safety. She is also an award-winning documentary filmmaker and a mother whose personal experience with Lead poisoning—affecting two of her four children—drives her passion for this mission.

  • She owns and operates Lead Safe Mama, LLC, a small, woman-owned business committed to community-driven research and advocacy.
  • Since July 2022, her organization has facilitated six product recalls involving FDA and CPSC regulations.
  • All test results shared are scientifically verified, accurate, and reproducible.
  • Check out our press page for media coverage of our work, linked here.

This article is ad-free to ensure unbiased information.

Supporting this work is vital. You can help by shopping through our affiliate links or making a direct contribution to sustain our independent testing and advocacy efforts. Your support enables us to keep our content free of advertisements, making it easier for you to access trustworthy information.

Our Community-Verified Safer Products List

Below is an ongoing list of foods, supplements, and cosmetics that have tested negative (non-detectable levels) for Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, and Arsenic through independent, third-party, community-funded laboratories. Each product listed has been tested with the limits of detection specified in its report. To access the full report, simply input the product’s brand name into the search bar on our website and scroll to the bottom of the related article.

Flavors and variants of these products may vary; testing results are specific to each product batch.

Updated List as of March 30, 2025 — 62 Safer Products

  1. Baby Food — 1: Little Spoon Kale, Carrot + Pear BabyBlends
  2. Baby Food — 2: Little Spoon Butternut Squash + Blueberry BabyBlends
  3. Baby Food — 3: Little Spoon Sweet Potato BabyBlends
  4. Baby Food — 4: Little Spoon Sweet Potato + Carrot BabyBlends
  5. Baby Food — 5: Little Spoon Banana + Pitaya BabyBlends
  6. Beverages — 1: Honest Kids Organic Appley Ever After Apple Juice Drink: https://amzn.to/4fjGhov
  7. Beverages — 2: Olipop Grape Tonic: https://amzn.to/4cjFYZu
  8. Breakfast Items — 1: Nature’s Path Envirokidz Organic Panda Puffs: https://amzn.to/4fo1crf
  9. Breakfast Items — 2: Nature’s Path Envirokidz Organic Corn Puffs Gorilla Munch: https://amzn.to/3FHZCDO
  10. Breakfast Items — 3: One Degree Organic, Gluten-Free, Sprouted Rolled Oats (Canada): https://amzn.to/3WIQ1BN
  11. Candy — 1: Lindt White Chocolate Bar (Made in USA, New Hampshire): https://amzn.to/3OXkyIm
  12. Candy — 2: Cavendish & Harvey Wild Berry Drops, not organic (Germany): https://amzn.to/3Z1Jxjr
  13. Coffee & Tea — 1: Chameleon Handcrafted Organic Cold Brew Concentrate: https://amzn.to/3OcrH77
  14. Coffee & Tea — 2: Tao of Tea Organic Genmaicha (from Japan, sold by Portland-based company): https://amzn.to/3Dp8Fsd
  15. Coffee & Tea — 3: Califia Farms Almond Latte Cold Brew (XX Espresso): https://amzn.to/4gTTGoJ
  16. Coffee & Tea — 4: Death Wish Organic Espresso Roast Ground Coffee (Multi-country origin): https://amzn.to/3yo1eiL
  17. Coffee Creamer — Plant-Based — 1: Laird Superfood Coconut Creamer: https://amzn.to/4fItA7A
  18. Coffee Creamer — Dairy — 2: Organic Valley Grassmilk Half and Half: https://amzn.to/4fHJIWT
  19. Dairy — Cheese: Babybel Mini Original Snack Cheese: https://amzn.to/3ZY5noO
  20. Fruit Snacks — 1: GoGo Squeez Organic Apple Sauce Pouch: https://amzn.to/3XhWYLe
  21. Fruit Snacks — 2: Kirkland Organic Apple Sauce Pouch (Costco): https://amzn.to/4gOYpZ9
  22. Fruit Snacks — 3: Pure Organic Layered Fruit Bars in Strawberry Banana: https://amzn.to/3WQEekA
  23. Fruit Snacks — 4: Once Upon A Farm Dairy-Free Fruit Smoothie Pouch in Strawberry Banana Swirl: https://amzn.to/3CPMbAw
  24. Fruit Snacks — 5: Pure Organic Layered Fruit Bars in Raspberry Lemonade: https://amzn.to/3XcFsIp
  25. Infant Formula — 1: Bobbie Organic Gentle Infant Formula (Pink/White Can): https://amzn.to/3YYb849
  26. Infant Formula — 2: Bobbie Organic Infant Formula (Green/White Can): https://amzn.to/3VOr4Vy
  27. Infant Formula — 3: Bobbie Grass-Fed Milk-Based Powder with Iron (Green Can): https://amzn.to/3ZlAaeJ
  28. Infant Formula — 4: ByHeart Infant Formula (USA-made, non-organic): https://amzn.to/48DJjTb
  29. Infant Formula — 5: HiPP Bio Combiotik Infant Formula Stage 1 (imported):
  30. Infant Formula — 6: HiPP HA Stage PRE (imported):
  31. Infant Formula — 7: Holle Bio Goat Stage 2 Infant Formula (European, Swiss/German/Austrian): https://amzn.to/3BVU7zI
  32. Infant Formula — 8: Kendamil Goat Infant Formula (non-organic): Available at Target
  33. Infant Formula — 9: Kendamil Organic Follow-On Milk (European, British, Cow Milk, 6-12 months): (link pending)
  34. Infant Formula — 10: Kendamil Whole Milk Infant Formula (European, Pink Can): Available at Target
  35. Infant Formula — 11: Kendamil Organic Infant Formula (Cow Milk): Available at Target
  36. Ingredient — 1: Jacobsen’s Sea Salt (Oregon, USA): https://amzn.to/4dcbk5L
  37. #2 NEW! Ingredient — 2: Maldon Sea Salt Flakes: https://amzn.to/4iTzWTE
  38. Ingredient — 3: Jovial Organic Einkorn Flour (Italy): https://amzn.to/3LIqxix
  39. Ingredient — 4: Costco Kirkland Organic Hemp Seeds: https://amzn.to/4e05RP9
  40. Ingredient — 5: Navitas Organic Gluten-Free Chia Seeds (Mexico): https://amzn.to/3YvE7xC
  41. Ingredient — 6: Napa Valley Naturals Organic Red Wine Vinegar (California): https://amzn.to/4jWhHOg
  42. Ingredient — 7: Jovial Organic Chickpeas (Italy): https://amzn.to/4iRON1l
  43. #3 NEW! Ingredient — 8: Anthony’s Organic Granulated Cane Sugar: https://amzn.to/4jf6vLv
  44. Oil — 1: Chosen Foods 100% Avocado Oil (non-organic): https://amzn.to/3YDZSuv
  45. Oil — 2: Dr. Adorable’s Organic Perilla Seed Oil (Korea): https://amzn.to/3NDt7Yc
  46. Oil — 3: Dr. Bronner’s Regenerative Organic Coconut Oil: https://amzn.to/40xwBmv
  47. Plant-Based Milk — 1: Kiki Milk Organic Plant-Based Milk (original flavor): https://amzn.to/3AA6Qrt
  48. Plant-Based Milk — 2: West Soy Unflavored Unsweetened Organic Soy Milk: https://amzn.to/4dwev8l
  49. Supplements — 1: Baby Ddrops, Organic Vitamin D3 for Babies: https://amzn.to/49C3ktH
  50. Supplements — 2: Doctor’s Best Vitamin C with Q-C: https://amzn.to/4hlVvea
  51. Supplements — 3: Mary Ruth’s Organic Toddler Multivitamin Liquid Drops with Iron: https://amzn.to/3YPhcgx
  52. #4 NEW! Supplements — 4: Mary Ruth’s Organic Toddler Elderberry Liquid Drops: https://amzn.to/42617TU
  53. Supplements — 5: Nordic Naturals Omega-3 Fish Oil: https://amzn.to/48q1j2V
  54. #5 NEW! Supplements — 6: Nordic Naturals Kids Vitamin D3 Gummies (Ages 3+): https://amzn.to/4l7117a
  55. #6 NEW! Supplements — 7: Pectasol Modified Citrus Pectin (USA): https://amzn.to/3QUmZfN
  56. Supplements — 8: Pendulum Metabolic Daily Dietary Supplement: https://amzn.to/4gY5wOm
  57. Cosmetics — 1: Kora Organics Noni Face Oil: https://amzn.to/43hy2XO
  58. Cosmetics — 2: Fluoride-Free Toothpaste — Orajel Kids Natural Berry: https://amzn.to/41wxtrY
  59. Cosmetics — 3: Miessence Mint Toothpaste: https://amzn.to/4bJc4PO
  60. Cosmetics — 4: Dr. Brown’s Fluoride-Free Strawberry Toothpaste: https://amzn.to/3DCehzZ
  61. Cosmetics — 5: Low-Fluoride Watermelon Toothpaste for Kids: https://amzn.to/3RgKEXV
  62. Cosmetics — 6: Kid’s Spry Tooth Gel with Xylitol (Original Flavor): https://amzn.to/41GZb4e

Additional Notes and Pending Tests

As of March 31, 2025, we are awaiting further laboratory results for some products. You can view all recent reports at this link. Stay tuned for updates on new findings and additional testing outcomes.

Six Products with Trace Levels of Arsenic

  1. Maseca Instant Corn Masa Flour, Mexico: Positive for trace Arsenic (levels within safe standards): https://amzn.to/4iR8qWN
  2. Kendamil Goat Toddler Milk (European, non-organic): Trace Arsenic detected, available at Target or European specialty stores.
  3. That’s It Fruit Bars (Apple Cherry, Non-organic): Trace Arsenic present: https://amzn.to/4fHkSWV
  4. Chosen Foods Avocado Oil (Non-organic): Trace Arsenic detected: https://amzn.to/3BVQYQa
  5. Now Sunflower Lecithin (Non-organic): Trace Arsenic levels within safety limits: https://amzn.to/3AFdHzO
  6. WishGarden Immune Boost (Seasonal Rescue): Trace Arsenic detected: https://amzn.to/3Cd940N

Note: Amazon affiliate links are used and may provide a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Lab Reports Access

For detailed lab reports on the products mentioned, including the one shown above, visit this page. Stay informed and vigilant about the safety of your family’s food and personal care products.

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