Understanding Heavy Metals
As the very first regeneratively farmed, shelf-stable, certified Glyphosate residue free family foods line in the US, White Leaf has been passionately committed to transparency and ensuring our products meet the highest standards of safety and quality since day one. We understand the growing concern about heavy metals, and want to provide clarity and confidence about our practices, testing, and results.
Heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury are naturally occurring elements found in the environment, including soil, water, and air. While they exist naturally, certain agricultural practices can contribute to elevated levels in food crops.
This is because, since the industrial revolution, we have been manipulating the way we grow and harvest food in the US in an effort to mass produce at a cheaper price. This has led to the destruction of healthy soil, and prevalence of leaching unwanted heavy metals into the soil.
Heavy Metals in Baby Food
These metals have been linked to cancer, chronic disease and neurotoxic effects, and they pose a threat to brain development in babies. Congress has released reports that have found that more than a few commercial baby foods are tainted with significant levels of toxic heavy metals, including arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury.
Because babies and toddlers are particularly vulnerable, it is crucial to minimize their exposure to these substances.
The White Leaf Difference
Healthy soil plays a critical role in limiting the uptake of heavy metals into crops. We are proud to ONLY source from farmers who utilize organic and regenerative organic farming practices. Regenerative farming not only nurtures the health of the soil, but also helps reduce contamination by avoiding synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, and other harmful inputs. We take our responsibility seriously and adhere to rigorous testing processes to ensure our blends are as pure as possible:
- Third-Party Testing: Each batch of our products undergoes independent third-party testing to detect and measure heavy metal levels, including lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury.
- Compliance with Standards: We meet or exceed the heavy metal standards set forth by the FDA, California's Proposition 65, and other regulatory bodies.
- Continuous Monitoring: We test consistently for harmful herbicides like Glyphosate as well, and work with partners like The Detox Project and The Clean Label Project.
Our Levels
Lead
< 20 ppb
We adhere to the European Union's stringent limits on heavy metals, widely regarded as some of the most rigorous in the world, to guide our safety and quality practices. By aligning with these high standards, we ensure that every blend we create meets and exceeds expectations for purity and safety.
Cadmium
< 40 ppb
We adhere to the European Union's stringent limits on heavy metals, widely regarded as some of the most rigorous in the world, to guide our safety and quality practices. By aligning with these high standards, we ensure that every blend we create meets and exceeds expectations for purity and safety.
Mercury
< 10 ppb*
We adhere to the European Union's stringent limits on heavy metals, widely regarded as some of the most rigorous in the world, to guide our safety and quality practices. By aligning with these high standards, we ensure that every blend we create meets and exceeds expectations for purity and safety.
* There is no EU standard for Mercury so we set our own at <10 ppb
Arsenic
< 20 ppb
We adhere to the European Union's stringent limits on heavy metals, widely regarded as some of the most rigorous in the world, to guide our safety and quality practices. By aligning with these high standards, we ensure that every blend we create meets and exceeds expectations for purity and safety.
Why We Need To Change The Way We Farm
The core issue starts with how our food is grown and harvested. For example – even if you were to pledge to make ALL of your food from scratch, could you be certain that the ingredients had not been grown in or upon damaged, toxic earth?
We need to start from the ground up -- literally. We need to revitalize our soils!
Healing the earth through regenerative farming will help to reverse the detrimental effects that mainstream agriculture has had on the land for generations. By enhancing soil health and biodiversity, it naturally helps to reduce the presence of heavy metals in the food chain. By avoiding chemical inputs and focusing on soil vitality, we are not only protecting the environment, we’re also prioritizing the purity and nutrient density of the food we offer.
Have Questions? We’re here for you!
As parents ourselves, we understand the importance of knowing what goes into the food your child eats. Since day one, we have pledged to always and only use organic, regeneratively farmed ingredients to provide your family with better-for-you products from farm to shelf. Thank you for being here and for helping to make our dreams of a healthier, happier world, from people to planet, a reality!
We encourage open communication and are here to provide answers! For more information about our sourcing or quality standards, please contact us at info@whiteleafprovisions.com.
