A new Consumer Reports investigation of foods made with cassava - a popular gluten-free alternative - found some of the highest lead levels we’ve ever seen among the various foods we’ve tested. Cassava, a starchy root vegetable, has gained a reputation as a health food, touted for its grain-free and gut-health properties. As a result, cassava flour is being used more and more in a variety of foods, such as bread, pasta, chips, and cookies. In our tests of 27 cassava-based foods and ingredients, seven of the products contained lead levels so concerning we recommend that consumers avoid eating them. While three of those products are no longer on the market, four are still available, leaving consumers at risk of lead exposure: cassava flour marketed by the brands Bob’s Red Mill, Otto’s Naturals, and Quay Naturals, and a cassava-based pasta made by the company Jovial. It is critical that these companies address the lead levels in their cassava products to protect the health of consumers. Join us in calling on Bob’s Red Mill, Otto’s Naturals, Quay Naturals, and Jovial to take action to bring down the high levels of lead in their products.
Lead is a neurotoxin. There is no safe level of lead for people to ingest, and the risks are greatest during childhood and pregnancy, since lead can damage the brain and nervous system in young kids and developing fetuses. In adults, frequent lead exposure has been linked to immune system suppression, reproductive issues, kidney damage, and hypertension. Root vegetables like cassava are known to take up some lead as they grow in the ground. If they’re grown in highly polluted areas, or handled or processed in certain ways that introduce lead, consumers may be unknowingly exposed to high levels in their food. Our tests showed that cassava flour from Bob’s Red Mill, Otto’s Naturals and Quay Naturals, and the pasta made by Jovial had 1,200 to more than 2,300 percent of the threshold CR’s experts use as an acceptable daily intake. The good news is that many of the products in our test demonstrated that it’s possible to produce cassava-based foods with lower levels of lead—showing that some manufacturers do a better job of keeping this heavy metal out. Tell Bob’s Red Mill, Otto’s Naturals, Quay Naturals, and Jovial to improve the safety of their sourcing and processing to bring down lead levels in their cassava products.
This new cassava-foods investigation follows CR’s 2024 tests of ‘veggie puffs’ that are marketed as healthy snacks for young children. There, we found that some cassava-containing puffs had the highest lead levels of any baby or kids’ food CR has tested, prompting us to test additional foods. There are currently no federal standards limiting lead in the majority of food, so these investigations are important to underscore the need for greater oversight, and hold companies accountable. You can see the full results of our cassava study and learn how to minimize your exposure to lead in our story Cassava Flour, Chips, Bread, and More Contain High Levels of Lead. Thank you for taking action to get heavy metals out of our food, and please share this information with your community so they can learn about lead in cassava-based foods and take action too. Meg Bohne | ||||||||
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