The Best Baby Food Brands of 2026, Ranked by Heavy-Metal Test Results
We scored 15 baby food brands on Consumer Reports' newest heavy-metal tests, how openly each posts its own results, what's in the food, its recall record and outside certification.
Best overall:Earth's Best (9.0/10, sold in stores). Five of the six products Consumer Reports tested in 2026 rated best for all three metals, and it posts every result.
Skip: infant rice cereal (Gerber's averaged 63 ppb arsenic), rice rusks and teething wafers, and Sprout's recalled pouch (see the list).
Keep it in proportion: 96% of the 48 foods CR tested in 2026 were below its level of concern. Variety matters more than any one brand.
Our #1 pick9.0/10
Earth's Best Organic Baby Food
5 of 6 products rated 5 of 5 for arsenic, cadmium and lead in CR's 2026 test; the sixth rated 3 for arsenic[1].
The score rests on those six results, open results posting[2] and a mostly vegetable-led line (3 of 12 fruit-first)[30]. It loses points for 2021 House report findings, cane syrup in its cookies and no Clean Label Project listing for its baby food.
How we score:Heavy-metal results 35%Test transparency 20%What's in the food 20%Track record 15%Verification 10%Full methodology ↓
The Dr. Axe Clean Start Score (0–10) is our editorial judgment, not a safety grade. Top-10 brands need an independent lab test since 2023; a brand with an active heavy-metal recall is capped at 5.0.
Know your baby food
Where the metals come from, and what's allowed
Heavy metals come from soil and water, so no brand, and no home kitchen, gets to zero. The goal is lower, and the foods matter more than the logo.
Roots: lead and cadmiumCarrots and sweet potatoes absorb lead from soil more readily than other crops, so FDA gives them a looser 20 ppb level[10].
Rice: arsenicRice cereals and rice snacks carried the most inorganic arsenic in HBBF's tests[7][8].
FDA lead levelsFinal guidance
10 / 20ppb
FDA's Jan. 2025 lead levels: 10 ppb for most baby foods, 20 ppb for single-ingredient carrots, sweet potatoes and dry cereals[10].
FDA, 2025
Rice cerealFinal guidance
100ppb
FDA's nonbinding action level for inorganic arsenic in infant rice cereal since 2020[11]. Gerber's averaged 63 ppb in CR's 2026 test[1].
FDA, 2020
The good newsLab test
96%of 48
baby foods CR tested in 2026 were below its level of concern for heavy metals, its “most reassuring results” yet[1].
CR, 2026
Still thereLab test
85%had lead
The same 48 foods: 85% had lead, 80% cadmium and 77% inorganic arsenic[1].
CR, 2026
PlasticsLab test
15 of 15purées
had microplastics, in pouches and glass jars alike; 81% of all 48 foods had phthalates[1].
CR, 2026
HomemadeLab test
94% vs 94%
of store-bought and homemade baby foods had detectable metals in HBBF's 288-food study[8].
HBBF, 2022
Your right to know
Monthlytests
California's AB 899 requires them for baby food sold there, plus posted results since Jan. 1, 2025, and a QR code on labels for metals with an FDA level[12].
California, 2023
Why it mattersPooled data
3.9IQ points
lower as children's blood lead rose from 2.4 to 10 µg/dL across 1,333 children[15].
Environ Health Perspect, 2005
Check your baby's food
Scan the QR code on the label to see that lot's results[12], and compare brands with Consumer Reports' free 2026 ratings[1].
Three essentials, plus a fourth for what your baby drinks.
1Essential
Lead with vegetables, and rotate them
In HBBF's samples, green beans had 0.7 to 0.8 ppb lead; sweet potatoes ranged up to 29.3[7]. Rotate carrots and sweet potatoes with peas, squash and greens.
Drinks: swapping juice for tap water cut metals 68% in HBBF's analysis[7]. Test your tap water, and filter it for formula if lead turns up[4]. See our water filter rankings.
Blood test: ask your pediatrician about lead screening, typically at 12 and 24 months[1].
Independent lab Consumer Reports' own lab test.Verified Verified or no flag.Maker's data Results exist but take a code to see.No data Nothing independent or published.Flag A flag we deduct for.
“Blend”: Once Upon a Farm's pillar mixes CR's lead-only puff result, its own lot data and our neutral value for the metals CR didn't rate. “(Capped)”: brands with no independent test get 8.0. Recalls shows heavy-metal recalls within 5 years and other Class I or II recalls within 3. Shaded rows missed the top 10: Square Baby and Tiny Organics have no independent test, Good & Gather scored lower, and Sprout has an active lead recall (red pill = capped).
Full reviews
The 10 best baby food brands, ranked
One entry per brand. Each review shows the products Consumer Reports tested and how the score was built.
1
Price varies (retail)Sold in stores and online retailers; Earth's Best doesn't sell direct.
Best overall
Earth's Best Organic Baby Food
Pouches, jars, cereals and snacks · organic · 4 months to toddler
5 of 6[1]products rated 5 of 5 for all three metals in CR's 2026 test
3 of 5[1]arsenic rating for the Apple Sweet Potato pouch; CR's limit is one a day
Top tier[2]for posting results, down to under 1 ppb
3 of 12[30]listed purées and meals lead with fruit
Our top score rests on the most complete independent data of any brand here: six products CR tested in 2026, five rated 5 of 5 for inorganic arsenic, cadmium and lead, including its oatmeal and multigrain cereals and veggie puffs. The sixth, the Apple Sweet Potato pouch, rated 3 for arsenic; CR's limit is one a day. It also posts every result, reported below 1 ppb, and only 3 of its 12 listed purées and meals lead with fruit. What costs it: a 2021 House report deduction (finished products up to 129 ppb inorganic arsenic), cane syrup in its Letter of the Day cookies, and Clean Label Project listings that cover only its formula. HBBF's 2019 samples of its rice cereal carried 107 and 113 ppb arsenic. It didn't answer CR in 2026.
Best forOne-stop grocery shopping: pouches, jars and non-rice cereals
Skip ifYou want a brand listed by Clean Label Project for its baby food
CerealsOatmeal and multigrain both rated 5 of 5 for all three metals (CR 2026)
FormatsPouches, jars, cereals, puffs, sticks and cookies
Where to buyGrocery stores and online retailers; no direct store
CertificationsUSDA Organic (maker); Clean Label Project lists only its infant formulas
Independent test: CR 2026 (6 products)Own results: Open
See score breakdown & sources
Heavy-metal results9.5
Test transparency10.0
What's in the food9.0
Track record9.0
Verification5.0
Heavy metals: CR 2026, lowest per-metal rating per product: Earth’s Best Organic Apple Sweet Potato 3 → 7; Earth’s Best Organic Crunchy Sticks 5 → 10; Earth’s Best Organic Letter of the Day Cookies 5 → 10; Earth’s Best Organic Veggie Puffs 5 → 10; Earth’s Best Organic Whole Grain Oatmeal Cereal 5 → 10; Earth’s Best Whole Grain Multi-Grain Cereal 5 → 10. Average 9.500 · Transparency: open (10) · Food: juice or added sugar −1 (3 of 12 lead with fruit) · Track record: 2021 House report internal results over today's FDA lead levels −1 · Verification: none for baby food (5). Weighted: 8.975.
Independent labConsumer Reports, “We Tested 48 Baby Foods for Heavy Metals and Microplastics” (Sept. 17, 2026; updated Sept. 18). 11 brands, 2–4 lots each, accredited outside lab; free per-product ratings (1–5) for inorganic arsenic, cadmium, lead, BPA, phthalates and PFAS, with serving limits CR bases on combined inorganic arsenic and lead; “no noticeable or consistent differences” between organic and conventional; 96% below CR's level of concern; lead in 85%, phthalates in 81%, microplastics in all 15 purées tested; company responses. Open source · [1]
Independent labConsumer Reports and Unleaded Kids, “Best Baby Food Companies for Reporting Lead, Arsenic, and Other Toxic Elements” (ratings as of 2025; updated Sept. 24, 2026). 39 brands rated on how easily parents can find AB 899 results; 17 at the top; Happy Baby requires a best-by date; Little Spoon has since removed its lot-code requirement; company responses; state laws in Maryland and Virginia; California attorney general's March 2026 advisory. Open source · [2]
Independent labHealthy Babies Bright Futures. What's in my baby's food? (Oct. 2019). 168 baby foods from 61 brands tested by Brooks Applied Labs: toxic metals in 95%; 4 of 7 infant rice cereals over 100 ppb inorganic arsenic; per-product appendix; six swaps for “80 percent less” metals; Abt estimate of 11 million IQ points lost from birth to 24 months. Open source · [7]
Public record / studyU.S. House Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy staff report (Feb. 4, 2021): internal data from Nurture (Happy Baby), Beech-Nut, Hain (Earth's Best) and Gerber: finished products up to 641 ppb lead (Nurture) and 129 ppb inorganic arsenic (Hain); ingredients up to 913.4 ppb arsenic and 886.9 ppb lead (Beech-Nut); Gerber used 67 batches of rice flour over 90 ppb inorganic arsenic. Open source · [13]
Public record / studyHouse subcommittee follow-up report (Sept. 29, 2021): Plum Super Puffs averaged 233.74 ppb total arsenic (2017–2019), some Plum products up to 73 ppb lead; Walmart raised its internal inorganic arsenic limit from 23 to 100 ppb in 2018; Alaska testing found Gerber rice cereal up to 116 ppb; Beech-Nut discontinued rice cereal; Hain's ingredient estimates understated finished-product levels by 28–93%; Sprout relied on suppliers' annual ingredient tests. Open source · [14]
Certifier databaseClean Label Project certified-products directory, checked Sept. 30, 2026 (brand and product listings with award type): Gerber 120, Little Spoon 71, Once Upon a Farm 46, Happy Family Organics 36, Serenity Kids 34, Cerebelly 22, Beech-Nut 20, Amara 7; Hain Celestial's 6 are Earth's Best infant formulas; Walmart Parent's Choice's 1 is an infant formula; no Plum Organics, Square Baby, Tiny Organics or Sprout listing. Brands pay for certification. Open source · [9]
Maker's dataEarth's Best baby food range, from 4-month first foods to toddler meals (Sept. 30, 2026): 3 of 12 listed purées and meals lead with a fruit; no online store. Open source · [30]
Maker's dataLabel records via Open Food Facts (checked Sept. 30, 2026): Earth's Best Letter of the Day Cookies (0023923202009: evaporated cane syrup); Plum Teensy Snacks (0846675014047: apple juice concentrate); Happy Baby Yogis (0852697001484: organic sugar); Parent's Choice Organic Banana Rice Rusks (0078742067476: rice flour, sugar) and Banana Yogurt Bites (0194346268627: sugar); Little Spoon puffs (0850073237984: sorghum, corn, quinoa); Earth's Best Crunchy Sticks (0023923532953: corn); Beech-Nut Melties (0052200041024: fruit and vegetables, no sugar). Open source · [34]
Public record / studyFood Dive (Sept. 14, 2026): Hain Celestial is selling its international business; afterward it will keep brands including Earth's Best Organic baby food. Open source · [26]
The most vegetable-forward pouch line we scored, with open results. Consumer Reports tested one product, the Sweet Potato Pinto Bean Chicken Broth pouch: 5 of 5 for cadmium and lead, 3 for inorganic arsenic; CR's limit is one a day. CR also detected the phthalate DEHP and microplastics in it; Cerebelly says it uses BPA- and phthalate-free packaging and couldn't verify the sample's source. None of its 18 pouches lists a fruit first, and its own 2025 averages show pouch lead at 2.0 to 3.3 ppb or none detected. One CR test is a thin sample.
Best forA vegetable-first pouch habit at a fair price
CertificationsClean Label Project Purity Award on 22 products
Independent test: CR 2026 (1 product)Own results: Open
See score breakdown & sources
Heavy-metal results7.0
Test transparency10.0
What's in the food10.0
Track record10.0
Verification7.0
Heavy metals: CR 2026, lowest per-metal rating per product: Cerebelly Organic Purée + Bone Broth 3 → 7. Average 7.000 · Transparency: open (10) · Food: no deductions (0 of 18 lead with fruit) · Track record: F-0003-2024 Class II 2023-09-11: more than 3 years ago, no deduction · Verification: CLP-listed baby food (7). Weighted: 8.650.
Independent labConsumer Reports, “We Tested 48 Baby Foods for Heavy Metals and Microplastics” (Sept. 17, 2026; updated Sept. 18). 11 brands, 2–4 lots each, accredited outside lab; free per-product ratings (1–5) for inorganic arsenic, cadmium, lead, BPA, phthalates and PFAS, with serving limits CR bases on combined inorganic arsenic and lead; “no noticeable or consistent differences” between organic and conventional; 96% below CR's level of concern; lead in 85%, phthalates in 81%, microplastics in all 15 purées tested; company responses. Open source · [1]
Independent labConsumer Reports and Unleaded Kids, “Best Baby Food Companies for Reporting Lead, Arsenic, and Other Toxic Elements” (ratings as of 2025; updated Sept. 24, 2026). 39 brands rated on how easily parents can find AB 899 results; 17 at the top; Happy Baby requires a best-by date; Little Spoon has since removed its lot-code requirement; company responses; state laws in Maryland and Virginia; California attorney general's March 2026 advisory. Open source · [2]
Maker's dataCerebelly average testing levels (2025 production lots, Sept. 30, 2026): e.g., Sweet Potato Mango purée lead 2.09 ppb, Carrot Pumpkin 2.34 ppb, Broccoli Pear non-detect. Open source · [36]
Maker's dataCerebelly online store (Sept. 30, 2026): purée pouches $3.59, 6-packs $21.54; pouches 113 g; none of 18 purée, broth and smoothie pouches lists a fruit first. Open source · [35]
Certifier databaseClean Label Project certified-products directory, checked Sept. 30, 2026 (brand and product listings with award type): Gerber 120, Little Spoon 71, Once Upon a Farm 46, Happy Family Organics 36, Serenity Kids 34, Cerebelly 22, Beech-Nut 20, Amara 7; Hain Celestial's 6 are Earth's Best infant formulas; Walmart Parent's Choice's 1 is an infant formula; no Plum Organics, Square Baby, Tiny Organics or Sprout listing. Brands pay for certification. Open source · [9]
Public record / studyFDA enforcement reports F-0003-2024 to F-0006-2024: Cerebelly Smart Bars; surface mold; Class II; initiated Sept. 11, 2023; terminated. Open source · [21]
The most open testing we found, and very low lead in the only products CR has tested: two sorghum puffs in 2024, at 3% and 6% of California's daily lead limit per serving, rated for lead only. Its pouches have no independent test, so its heavy-metal score blends that lead result with its own lot data and our neutral value for arsenic and cadmium (8.3). Once Upon a Farm posts every lot's results with the lab and test date; in the 15 most recent lots of five pouches we pulled, every lead result read “Non-Detect” (under 5.9 ppb), against FDA's 10 ppb level. The catches: 59 of its 72 baby blends lead with fruit, its kids' protein bars are sweetened with honey, and it recalled one meal for possible Listeria in May 2024.
Best forParents who want published lot-by-lot results and cold-pressed pouches
Skip ifYou need shelf-stable food or a vegetable-first line
Stages6+ month fruit and veggie blends, then meat, bone broth and legume blends; toddler meals and snacks
Veggie-forward picksGolden Cauliflower & Carrot; Chickpea, Apple, Pumpkin Seed & Carrot; the chicken and beef bone broth blends
FormatRefrigerated plastic pouches, cold-pressed; keep cold and use within 3 days of opening (label)
Where to buySubscription online, $3.77–$4.10 a pouch, and in stores
CertificationsClean Label Project Purity Award and Pesticide-Free on 46 products (CLP directory)
Independent test: CR 2024 (2 puffs)Own results: Open
See score breakdown & sources
Heavy-metal results8.3
Test transparency10.0
What's in the food7.5
Track record9.0
Verification7.0
Heavy metals: lead = average of CR 2024 lead-only puffs (10) and its own pouch lot data vs FDA's 10 ppb (8) = 9; arsenic and cadmium = neutral 8. Average 8.333 · Transparency: open (10) · Food: fruit-first line −1.5, juice or added sugar −1 (59 of 72 lead with fruit) · Track record: F-1282-2024 Class II 2024-05-17 −1 · Verification: CLP-listed baby food (7). Weighted: 8.467.
Independent labConsumer Reports, “Cassava-Based Puffs From Lesser Evil and Serenity Kids Contain High Levels of Lead” (June 5, 2024; updated June 14). Six puffs, rated for lead only (arsenic and cadmium detected, not high enough to pose significant risks); lead as % of California's MADL per 7 g serving: Serenity Kids Tomato & Herbs Bone Broth 53% (1.5 servings a day), Carrot & Beet 17%; Once Upon a Farm sorghum puffs 6% and 3% (no serving limit). Open source · [3]
Maker's dataOnce Upon a Farm AB 899 results lookup (captured Sept. 30, 2026): per-lot arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury with lab (Anresco) and test date; results under 5.9 ppb display as “Non-Detect”; all 15 lead results we pulled for five pouches did. Open source · [29]
Maker's dataOnce Upon a Farm online store (Sept. 30, 2026): baby blends $4.10 each in 16-packs ($65.60), $3.90 in 24s; 59 of 72 baby blend listings name a fruit first; kids' protein bars “sweetened only with organic honey.” Open source · [27]
Independent labConsumer Reports and Unleaded Kids, “Best Baby Food Companies for Reporting Lead, Arsenic, and Other Toxic Elements” (ratings as of 2025; updated Sept. 24, 2026). 39 brands rated on how easily parents can find AB 899 results; 17 at the top; Happy Baby requires a best-by date; Little Spoon has since removed its lot-code requirement; company responses; state laws in Maryland and Virginia; California attorney general's March 2026 advisory. Open source · [2]
Maker's dataOnce Upon a Farm online store (Sept. 30, 2026): baby blends $4.10 each in 16-packs ($65.60), $3.90 in 24s; 59 of 72 baby blend listings name a fruit first; kids' protein bars “sweetened only with organic honey.” Open source · [27]
Maker's dataOnce Upon a Farm Pear, Apple, Cranberry & Beet pouch label (store image): 1 pouch 91 g; pear, apple, cranberry, date, beet; AB 899 QR statement. Open source · [28]
Certifier databaseClean Label Project certified-products directory, checked Sept. 30, 2026 (brand and product listings with award type): Gerber 120, Little Spoon 71, Once Upon a Farm 46, Happy Family Organics 36, Serenity Kids 34, Cerebelly 22, Beech-Nut 20, Amara 7; Hain Celestial's 6 are Earth's Best infant formulas; Walmart Parent's Choice's 1 is an infant formula; no Plum Organics, Square Baby, Tiny Organics or Sprout listing. Brands pay for certification. Open source · [9]
Public record / studyFDA enforcement report F-1282-2024: Once Upon a Farm Organic Plant-Rich Meal, Curried Carrots & Beans; potential Listeria; Class II; initiated May 17, 2024; terminated. Open source · [20]
233.74 ppb[14]average arsenic in its rice Super Puffs, 2017–2019
Posts its results openly and tested clean in 2026. Consumer Reports' two Plum products were both below its level of concern: the Teensy Snacks with puffed quinoa rated 5 of 5 on every metal, and the Stage 2 Apple + Carrot pouch rated 3 for lead; CR's limit is two a day. CR and Unleaded Kids put Plum in the top tier for transparency, and it posted its 2024 results before the law required. What costs it: all 13 pouches on its site lead with fruit, and the Teensy Snacks list apple juice concentrate. The House's 2021 follow-up found its rice-based Super Puffs averaged 233.74 ppb arsenic. Plum didn't respond to CR in 2026 and isn't listed on Clean Label Project's directory.
Best forOrganic fruit-and-veggie pouches from a brand that publishes all its results
StagesStage 1 single fruits and veggies, Stage 2 blends, tot pouches
SnacksTeensy Snacks made with puffed quinoa, not rice (5 of 5, CR 2026); they list apple juice concentrate
FormatsPlastic pouches; snacks
Where to buyGrocery stores and online retailers
CertificationsUSDA Organic (maker); not listed on Clean Label Project's directory
Independent test: CR 2026 (2 products)Own results: Open
See score breakdown & sources
Heavy-metal results8.5
Test transparency10.0
What's in the food7.5
Track record9.0
Verification5.0
Heavy metals: CR 2026, lowest per-metal rating per product: Plum Organics Stage 2 Organic Baby Food 3 → 7; Plum Organics Teensy Snacks with Puffed Quinoa 5 → 10. Average 8.500 · Transparency: open (10) · Food: fruit-first line −1.5, juice or added sugar −1 (13 of 13 lead with fruit) · Track record: 2021 House report internal results over today's FDA lead levels −1 · Verification: none for baby food (5). Weighted: 8.325.
Independent labConsumer Reports, “We Tested 48 Baby Foods for Heavy Metals and Microplastics” (Sept. 17, 2026; updated Sept. 18). 11 brands, 2–4 lots each, accredited outside lab; free per-product ratings (1–5) for inorganic arsenic, cadmium, lead, BPA, phthalates and PFAS, with serving limits CR bases on combined inorganic arsenic and lead; “no noticeable or consistent differences” between organic and conventional; 96% below CR's level of concern; lead in 85%, phthalates in 81%, microplastics in all 15 purées tested; company responses. Open source · [1]
Independent labConsumer Reports and Unleaded Kids, “Best Baby Food Companies for Reporting Lead, Arsenic, and Other Toxic Elements” (ratings as of 2025; updated Sept. 24, 2026). 39 brands rated on how easily parents can find AB 899 results; 17 at the top; Happy Baby requires a best-by date; Little Spoon has since removed its lot-code requirement; company responses; state laws in Maryland and Virginia; California attorney general's March 2026 advisory. Open source · [2]
Public record / studyHouse subcommittee follow-up report (Sept. 29, 2021): Plum Super Puffs averaged 233.74 ppb total arsenic (2017–2019), some Plum products up to 73 ppb lead; Walmart raised its internal inorganic arsenic limit from 23 to 100 ppb in 2018; Alaska testing found Gerber rice cereal up to 116 ppb; Beech-Nut discontinued rice cereal; Hain's ingredient estimates understated finished-product levels by 28–93%; Sprout relied on suppliers' annual ingredient tests. Open source · [14]
Certifier databaseClean Label Project certified-products directory, checked Sept. 30, 2026 (brand and product listings with award type): Gerber 120, Little Spoon 71, Once Upon a Farm 46, Happy Family Organics 36, Serenity Kids 34, Cerebelly 22, Beech-Nut 20, Amara 7; Hain Celestial's 6 are Earth's Best infant formulas; Walmart Parent's Choice's 1 is an infant formula; no Plum Organics, Square Baby, Tiny Organics or Sprout listing. Brands pay for certification. Open source · [9]
Maker's dataPlum Organics pouch range (Sept. 30, 2026): all 13 pouches on the page lead with a fruit, e.g., Stage 2 Apple + Carrot, Pear + Mango, Just Mangos. Open source · [31]
Maker's dataLabel records via Open Food Facts (checked Sept. 30, 2026): Earth's Best Letter of the Day Cookies (0023923202009: evaporated cane syrup); Plum Teensy Snacks (0846675014047: apple juice concentrate); Happy Baby Yogis (0852697001484: organic sugar); Parent's Choice Organic Banana Rice Rusks (0078742067476: rice flour, sugar) and Banana Yogurt Bites (0194346268627: sugar); Little Spoon puffs (0850073237984: sorghum, corn, quinoa); Earth's Best Crunchy Sticks (0023923532953: corn); Beech-Nut Melties (0052200041024: fruit and vegetables, no sugar). Open source · [34]
From $3.92 a blendFresh 4-oz (113 g) cups by subscription; price depends on the plan.
Best fresh delivery
Little Spoon Babyblends
Fresh cold-pressed cups by subscription · organic · stages 1–5
5 of 5[1]all three metals in its Meltable Puffs (CR 2026)
3 of 5[1]arsenic rating for Stage 1 Pear; CR's limit is one a day
71[9]products listed by Clean Label Project, the most after Gerber
From $0.98/oz[37]“from $3.92” a 4-oz blend (maker)
Fresh baby food delivered, with solid results. CR's two Little Spoon products were both below its level of concern: the Meltable Puffs rated 5 of 5 across the board, and the Stage 1 Pear cup rated 3 for inorganic arsenic; CR's limit is one a day. CR found phthalates in the puffs and microplastics in the purée. Its transparency score is CR's 2025 rating, when results sat behind a lot code; CR notes it has since dropped that requirement, which we couldn't confirm on its site. Half its blends (24 of 48) lead with fruit, and its puffs are made from sorghum, corn and quinoa, not rice. Prices depend on the plan.
Heavy metals: CR 2026, lowest per-metal rating per product: Little Spoon Babyblends Stage 1 Organic Fruit Pu 3 → 7; Little Spoon Organic Meltable Baby Puffs 5 → 10. Average 8.500 · Transparency: lot code (cr's 2025 rating) (5.5) · Food: no deductions (24 of 48 lead with fruit) · Track record: no deductions · Verification: CLP-listed baby food (7). Weighted: 8.275.
Independent labConsumer Reports, “We Tested 48 Baby Foods for Heavy Metals and Microplastics” (Sept. 17, 2026; updated Sept. 18). 11 brands, 2–4 lots each, accredited outside lab; free per-product ratings (1–5) for inorganic arsenic, cadmium, lead, BPA, phthalates and PFAS, with serving limits CR bases on combined inorganic arsenic and lead; “no noticeable or consistent differences” between organic and conventional; 96% below CR's level of concern; lead in 85%, phthalates in 81%, microplastics in all 15 purées tested; company responses. Open source · [1]
Independent labConsumer Reports and Unleaded Kids, “Best Baby Food Companies for Reporting Lead, Arsenic, and Other Toxic Elements” (ratings as of 2025; updated Sept. 24, 2026). 39 brands rated on how easily parents can find AB 899 results; 17 at the top; Happy Baby requires a best-by date; Little Spoon has since removed its lot-code requirement; company responses; state laws in Maryland and Virginia; California attorney general's March 2026 advisory. Open source · [2]
Maker's dataLittle Spoon Transparency Hub (Sept. 30, 2026): browse results by category or lot code; “Always Tested” for 500+ contaminants. Open source · [38]
Maker's dataLittle Spoon Babyblends (Sept. 30, 2026): “From $3.92/Blend”; organic, Clean Label Project certified; stages 1–5; 24 of 48 listed blends lead with a fruit. Open source · [37]
Certifier databaseClean Label Project certified-products directory, checked Sept. 30, 2026 (brand and product listings with award type): Gerber 120, Little Spoon 71, Once Upon a Farm 46, Happy Family Organics 36, Serenity Kids 34, Cerebelly 22, Beech-Nut 20, Amara 7; Hain Celestial's 6 are Earth's Best infant formulas; Walmart Parent's Choice's 1 is an infant formula; no Plum Organics, Square Baby, Tiny Organics or Sprout listing. Brands pay for certification. Open source · [9]
2 recalls[17]since Jan. 2025: a Class I and a Class II
The most-tested brand, with one clear product to avoid. Consumer Reports tested 14 Gerber products: eight rated 5 of 5 on every metal, five rated 3 on one or two metals, and the rice cereal averaged 63 ppb inorganic arsenic, CR's lowest rating and a half-serving-a-day limit; Gerber says it meets all FDA limits. Its Organic Oatmeal cereal rated 5 of 5. Gerber recalled Soothe ’n’ Chew teething sticks in January 2025 (Class I, choking complaints) and Arrowroot Biscuits in January 2026 (Class II, possible paper or plastic pieces). Rice cereal and juice in the line cost it on ingredients.
Best forOrganic Oatmeal cereal from any grocery store
Skip ifRice cereal, or you want a brand with no recent recalls
Independent test: CR 2026 (14 products)Own results: Open
See score breakdown & sources
Heavy-metal results8.4
Test transparency10.0
What's in the food8.0
Track record6.5
Verification7.0
Heavy metals: CR 2026, lowest per-metal rating per product: Gerber 100% Juice 5 → 10; Gerber Crawler Puffs 5 → 10; Gerber Crawler Yogurt Melts 5 → 10; Gerber Graduates Crawler Lil’ Crunchies 5 → 10; Gerber Graduates Toddler Animal Crackers 5 → 10; Gerber Graduates Toddler Lil’ Biscuits 5 → 10; Gerber Oatmeal & Barley Cereal 5 → 10; Gerber Oatmeal Cereal 3 → 7; Gerber Organic Apple Spinach with Kale 3 → 7; Gerber Organic Oatmeal Cereal 5 → 10; Gerber Organic Plant Protein Banana Berry and Ve 3 → 7; Gerber Pick-Ups Italian Herb Pasta 3 → 7; Gerber Rice Cereal 1 → 2; Gerber Yellow Rice & Chicken with Vegetables in 3 → 7. Average 8.357 · Transparency: open (10) · Food: rice cereal or rice snacks −1, juice or added sugar −1 (catalog not readable) · Track record: F-0578-2025 Class I 2025-01-31 −1.5; H-0518-2026 Class II 2026-01-26 −1; 2021 House report internal results over today's FDA lead levels −1 · Verification: CLP-listed baby food (7). Weighted: 8.200.
Independent labConsumer Reports, “We Tested 48 Baby Foods for Heavy Metals and Microplastics” (Sept. 17, 2026; updated Sept. 18). 11 brands, 2–4 lots each, accredited outside lab; free per-product ratings (1–5) for inorganic arsenic, cadmium, lead, BPA, phthalates and PFAS, with serving limits CR bases on combined inorganic arsenic and lead; “no noticeable or consistent differences” between organic and conventional; 96% below CR's level of concern; lead in 85%, phthalates in 81%, microplastics in all 15 purées tested; company responses. Open source · [1]
Independent labConsumer Reports and Unleaded Kids, “Best Baby Food Companies for Reporting Lead, Arsenic, and Other Toxic Elements” (ratings as of 2025; updated Sept. 24, 2026). 39 brands rated on how easily parents can find AB 899 results; 17 at the top; Happy Baby requires a best-by date; Little Spoon has since removed its lot-code requirement; company responses; state laws in Maryland and Virginia; California attorney general's March 2026 advisory. Open source · [2]
Public record / studyFDA enforcement reports F-0578-2025 and F-0579-2025 (Gerber Soothe ’n’ Chew Teething Sticks, complaints of infant choking, Class I, initiated Jan. 31, 2025, terminated) and H-0518-2026 (Gerber Arrowroot Biscuits, supplier flour possibly containing pieces of paper or plastic, Class II, initiated Jan. 26, 2026, ongoing; 258,474 cases). Recalling firm: Gerber Products Company dba Nestlé Infant Nutrition / Nestlé USA. Open source · [17]
Public record / studyU.S. House Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy staff report (Feb. 4, 2021): internal data from Nurture (Happy Baby), Beech-Nut, Hain (Earth's Best) and Gerber: finished products up to 641 ppb lead (Nurture) and 129 ppb inorganic arsenic (Hain); ingredients up to 913.4 ppb arsenic and 886.9 ppb lead (Beech-Nut); Gerber used 67 batches of rice flour over 90 ppb inorganic arsenic. Open source · [13]
Public record / studyHouse subcommittee follow-up report (Sept. 29, 2021): Plum Super Puffs averaged 233.74 ppb total arsenic (2017–2019), some Plum products up to 73 ppb lead; Walmart raised its internal inorganic arsenic limit from 23 to 100 ppb in 2018; Alaska testing found Gerber rice cereal up to 116 ppb; Beech-Nut discontinued rice cereal; Hain's ingredient estimates understated finished-product levels by 28–93%; Sprout relied on suppliers' annual ingredient tests. Open source · [14]
Certifier databaseClean Label Project certified-products directory, checked Sept. 30, 2026 (brand and product listings with award type): Gerber 120, Little Spoon 71, Once Upon a Farm 46, Happy Family Organics 36, Serenity Kids 34, Cerebelly 22, Beech-Nut 20, Amara 7; Hain Celestial's 6 are Earth's Best infant formulas; Walmart Parent's Choice's 1 is an infant formula; no Plum Organics, Square Baby, Tiny Organics or Sprout listing. Brands pay for certification. Open source · [9]
Maker's dataGerber product testing results page, linked by Consumer Reports as a top-tier AB 899 site (gerber.com blocked our automated check on Sept. 30, 2026). Open source · [46]
Price varies (retail)Glass jars and pouches in stores; beechnut.com blocked our price check.
Best glass jars
Beech-Nut Naturals and Organics
Glass jars and pouches · Naturals and Organics
8 of 8[1]products below CR's level of concern in 2026
2 a day[1][5]CR's limit for its sweet potato jar, up from under ½ in 2023
2021[18][14]rice cereal arsenic recall; it then stopped selling rice cereal
913.4 ppb[13]arsenic in an ingredient it used before 2021 (House report)
Most improved. All eight Beech-Nut products CR tested in 2026 were below its level of concern; four rated 5 of 5 on every metal and four rated 3 on one. Its sweet potato jar, which CR limited to under half a jar a day in 2023, now carries a two-a-day limit. Beech-Nut recalled its rice cereal for inorganic arsenic in June 2021 and then stopped selling it; that recall is now more than five years old, so it no longer costs points. The 2021 House report found it used ingredients up to 913.4 ppb arsenic. Its own results take a UPC, lot and best-by date.
FormatGlass jars (CR still found microplastics in jarred purées) and pouches
Where to buyGrocery stores and online retailers
CertificationsClean Label Project on 20 jars and pouches
Independent test: CR 2026 (8 products)Own results: Lot code
See score breakdown & sources
Heavy-metal results8.5
Test transparency5.5
What's in the food10.0
Track record9.0
Verification7.0
Heavy metals: CR 2026, lowest per-metal rating per product: Beech-Nut Melties with Fruit & Veggies 5 → 10; Beech-Nut Oaty Bars 5 → 10; Beech-Nut Organics Stage 1 Apple 5 → 10; Beech-Nut Organics Stage 2 Apple 5 → 10; Beech-Nut Stage 1 Chicken & Chicken Broth 3 → 7; Beech-Nut Stage 2 Fruities 3 → 7; Beech-Nut Stage 2 Sweet Potato 3 → 7; Beech-Nut Stage 2 Turkey with Butternut Squash 3 → 7. Average 8.500 · Transparency: lot code (5.5) · Food: no deductions (catalog not readable) · Track record: F-0770-2021 heavy-metal recall 2021-06-08: more than 5 years ago, no deduction; 2021 House report internal results over today's FDA lead levels −1 · Verification: CLP-listed baby food (7). Weighted: 8.125.
Independent labConsumer Reports, “We Tested 48 Baby Foods for Heavy Metals and Microplastics” (Sept. 17, 2026; updated Sept. 18). 11 brands, 2–4 lots each, accredited outside lab; free per-product ratings (1–5) for inorganic arsenic, cadmium, lead, BPA, phthalates and PFAS, with serving limits CR bases on combined inorganic arsenic and lead; “no noticeable or consistent differences” between organic and conventional; 96% below CR's level of concern; lead in 85%, phthalates in 81%, microplastics in all 15 purées tested; company responses. Open source · [1]
Independent labConsumer Reports, “Are There Still Heavy Metals in Baby Food?” (June 27, 2023). 14 products retested; serving limits, e.g., Beech-Nut Naturals Sweet Potato and three Gerber rice or sweet potato dinners at under ½ serving a day; Happy Baby Superfood Puffs 1.5 servings. Open source · [5]
Independent labConsumer Reports and Unleaded Kids, “Best Baby Food Companies for Reporting Lead, Arsenic, and Other Toxic Elements” (ratings as of 2025; updated Sept. 24, 2026). 39 brands rated on how easily parents can find AB 899 results; 17 at the top; Happy Baby requires a best-by date; Little Spoon has since removed its lot-code requirement; company responses; state laws in Maryland and Virginia; California attorney general's March 2026 advisory. Open source · [2]
Public record / studyFDA enforcement report F-0770-2021: Beech-Nut Single Grain Rice Baby Cereal, 8 oz; inorganic arsenic above 100 ppb; Class II; initiated June 8, 2021; 8,831 cases; terminated. Open source · [18]
Public record / studyU.S. House Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy staff report (Feb. 4, 2021): internal data from Nurture (Happy Baby), Beech-Nut, Hain (Earth's Best) and Gerber: finished products up to 641 ppb lead (Nurture) and 129 ppb inorganic arsenic (Hain); ingredients up to 913.4 ppb arsenic and 886.9 ppb lead (Beech-Nut); Gerber used 67 batches of rice flour over 90 ppb inorganic arsenic. Open source · [13]
Certifier databaseClean Label Project certified-products directory, checked Sept. 30, 2026 (brand and product listings with award type): Gerber 120, Little Spoon 71, Once Upon a Farm 46, Happy Family Organics 36, Serenity Kids 34, Cerebelly 22, Beech-Nut 20, Amara 7; Hain Celestial's 6 are Earth's Best infant formulas; Walmart Parent's Choice's 1 is an infant formula; no Plum Organics, Square Baby, Tiny Organics or Sprout listing. Brands pay for certification. Open source · [9]
Maker's dataBeech-Nut product testing results page (UPC, lot and best-by entry), as linked by Consumer Reports (beechnut.com blocked our automated check on Sept. 30, 2026). Open source · [47]
Savory pouches built on vegetables, meat and olive oil, with middling lab numbers. CR's 2026 test of its Sweet Potato & Spinach pouch found it below the level of concern but rated 3 for both inorganic arsenic and lead (CR's limit is one a day), plus phthalates and microplastics. In 2024 CR found its Tomato & Herbs Bone Broth cassava puffs at 53% of California's daily lead limit per serving and advised under 1.5 servings a day; we score only the newest test. Only 3 of its 32 pouches lead with fruit. Results need the package's UPC.
Best forA savory, vegetable-and-meat pouch line
Skip ifYou want its puffs; buy the pouches instead
Heavy metals: CR 2026, lowest per-metal rating per product: Serenity Kids Organic Sweet Potato & Spinach wit 3 → 7. Average 7.000 · Transparency: upc (7) · Food: no deductions (3 of 32 lead with fruit) · Track record: no deductions · Verification: CLP-listed baby food (7). Weighted: 8.050.
Independent labConsumer Reports, “We Tested 48 Baby Foods for Heavy Metals and Microplastics” (Sept. 17, 2026; updated Sept. 18). 11 brands, 2–4 lots each, accredited outside lab; free per-product ratings (1–5) for inorganic arsenic, cadmium, lead, BPA, phthalates and PFAS, with serving limits CR bases on combined inorganic arsenic and lead; “no noticeable or consistent differences” between organic and conventional; 96% below CR's level of concern; lead in 85%, phthalates in 81%, microplastics in all 15 purées tested; company responses. Open source · [1]
Independent labConsumer Reports, “Cassava-Based Puffs From Lesser Evil and Serenity Kids Contain High Levels of Lead” (June 5, 2024; updated June 14). Six puffs, rated for lead only (arsenic and cadmium detected, not high enough to pose significant risks); lead as % of California's MADL per 7 g serving: Serenity Kids Tomato & Herbs Bone Broth 53% (1.5 servings a day), Carrot & Beet 17%; Once Upon a Farm sorghum puffs 6% and 3% (no serving limit). Open source · [3]
Independent labConsumer Reports and Unleaded Kids, “Best Baby Food Companies for Reporting Lead, Arsenic, and Other Toxic Elements” (ratings as of 2025; updated Sept. 24, 2026). 39 brands rated on how easily parents can find AB 899 results; 17 at the top; Happy Baby requires a best-by date; Little Spoon has since removed its lot-code requirement; company responses; state laws in Maryland and Virginia; California attorney general's March 2026 advisory. Open source · [2]
Maker's dataSerenity Kids Organic Sweet Potato & Spinach with Olive Oil (Sept. 30, 2026): 12 count $43.90; veggie pouches $43.90, meat pouches $53.90 per pack; 3 of 32 pouch listings lead with fruit. Open source · [39]
Certifier databaseClean Label Project certified-products directory, checked Sept. 30, 2026 (brand and product listings with award type): Gerber 120, Little Spoon 71, Once Upon a Farm 46, Happy Family Organics 36, Serenity Kids 34, Cerebelly 22, Beech-Nut 20, Amara 7; Hain Celestial's 6 are Earth's Best infant formulas; Walmart Parent's Choice's 1 is an infant formula; no Plum Organics, Square Baby, Tiny Organics or Sprout listing. Brands pay for certification. Open source · [9]
9 of 12[32]pouches and jars on its site lead with fruit
The second-best lab results in our ranking, pulled down by what's in the line. In CR's 2026 test, five of Happy Baby's six products rated 5 of 5 for all three metals, and only the Sweet Potato & Coconut Curry bowl rated 3 for lead; CR's limit is one a day. That's a turnaround from 2023, when its since-discontinued Superfood Puffs had the highest average arsenic and lead CR tested. What costs it: its teething wafers are made from rice flour with added sugar, its Yogis list sugar, 9 of 12 listed pouches and jars lead with fruit, and seeing its own results takes a product name and best-by date. The 2021 House report found the company (then Nurture) sold a finished product with 641 ppb lead.
Best forOrganic jars, bowls and veggie-and-olive-oil pouches
Skip ifYou want rice-free snacks or results without a best-by date
StagesStage 1 and 2 pouches and jars, bowls, Happy Tot toddler foods
Veggie-forward picksBroccoli & Carrots with Olive Oil; Sweet Potatoes with Olive Oil & Rosemary pouches
SnacksSkip the rice teething wafers; the amaranth teether crackers rated 5 of 5 (CR 2026)
Where to buyGrocery stores and online retailers
CertificationsClean Label Project Purity Award on 36 Happy Family products
Independent test: CR 2026 (6 products)Own results: Best-by date
See score breakdown & sources
Heavy-metal results9.5
Test transparency5.5
What's in the food6.5
Track record9.0
Verification7.0
Heavy metals: CR 2026, lowest per-metal rating per product: Happy Baby Organic Sweet Potato & Coconut Curry 3 → 7; Happy Baby Organic Teether Crackers 5 → 10; Happy Baby Organic Teether Crackers 5 → 10; Happy Baby Organic Yogis 5 → 10; Happy Tot Fiber & Protein Gluten Free Oat Bar 5 → 10; Happy Tot Organic Wild Rice Risotto 5 → 10. Average 9.500 · Transparency: best-by date (5.5) · Food: fruit-first line −1.5, rice cereal or rice snacks −1, juice or added sugar −1 (9 of 12 lead with fruit) · Track record: 2021 House report internal results over today's FDA lead levels −1 · Verification: CLP-listed baby food (7). Weighted: 7.775.
Independent labConsumer Reports, “We Tested 48 Baby Foods for Heavy Metals and Microplastics” (Sept. 17, 2026; updated Sept. 18). 11 brands, 2–4 lots each, accredited outside lab; free per-product ratings (1–5) for inorganic arsenic, cadmium, lead, BPA, phthalates and PFAS, with serving limits CR bases on combined inorganic arsenic and lead; “no noticeable or consistent differences” between organic and conventional; 96% below CR's level of concern; lead in 85%, phthalates in 81%, microplastics in all 15 purées tested; company responses. Open source · [1]
Independent labConsumer Reports, “Are There Still Heavy Metals in Baby Food?” (June 27, 2023). 14 products retested; serving limits, e.g., Beech-Nut Naturals Sweet Potato and three Gerber rice or sweet potato dinners at under ½ serving a day; Happy Baby Superfood Puffs 1.5 servings. Open source · [5]
Independent labConsumer Reports and Unleaded Kids, “Best Baby Food Companies for Reporting Lead, Arsenic, and Other Toxic Elements” (ratings as of 2025; updated Sept. 24, 2026). 39 brands rated on how easily parents can find AB 899 results; 17 at the top; Happy Baby requires a best-by date; Little Spoon has since removed its lot-code requirement; company responses; state laws in Maryland and Virginia; California attorney general's March 2026 advisory. Open source · [2]
Public record / studyU.S. House Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy staff report (Feb. 4, 2021): internal data from Nurture (Happy Baby), Beech-Nut, Hain (Earth's Best) and Gerber: finished products up to 641 ppb lead (Nurture) and 129 ppb inorganic arsenic (Hain); ingredients up to 913.4 ppb arsenic and 886.9 ppb lead (Beech-Nut); Gerber used 67 batches of rice flour over 90 ppb inorganic arsenic. Open source · [13]
Certifier databaseClean Label Project certified-products directory, checked Sept. 30, 2026 (brand and product listings with award type): Gerber 120, Little Spoon 71, Once Upon a Farm 46, Happy Family Organics 36, Serenity Kids 34, Cerebelly 22, Beech-Nut 20, Amara 7; Hain Celestial's 6 are Earth's Best infant formulas; Walmart Parent's Choice's 1 is an infant formula; no Plum Organics, Square Baby, Tiny Organics or Sprout listing. Brands pay for certification. Open source · [9]
Maker's dataHappy Family Organics pouches and jars (Sept. 30, 2026): 9 of 12 listed products lead with a fruit; e.g., Organic Broccoli & Carrots with Olive Oil, 4-oz pouch; no price listed. Open source · [32]
Maker's dataLabel records via Open Food Facts (checked Sept. 30, 2026): Earth's Best Letter of the Day Cookies (0023923202009: evaporated cane syrup); Plum Teensy Snacks (0846675014047: apple juice concentrate); Happy Baby Yogis (0852697001484: organic sugar); Parent's Choice Organic Banana Rice Rusks (0078742067476: rice flour, sugar) and Banana Yogurt Bites (0194346268627: sugar); Little Spoon puffs (0850073237984: sorghum, corn, quinoa); Earth's Best Crunchy Sticks (0023923532953: corn); Beech-Nut Melties (0052200041024: fruit and vegetables, no sugar). Open source · [34]
Price varies (Walmart)Walmart's store brand; we didn't check Walmart prices.
Store brand with fresh results
Parent's Choice Baby Food (Walmart)
Walmart's tubs, pouches, cereals and snacks
3 of 3[1]products below CR's level of concern in 2026
3 of 5[1]lead rating for the Stage 1 Carrot tub; CR's limit is one a day
Oct. 2021[19]rice cereal recall for inorganic arsenic
23 → 100 ppb[14]Walmart's internal arsenic limit, raised in 2018
Tested well in 2026, with the heaviest track-record penalty in our top 10. CR's three Parent's Choice products were below its level of concern: the Stage 1 Carrot tub and Banana Rice Rusks rated 3 on one metal, the Yogurt Bites 5 across the board. The carrot tub also had some of the most microplastics CR found. An October 2021 recall of Parent's Choice Rice Baby Cereal for inorganic arsenic still falls within our five-year window, and the House found Walmart had raised its internal arsenic limit from 23 to 100 ppb in 2018. Rice rusks with sugar, sugar in its yogurt bites and results by lot code cost it too.
Best forThe Walmart shopper who sticks to vegetable tubs
Skip ifRice rusks, or you want easy-to-find results
CertificationsClean Label Project lists one Parent's Choice formula, not its baby food
Independent test: CR 2026 (3 products)Own results: Lot code
See score breakdown & sources
Heavy-metal results8.0
Test transparency5.5
What's in the food8.0
Track record7.0
Verification5.0
Heavy metals: CR 2026, lowest per-metal rating per product: Parent’s Choice (Walmart) 2nd Stage Organic Bana 3 → 7; Parent’s Choice (Walmart) Stage 1 Carrot Purée 3 → 7; Parent’s Choice (Walmart) Stage 3 Toddler Yogurt 5 → 10. Average 8.000 · Transparency: lot code (5.5) · Food: rice cereal or rice snacks −1, juice or added sugar −1 (catalog not readable) · Track record: F-0065-2022 heavy-metal recall 2021-10-08 −3 · Verification: none for baby food (5). Weighted: 7.050.
Independent labConsumer Reports, “We Tested 48 Baby Foods for Heavy Metals and Microplastics” (Sept. 17, 2026; updated Sept. 18). 11 brands, 2–4 lots each, accredited outside lab; free per-product ratings (1–5) for inorganic arsenic, cadmium, lead, BPA, phthalates and PFAS, with serving limits CR bases on combined inorganic arsenic and lead; “no noticeable or consistent differences” between organic and conventional; 96% below CR's level of concern; lead in 85%, phthalates in 81%, microplastics in all 15 purées tested; company responses. Open source · [1]
Independent labConsumer Reports and Unleaded Kids, “Best Baby Food Companies for Reporting Lead, Arsenic, and Other Toxic Elements” (ratings as of 2025; updated Sept. 24, 2026). 39 brands rated on how easily parents can find AB 899 results; 17 at the top; Happy Baby requires a best-by date; Little Spoon has since removed its lot-code requirement; company responses; state laws in Maryland and Virginia; California attorney general's March 2026 advisory. Open source · [2]
Public record / studyFDA enforcement report F-0065-2022: Parent's Choice Rice Baby Cereal, 8 oz (Maple Island Inc.); elevated inorganic arsenic; Class II; initiated Oct. 8, 2021; 2,844 cases; terminated. Open source · [19]
Public record / studyHouse subcommittee follow-up report (Sept. 29, 2021): Plum Super Puffs averaged 233.74 ppb total arsenic (2017–2019), some Plum products up to 73 ppb lead; Walmart raised its internal inorganic arsenic limit from 23 to 100 ppb in 2018; Alaska testing found Gerber rice cereal up to 116 ppb; Beech-Nut discontinued rice cereal; Hain's ingredient estimates understated finished-product levels by 28–93%; Sprout relied on suppliers' annual ingredient tests. Open source · [14]
Certifier databaseClean Label Project certified-products directory, checked Sept. 30, 2026 (brand and product listings with award type): Gerber 120, Little Spoon 71, Once Upon a Farm 46, Happy Family Organics 36, Serenity Kids 34, Cerebelly 22, Beech-Nut 20, Amara 7; Hain Celestial's 6 are Earth's Best infant formulas; Walmart Parent's Choice's 1 is an infant formula; no Plum Organics, Square Baby, Tiny Organics or Sprout listing. Brands pay for certification. Open source · [9]
Maker's dataLabel records via Open Food Facts (checked Sept. 30, 2026): Earth's Best Letter of the Day Cookies (0023923202009: evaporated cane syrup); Plum Teensy Snacks (0846675014047: apple juice concentrate); Happy Baby Yogis (0852697001484: organic sugar); Parent's Choice Organic Banana Rice Rusks (0078742067476: rice flour, sugar) and Banana Yogurt Bites (0194346268627: sugar); Little Spoon puffs (0850073237984: sorghum, corn, quinoa); Earth's Best Crunchy Sticks (0023923532953: corn); Beech-Nut Melties (0052200041024: fruit and vegetables, no sugar). Open source · [34]
Cerebelly#2 · 8.7/10$0.90per ounce$21.54 for 6 · Six 4-oz (113 g) veggie-first pouches; $3.59 single.[35]
Little Spoon#5 · 8.3/10$0.98per ounceFrom $3.92 a blend · Fresh 4-oz (113 g) cups by subscription; price depends on the plan.[37]
Serenity Kids#8 · 8.1/10$1.05per ounce$43.90 for 12 · Twelve 3.5-oz (99 g) veggie pouches with olive oil; meat pouches $53.90.[39]
Once Upon a Farm#3 · 8.5/10$1.28per ounce$65.60 for 16 · Sixteen 3.2-oz (91 g) refrigerated pouches on subscription, $4.10 each; $3.90 each in 24s.[27]
Amara's dried meals work out to $3.00 a meal (20 for $59.99), but a dry-weight ounce isn't comparable[44]. Cheapest direct price: Sprout at $0.52 an ounce, but it has an active lead recall. Among our top 10, Cerebelly ($0.90) and Little Spoon (from $0.98) cost least; our #1, Earth's Best, sells only through stores.
The signature chart
Every product Consumer Reports tested in 2026
Each square is CR's 1–5 rating for one metal (5 is best). We score each product at its lowest per-metal rating and average the brand. “Limit” is CR's recommended servings a day, based on arsenic and lead combined.
1Earth's BestHeavy-metal pillar9.5
ProductAsCdPbLimit
Organic Apple Sweet PotatoFruit & Vegetable Purées · 99 g (1 pouch)3551 serving per day
Fruit Purée, Banana, Peach & ApricotFruit & Vegetable Purées · 113 g (1 tub)1551 serving per day
Organic Cheese & Spinach RavioliMeat & Entrées · 128 g (1 bowl)5531 serving per day
Organic Puffs, Apple StrawberrySnacks · 7 g (½ cup)555No limit
·Baby Mum-MumHeavy-metal pillar8.5
ProductAsCdPbLimit
Gentle Teething Wafers, VegetableSnacks · 8 g (4 rusks)3551 serving per day
Gentle Teething Wafers, BananaSnacks · 8 g (4 rusks)5551/2 serving per week
5 · excellent3 · good1 · over CR's concern levelAs = inorganic arsenic · Cd = cadmium · Pb = lead
Source: CR's free per-product chart[1]. No product rated 2 or 4. Baby Mum-Mum (rice teething wafers only) is shown but not ranked; its Banana wafers carried a half-serving-a-week limit for BPA, not metals. Once Upon a Farm and Sprout weren't in this test; see the methodology for how we used CR's 2024 results[3][4].
What's allowed
FDA's lead levels vs. what's actually in baby food
FDA's January 2025 action levels, with its own survey data: the bar is the average, the band is the 90th–95th percentile, and the dashed line is the level. The snacks that test highest have no level at all.
Yogurts, custards, single-ingredient meats90th–95th percentile 2.6–2.9 ppbFDA 10 ppb1.1ppb mean lead
Fruits90th–95th percentile 2.4–4.1 ppbFDA 10 ppb1.2ppb mean lead
Vegetables (not carrots or sweet potatoes)90th–95th percentile 4.2–7 ppbFDA 10 ppb2.1ppb mean lead
Mixtures (incl. grain and meat mixtures)90th–95th percentile 6–9.1 ppbFDA 10 ppb2.7ppb mean lead
Dry infant cereals90th–95th percentile 20–23 ppbFDA 20 ppb7.8ppb mean lead
Single-ingredient carrots or sweet potatoes90th–95th percentile 20.9–23.9 ppbFDA 20 ppb8.2ppb mean lead
Puffs, rusks, teething biscuits, arrowroot cookiesSnacks: FDA is still collecting dataNo lead level in this guidanceNoneno action level
Infant formula, juice and toddler drinksFormula excluded; juice has a separate draftNo lead level in this guidanceNoneno action level
Source: FDA's final guidance[10]. “Single-ingredient root vegetable” means only carrots or sweet potatoes; sweet potato with apple counts as a mixture, so it falls under 10 ppb. The levels are nonbinding: FDA “may regard” food above them as adulterated. FDA estimates they cut exposure 19% to 29% for the heaviest eaters of each food group; HBBF's analysis puts the cut in children's total food lead at about 3.6%[1]. FDA told CR draft levels for cadmium and inorganic arsenic are under development for 2026[1].
Where metals hide
Root vegetables and rice carry the most
Same food, different brand, very different numbers. Bars span the lowest to highest result; the dashed line is FDA's 10 ppb lead level (top) and 100 ppb rice cereal arsenic level (bottom).
Metals by food, from independent tests
Stays under 10 ppbSome samples over 10 ppbRice cereal arsenic rangeCR 2026 averageFDA level
08162432
Lead in single-ingredient vegetables, ppb (HBBF, 2019)
Sources: HBBF's 2019 per-product appendix, results bought in 2019 and shown for context only[7]; CR's 2026 test[1]. FDA's own data agree: single-ingredient carrots and sweet potatoes averaged 8.2 ppb lead vs 2.1 ppb for other vegetables[10]. Four of HBBF's seven rice cereals topped 100 ppb in 2019.
How we score: the Dr. Axe Clean Start Score™
Most baby food lists rank taste or packaging. Ours starts with lab numbers someone other than the brand measured. It's an editorial assessment built from Consumer Reports' free test results, brand disclosures, FDA recall records and certifier listings, not our own lab testing and not a safety grade. Price isn't part of the score.
Heavy-metal results35%
Consumer Reports' Sept. 2026 per-product ratings (1–5) for inorganic arsenic, cadmium and lead. Each product counts at its lowest per-metal rating: 5 = 10, 4 = 8.5, 3 = 7, 2 = 4.5, 1 = 2, averaged across every product CR tested from the brand.
Test transparency20%
How easily you can see the brand's own California AB 899 results (CR and Unleaded Kids, 2025): posted openly per product 10; behind a UPC entry 7; behind a lot code or best-by date 5.5; not found 3. Brands CR did not rate get the neutral median.
What's in the food20%
Starts at 10: more than half of the listed purées lead with a fruit −1.5; rice cereal or rice snacks in the line −1; juice, juice concentrate or added sugar in any product −1; seed oils in meals −0.5. Checked on each brand's current catalog and labels; organic earns no points.
Track record15%
Starts at 10: a heavy-metal recall within 5 years −3; another Class I recall within 3 years −1.5, Class II −1; internal results over today's FDA lead levels in the 2021 House report −1. Lawsuits are allegations: no deduction.
Verification10%
Clean Label Project certification of the baby food line, verified on CLP's own directory, 7 (brands pay for it); none 5; full downloadable lab certificates 9.
One yardstick for metals. CR's September 2026 test is the primary input: 48 products from 11 brands, 2 to 4 lots each, rated 1 to 5 per metal[1]. We take each product's lowest rating for inorganic arsenic, cadmium or lead and average the brand; CR's serving limits combine arsenic and lead. For brands CR skipped in 2026, we use its free 2024 results, mapped from CR's own verdict: no serving limit 10; 3 or more servings a day 8.5; 1 to 2.9, 7; under 1, 4.5; half a serving or less, 2[3][4]. A test that rated only lead can't earn a full score: for Once Upon a Farm, lead = the average of CR's lead-only puff result (10) and its own pouch lot data against FDA's 10 ppb level (8, the maximum for brand data; non-detects counted at half the site's 5.9 ppb threshold), and arsenic and cadmium take the neutral 8.0. Its pillar: (9 + 8 + 8) ÷ 3 = 8.3[29]. Results bought before 2023 (HBBF 2019, the 2021 House reports) aren't scored; they show up in the track record and history.
No data is neutral, not zero. The class-typical score is the median of the 11 brands CR tested in 2026 (8.5; brand averages: Good & Gather 6.33, Cerebelly 7.00, Serenity Kids 7.00, Parent's Choice 8.00, Gerber 8.36, Beech-Nut 8.50, Little Spoon 8.50, Baby Mum-Mum 8.50, Plum Organics 8.50, Earth's Best 9.50, Happy Baby 9.50). Because a brand's own published numbers can earn at most 8, we apply no more than 8.0 to an untested brand so that no-data never beats published data. No ranked brand uses it alone.
Top-10 eligibility. A brand needs an independent test since 2023 and no active heavy-metal recall. An active or under-12-month heavy-metal recall caps the score at 5.0 (Sprout). Ties are broken by the unrounded score, then the heavy-metal pillar: Plum (8.325) ranks ahead of Little Spoon (8.275), and Beech-Nut (8.125) ahead of Serenity Kids (8.050).
Transparency, food and record. Transparency tiers are CR and Unleaded Kids' 2025 ratings[2]. Transparency for a brand CR didn't rate is neutral, the median of the other brands' tiers (6.25; Tiny Organics, whose results page didn't load for us). Food flags come from each brand's current catalog and labels: a line is fruit-first when more than half its listed purées name a fruit first (we show the count); Gerber, Beech-Nut and the store brands' catalogs weren't readable, so they're neutral on that test[31][32][34]. Recalls come from FDA's enforcement database[18][19]; a heavy-metal recall counts for 5 years, other Class I or II recalls for 3. Lawsuits are allegations and cost nothing.
What CR's ratings are, and aren't. CR compares each food's metals with the most protective limits from FDA, EPA, the European Food Safety Authority and California, per serving, for a baby's body weight[1]. A 3 is still below its level of concern. And each result is a few lots, not a guarantee for the jar on your shelf.
Clean Label Project is a paid certification: brands pay to be tested and listed, so we give it 10% of the score and check every listing on CLP's own directory[9]. Consumer Reports takes no advertising.
Why we skip rice snacks and teething biscuits
The foods with the most metals aren't the jars. They're the crunchy snacks made to melt in a baby's mouth, and many are made from rice.
Rice absorbs arsenic
HBBF found rice cakes and crisped rice cereal had the most inorganic arsenic of 288 foods[8], and 4 of 7 rice cereals topped FDA's 100 ppb level in 2019[7].
No lead level for snacks
FDA's 2025 lead levels leave out puffs, rusks, teething biscuits and arrowroot cookies while it collects data[10]. In CR's 2026 test, snacks carried more arsenic, cadmium and lead than purées by concentration; servings are small, so most still rated 5[1].
Wafers and BPA
CR's 2026 test found BPA in Baby Mum-Mum Banana Teething Wafers high enough for a half-serving-a-week limit[1].
Easy swaps
HBBF estimates rice-free snacks cut metals 93%, frozen banana or chilled cucumber instead of teething biscuits 91%, and oat or multigrain cereal instead of rice 84%[7].
What it means for you: puffs aren't needed. If you use them, choose ones made without rice or cassava, like the sorghum puffs CR measured at 3% to 6% of the lead limit[3].
What the evidence says about heavy metals and babies
Lead's harm to a developing brain is well established, even at low levels. What's not established is that any single baby food causes a specific disorder. Here's how we'd grade it:
Iron helps limit lead absorption, a CR-quoted pediatric dietitian says, so iron-rich foods are worth building in early.
CR, 2026
Put together: small, repeated exposures add up, so the practical goal is lower and more varied, not perfect.
How to read a baby food label
The label can't show metals, but it points to what raises them and where to find the results[12][10][7][9].
On the label
What it tells you
Where to check it
QR code on the label
Links to that product's heavy-metal results under California's AB 899.
Where to check: Back or bottom of the package
Stage 1, 2, 3
Texture and age, not safety. Stage 1 is usually one ingredient.
Where to check: Front label
“Single-ingredient” carrots or sweet potatoes
FDA allows 20 ppb lead in these, vs 10 ppb for mixtures, because root crops absorb more.
Where to check: Ingredient list
Rice or rice flour first
The biggest arsenic source in baby food. Choose oat, barley, quinoa or multigrain.
Where to check: Ingredient list
Juice or juice concentrate
Added sweetness without fiber; HBBF counted juice among the swaps worth making.
Where to check: Ingredient list
USDA Organic
A farming standard. CR found “no noticeable or consistent differences” in metals between organic and conventional.
Where to check: Seal; not a metals test
Clean Label Project seal
A paid, third-party testing program. Check the product on CLP's directory.
Where to check: Seal, then cleanlabelproject.org
“Cold-pressed” or HPP
Processed with pressure, not heat, and kept refrigerated.
Where to check: Front label
What about infant formula?
We don't rank formula here. FDA's lead levels and California's AB 899 both leave it out[10][12]. Consumer Reports tested 41 powdered formulas in 2025 and found about half of samples had potentially harmful levels of at least one contaminant, while the other half had low or none[6].
Two practical steps: check that your formula brand posts test results, and mix it with tap water you've tested for lead, filtered if needed. See our water filter rankings.
More picks by category
Best vegetable-first and savory lines
Lines built on vegetables, legumes and meats. Cerebelly lists no fruit first in 18 pouches[35]; Serenity Kids, 3 of 32[39].
Our top score rests on the most complete independent data of any brand here: six products CR tested in 2026, five rated 5 of 5 for inorganic arsenic, cadmium and lead, including its oatmeal and multigrain cereals and veggie puffs.
The most open testing we found, and very low lead in the only products CR has tested: two sorghum puffs in 2024, at 3% and 6% of California's daily lead limit per serving, rated for lead only.
Vegetable-forward frozen meals with top-tier transparency in CR's 2025 ratings, but no independent test. Its blog says it earned Clean Label Project's Purity Award in 2023; CLP's online directory didn't list it on Sept. 30, 2026.[2][41][9][40]
Independent test noneResults open
8.8/10
4
Tiny Organics Meals$1.43/oz
Frozen, vegetable-rich meals in 4.2-oz cups, with no independent test. Its results page didn't load for us, so transparency is neutral; one meal lists safflower oil.[43][42]
Independent test noneResults didn't load
8.0/10
Best value
Lowest price per ounce among top-10 brands that sell direct.
The most open testing we found, and very low lead in the only products CR has tested: two sorghum puffs in 2024, at 3% and 6% of California's daily lead limit per serving, rated for lead only.
Brands without an independent test, with a lower score or with an active recall.
1
Square Baby Meals$1.41/oz
Vegetable-forward frozen meals with top-tier transparency in CR's 2025 ratings, but no independent test. Its blog says it earned Clean Label Project's Purity Award in 2023; CLP's online directory didn't list it on Sept. 30, 2026.[2][41][9][40]
Independent test noneResults open
8.8/10
2
Amara Organic Baby Food (dried)$3.00/meal
Shelf-stable dried meals; Clean Label Project lists 7 products. Results take a lot number, and CR hasn't tested it.[44][9][2]
Independent test noneResults lot codeCLP listed
8.1/10
3
Tiny Organics Meals$1.43/oz
Frozen, vegetable-rich meals in 4.2-oz cups, with no independent test. Its results page didn't load for us, so transparency is neutral; one meal lists safflower oil.[43][42]
Independent test noneResults didn't load
8.0/10
4
Good & Gather Baby (Target)Price varies (Target)
Target's store brand: one purée rated 1 for arsenic in CR's 2026 test, and a 2025 lead recall of another purée.[1][22]
CR 2026 1 of 3 cleanResults lot code
6.9/10
5
Sprout Organics Pouches$0.52/oz
CR found no lead in its apple-oat pouch in 2024, but its Sweet Potato, Apple & Spinach pouch has an ongoing lead recall, which caps it at 5.0 (7.9 before the cap).[4][16][45]
CR 2024 testedResults lot code
5.0/10
What about Gerber, Beech-Nut, Earth's Best and the lawsuits?
Six of our top 10 were named in congressional reports five years ago. Here's what happened, from the reports, FDA's recall records and court coverage.
The 2021 House reportsA House subcommittee obtained internal test data from Nurture (Happy Baby), Beech-Nut, Hain (Earth's Best) and Gerber. It found finished products up to 641 ppb lead (Nurture) and 129 ppb inorganic arsenic (Hain), and ingredients up to 913.4 ppb arsenic (Beech-Nut); Gerber used 67 batches of rice flour over 90 ppb inorganic arsenic[13]. A September follow-up covered Plum, Walmart and Sprout[14]. Happy Baby, Beech-Nut, Earth's Best, Gerber and Plum each lose 1 point on track record for internal results over today's FDA lead levels; Walmart and Sprout supplied no finished-product data, so they don't.
The rice cereal recallsBeech-Nut recalled its rice cereal in June 2021 for inorganic arsenic above 100 ppb and then stopped selling it[18][14]. Walmart's Parent's Choice rice cereal followed in October 2021[19]. Gerber didn't recall, even after Alaska's testing found its rice cereal up to 116 ppb[14]; CR's 2026 sample averaged 63 ppb[1].
Recent lead recallsSprout Organics recalled its Sweet Potato, Apple & Spinach pouch for possible lead in September 2025; FDA lists it as ongoing[16]. A Good & Gather purée and a Publix GreenWise pouch were recalled in 2025[22]. The 2023 cinnamon applesauce pouch recall was tied to more than 300 cases of lead poisoning (CDC's count as of January 2024)[4].
The lawsuitsFamilies sued Gerber, Beech-Nut, Walmart and other baby food makers, alleging lead and arsenic in baby food contributed to autism or ADHD[25]. In the federal cases consolidated in San Francisco (MDL 3101), Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley on Feb. 27, 2026 excluded the plaintiffs' general-causation experts[23][24], and in August 2026 she indicated she would grant summary judgment on a significant share of claims[25]. We found no final judgment as of Sept. 30, 2026. The claims are allegations, and they don't affect our scores.
Our adviceHistory tells you who had to change. The 2026 results tell you where they are now.
What we'd skip
Specific products, not whole brands. Each had a result over CR's level of concern, a recall or a serving limit worth knowing.
Cerebelly said it couldn't verify the sample's source
Phthalate DEHP in CR's sampleDetected
CR's metals rating (worst)3 of 5
Serenity Kids puffs[3]“All of the good, none of the bad”
Brand motto as quoted by CR vs CR's per-serving lead result
Tomato & Herbs Bone Broth puffs, lead53% of limit
Once Upon a Farm puffs, lead6%
Square Baby[41][9]“Purity Award” from Clean Label Project (2023, per its blog)
The award may have lapsed; we've asked Square Baby
Products on CLP's online directory, Sept. 30, 20260
Meals in our top 10 without an independent testNot eligible
DA
Dr. Axe's Take
The newest lab data should reassure parents: most baby food on the shelf in 2026 tested well below Consumer Reports' level of concern. But lead still showed up in most of it, and a baby's brain is still developing, so the foods you choose and how often you rotate them matter.
My non-negotiables: lead with vegetables and rotate them, so carrots and sweet potatoes aren't on the menu every day. Skip infant rice cereal, rice puffs and rice teething biscuits entirely; oats, quinoa and multigrain cereals do the same job. Build in iron early with foods like beef, lentils and salmon. Give water, not juice.
Choose brands that show you their results, and use that QR code. Don't pay extra for organic expecting fewer metals, and don't assume homemade is lower. Variety is the one strategy every study here supports.
— Dr. Axe
Frequently asked questions
What is the best baby food brand low in heavy metals?
Earth's Best (9.0/10). Five of the six products Consumer Reports tested in 2026 rated best for all three metals, and it posts every result. For vegetable-first pouches, Cerebelly (8.7); for the most open testing, Once Upon a Farm (8.5), though CR has tested only its puffs, for lead.
Is store-bought baby food safe?
For most babies, yes, as part of a varied diet. In Consumer Reports' 2026 test, 96% of 48 baby foods were below its level of concern for heavy metals, its best results yet. Lead still showed up in 85% of them, so rotate foods and skip rice cereal and rice snacks.
Is homemade baby food lower in heavy metals?
Not automatically. HBBF found detectable metals in 94% of store-bought and 94% of homemade baby foods, because the metals are in the produce itself. Homemade still lets you choose lower-metal vegetables and peel root vegetables.
Which baby foods have the most heavy metals?
Rice-based foods and snacks. Infant rice cereal, rice puffs, rice rusks and teething biscuits carry the most inorganic arsenic, and carrots and sweet potatoes tend to carry more lead than other vegetables.
Should I stop feeding my baby carrots and sweet potatoes?
No. They're nutritious. Rotate them with lower-lead vegetables like green beans, peas and squash, and don't serve them every day.
Is organic baby food lower in heavy metals?
No. Consumer Reports found “no noticeable or consistent differences” in heavy metals between organic and conventional baby foods. Organic is a farming standard, not a metals test.
What does FDA allow for lead in baby food?
Since January 2025, FDA's action levels are 10 ppb for most baby foods and 20 ppb for single-ingredient carrots or sweet potatoes and dry infant cereals. They're nonbinding and don't cover puffs, teething biscuits, formula or juice. Infant rice cereal also has a nonbinding 100 ppb action level for inorganic arsenic.
How do I check the heavy metals in my baby's food?
Scan the QR code on the package if it has one. California's AB 899 requires makers selling there to post results for each lot since January 2025. Some brands show results openly; others ask for a lot code, UPC or best-by date.
Are pouches worse than jars?
Not for metals, but CR found microplastics in all 15 purées it tested, in pouches and glass jars alike, and generally more in plastic. Spoon-feeding from a bowl also helps babies learn to eat.
Is Gerber baby food safe?
Most Gerber products CR tested in 2026 were fine: 8 of 14 rated best for all three metals. The exception was Gerber Rice Cereal, at 63 ppb inorganic arsenic. Choose Gerber's Organic Oatmeal cereal instead (5 of 5 on all three metals).
Is the baby food autism lawsuit over?
Not yet. The claims are allegations. In February 2026 the federal judge excluded the plaintiffs' general-causation experts, and in August she indicated she would grant summary judgment on a significant share of claims. We found no final judgment as of Sept. 30, 2026.
References
Update history
Sept. 30, 2026: First published. Scores built from Consumer Reports' free 2026 per-product ratings (and its free 2024 results for brands it skipped), CR and Unleaded Kids' 2025 transparency ratings, FDA recall records, the Clean Label Project directory, brand disclosures and court coverage, all checked Sept. 30, 2026.
Independent lab Consumer Reports, “We Tested 48 Baby Foods for Heavy Metals and Microplastics” (Sept. 17, 2026; updated Sept. 18). 11 brands, 2–4 lots each, accredited outside lab; free per-product ratings (1–5) for inorganic arsenic, cadmium, lead, BPA, phthalates and PFAS, with serving limits CR bases on combined inorganic arsenic and lead; “no noticeable or consistent differences” between organic and conventional; 96% below CR's level of concern; lead in 85%, phthalates in 81%, microplastics in all 15 purées tested; company responses. Open source
Independent lab Consumer Reports and Unleaded Kids, “Best Baby Food Companies for Reporting Lead, Arsenic, and Other Toxic Elements” (ratings as of 2025; updated Sept. 24, 2026). 39 brands rated on how easily parents can find AB 899 results; 17 at the top; Happy Baby requires a best-by date; Little Spoon has since removed its lot-code requirement; company responses; state laws in Maryland and Virginia; California attorney general's March 2026 advisory. Open source
Independent lab Consumer Reports, “Cassava-Based Puffs From Lesser Evil and Serenity Kids Contain High Levels of Lead” (June 5, 2024; updated June 14). Six puffs, rated for lead only (arsenic and cadmium detected, not high enough to pose significant risks); lead as % of California's MADL per 7 g serving: Serenity Kids Tomato & Herbs Bone Broth 53% (1.5 servings a day), Carrot & Beet 17%; Once Upon a Farm sorghum puffs 6% and 3% (no serving limit). Open source
Independent lab Consumer Reports, “Some Kids' Fruit Purée Pouches Have Concerning Lead Levels” (Jan. 25, 2024). 10 pouches, 2–3 samples each: Sprout Apple, Oatmeal, Raisin & Cinnamon “no lead detected” (low risk); Earth's Best Sweet Potato Cinnamon Flax & Oat 3.2 ppb lead (under 1 pouch a day); more than 300 cases tied to recalled cinnamon applesauce pouches (CDC count as of Jan. 2024). Open source
Independent lab Consumer Reports, “Are There Still Heavy Metals in Baby Food?” (June 27, 2023). 14 products retested; serving limits, e.g., Beech-Nut Naturals Sweet Potato and three Gerber rice or sweet potato dinners at under ½ serving a day; Happy Baby Superfood Puffs 1.5 servings. Open source
Independent lab Consumer Reports, “We Tested 41 Baby Formulas for Lead and Arsenic” (Mar. 18, 2025; updated Mar. 3, 2026): about half of samples had potentially harmful levels of at least one contaminant; the other half low or none. Open source
Independent lab Healthy Babies Bright Futures. What's in my baby's food? (Oct. 2019). 168 baby foods from 61 brands tested by Brooks Applied Labs: toxic metals in 95%; 4 of 7 infant rice cereals over 100 ppb inorganic arsenic; per-product appendix; six swaps for “80 percent less” metals; Abt estimate of 11 million IQ points lost from birth to 24 months. Open source
Independent lab Healthy Babies Bright Futures press release (Aug. 11, 2022): 288 foods tested; toxic metals detected in 94% of store-bought baby foods and 94% of homemade purées; rice cakes and crisped rice cereal highest in inorganic arsenic. Open source
Certifier database Clean Label Project certified-products directory, checked Sept. 30, 2026 (brand and product listings with award type): Gerber 120, Little Spoon 71, Once Upon a Farm 46, Happy Family Organics 36, Serenity Kids 34, Cerebelly 22, Beech-Nut 20, Amara 7; Hain Celestial's 6 are Earth's Best infant formulas; Walmart Parent's Choice's 1 is an infant formula; no Plum Organics, Square Baby, Tiny Organics or Sprout listing. Brands pay for certification. Open source
Public record / study FDA. Guidance for industry: action levels for lead in processed food intended for babies and young children (Jan. 2025): 10 ppb for fruits, vegetables (except single-ingredient root vegetables), mixtures, yogurts, custards and single-ingredient meats; 20 ppb for single-ingredient carrots or sweet potatoes and for dry infant cereals; excludes homemade food, snacks such as puffs, rusks, teething biscuits and arrowroot cookies, infant formula and beverages; category means and 90th–95th percentiles; interim reference level 2.2 µg a day for children, from CDC's 3.5 µg/dL blood lead reference value. Open source
Public record / study FDA. Guidance for industry: action level for inorganic arsenic in rice cereals for infants (Aug. 2020): 100 ppb; nonbinding. Open source
Public record / study California AB 899 (Chapter 668, Statutes of 2023): from Jan. 1, 2024, test each production aggregate of baby food for arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury at least monthly; from Jan. 1, 2025, post results online and, for elements with an FDA action level, regulatory limit or tolerance, put a QR code on the label. Covers baby food sold in California. Open source
Public record / study U.S. House Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy staff report (Feb. 4, 2021): internal data from Nurture (Happy Baby), Beech-Nut, Hain (Earth's Best) and Gerber: finished products up to 641 ppb lead (Nurture) and 129 ppb inorganic arsenic (Hain); ingredients up to 913.4 ppb arsenic and 886.9 ppb lead (Beech-Nut); Gerber used 67 batches of rice flour over 90 ppb inorganic arsenic. Open source
Public record / study House subcommittee follow-up report (Sept. 29, 2021): Plum Super Puffs averaged 233.74 ppb total arsenic (2017–2019), some Plum products up to 73 ppb lead; Walmart raised its internal inorganic arsenic limit from 23 to 100 ppb in 2018; Alaska testing found Gerber rice cereal up to 116 ppb; Beech-Nut discontinued rice cereal; Hain's ingredient estimates understated finished-product levels by 28–93%; Sprout relied on suppliers' annual ingredient tests. Open source
Public record / study Lanphear BP, et al. Low-level environmental lead exposure and children's intellectual function: an international pooled analysis. Environ Health Perspect, 2005: 1,333 children; 3.9 IQ points lower as blood lead rose from 2.4 to 10 µg/dL; 6.9 points from 2.4 to 30. Open source
Public record / study FDA enforcement report H-0134-2026: Sprout Organics Sweet Potato, Apple & Spinach pouch, 3.5 oz; “Potential contamination with heavy metal (Lead)”; Class II; initiated Sept. 16, 2025; 9,873 cases; status ongoing. Open source
Public record / study FDA enforcement reports F-0578-2025 and F-0579-2025 (Gerber Soothe ’n’ Chew Teething Sticks, complaints of infant choking, Class I, initiated Jan. 31, 2025, terminated) and H-0518-2026 (Gerber Arrowroot Biscuits, supplier flour possibly containing pieces of paper or plastic, Class II, initiated Jan. 26, 2026, ongoing; 258,474 cases). Recalling firm: Gerber Products Company dba Nestlé Infant Nutrition / Nestlé USA. Open source
Public record / study FDA enforcement report F-0770-2021: Beech-Nut Single Grain Rice Baby Cereal, 8 oz; inorganic arsenic above 100 ppb; Class II; initiated June 8, 2021; 8,831 cases; terminated. Open source
Public record / study FDA enforcement report F-0065-2022: Parent's Choice Rice Baby Cereal, 8 oz (Maple Island Inc.); elevated inorganic arsenic; Class II; initiated Oct. 8, 2021; 2,844 cases; terminated. Open source
Public record / study FDA enforcement report F-1282-2024: Once Upon a Farm Organic Plant-Rich Meal, Curried Carrots & Beans; potential Listeria; Class II; initiated May 17, 2024; terminated. Open source
Public record / study FDA enforcement reports F-0003-2024 to F-0006-2024: Cerebelly Smart Bars; surface mold; Class II; initiated Sept. 11, 2023; terminated. Open source
Public record / study FDA enforcement reports F-0693-2025 (Good & Gather baby Pea, Zucchini, Kale & Thyme purée, made by Fruselva USA; elevated lead; Class II; initiated Mar. 12, 2025) and H-0005-2025 (Publix GreenWise Pear Kiwi Spinach & Pea pouch; lead, cadmium and arsenic; Class II; May 9, 2025). Open source
Public record / study HarrisMartin (Mar. 3, 2026): in the baby food heavy-metals MDL, Judge Jacqueline Corley (N.D. Cal.) on Feb. 27, 2026 excluded the opinions of plaintiffs' general-causation experts on lead or arsenic exposure and autism or ADHD. Open source
Public record / study Winston & Strawn via Mondaq (Apr. 9, 2026), “A recipe for exclusion”: the Feb. 27, 2026 order excluded the general-causation experts; one biological-plausibility expert, who gave no general-causation opinion, was not excluded. (Defense-side law firm.) Open source
Public record / study Law360 (Aug. 13, 2026), lede: in the MDL over lead and arsenic in baby food from Gerber, Beech-Nut, Walmart and others, the judge “indicated ... that she would grant summary judgment to a significant swath of claims” in the MDL against Gerber, Beech-Nut, Walmart and others. Open source
Public record / study Food Dive (Sept. 14, 2026): Hain Celestial is selling its international business; afterward it will keep brands including Earth's Best Organic baby food. Open source
Maker's data Once Upon a Farm online store (Sept. 30, 2026): baby blends $4.10 each in 16-packs ($65.60), $3.90 in 24s; 59 of 72 baby blend listings name a fruit first; kids' protein bars “sweetened only with organic honey.” Open source
Maker's data Once Upon a Farm Pear, Apple, Cranberry & Beet pouch label (store image): 1 pouch 91 g; pear, apple, cranberry, date, beet; AB 899 QR statement. Open source
Maker's data Once Upon a Farm AB 899 results lookup (captured Sept. 30, 2026): per-lot arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury with lab (Anresco) and test date; results under 5.9 ppb display as “Non-Detect”; all 15 lead results we pulled for five pouches did. Open source
Maker's data Earth's Best baby food range, from 4-month first foods to toddler meals (Sept. 30, 2026): 3 of 12 listed purées and meals lead with a fruit; no online store. Open source
Maker's data Plum Organics pouch range (Sept. 30, 2026): all 13 pouches on the page lead with a fruit, e.g., Stage 2 Apple + Carrot, Pear + Mango, Just Mangos. Open source
Maker's data Happy Family Organics pouches and jars (Sept. 30, 2026): 9 of 12 listed products lead with a fruit; e.g., Organic Broccoli & Carrots with Olive Oil, 4-oz pouch; no price listed. Open source
Maker's data Label records via Open Food Facts (checked Sept. 30, 2026): Earth's Best Letter of the Day Cookies (0023923202009: evaporated cane syrup); Plum Teensy Snacks (0846675014047: apple juice concentrate); Happy Baby Yogis (0852697001484: organic sugar); Parent's Choice Organic Banana Rice Rusks (0078742067476: rice flour, sugar) and Banana Yogurt Bites (0194346268627: sugar); Little Spoon puffs (0850073237984: sorghum, corn, quinoa); Earth's Best Crunchy Sticks (0023923532953: corn); Beech-Nut Melties (0052200041024: fruit and vegetables, no sugar). Open source
Maker's data Cerebelly online store (Sept. 30, 2026): purée pouches $3.59, 6-packs $21.54; pouches 113 g; none of 18 purée, broth and smoothie pouches lists a fruit first. Open source
Maker's data Cerebelly average testing levels (2025 production lots, Sept. 30, 2026): e.g., Sweet Potato Mango purée lead 2.09 ppb, Carrot Pumpkin 2.34 ppb, Broccoli Pear non-detect. Open source
Maker's data Little Spoon Babyblends (Sept. 30, 2026): “From $3.92/Blend”; organic, Clean Label Project certified; stages 1–5; 24 of 48 listed blends lead with a fruit. Open source
Maker's data Little Spoon Transparency Hub (Sept. 30, 2026): browse results by category or lot code; “Always Tested” for 500+ contaminants. Open source
Maker's data Serenity Kids Organic Sweet Potato & Spinach with Olive Oil (Sept. 30, 2026): 12 count $43.90; veggie pouches $43.90, meat pouches $53.90 per pack; 3 of 32 pouch listings lead with fruit. Open source
Maker's data Square Baby store (Sept. 30, 2026): 14-meal starter kit $79 on sale (regular $99); 28, 42 and 56-meal boxes $169, $229, $279; 4-oz meals; 6 of 13 meals name a fruit first. Open source
Maker's data Square Baby, “Heavy Metals in Baby Food” (updated Jan. 2026): says it is a Clean Label Project certified brand with a Purity Award since March 2023, tests every batch, and that meals tested in April 2024 were under 10 ppb for all four metals; lab reports to 3 ppb. Open source
Maker's data Tiny Organics store (Sept. 30, 2026): $5.99 a meal, $5.16 in a 24-pack; Broccoli Veggie Medley label 1 cup (119 g); Valencian Paella lists safflower oil; 5 of 13 meals name a fruit first. Open source
Maker's data Tiny Organics safety and quality standards page with an AB 899 results section (the results table showed no values in our browser on Sept. 30, 2026). Open source
Maker's data Amara store (Sept. 30, 2026): 20 meals $59.99, 30 meals $74.99–$77.49; dried baby food mixed with water or milk; 3 of 10 baby food listings lead with a fruit; results by lot number. Open source
Maker's data Sprout Organics store (Sept. 30, 2026): Simple Starts pouches, 12 for $21.95; 5 of 8 pouch lines list a fruit first. Open source
Maker's data Gerber product testing results page, linked by Consumer Reports as a top-tier AB 899 site (gerber.com blocked our automated check on Sept. 30, 2026). Open source
Maker's data Beech-Nut product testing results page (UPC, lot and best-by entry), as linked by Consumer Reports (beechnut.com blocked our automated check on Sept. 30, 2026). Open source
DA
Dr. Josh Axe, DNM, DC, CNS
Founder, DrAxe.com
Dr. Axe is a doctor of natural medicine, chiropractor and clinical nutritionist with more than 20 years in functional medicine, and the founder of DrAxe.com.
How we make money: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on this page. It never changes our rankings: brands are scored before any affiliate terms are discussed, brands can't pay for placement, and we recommend products whether or not they have an affiliate program. Scores are editorial assessments based on independent lab tests, brand disclosures, public records and certifier listings, not our own lab testing.
