Baby Food Sold at Target Recalled Due to High Levels of Lead

As a naturally occurring element, lead is present throughout our food supply from both natural and human-made sources. Recently, there’s been increased focus on identifying and removing it from baby food and infant formula. CR’s recent examination of contaminants in infant formula found lead in many—but crucially, not all—of the 41 infant formulas tested.

Lead in baby food and formula is difficult to avoid—studies have shown it’s present in both store-bought and homemade purees. But CR experts and health experts agree that manufacturers and regulatory agencies can do more to remove it in an effort to reduce exposure in our most vulnerable populations.  

The amount of lead present in the recalled Good & Gather puree is not listed, though the FDA recently proposed new guidelines to set action levels of 10 parts per billion (ppb) for lead in fruits, most vegetables, mixed meals (including grain and meat-based mixtures), and a level of 20 ppb for dry cereals and single-ingredient root vegetable purees, like carrots and sweet potatoes, which tend to absorb more lead from soil. 

Because even small amounts of lead can have negative impacts on child health and development, Consumer Reports has urged the FDA to set a goal of having no measurable amounts of any heavy metal, including lead, in children’s food, after our own testing in 2018 found lead, arsenic, and cadmium in some popular brands of baby food. 

As of Jan. 1, 2025, a new law known as The Baby Food Safety Act of California (AB 899) requires baby food manufacturers to test each product they sell in the state of California for heavy metal toxins such as lead, mercury, cadmium, and arsenic at least once a month, though infant formula is exempt. 

Manufacturers must share these results with the California State Department of Public Health, and they must also communicate these test results to the public through QR codes linking to test results on product labels, as well as on their company website.

While the law applies only in California, it’s unlikely that baby food companies would create separate product labels for a single state. And no matter where you live or shop, you can access the test results on company websites.

It’s possible to look up the heavy metal testing results from Good & Gather products on the site https://tg.traceabilitybabyfood.com/, but the lot numbers included in the recall aren’t listed in the system. CR’s director of food policy, Brian Ronholm, recently called on Target to comply more fully with the CA law and make it easier for consumers to access the testing information.

“We will be monitoring how companies comply with the law and ensure that consumers can access this information before they go shopping. Companies should be transparent with the information on their websites, so consumers don’t have to jump through several hoops to find it,” says Ronholm.