Funding goal achieved!
Test data by
Requested by
Kendra
Why test
Why test for Heavy Metals Panel?
Tests for lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury — metals that build up in the body rather than clearing quickly. Health agencies set intake limits for each, and for lead, U.S. agencies identify no safe level of exposure for children. None of it appears on the label, and levels differ from one product to the next.
Requester’s note
A Florida Department of Health report put arsenic in strawberry Nerds at 450 ppb, and that number has made the rounds online. The report's methods have drawn skepticism. Let's find out for ourselves with a measurement from a qualified lab, down to the ppb level.
— Kendra
More info · Heavy Metals Panel
How the test is performed
The food sample is broken down with acid, then heated into a plasma (an extremely hot gas) that strips the metals into individual atoms. A detector (ICP-MS) then counts each type of metal atom, identifying exactly how much lead, arsenic, cadmium, or mercury is present — even at parts-per-billion levels.
Good foods to test
- Baby food & infant formula
- Rice & rice-based products
- Chocolate & cocoa products
- Spices (turmeric, cinnamon, oregano)
- Root vegetables (sweet potatoes, carrots)
- Fruit juices (apple, grape)
- Protein powders
Pledges towards this test (7)
Omar F.
Oct 9, 2026
Michael Z.
Oct 9, 2026
Beverly
Oct 5, 2026
nataliabushyager
Oct 2, 2026
Owen
Sep 23, 2026
suzanne
Sep 8, 2026
Kendra
Sep 8, 2026