Putting Lead In Food Into Perspective: What You Need To Know 

The presence of heavy metals in food is not new. Lead, like most heavy metals, is naturally occurring and can be detected at trace levels in food. Heavy metals are found in soil, water, and air; they are not added to food. While lead may be detected in some plant-based foods, exposure remains extremely low. Still, overexposure to lead can cause adverse health effects.   

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and global regulators set safety limits for lead and other heavy metals in food and water. U.S. initiatives like FDA’s Closer To Zero program are actively working to reduce exposure to lead for all ages.  

 To further reduce exposure to lead and other heavy metals through food as well as promote good health and nutrition, consumers should continue to eat a variety of nutrient-dense foods across and within the main food groups of vegetables, fruits, grains, dairy, and proteins.  

What Is Lead? 

Lead is a naturally occurring metal found in the Earth’s crust. Its industrial uses have made lead widespread in air, soil, water, and older homes. 

How Are Consumers Exposed To Lead? 

Historically, lead was widely used in products like gasoline, paint, plumbing, ceramics, batteries, and cosmetics. Over time, U.S. regulations, including a lead paint ban in 1978 and the elimination of leaded gas in 1996, significantly reduced its use. However, exposure persists today through various sources. While lead production facilities were once common, there are very few in the U.S. today. Lead dust remains a common issue in older homes with lead-based paint. As the paint chips or deteriorates, it creates airborne dust that can be inhaled or ingested. Soil contamination, another significant source, results from past use of leaded gasoline and industrial emissions, with lead persisting in affected areas. 

Drinking water can also be a source of exposure, primarily through lead pipes or fixtures that leach lead into the water. Even so, natural water sources, such as lakes or wells, are generally not major contributors. Lead can also enter the food supply through contaminated soil from the environment where foods are grown, raised, or processed. However, lead levels in plant-based foods vary depending on where the item was cultivated and produced. 

How Much Lead Is Safe? 

To determine if the level of lead in a food is a potential health concern, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers the toxicity of lead and potential exposure based on the level of lead measured in the food and estimated consumption. In addition, the FDA also considers the risks specific to vulnerable subpopulations (e.g., very young children).  Regulatory action will be taken should the FDA find unsafe levels of lead in food.  

What Health Risks Are Associated With Overexposure To Lead? 

Because of lead poisoning’s harmful effects, which include serious health, learning, and behavioral problems, exposure is a public health concern. Lead can enter organs, teeth, and bones, where it is stored and can build up over time.  

• Infants and children: They are particularly vulnerable to lead poisoning due to higher absorption rates during growth. Effects include intellectual disabilities, behavioral disorders, central nervous system damage, and in severe cases, death. 

• Pregnancy: Lead exposure can cause preterm birth and impaired fetal growth. 

• Adulthood: Chronic exposure increases risks of cardiovascular issues, hypertension, neurocognitive decline, and kidney damage. 

What Is Being Done To Reduce Lead In Food? 

U.S. and global regulators set safety limits for heavy metals in food and water. U.S. initiatives like FDA’s Closer To Zero program are actively working to reduce exposure to heavy metals for all ages.  

As a global standards-setting body of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Health Organization (FAO/WHO), Codex has established maximum levels (MLs) for lead in various foods.  The U.S. Codex Office (USCO) has worked to lower MLs for lead in many foods, including infant formula, canned fruits and vegetables, eggs, sugars and sugar-based candies, cereal-based products, and ready-to-eat meals for infants and young children.  

In the U.S., the FDA monitors, regulates, and provides guidance for industry to reduce the levels of heavy metals in food. While it is not possible to completely prevent the presence of lead in the food supply, for foods that contain lead, it may be possible to reduce the levels through changes to agricultural or manufacturing practices. By law, food manufacturers have a responsibility to significantly minimize or prevent chemical hazards. Food manufacturers test for lead frequently, set reduction goals, and adopt health-protective practices for products like baby food. 

The FDA issued “Final Guidance for Industry on Action Levels for Lead in Processed Food Intended for Babies and Young Children” on the action levels for lead in processed food intended for babies and young children.  The “Guidance for Industry” supports the Agency’s Closer to Zero initiative to reduce dietary exposure to contaminants, including lead, in foods to as low as possible over time, while maintaining access to nutritious foods.  

The action levels for processed foods described in the guidance are as follows: 

• 10 parts per billion (ppb) for fruits, vegetables (excluding single-ingredient root vegetables), mixtures (including grain- and meat-based mixtures), yogurts, custards/puddings, and single-ingredient meats; 

• 20 ppb for single-ingredient root vegetables; and 

• 20 ppb for dry infant cereals. 

How Can Consumers Lower Their Exposure To Lead? 

To reduce exposure to lead through food, consumers should eat a variety of nutrient-dense foods across and within the main food groups of vegetables, fruits, grains, dairy, and proteins. Consistently eating a variety of healthy foods can help protect consumers by limiting heavy metal exposure from a specific food and promoting good nutrition.  

Consumers can also reduce lead exposure from food and beverages by running tap water until the temperature changes to flush potential lead from pipes. Use only cold water for drinking and cooking. 

References 

1. FDA Issues Final Guidance for Industry on Action Levels for Lead in Processed Food Intended for Babies and Young Children, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, January 6, 2025. Retrieved here on 1/7/2025. 
2. Closer to Zero: Reducing Childhood Exposure to Contaminants from Foods, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, January 6, 2025. Retrieved here on 1/7/2025 
3. Learn About Lead, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, October 31, 2024. Retrieved here on 11/14/2024.  
4. Lead, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Retrieved here on 11/14/2024.  
5. Metals in Food and Water: What You Need to Know to Protect Your Health, International Food Information Council, April 28, 2022. Retrieved here on 11/14/2024.  
6. Lead in Food and Foodwares. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. August 16, 2024. Retrieved here on 11/14/2024.  
7. About Lead in Foods, Cosmetics, and Medicines, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, September 24, 2024. Retrieved here on 11/14/2024.     
8. Lead Poisoning, World Health Organization, September 27, 2024. Retrieved here on 11/14/2024.  
9. Maximum Levels for Lead In Certain Food Categories, Codex Alimentarius Commission, January 2024, Retrieved here on 11/14/2024.  
10. U.S. Codex Office’s Work to Reduce the Presence of Lead in Food, U.S. Department of Agriculture, March 29, 2022. Retrieved here on 11/14/2024.  
11. Lead in Drinking Water, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2024.  Retrieved here on 12/17/2024.