Clean Label Project’s 2024 Protein Powder Category Insights Report shines light on the breadth of the growing heavy metal food safety threat

BROOMFIELD, CO, UNITED STATES, January 9, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Clean Label Project’s 2024-2025 Protein Powder Category Insights Report has uncovered additional findings that highlight the growing heavy metal food safety threat in the United States. This analysis, which tested 160 products representing 83% of the market share, offers a stark reminder on the need for federal heavy metal contamination food safety regulatory reform.

The ‘2024-2025 Protein Powder Insights Report’ tested for a range of contaminants, including heavy metals (lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury) along with bisphenols. The results revealed that nearly half of protein powders tested exceeded California Proposition 65 safety limits with nearly a third being at least twice the tolerance limits. Plant-based and organic products raised particular concerns. Organic products, on average, showed higher levels of heavy metal contamination, with three times more lead and twice the amount of cadmium compared to non-organic products. Additionally, chocolate-flavored protein powders contained more cadmium—up to 110 times more than vanilla-flavored powders.

"There is an inextricable link between the health of our soils and waterways, our food, and public health," said Jaclyn Bowen, Executive Director of Clean Label Project. "While state and federal regulatory heavy metal contamination reform is underway for the foods marketed towards our most vulnerable populations, children, the same conversations need to be happening when it comes to the rest of our food supply. Athletes of all capabilities reach for protein powder to supplement their already healthy lifestyle choices. This serves as another proof point on the extent of the contamination in our food supply and the need for federal food safety regulatory leadership.”

These findings come on the heels of high profile regulatory activity surrounding heavy metal contamination. On September 25, the FDA held a public meeting on the development of an enhanced systematic process for the post-market assessment of chemicals in food. California legislative bill, AB 899, was signed into law and enacted on October 10, 2023 requiring manufacturers of baby food to test and effective January 1, 2025, disclose the levels of four toxic elements that may be present in baby food, and to meet particular labeling requirements. In 1986, California enacted Proposition 65 aimed at protecting the state's drinking water from being contaminated with chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm. It requires businesses to inform Californians about significant exposures to such chemicals, both in the environment and in consumer products.

In the absence of federal pass/fail criteria, Clean Label Project data-backed and evidence-based certification programs require routine marketplace contaminant analysis. The Clean Label Project’s 2024-2025 Protein Powder Category Insights Report marks the latest update for Clean Label Project in benchmarking the current status of the Protein Powder category since 2018.

One company leading in testing and transparency is Puori, which has worked closely with the Clean Label Project to ensure the purity of its products. Puori CEO Oliver Amdrup-Chamby noted, "At Puori, we are committed to providing clean, high-quality products. Our consumers trust us to deliver supplements that support their health and performance, and we take that responsibility seriously. We are proud to be the only brand to receive the Clean Label Project Transparency Award, demonstrating our dedication by posting test results for every lot of every product we produce."

Clean Label Project continues to advocate for greater oversight and encourages consumers to seek higher safety standards from their favorite brands. For a full list of tested and certified products, visit Clean Label - Product Categories.

About Clean Label Project
Clean Label Project is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting truth and transparency in consumer product labeling and ingredient quality. By testing for industrial and environmental contaminants in popular products, Clean Label Project provides consumers with the information they need to make safer, healthier choices.

Kate Stuard
Clean Label Project
kate@dsjstrat.com

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