Heavy Metal Tested vs Clean Label Project

Abstract

Heavy Metal Tested and Clean Label Project both appear in conversations about contaminants in baby food, and parents often assume they are the same thing. They are separate organizations with their own rules. This guide explains what the Heavy Metal Certified mark means, where to learn about Clean Label Project's program, and the questions to ask about any seal.

Keywords

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If you have been reading about heavy metals in baby food, you have probably come across both Heavy Metal Tested and Clean Label Project. Both show up on packaging and in news coverage, so it is easy to assume they are related, or that one replaces the other.

They are separate organizations with separate programs. Here is how to tell them apart.

Heavy Metal Tested

Heavy Metal Tested is a certification program run by the Paleo Foundation, an independent certification organization. Products that qualify can carry the Heavy Metal Certified mark.

What the mark means:

The specific product was tested through a qualified independent laboratory accredited to ISO/IEC 17025.
It met a published standard covering eight metals: lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury, chromium, nickel, tin, and aluminum.
Certification lasts one year, and the product must be retested to keep it.
The standard is public on Heavy Metal Certified.

It does not mean a product is free of metals, and it is not a safety guarantee. More on what the mark means.

Clean Label Project

Clean Label Project is a separate nonprofit. It is known for testing consumer products, including baby food and infant formula, for a range of contaminants, and for its own certification seals and awards. Its criteria, testing approach, and seal rules are its own, so the best source is Clean Label Project itself.

We do not reproduce or grade Clean Label Project's results here, and we are not in a position to explain its program better than it can.

Side by side

	Heavy Metal Tested	Clean Label Project
Who runs it	The Paleo Foundation	Clean Label Project, a separate nonprofit
Seal on the package	Heavy Metal Certified mark	Clean Label Project's own seals
What it covers	Eight heavy metals, against a published standard	Set by Clean Label Project
How long it lasts	One year, with retesting	Set by Clean Label Project
Where to read the rules	heavymetalcertified.com	cleanlabelproject.org

Can a product have both?

Yes. The programs are independent, so a brand can take part in one, both, or neither. Each seal means only what its own program says it means.

Questions to ask about any seal

Whatever mark you see on a package, these questions help you understand it:

Who runs it? Is it an independent organization, or the brand itself?
What does it test for? Which contaminants, and against what limits?
Are the rules public? Can you read the standard yourself?
Which product does it cover? One item, or the whole brand?
How current is it? Is the product retested, and how often?

What no seal replaces

A seal can help you choose between products. The habits pediatricians recommend still matter most: serve a variety of foods, rotate grains instead of relying on rice, treat rice snacks as occasional, and skip juice before age 1. AAP tips on heavy metals in baby food.

FAQ

Is Heavy Metal Tested the same as Clean Label Project? No. They are separate organizations with separate programs.

Which seal is better? We do not rank them. Each program sets its own rules, so look at what each one covers and whether it fits what you care about.

Does either seal mean a product is safe? The Heavy Metal Certified mark is not a safety guarantee. For Clean Label Project's seals, check its own published criteria.

Can a product carry both seals? Yes. A brand can take part in either program, both, or neither.

Learn more

Make baby food? Book a 30-minute call about Heavy Metal Tested certification.

Heavy Metal Tested vs Clean Label Project: What Each Seal Means

Two separate programs, two different seals. A plain comparison of what each one is and how to read it on a package.