Heavy Metals in Baby Puffs and Teething Rusks: What Parents Should Know

Puffs are one of the first foods babies feed themselves, and teething biscuits and rusks can be a lifesaver during a rough week of new teeth. They are also among the foods that test highest for heavy metals.

The main reason is rice. Here is what the testing shows and what you can use instead.

What the testing found

In its 2019 investigation of 168 baby foods, Healthy Babies Bright Futures (HBBF) found:

• Rice puffs averaged 98 parts per billion of total heavy metals, among the highest of any food type tested.
• Every teething biscuit and rice rusk tested contained all four metals HBBF measured: arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury.

HBBF's 2022 follow-up ranked rice-based puffs and rice teething biscuits and rusks among the ten most contaminated foods babies eat. HBBF's 2019 report.

Why rice is the issue

Rice is grown in flooded fields and absorbs more arsenic from soil and water than other grains, including the inorganic form that is most harmful. Puffs and rusks are often made mostly from rice flour, so they concentrate it.

Not every puff is rice-based. Many are made from other grains, legumes, or vegetables. That makes the ingredient list your best tool.

Why snacks get less oversight

FDA finalized lead action levels for many packaged baby foods in January 2025, covering purees, mixed foods, yogurts, and dry infant cereals. Snack foods like puffs and teething biscuits are not included. FDA has said it is still collecting data on grain-based snacks.

How to choose puffs

• Read the first ingredient. If rice or rice flour comes first, treat that product as an occasional snack.
• Look for rice-free or multigrain puffs to rotate in.
• Keep puffs as one snack among many, not the default.
• Check for test results. Some brands publish heavy metal results on their websites or through a QR code on the package.

Teething alternatives

HBBF and the pediatric sources it cites suggest these instead of rice rusks and teething biscuits:

• A frozen banana
• A chilled, peeled cucumber
• A clean, cold, wet washcloth
• A chilled spoon

Stay with your baby while they use any teething food, to watch for choking.

Snack alternatives

Soft foods cut to your baby's stage work well as finger foods: banana, avocado, soft-cooked vegetables, scrambled egg, and small pieces of cheese. As your baby grows, yogurt, beans, and apples or unsweetened applesauce are good lower-metal options. More toddler snack ideas.

What a certification mark adds

Some snack products carry the Heavy Metal Certified mark, which means that specific product was tested through a qualified independent laboratory and met a published standard covering eight metals, with retesting every year. Because snacks fall outside FDA's lead action levels, a published standard can be a useful extra signal. The mark does not mean a product is free of metals. What the mark means.

FAQ

Are baby puffs high in arsenic? Rice-based puffs tend to be. In HBBF's testing, rice puffs were among the highest of any food type. Puffs made from other grains tend to be lower.

Should I stop giving my baby puffs? You do not need to cut them out. Choose rice-free options some of the time and keep puffs as one snack among many.

What can I use instead of teething biscuits? A frozen banana, a chilled cucumber, or a cold washcloth, always with supervision.

Are organic puffs lower in heavy metals? Not reliably. Organic rules do not set heavy metal limits.

Learn more

• Heavy metals in toddler snacks
• Infant oatmeal vs rice cereal
• What Heavy Metal Tested certification is

Make puffs or teething snacks? Book a 30-minute call about certification.