The Origin of Heavy Metals
Heavy metals like Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Arsenic (As), and Mercury (Hg) are naturally occurring in the Earth’s crust. Plants absorb these elements from the soil and water as they grow.
- Root Vegetables: Carrots, potatoes, and turmeric roots can absorb higher levels from soil.
- Legumes: Peas and rice can concentrate these metals in their protein fraction.
The “Concentration” Effect
When we make a protein isolate, we remove the starch and fiber, effectively concentrating the protein. Unfortunately, this process often concentrates the heavy metals as well. A raw pea might be safe, but 10kg of raw peas concentrated into 1kg of protein powder might exceed safety limits.
Regulatory Standards
- California Prop 65: The strictest standard in the world. Requires warning labels if exposure exceeds extremely low thresholds (e.g., 0.5 mcg/day for Lead).
- EU Regulation: Recently updated with stricter limits for cadmium in chocolate and plant products.
ToNutra’s Testing Protocol
We take heavy metal safety seriously.
- Source Control: We select farms with low soil mineral contamination.
- Batch Testing: Every single batch of our Organic Pea and Rice Protein is tested by third-party labs (like Eurofins or SGS).
- Transparency: We provide full COAs (Certificates of Analysis) showing exact ppm levels, not just “Pass/Fail.”
Don’t risk a recall. Ensure your supplier understands and controls heavy metal risks.