New report finds concerning levels of lead in popular cassava items

CHARLOTTE — You may have noticed more products being sold that contain cassava, a starchy vegetable used in many parts of the world. But a new investigation found some products contain concerning levels of lead.

Cassava is showing up in more products than ever, including many gluten-free comfort foods.

Consumer Reports recently tested 27 popular cassava items and found that over two-thirds of them contained concerning levels of lead.

Consumer Reports finds cassava products with concerning levels of lead

Lead exposure can damage the brain and nervous system in young children and developing fetuses. In adults, frequent exposure is linked to immune system suppression, reproductive issues, and kidney damage.

“With the exception of some spices, we’ve never seen lead levels this high as we found in these cassava products,” said James Rogers, head of food testing with Consumer Reports.

Consumer Reports found four specific products have such high levels of lead that they advise avoiding the products entirely. They include:

Bob’s Red Mill Cassava Flour
Otto’s Naturals organic multi-purpose cassava flour
Quay Naturals premium cassava flour
Jovian organic grain-free Cassava Spaghetti

“We found that cassava flour, which is often considered a healthy and grain-free alternative, to be especially problematic in regards to lead levels,” Rogers said.

Consumer Reports contacted all 18 companies whose products exceeded its lead threshold. Only nine responded.

Some said that lead occurs naturally and is difficult to eliminate. Others said they have been making changes: Thrive Market pulled its cassava chips after internal testing and is investigating further. MadeGood removed cassava from its crackers entirely. And Lesser Evil is phasing cassava out of its product line.

Some brands, including Bob’s Red Mill and Pamela’s, said their cassava products already carry California’s Proposition 65 warning labels, alerting buyers to potential lead content.

The bottom line for cassava-consuming shoppers is that if you are going to consume products that contain cassava, CR says to reduce the number of servings per week. If you’re avoiding gluten, other options, including buckwheat, corn, millet, and sorghum, haven’t shown the same lead concerns. And don’t rely too heavily on any one food. Varying your diet is one of the best ways to limit exposure to harmful substances like lead.

Consumer Reports released the complete list of cassava products they tested, including the ones to avoid.

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