From the Blog
Safe Lead Levels in Protein Powders at New Pi
New Pioneer’s staff are aware of the recent concerning Consumer Reports article on lead levels in protein powders. Our purchasing team has contacted the suppliers that we carry to get more information about the specific protein powders you can find on New Pioneer Food Co-op's shelves.
We aim to keep our shoppers well-informed and confident in our product selection.
Below are the direct responses from our protein powder suppliers. In the spirit of transparency, we will update this post as new or different information becomes available. Overall, we’re confident that we are carrying safe products for our shoppers.
New Pioneer Private Label Protein Powders
New Pioneer customers and management can rest assured the New Pioneer Co-op Protein Powders (Plant Based, Whey, and all of our products) with Vitamer Labs are tested for heavy metals per our ICP-MS (Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry) test. This highly sensitive mass spectrometry test is very sensitive and capable of determining a range of metals at low concentrations (down to the trillionth). We use this methodology on EVERY batch of goods for all Vitamer Labs products.
In addition, Vitamer Labs undertakes additional testing on all materials to ensure compliance with California’s Prop 65 law. As per our 2025 Product Reference Guide:
Our compliance with this California law means we perform extra testing for heavy metals and toxins in all our products. This does have a real benefit on products like fish oil, where we can assure safe levels of toxins such as mercury and arsenic (and lead per protein powders).
The most unusual aspect of Proposition 65 is the limit of 0.5 micrograms of lead per serving for dietary supplements. This is regardless of serving size and is well below the amount of naturally occurring lead in all foods. On products that contain any appreciable amount of plant-based materials, we create a California specific label for those accounts who do business in that state.
A Low Threshold
The 0.5 microgram limit is far below the amount of lead naturally found in fruits and vegetables. Foods are exempt from this law (or every time you bought an apple or a carrot it would need a lead warning label) When the State of California conducted its own food crop soil-lead-uptake analysis (Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 129 (2009) 212–220), its own experts found that the most commonly consumed vegetables, from 70 different locations, averaged nearly four times the Prop 65 limit per serving. The FDA reports that American adults naturally take in over 250 micrograms of lead every day. The World Health Organization has set a safe daily limit of lead at 243 micrograms. Scientific research suggests that the human body contains approximately 200,000 micrograms of lead. And while no one is suggesting that lead is safe, Prop 65’s limit of 0.5 micrograms per serving for packaged foods and supplements is arbitrarily low when one takes into account potential exposure to lead from other sources that are unmonitored.
Garden of Life
At Garden of Life, we carefully select ingredients to meet our high standards for quality and safety in order to ensure that our products are safe. Certain substances, such as heavy metals, commonly occur in the environment in soil and water. This may result in low levels of heavy metals in agricultural raw materials. Garden of Life products are tested for heavy metals and the levels are below established food safety thresholds.
All of our products are safe to consume and consistently adhere to our own and established government standards and food safety guidance. We can assure that our products are safe for daily use because we apply this food safety guidance as our product release criteria.
Orgain
At Orgain, we carefully select ingredients to meet our high standards for quality and safety in order to ensure that our products are safe. Certain substances, such as heavy metals, commonly occur in the environment in soil and water. This may result in trace amounts being present in agricultural ingredients—such as plants, grains, and other raw materials—that go into our products. Orgain products are tested for heavy metals and the levels are below established food safety thresholds.
All of our products are safe to consume and consistently adhere to our own and established government standards and food safety guidance. We can assure that our products are safe for daily use because we apply this food safety guidance as our product release criteria.
Nestlé Health Science
At Nestlé Health Science, we carefully select ingredients to meet our high standards for quality and safety to ensure that our products are safe. Certain substances, such as heavy metals, commonly occur in the environment in soil and water. This may result in low levels of heavy metals in agricultural raw materials. Nestlé Health Science products are tested for heavy metals and the levels are below established food safety thresholds.
All of our products are safe to consume and consistently adhere to our own and established government standards and food safety guidance. We can assure that our products are safe for daily use because we apply this food safety guidance as our product release criteria.
New Pioneer Food Co-op
New Pi is a food co-operative, owned by over 35,000 members, home-grown in Iowa. We welcome everyone to our store, regardless of membership, and focus on local and sustainable food solutions. New Pi has strong roots in Iowa City’s local food community, and continues to partner with local growers, food, and sustainability organizations to enrich Linn and Johnson County communities.