:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Cassava-Flour-Chips-and-Bread-Contain-High-Levels-of-Lead-FT-BLOG0525-02-961f974485a143bfb9fea67e451290be.jpg?w=1920&resize=1920,1267&ssl=1 "Report Finds Excessive Lead Ranges in Gluten-Free Cassava Merchandise")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/Cassava-Flour-Chips-and-Bread-Contain-High-Levels-of-Lead-FT-BLOG0525-02-961f974485a143bfb9fea67e451290be.jpg)
Key factors
- Client Experiences discovered dangerously excessive ranges of lead in over two-thirds of 27 examined cassava-based merchandise, with some exceeding security thresholds by greater than 2,000%, notably in flours and chips.
- Lead contamination in cassava doubtless stems from its root nature, because it absorbs heavy metals from soil, and the grinding course of used to make flour can focus these toxins additional.
- Consultants advise avoiding seven particular merchandise solely and advocate switching to safer gluten-free alternate options like buckwheat, corn, or millet to cut back long-term well being dangers from lead publicity.
If you happen to’re on a gluten-free food regimen, you’ve doubtless come throughout cassava. This starchy root vegetable (also referred to as yuca, manioc, or arrowroot) is often utilized in bread, pasta, chips, and cookies resulting from its naturally gluten-free profile and potential intestine well being advantages. Nonetheless, this week, Client Experiences launched its newest investigation, which discovered that many cassava merchandise comprise alarmingly excessive ranges of lead.
Within the report, the nonprofit reviewed 27 cassava-based merchandise, discovering that greater than two-thirds of them had a single serving that exceeded the extent of lead deemed acceptable by Client Experiences’ meals security consultants — some by greater than 2,000%.
“A few of these cassava merchandise had the very best degree of lead that we’ve ever examined, and I’ve been with Client Experiences for eight and a half years,” James Rogers, PhD, the director of meals and security analysis and testing at Client Experiences, informed Meals & Wine. “We by no means need shoppers to panic, however we do need them to bear in mind to allow them to take correct measures to cut back their lead consumption, since long-term lead publicity can result in adversarial well being outcomes.”
Right here’s a more in-depth have a look at the report’s outcomes, plus tips on how to mitigate your threat of lead publicity.
What did the report discover?
Cassava is marketed as a gluten-free, gut-friendly different to conventional grain-based merchandise, however that doesn’t imply it’s free from well being considerations, environmental air pollution, or manufacturing contamination. It is because root greens, together with cassava, develop within the floor and are identified to soak up heavy metallic contaminants reminiscent of lead, that are generally discovered within the setting.
In response to the report, cassava flour and merchandise made out of it had the very best ranges of lead. The explanation for that is doubtless that cassava flour is produced by grinding the entire, contemporary, peeled root, and this course of might probably focus any lead that will have been current in or on the vegetable.
Of the seven cassava flours examined, 4 had ranges so excessive that Client Experiences advises in opposition to consuming them in any amount, since a ¼-cup serving a day contained between 1,000 and greater than 2,300% of regarding lead ranges (0.5 micrograms). The three remaining cassava flours examined had between 200 and 600% of that degree per serving, suggesting they need to be restricted however are secure moderately. Steady lead publicity has neurological results on child and youngster growth, however it could possibly additionally trigger hypertension, kidney issues, nerve harm, and reproductive points in adults.
Cassava chips additionally had excessive ranges of lead, based on the report. Of the eight examined, two ought to be utterly prevented, and one might be eaten often, since lead ranges in an oz of those chips ranged from 600 to 1,700% of the degrees of concern.
Gilnature / Getty Pictures
Cassava and lead contamination check outcomes
Client Experiences examined 27 completely different meals that comprise cassava as a main ingredient – together with chips, flour, crackers, bread, cookies, cereal, pasta, puff snacks, bars, and soda – for heavy metals reminiscent of arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and lead.
Mercury was not detected in any product. Though measurable quantities of arsenic had been present in about half of the examined meals and cadmium in most of them, the degrees in a single serving of the product had been far under ranges of concern.
As for lead, right here’s what the nonprofit discovered:
| Merchandise to Keep away from | OK to Eat Often | Higher Selections |
| Bob’s Pink Mill Cassava Flour | Artisan Tropic Cassava Strips Sea Salt | Bettergoods (Walmart) Finely Floor Cassava Flour Guacamole Flavored Tortilla Chips |
| Otto’s Naturals Natural Multi-Function Cassava Flour | Pamela’s Natural Cassava Flour | Siete Grain Free Cookies Mexican Marriage ceremony |
| Quay Naturals Premium Cassava Flour | Otto’s Naturals Grain-Free Final Cookie Combine | Cult Crackers Crunchy Cassava Crackers |
| 365 Entire Meals Market Sea Salt Cassava Tostone Cassava Chips | Iberia Yuca Cassava Chips Frivolously Salted | Unreal Darkish Chocolate Coconut Bars |
| Jovial Natural Grain Free Cassava Spaghetti | LesserEvil “No Cheese” Cheesiness Paleo Puffs | Lovebird Natural Grain Free Cereal Honey |
| Terrasoul Superfoods Cassava Flour | Barnana Natural Cassava Chips Himalayan Pink Salt | Easy Mills Fantastic Floor Sea Salt Almond Flour Crackers |
| Thrive Market Cassava Chips Sea Salt | Tonomi Cassava Flour | Goya Yuca Cassava Chips |
| MadeGood Star Puffed Crackers Cheddar Taste | Olipop Classic Cola | |
| Goya Casabe Cassava Bread | ||
| La Fe Casabe Cassava Bread | ||
| Heaven & Earth Cassava Chips |
The best way to mitigate threat
Although no quantity of lead is taken into account secure, there’s no have to panic should you’ve snacked on one of many above merchandise. “The unfavourable results of lead occur over time when there’s power publicity, so that you received’t get lead poisoning should you eat one serving of those merchandise,” Rogers says. “Nonetheless, I might strongly urge shoppers to rethink utilizing the seven merchandise we listed to keep away from.”
As an alternative, Rogers suggests looking for one of many “more sensible choice” merchandise. If none of these excite you, he additionally recommends different merchandise made out of buckwheat, corn, sorghum, or millet, that are additionally gluten-free. In response to Client Experiences’ earlier testing, these choices ought to be a lot decrease in lead (and arsenic and cadmium) than cassava flour.
If you happen to want to eat cassava in its entire kind, make sure that you fastidiously clear and absolutely peel the vegetable totally earlier than consumption. It is because a lot of the lead in cassava crops is usually concentrated within the outer layer of the basis, Rogers says.
Lastly, keep in mind that heavy metallic publicity is all about mitigating your threat, so should you eat these meals occasionally, even these with the very best ranges of lead should not shut sufficient to trigger critical or fast hurt. That mentioned, should you’re ever involved about your dietary selections or lead publicity, it’s greatest to speak together with your physician.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Cassava-Flour-Chips-and-Bread-Contain-High-Levels-of-Lead-FT-BLOG0525-02-961f974485a143bfb9fea67e451290be.jpg?w=1200&resize=1200,0&ssl=1&description=Report+Finds+Excessive+Lead+Ranges+in+Gluten-Free+Cassava+Merchandise){kind=link}