#NLR (Not Lead-Related): Please don’t ever buy peanut butter packaged in plastic “jars”
For those new to the Lead Safe Mama website:
Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety, and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (two of her four sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005).
- Tamara owns and runs Lead Safe Mama, LLC — a unique community collaborative woman-owned small business for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety.
- Since 2009, Tamara has been conducting XRF testing (a scientific testing method) using the exact instrumentation employed by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to test consumer goods for toxicants (specifically heavy metals — including Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, Antimony, and Arsenic).
- Since July of 2022, the work of Lead Safe Mama, LLC has been responsible for 5 product recalls (FDA and CPSC).
- All test results reported on this website are science-based, accurate, and replicable.
- Recent notable press… There has been too much to mention already in 2024! Please check out our press page to see some of the amazing coverage of our work so far this year!
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Update: August 13, 2022
When I originally wrote this article (nearly four years ago now) I was just beginning to explore and identify the concern for Antimony in plastic-based products. Using XRF technology, I often found Antimony in places (objects) that also contained Lead, or items that had historically used Lead in their manufacturing process and I learned that Antimony appeared to be replacing Lead (functionally) in various manufacturing processes.
- The most notable example of this was the fact that the plastic/rubberized cords of Christmas string lights, which had historically been treated with Lead (I read this was primarily added to them for “flame-retardancy”), are now more commonly treated with Antimony for that same purpose.
- Another good example of this toxic heavy-metal substitution is wine glasses. For brands of wine glasses that have been historically made with Leaded crystal, one often finds that they are now making “Lead-free” alternatives and that those Lead-free alternative hand-blown clear glass goblets tend to have high levels of Antimony in place of the Lead.
- The final example I will share (although there are dozens more I can think of off the top of my head) is bathtubs. Older enamel bathtubs tend to test positive for very high levels of Lead, while newer (post-1980?) tubs that look similar to the older Leaded tubs are often lower Lead (or sometimes even Lead-free), but instead, they test positive for very high levels of Antimony.
When I started using XRF technology to test plastic peanut butter jars for metals (started on a whim because I was house-sitting for a friend who happened to have a plastic peanut butter jar on her counter one day back in 2018), I was surprised (but not really too surprised — because of the persistent lack of health-impact-based manufacturing awareness across all industries in my experience!) to find that all plastic peanut butter jars I subsequently tested were positive for Antimony at levels (based on my experience with other metals of concern) I would truly consider non-trivial, especially in food packaging where per the article below, chemicals from the plastic have a tendency to leach into the food that they are holding. This is true given the nature of the food item — in this case, peanut butter — combined with the industrial packaging processes.
And now… Antimony is officially “bad”
In December 2021, Antimony was officially added to the list of known carcinogens in the United States, and the context for this concern was solidified (in my perspective at least, based on my research to date, especially in light of the testing and reporting I conducted on plastic peanut butter jars subsequent to writing this original article)! Below are three separate Lead Safe Mama articles with examples of different brands of plastic peanut butter jars that tested positive for Antimony in the plastic. Each of the numbered items below is a clickable link (where you can read the full test result for the peanut butter jar tested):
- Wild Harvest Organic Peanut Butter Plastic jar: 35 ppm Antimony
- Kirkland (Costco) Organic Peanut Butter Plastic jar: 58 ppm Antimony (plus trace Arsenic)
- Whole Foods “365” Brand Almond Butter Plastic jar: 195 ppm Antimony
- Here’s an article from the National Institutes of Health discussing the fact that Antimony has been added to the 15th report on Carcinogens (as of December 2021).
So, while in my original article (below) I had stated (at that time) that the issue at hand with peanut butter in plastic jars was “not related to heavy metals toxicity,” my 2022 revision/update on that is… “Yeah, well now it is!” In fact, the concern for heat-packaged oil-based products packed in plastic food storage containers is specifically related to heavy metals toxicity — and this is just one more (very specific and measurable) reason to avoid peanut butter (as well as other nut butters) in plastic jars. (It’s also an additional reason to consider reducing your plastic usage [especially in terms of disposable food packaging] as much as possible in general.)
Originally written: October 20, 2018
Updated: December 28, 2019
#NLR = “Not Lead Related!”
This article has nothing to do with Lead (Pb), Lead poisoning, or even heavy metal toxicity — it’s just about peanut butter (the other “P.B.”)!
This is a little bit of advice I have personally been sharing with friends for 17 years now, and I thought it would be good to put it out there to the world.
Here’s the advice: Don’t EVER buy any kind of peanut butter in PLASTIC containers.
Even organic peanut butter should not be bought in plastic containers.
(This advice applies to all kinds of nut and seed butters.)
One of my husband’s best friends, Lee Hitchcox is the author of the book “Long Life Now: Strategies For Staying Alive.” In fact, my husband helped edit much of this book. Lee wrote the book after his wife (and the love of his life) died — much too young — from breast cancer.
One of the things he shared in this book (which is a book fundamentally about food-based disease prevention) is that peanut butter packaged in plastic jars is among the most toxic foods out there.
Here’s why:
- Most of the peanut butter on grocery store shelves (even in many “natural foods” stores) already contains pesticide and/or fungicide residues, tons of sugar, and a host of other additives.
- Peanut butter must also be heated to flow through the machinery for it to be quickly, easily, and consistently poured into jars (plastic jars are also often then heat-sealed — the sealing of the combination foil-type/ plastic barrier that is usually found under the lid for food safety reasons).
- The concern is that the now hot oils/fats in the peanut butter help the plasticizers (in the plastic jars and lids) leach into the food and, along with all the other chemical residues and additives, make for an incredibly toxic product.
- The plasticizers bond to the oil in the peanut butter as a result of the packaging process.
- The consumer is then eating plastic, which is why peanut butter packed in plastic is one of the most toxic foods you can purchase.
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As a result of learning this bit of wisdom from our friend Lee many moons ago, we always only buy peanut butter packed in glass jars. And of course, whenever possible (budget and availability permitting), we also only choose organic.
This means we don’t buy peanut butter at places like Trader Joe’s or Costco because their organic peanut butter is currently only packaged in plastic jars.
Here are some safer choices for peanut butter available on Amazon*:
- Santa Cruz Organic (in glass) — we buy this brand for our family
- Organic Maranatha (in glass) — we also buy this brand for our family
- Organic Once Again (in glass) — we also buy this brand for our family
- Fixx & Fogg (in a glass jar) — I have not yet tried this brand
For our family specifically, we always buy the “single ingredient” products with no added oils, mix-ins/ flavors, sugar, etc. — just peanuts (don’t get me started on added sugars in dietary staples, but most of these brands have versions with and without sugar; some also have them with or without added oils). They add the non-peanut oils to create a more homogeneous product (so it more closely resembles the toxic, sugar-laden “Skippy” or “Jif” we used to eat as kids).
In response to comments on this piece, I tested some of these plastic peanut butter jars using XRF technology. Click here to see the results of this testing!
As with anything online, please be sure to read all of the info on the links before purchasing. Personally, I buy my peanut butter at our local natural foods grocery stores (I stock up when it is on sale!), so I can be sure I’m selecting the versions without any added sugar or oils.
Note (for those new to checking out new brands of peanut butter): the terms “Classic,” “American Classic,” or “American Style,” (like on the Once Again jar pictured above) generally indicate that there IS added sugar and usually some added oil as well in that particular product version.
With each of the above choices, please confirm before ordering that you are purchasing the version of the product that comes in a glass jar (as some brands sell in both glass and plastic).
As always, please let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you for reading and thank you for sharing this work!
Tamara Rubin
#LeadSafeMama
*Amazon links are affiliate links. If you purchase something after clicking on one of these links Lead Safe mama, LLC may receive a small percentage of what you spend, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting our work in this way.
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Where can you find large containers in glass?
That’s such a good question. I am sorry not to have answer for you. I think the best option would be to take a ball jar to the type of store where you can grind your own peanuts and buy it by the pound. At our local food Co-op (People’s here in Portland), you can do a tare weight on the jar and then fill it up with freshly ground organic peanuts – so I know there are stores that offer this (You just have to make sure to get the weight of the jar first before filling it up, so you can deduct that weight from the end weight and the price is fair.)
Restaurants or bars that serve foods.
I have several that I buy rice in bulk and store in our basement in glass jars.
Buy organic Valencia peanut butter which comes in glass. East Wind Crafts makes it. Plus they don’t add any oil while processing.
Shipping costs as much as the product! There are no cost effective or non plastic options.
I usually buy my organic peanut butter at the bulk store at one of those machines that grinds peanuts into peanut butter. I usually bring a large mason jar and fill it with peanut butter. When I check out, I just tell the cashier the weight of my jar (1 lb) and she subtracts it from the total weight. The peanut butter costs about $4/lb.
Do you think this is okay Tamara?
I think that’s a great option, Jennifer!
I know your sons eat a lot of peanut butter, so that is not an issue for your family.
I can only eat so much peanut butter, how long would it last without preservatives?
A Jar of peanut butter lasts two or three days in our house – lol (so many boys!)… other than that, we keep it in the fridge if it won’t be eaten quickly for some reason. I think it can last for months in the fridge.
T
Hi Jennifer Interesting. Do you know if any of these stores sell the peanut butter in jars? I’m trying to find a way to get *Valencia* peanut butter in a glass jar. Thanks!
Blue Mountain Organics has organic valencia peanut butter in glass jars.
Jennifer, what bulk store is this? Please share, I would live to do the same instead of plastic packaged Pb.
We eat lots of PB in this house, and it’s all organic Kirkland :(.
This article blew my mind, but then it made total sense, hot peanut butter poured in plastic container…duh!. Tamara, THANKS FOR YOUR WORK! You’re amazing.
Have you tested peanut butters in glass jars? If not, why not? If so, what were the results?
There are test results for lots of glass food packaging jars here on the site. Put “clear glass” or “glass jar” in the search bar.
Do you worry about aflatoxins?
I personally do not – but I know it is a concern.
Smuckers has a fairly large glass jar of natural peanut butter (just peanuts and salt). I think it is 28 oz. The organic version of it comes in a glass jar about half that size, though.
Thank you for sharing this!
Have you tested bulk peanut? We love peanut butter, but Id like to make my own. I am worried about pesticides as well…
Not yet.
Although I don’t trust any brand name, I also buy Smuckers organic PB in a glass jar because the ingredients are minimal and the jar is glass.
How many people have died or been hospitalized from eating peanut butter from a plastic jar?
Hi Hadley,
Thank you for commenting. That’s not really the question to ask. The better question to ask is “What is the cumulative impact of all of the neurotoxins and carcinogens present in the items that we use every day that come in to contact with our food and our bodies?” The answer is written in this post: https://tamararubin.com/2015/02/fine/
Please let me know if you have any more questions.
Tamara
Thank you for all that you do!
Does anyone know about the plastic inner seals of metal lids to glass jars? I have read they contain BPA, BPS and/or vinyl, and that plastisol is a material that is commonly used as a liner of metal lids used for glass jars. According to the website of a manufacturer of plastisol products, plastisol is created from PVC resin, a plasticizer package and a stabilizer package. Wouldn’t potentially toxic chemicals from these plastics in the lids leach into foods? Understandably, if this sort of transfer does occur, there would be fewer toxins from the relatively small amount of plastic(s) in the metal lids of glass jars versus the level of toxins that would transfer from plastic jars with plastic coated seals to the jars’ mouths.
That’s a good question. I am going to take another look at the inside of the lids of the jars we buy & will post a pic too.
my question is sort of pertenent to this one as well and that is, wouldn’t all products packaged in plastic with a heat seal be just as toxic as peanut butter or is peanut butter worse simply because its peanuts ?
Many of those plasticizers are endocrine disrupting chemicals. That’s not even considered when they’re approved for use by EPA.
An endocrine disrupting chemical I’d think almost everyone has heard of is DDT; it was widely used for mosquito control back in the day but it bioaccumulates in the fat of top predators and totally screws up their reproductive systems.
Bald Eagles seemed to be disappearing and were extremely rare when I was a kid in the 1960s, and I believe they were among the first species listed as endangered when the Endangered Species Act was enacted in 1973.
In desperate research efforts trying to figure out what was happening to Bald Eagles and other raptors, as well as piscivorous birds like pelicans and cormorants, toxicologists at Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Maryland finally figured out what was wrong. DDT residues that had built up in the bodies of these birds were causing them to lay eggs with abnormally thin shells, such that the adults cracked or crushed their own eggs when they tried to incubate them. Not a great recipe for perpetuating a species!
Sale and use DDT were banned in the United States in 1972. However, U.S. based chemical companies still continues manufacturing it and selling it for agricultural use in other countries and some of that produce was exported to the United States creating what was known as the “circle of poison.” We really have no idea what that did to us from 1972 until DDT was banned for nearly all uses under an international agreement signed in 2001. And there are plenty of other endocrine disrupting chemicals out there for which there is evidence that they may cause cancer, particularly reproductive system cancers.
I could go on and on and on but the best thing to do is avoid the use of plastic when you can, especially single-use plastics of all kinds. Most of that is packaging and not easily avoided products like drinking straws. And be cautious in using what you have around. For example, never store anything acidic, e.g., tomato sauce, in a plastic container and do not microwave food other plastic. I don’t own a microwave but I’ve advised my nieces who have a bunch of little kids to always reheat food in ceramic or glass containers just to be safe. It’s better to err on the side of caution.
There’s a whole lot we know don’t know about toxic chemicals because of the way they’re reviewed for approval, which starts with the premise that they’re essentially innocent until proven guilty. This is known by a different name, GRAS standing for Generally Recognized As Safe, but it’s pretty much the same thing!
Unless there is scientific evidence to the contrary, new chemicals or combinations thereof are considered safe and thus can be approved for use by the Environmental Protection Agency. This process is not the agency’s fault; it’s how relevant law and implementing regulations are written. And virtually all the data considered are provided by the chemical companies who want to get their new products on the market.
EPA does have Scientific Advisory Boards who review this sort of thing but they’re typically stacked with industry representatives and academic researchers whose research is funded by industry. It’s like that to some extent even during Democratic administrations and it’s far worse now. No one but pro-industry members sits on EPA Scientific Advisory Board at present.
I wish someone would answer that question. I though the same thing
How difficult is it to make one’s own peanut butter?
It’s really easy. You do have to figure out how to source bulk organic peanuts, though.
Nuts.com I think
You need to source Valencia peanuts to avoid aflatoxins (molds present in both organic and conventional peanut butters).
Tamara, I would a assume all nut butters in plastic jars would have the same issues as the peanut butter. Personally, I avoid as much as possible any fatty or oily foods coming in contact with plastic. Even cheese in plastic pouches, I remove from the pouch as soon as possible or purchase deli slices wrapped in wax paper instead of thin plastic sheets, which are popular.
Sauces, dips, dressings also contain oil..so it is good to have a Ninja or Magic Bullet to whip up quick ones, including Hummous.
You say peanut butter is one of the most toxic foods because of packaging and processing (heating). Does that mean there’s still dietary issues with eating peanut butter at all? Are peanuts a lead or other sink? Does the heating of the peanuts in processing cause other toxicity? Is there issues with the machinery being galvanized? etc We were eating nut butters and away from peanut butter for five years but do to budget constraints we have given up the more expensive nut butters for peanut butter (totally different foods but we eat them the same way with an apple, celery, carrots, added to brownies sometimes). I had hoped to get a big grinder like they have at whole foods but again getting the funds for such an expensive item never came to fruition and I’d hate to get a grinder that had actually leaded or toxic plastic parts (the lid particularly of the vitamix).
Hi Katherine! I don’t have any lead (Pb) concerns with peanuts at this time – although I have not researched that very thoroughly. We eat peanut butter (organic, in glass). Our family of 5 with three growing boys goes through about one 16 ounce glass jar a week. When our oldest son is home we might go through two jars a week. That is with a primarily vegetarian/vegan household. We eat a lot of other nuts and seeds and beans and try to keep things balanced (not focused on any one food.) The one food I do try to make my boys eat each and every day is organic local Washington apples – at least one a day per boy (sometimes with peanut butter!)
Tamara Why do you say peanut butter in plastic is one of the worst foods ?Is it any worse than countless other foods packaged in plastic ? Any acidic liquid would be at least as dangerous . Also beans are not a good substitute for meat , as they are very difficult to digest .Vegan diets are dangerous too ! Lacto /ovo vegetarians are far healthier , for they get adequate fat and protein vegans lack.I recommend the Weston Price foundation for quality nutritional information. Real RAW milk is the best.No two ways about it !
Check out the real truth about health… no animal products are good for your health they create acidity in the body and are the cause of cancer, diabetes, heart disease., along with just about every health problem that exists. You can see the real truth about health videos on YouTube. A good movie to watch is What the Health.
The best way to digest the beans and grains is to soak 12 hours in pure water, rinse with pure water, drain than add enough to cover and cook til soft. Instapot speeds the process, pressure cooking. Any bean/ seed/ grain needs to be well soaked or sprouted before cooking. Nuts also need soaking, then can dehydrate
.
I just posted a few other links to studies and articles in the comments here as well and you may want to take a look at those.
As I understand it, the heat and foil contribute to the toxicity. So then, why couldn’t you just use the plastic tub with the churn-your-own as its not heated or foil-topped?
About Katherine’s comment:
Peanut butter contains a type of fungus/mold that creates Aflatoxin, a carcinogen, especially in the stomach. It is what anyone allergic to in peanuts is actually reacting to.
If you’ve ever opened peanuts in the shell and noticed a very fine white powder covering the nut, that is the mold. It cannot be killed by even an autoclave!
..
…
My readers have been sharing other studies and articles with me – here’s one from 2018 from Australia; https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/publications/Documents/Survey%20of%20plasticisers%20in%20Australian%20foods.pdf?fbclid=IwAR1_k3Y_P-zd81n5Sz2wVQIolvOCgR7U5W1GrkTIaxGtc3ypw75iivo1asQ
This article in the Washington Post from 2014 peripherally discusses the concern, but even the author notes (and is dismissive of) the fact that the study that is cited in the article was funded by the plastics industry:
“A year later, an assessment of soft drink containers also found plastic superior to glass. (The study was funded by a plastics manufacturer….”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/why-glass-jars-arent-necessarily-better-for-the-environment-than-plastic-ones/2014/06/23/2deecfd8-f56f-11e3-a606-946fd632f9f1_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.8ddf37b3adba
This may be of interest, shared by my friend Linda on the Facebook link for this post
“A THIRD OF CHEMICALS BREAK EUROPEAN SAFETY LAWS”:
https://metamag.org/2018/10/12/breaking-a-third-of-chemicals-break-european-safety-laws/?fbclid=IwAR2Kehjjni6vs9j6vANGvglT2-Mc6bv-rAIMudmUsX8MLKjQilM0cM99u9k
Also from Linda (from 2014)
Study: 175 Hazardous Chemicals Used in Food Contact Packaging;
https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2014/07/study-175-hazardous-chemicals-legally-used-to-produce-food-packaging/?fbclid=IwAR3cyB_XYtMFST6_cBk-jmJmMZGWW7N-KFFuEihx4VmNzl3f5Mla6tF4oCg
From the LiveStrong site
“You commonly find Type 1 plastic in bottles for juices, salad dressing, water, vegetable oil and mouthwash. Peanut butter and pickle jars often contain type 1 plastic as well. Polyethylene teraphthalate is light-weight, clear and smooth; its manufacturers intend it for a single use only.
While it does not contain bisphenol A or phthalates, it does contain antimony, a possible human carcinogen. Also, harmful bacteria can build up in it as you reuse it. Polyethylene teraphthalate containers may have the symbol “PET” on them.”
https://www.livestrong.com/article/158674-which-plastic-containers-can-i-safely-use/?fbclid=IwAR1XZFXat5GfS539v6uYUvuE3Cds0hVtK_G31rlFG3E11E5_2NW2I_PGY2c
As a result of this concern (specifically the concern for Antimony in PET plastic) I am going to test a few of this type of jar for Antimony (Sb) using XRF technology and will post the results here on my blog shortly.
Here’s a piece from the Environmental Working Group – not about plastics but about other health concerns with many popular peanut butters:
https://www.ewg.org/enviroblog/2016/03/what-s-my-peanut-butter
Follow up post! I found antimony in the jar when it was tested with an XRF instrument:
https://tamararubin.com/category/antimony-in-food-packaging/
Another good link to check out: Made How – about how they package (and heat and then cool [to some degree] the peanut butter for putting into the jars.)a
http://www.madehow.com/Volume-1/Peanut-Butter.html?fbclid=IwAR2YGKzbSpcERYdmgiyQMLlh7xnGjpJ1Ujdzbj-VCUmDSWbqwF9xGozVxSA
As I understand it, the heat and foil contribute to the toxicity. So then, why couldn’t you just use the plastic tub with the churn-your-own at the grocery as its not heated or foil-topped?
Is it the same for other nut butters (almond, sunflower seed, etc) that’s packaged in plastic jars?
I believe it is.
There is one other VERY IMPORTANT factor to consider that I do not see mentioned. Much of the peanuts grown in the US have a grave potential for mycotoxins/molds contamination (see: Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus) because of the humid and warm climate in which they grow and the farming methods used. This aflatoxin is a potent carcinogen, known to cause cancer and potentially deadly allergic reactions when eating peanut products. It isn’t the peanut but the mold in the peanut that the body responds to. Eating most peanut butters out of a glass jar is just as potentially bad as eating the safer varieties of peanut butter out of a plastic jar.
Georgia grinders has glass jars too! thanks for all your work tamara.
Hate to be a pill BUT the concern is also mold. Only Valencia peanuts do not have this mold problem SO now one must find a valencia peanut brand in glass jars!!!
Yes I have heard that!
There’s an an issue with all foods.
No surprise.
There’s no such thing as a pure product with mass manufacturing.
Most organic is not really true organic.
Better to focus on supplements, detox etc.
Supplements are very UNREGULATED so without finding supplement companies that are clean via extensive tests by an independent third party- supplements are quite a gamble. We
could always try growing our own but I have no advice on growing food, it’s always on my to do list. Better than supplements would be to grow more ancient foods that are higher in nutrients than what humans have cultivated-one reason we have trouble getting high enough nutrition (why some turn to supplements) from our foods is because we changed them to be more delicious -sweet like candy -and lower in the nutrients we need (and of course we’ve changed the environment they grow in).
Is there a possibility of lead content in the glass jars used for the peanut butter?…
Hi Sheila,
There is. I haven’t tested a lot of peanut butter jars, but the lead is very low or negative on the ones I have tested (and by very low I mean usually below 30 or 40 ppm.) I will see if I can post some examples tonight for you!
Tamara
Hi just wondering if there are any updates/follow-up lead testing for the lids and glass jars of the brands you recommended. Curious what to switch to as we currently use the organic Kirkland in the plastic jar.
Do you recommend glass instead of plastic for salad dresses, olive oil, and so on? I just bought all glass items at whole food but is lead something I have to worry about or is it still better then plastic
Valencia peanuts are the only ones that do not grow mold that causes liver cancer. The only Valencia peanut butter I have seen is that Costco kirtland brand. Also with supplements you should only use supplements from organic plants like Vitamin Code. Check out the real truth about health videos on YouTube.
Any luck with the Valencia peanut butter in a jar? I can’t find it anywhere.
Also from what I read when peanuts are roasted/made into peanut butter most of the bad stuff gets destroyed. Even more.. after being made into peanut butter.
http://file.scirp.org/pdf/FNS20110200008_19096982.pdf
had never thought about the heating factor with peanut butter…..it’s likely best to avoid plastic containers with pretty much everything, since plastics do leech into whatever they contain (tho heat would certainly accelerate the process)…….no one needs to be or will benefit from ingesting petrochemicals!
Any thoughts on the make your own peanut butter in whole foods? They have plastic containers but you’re grinding the peanuts right there so it’s not being heated. Also no added sugar!
Just take your own pre-weighed glass jar.
Marantha (now) has palm oil and sugar added to it. Too bad. Good brand otherwise and in glass.
Smuckers organic peanut butter is very tasty. The label does not say valencia peanuts though. It does come in a glass jar.
I am so glad to read this article. I also refuse to buy peanut butter and most other things unless they are in glass. I actually stopped buying my favorite salad dressing because they started using plastic instead of glass. I also let the company know that I would no longer be buying their product due to the fact they they were no longer using glass. They sent me a coupon for a free jar of their salad dressing. Needless to say, I threw it away.
You left out one of our faves : Adams. Which comes in glass and has only Peanuts and salt! They do have a huge plastic container as well but the smaller containers are glass with metal lids.
Thanks for commenting Lillian!
– Tamara
What is the life expectancy for peanut butter in glass jars?
Blue Mountain Organics has valencia peanut butter in glass jars.
Does the same go for almond butter?
I love that you suggest Santa Cruz brand. I was looking at the ingredients of Maranatha and found that they use palm oil. I wonder if you’d consider writing a blog post on that? I know you are a lead expert, but maybe you are a crunchy environmentally- conscious mama too. Thanks for your hard work!
Does anyone know why there is a problem with Palm oil added to nut butters?
There is evidence now of palm oil being a carcinogen. Which stinks because it literally in almost everything and it is introduced to you from infancy if you were ever fed baby formula.
The $40 billion palm oil industry is notorious for wiping out rainforests, displacing indigenous peoples, spewing carbon into the atmosphere and driving the orangutan and other animals toward extinction. Palm oil began to be used in place of transfats when they were banned. Palm oil is ‘cheap’ and in so many products now, but at a huge cost to our planet. AVOID PALM OIL….that means say no to Santa Cruz Organic peanut butter, they use palm oil. And no, ‘sustainable’ palm oil is not any better, it’s just greenwashing.
http://www.orangutans-sos.org
Santa Cruz:Organic Roasted Peanuts, Contains 1% Or Less Of Salt.
https://www.santacruzorganic.com/products/peanut-butter/light-roasted-crunchy
No oil.
Yes, I should have said to be aware that their ‘no stir’ varieties have palm oil. I prefer not to purchase from a company that uses palm oil in any of their products on an ethical basis, and palm oil isn’t healthy to be eating either.
Someone here mentioned that Blue Mountain Organics has palm oil-free peanut butter made from valencia peanuts (which are grown in dry climates so much less likelihood of mold contamination. The high amount of mold in other peanuts are a major reason peanut butter is so bad for people), and they’re in glass jars!
I discovered palm oil was what was giving me super bad inflammation, so that was when I started avoiding it. Very shortly after, I will feel the effects, and worse the more I consumed.
Once again also adds (organic) oils to their nut butters. Can you explain any harm in this?
How hot is PB when put into container? Dont they cool it first?
Very interesting! Could you point me to the lab test results?
Hi Robert.
The results of my findings are posted above (in this blog post.) Here’s information about the testing reported on this website:
https://tamararubin.com/2016/12/ask-tamara-what-do-you-use-to-test-for-lead/
Tamara
I haven’t read the previous commentsso I don’t know if anyone has mentioned this already, but I have a suggestion for a far less expensive and far more widely available brand of natural peanut butter that’s packaged in glass jars: Smuckers Natural Peanut Butter!
I’ve been eating their peanut butter for decades. I prefer chunky but they also have creamy and my local Piggly Wiggly has recently started stocking organic versions of both kinds.
And here’s a tip for those of you who are not used to natural peanut butter. When you bring it home from the store, place the jar UPSIDE DOWN on the shelf in your pantry or wherever you’re going to store it until you open it, even if it’s just overnight. Much of the layer of peanut oil that has accumulated at the top of the jar will reintegrate into the rest of the peanut butter, making it a whole lot easier to stir it together after you open the jar. This tip has saved me a lot of wiping peanut oil off my counters after it sloshed out of the jar while I was stirring the PNB together.
You can find peanut butter mixers online. They’re kind of cool devices which consists of a screw-on lid with a paddle attached to it that you put on the jar in lieu of the lid it came with, and turn a crank attached to the paddle until the peanut butter’s stirred to your liking. I considered getting one a while back but I don’t have much kitchen storage and I really need another thing to cram in my cooking utensil drawer.
Plus it occurred to me that I’d have to wash device after each useand I concluded that it would be a whole lot easier to wash a knife. Not to mention the fact that I had learned about the turning the jar upside down trick!
Is this also true for other nut and sunflower seed butters?
Yes! I always turn my Santa Cruz (palm oil free) peanut butter over when I get home. It truly makes it much easier. I find some jars have a little more oil than others, no idea why. So if you happen to get one that seems a bit harder to stir , it may be a one- off and not a regular thing.
I’m concerned after reading this because where I live I can only buy “natural” peanut butter in plastic jars. I checked and found that the jars are unlikely to have any BPA. However, you mentioned other chemicals in the plastic without naming them. Is the information about chemicals leeching into the peanut butter backed by scientific evidence? Were properly controlled lab test carried out to reach the conclusions you mention? I have to ask because so much information is offered nowadays without any scientific evidence to back it.
The testing I do is total content testing, not Leach testing. You would have to send peanut butter to a lab for leach testing to determine the answer to your question.
Here’s a post about the testing I do that I report here on this blog:
https://tamararubin.com/2016/12/ask-tamara-what-do-you-use-to-test-for-lead/
Thank you for commenting.
Tamara
Thanks for the response, but the quote below is what I was referring to. Do you know if this is based on scientific data or if it is an assumption?
“Here’s the advice: Don’t EVER buy any kind of peanut butter in PLASTIC containers. Even organic peanut butter should not be bought in plastic containers. (This advice applies to all nut and seed butters.) One of my husband’s best friends, Lee Hitchcox is the author of the book “Long Life Now: Strategies For Staying Alive.” In fact my husband helped to edit much of this book.”
I’ve just bought 2 Costco peanut butter jars 🙁 I tried to avoid glass jar because of the BPA on the lids, even though the glass jar itself is a good option. How do we deal with the BPA issue?
Hey,
How familiar is everyone with the aflatoxin concerns regarding foods like peanuts? I’ve read from multiple sources that peanuts are particularly high in aflatoxin and there are limits that we’re supposedly protected from as consumers, but…. I have little faith in simply putting all of my trust into companies that don’t go the extra mile to ensure a pure and safe product. I’m not trying to hate on peanuts, but rather mention valencia peanuts. I’ve read those valencia peanuts are only grown in dry climates where aflatoxins are very unlikely to present themselves since they’re produced from fungi.
With that being said, I’ve had a lot of trouble finding valencia peanut butter in glass jars! There’s valencia pb out there for sale, but it ALL SEEMS TO BE packaged in PLASTIC!
If anyone can spot a decent valencia pb packaged in glass, it would bring back my love for pb and hopefully enough people could support such a brand and promote awareness for its benefits.
Final note: Aflatoxin is a big deal, because it’s super carcinogenic and sadly is present in the food supply. It’s insidious and subtle, but it’s there causing an unknown amount of disease.
I’d love to update everyone if I can find something good! Be safe and well, everyone!
Yes, there is naturally lots of aflatoxin mold in peanut butter and all nits, but especially peanuts because they’re grown under ground where there’s more mold and humidity. Lots of aflatoxin in dried fruit as well as any packaged food (crackers, cereal, cookies, bread wrapped in plastic, etc…). It’s important not to eat the brown spots on fresh fruit, but to peel or cut them out. Eating a dose of aflatoxin hinders the liver for three weeks from detoxifying properly. That is the cancer connection. If anyone wants to learn more, read one of Hulda Clark’s books. Fresh bread wrapped in paper is much healthier.
Thank you Bethany! This is excellent info.
Has there been any research into the powdered peanut butters? I have regular & chocolate peanut butter powders that you mix w water to reconstitute. It’s dry, so no oils floating around & I can’t imagine there would be any reason to put it in the container while hot. What about the Aflatoxin, does anyone know?
Thanks,
Ohh great question!
WOW. GREAT CONVO. I found my way here because of the aflatoxin (mold) that can be found in peanut butter. Thank you for mentioning Valencia peanut butter…I too will look for it in a glass- but first confirm (or attempt to validate) findings regarding the mold. Thank you all.
Thank you for this information. I love glass containers and try to avoid plastic when possible. I did not know peanut butter was heated before being packaged! I knew about heat and plastic already. Ex: Heating dinners in plastic containers in the microwave are 500% more carcinogenic, apparently. I got rid of the microwave many years ago. I’ll make sure never to buy peanut butter in plastic. Thank you!
My great grands eat a lot of peanut butter and Nutella, all in plastic jars. Will check out Whole Foods for glass jars. Quite an eye opener. Will try to remember all this info. Thank you.
It’s hard… I LOVED Nutella as a child. There is a good alternative – normally packaged in glass – from Whole Foods (it is organic too) but it is pricey! – aflink: https://amzn.to/38r9j8Y
Tamara
My son loves Nutella, but it’s a sugar bomb, so, I’ve been trying to find an alternative. This article opened my eyes to the fact that the switch also needs to be made to something in a glass jar. He’s also Autistic, so it needs to be something that has an identical taste and texture. I was going to try the brand Tamara suggested, but we have a coconut allergy in our house and 365 contains coconut oil. I discovered that Bonne Maman now makes it and it is amazing! No palm or canola oils, 180 calories and 17g of sugar (compared to Nutella’s 200 calories and 21g of sugar). And the taste and texture are nearly identical!
Oh! Thanks for sharing!
T
Great article – thanks so much for this information. My family is primarily plant-based and our 6-year-old goes through more peanut butter than I should probably allow. We’ve tried making nut butters in our Vitamix but the motor doesn’t seem to want to handle the process and I don’t want to risk breaking it. That said, do you recommend any nut butter makers/grinders? Or, do these also have problems with toxins in the plastic bowls where the nuts are processed, or in the spigot? I’m thinking specifically of the nutrimilk grinder – but maybe there are others that you know of or have tested?
Isn’t the peanut butter in glass jars stored in giant plastic bins until transferred to individual glass jars?
Is there a similar issue with leeching in plastic containers from Costco such as orange juice or the organic maple syrup?
I’m curious if the large Kirkland brand coconut oil plastic container from Costco is a similar situation. I bet it is warmed before filling the container.
This is good to know! Now, what about non-nut butters like sun-butter for our peanut and tree-nut allergic kids? I’ve only been able to find it in plastic jars and no glass options. Is sun butter heated with the same process as well or is plastic an okay option?
Thanks!
Tamara, have you ever tested the peanut butter itself to see if there are detectable amounts of antimony in it? TIA
Oh geez, this is disturbing! We use Sunbutter in a plastic jar in our house because of peanut allergies, I guess we’ll do without now. Oh my gosh, I really appreciate all of your work, I truly do…but so upsetting!
I’m new here and was wondering if you tested other products in plastic jars? We eat an unbelievable amount of Jack’s Cantina Salsa from Costco ~9 months a year (short growing season.) I’m guessing acidic foods like tomatoes should never be consumed from plastic containers :(. Thank you for your work. I stumbled across your info looking for lead testing for old dishes and have been on your socials and website for 2 hours.
Another idea is to buy and eat peanuts, instead of peanut butter. I often eat (already shelled and cleaned) unsalted roasted (not dry-roasted) peanuts after breakfast in the morning. I buy them in in one-pound or two-pound bags from Blain’s Farm and Fleet online. They seem to cost half as much as a comparable weight of peanut butter. I store them in glass jars (former peanut butter jars) in the refrigerator after opening a bag. For those who don’t know — peanuts are in the health LEGUME (bean) family — they are not considered tree nuts.
Thanks for your hard work to sleuth out toxics.
Hi,
I was wondering about the Organic PB Fit from Costco. It is sold in packages now instead of the original plastic tub. Do these plastic packages also present problems?
Thank you for all the information on your website!
Are almonds susceptible to the same mold and aflatoxin issues as peanuts? Would almond butter in glass jars be a healthier alternative?
Are there any suggestions for almond butter?
For those of you who use sunflower butter, you can get Once Again sunflower butter at Whole Foods Market which comes in a 16-oz glass jar for $8.99. If you don’t live near a Whole Foods Market, try Amazon or search online for another retailer.
Note: Once Again sunflower butter contains no salt or sugar. Personally, I think added salt and sugar makes sunflower butter taste better.
I forgot to mention that Once Again sunflower butter is also organic.
Please read this:
https://tamararubin.com/2022/02/is-sunflower-butter-bad-for-you-whats-the-problem-with-sunflower-seed-butter-do-sunflower-seeds-have-lead/