2015 Belfast, UK Study Demonstrates how “Natural” Soil Contamination is not a Major Contributing Factor to Lead & Cadmium Contamination of Fruits & Vegetables

Click the image below to read the full study. We will be writing up a discussion of this study shortly. In case the direct link is lost in the future, we have also uploaded a full PDF version(22 pages total) to our website, linked here. 

A general summary: “Natural” (or background) Lead and Cadmium contamination typically found in soil in areas where fruit and vegetables are grown does not contribute to harmful levels of Lead and Cadmium in produce in nearly all cases (with few, rare exceptions —  specifically including potatoes). See the study abstract below. Note: Cadmium-contaminated phosphorus/ phosphate rock fertilizers are heavily-regulated/ limited or illegal in most European countries.

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 July of 2022, the work of Lead Safe Mama, LLC has been responsible for six product recalls (FDA and CPSC).
• All test results reported on this website are science-based, accurate, and replicable.
• Please check out our press page to see some of the amazing coverage of our work!