Testing Primal Kitchen Ketchup (Organic & Unsweetened) for Lead, Cadmium, Arsenic, & Mercury with Independent, Third-party Laboratory Analysis

ByTamara Posted:
2 Comments
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Published August 2, 2025 — Saturday
#1) A Quick Note from Tamara Rubin:

Not much to say about this one… just… sadness.

I suspected this ketchup would likely test poorly, but I really hoped I would be wrong. As a family that is aggressively trying to avoid Cadmium exposure (because Cadmium is a known carcinogen and we have a history of cancer in our family – current family members included – and my husband has had multiple colon polyps with recent colonoscopies), we are all quite disappointed that this ketchup product did not test clean (especially since it had so much going for it: organic, unsweetened, and packaged in glass!), and we will no longer be using this brand.

Separately from concerns about my husband and his health, my youngest son eats way too much ketchup for us to ignore the risk presented with this product. Ketchup really can be more of a “food-group item” for some younger kids, not just a condiment – & I expect some of your younger children have a similar habit as well! I hope the Lead Safe Mama community rallies together to get more ketchups (and other condiments) tested at the lab. Perhaps – together – we can find one or more cleaner options!

Below are links to the current not-yet-funded campaigns open at the moment for condiment testing, including two additional ketchup products. If you can afford to, please consider contributing $10.00 or $25.00 (or more, whatever you can afford) in support of one or more of these campaigns so we can get these sent off to the lab a.s.a.p.

  1. Heinz Organic Tomato Ketchup
  2. Portland Ketchup Company Organic Ketchup
  3. Tabasco Brand Pepper Sauce
  4. Bubbies Prepared Horseradish
  5. French’s Organics Classic Yellow Mustard
  6. Maille Old Style Mustard
  7. Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard

Thank you!

The Lead Safe Mama, LLC Community-Collaborative Laboratory Testing Initiative is a project (started in March 2024) through which members of the greater Lead Safe Mama online community nominate products for laboratory testing and then collectively crowd-fund to cover the costs of the testing and reporting on nominated products. Tamara Rubin volunteers her time in support of this initiative (see our detailed budget linked below).

#2) Ways you can support the work of Lead Safe Mama, LLC

If you appreciate what we do and would like to help keep our work going by contributing something (any amount, really!) toward the costs of our not-yet-funded testing and reporting, please consider making a contribution ($25? $50? $100? Whatever you can afford) supporting Lead Safe Mama, LLC through our General Fund GoFundMe or — even better — please consider  joining us on Patreon with a small monthly contribution. Thank you.

#3) Social Media Info-Graphic — Please Share!

#4) For those new to the work of Lead Safe Mama, LLC

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).

This is an ad-free article.

Advertising and affiliate income help Lead Safe Mama, LLC cover the costs of the work we do here (independent consumer goods testing and childhood Lead poisoning prevention advocacy). We have removed ads from most of our more widely-read articles and new articles (like this one!) to make them easier for you to read. You can support this work by starting any shopping you might be doing by first clicking  on one of our affiliate links, — you don’t need to buy what we link to for Lead Safe Mama, LLC to possibly receive a percentage of what you spend (at no extra cost to you), you simply need to click any one of our Amazon affiliate links and then go about your Amazon shopping as you normally would! Thank you for supporting our work in this way.

#5) Lead Safe Mama, LLC Lab-Tested Safer Choices List

Below is an expanding list of products (foods, supplements, cosmetics, and personal care items, including sunscreens and toothpaste) that tested “non-detect” for Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, and Arsenic with independent, third-party, community-funded laboratory testing coordinated by Lead Safe Mama, LLC (an Oregon-based small business with a unique community-collaborative business model and a focus on consumer goods safety and childhood Lead poisoning prevention). The product examples below clearly demonstrate that companies can manufacture safer choices (at least from the perspective of a concern for heavy metals contamination).
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The limits of detection (low-threshold of detection) for each of the metals tested are noted in the lab report for the specific product listed. To see the full original lab report for any of these products, type the brand name into the search bar at the top of any page on Lead Safe Mama dot com (and scroll down to the bottom of the related article). All our published lab reports are also linked here, on our lab testing landing page.
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Flavors (or specific variations) tested are noted, and other variations of the same product (or other products from the same brand) have either not been tested or have been tested but did not yield similar results. Test results only apply to the specific products listed and linked below.

Products on our “safer choices” list are retested periodically (annually or more frequently, as funding permits). If a product no longer tests clean, it is removed from the list.

Lab-Tested Safer Choices List
UPDATED: August 2, 2025, Saturday
Now at 77 products + 6 “bonus” options. Scroll down to see all 83 products:
  1. Baby Food — 1 — Little Spoon Kale, Carrot + Pear BabyBlends
  2. Baby Food — 2 —Little Spoon Butternut Squash + Blueberry BabyBlends
  3. Baby Food — 3 — Little Spoon Sweet Potato BabyBlends
  4. Baby Food — 4 — Little Spoon Sweet Potato + Carrot BabyBlends
  5. Baby Food — 5 — Little Spoon Banana + Pitaya BabyBlends
  6. Beverage — 1 — Honest Kids Organic Appley Ever After Apple Juice Drink: https://amzn.to/4fjGhov
  7. Beverage — 2 —  Olipop Grape Tonic: https://amzn.to/4cjFYZu
  8. Beverage — 3 — Synergy Golden Pineapple Kombucha: https://amzn.to/3HVzMgM
  9. Breakfast Cereal — 1 — Nature’s Path Envirokidz Organic Panda Puffs: https://amzn.to/4fo1crf
  10. Breakfast Cereal — 2 — Nature’s Path Envirokidz Organic Corn Puffs Gorilla Munch: https://amzn.to/3FHZCDO
  11. Candy — 1 — Cavendish & Harvey Wild Berry Drops, not organic (Made in Germany): https://amzn.to/3Z1Jxjr
  12. Candy — 2 — Haribo Gummy Bears (Made in Germany, not USA-produced): https://amzn.to/3FCGVlu
  13. Candy — 3 — Lindt White Chocolate Bar (Made in USA, New Hampshire): https://amzn.to/3OXkyIm
  14. Candy — 4 — Werther’s Original Butter Candies (Made in Germany, not USA-produced): https://amzn.to/4nkFc5i
  15. Coffee & Tea — 1 — Chameleon Handcrafted Organic Cold Brew Concentrate: https://amzn.to/3OcrH77
  16. Coffee & Tea — 2 — Tao of Tea Organic Genmaicha (Tamara’s favorite, Made in Japan, sold by a Portland, Oregon-based company!): https://amzn.to/3Dp8Fsd
  17. Coffee & Tea — 3 — Califia Farms Almond Latte Cold Brew (XX Espresso): https://amzn.to/4gTTGoJ
  18. Coffee & Tea — 4 — Death Wish Organic Espresso Roast Ground Coffee (Multi-country origin, non-USA): https://amzn.to/3yo1eiL
  19. Cosmetic— 1 — Babo Botanicals Sensitive Baby Lotion: https://amzn.to/3YmKxy1
  20. NEW! Cosmetic— 2  — Epaderm Lotion** (for Psoriasis, European Product): https://amzn.to/4lXkyH5
  21. Cosmetic — 3 — Kora Organics Noni Face Oil: https://amzn.to/43hy2XO
  22. Cosmetic — 4 — Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen, SPF 50 (chemical sunscreen, please read article): https://amzn.to/3HRMVrl
  23. NEW! Cosmetic — 5  — La Roche Posay Kids’s Sunscreen**: https://amzn.to/3IP2i4b 
  24. Dairy — 1 — (cheese) — Babybel Mini Original Snack Cheese: https://amzn.to/3ZY5noO
  25. Dairy — 2 — (coffee creamer) — Organic Valley Grassmilk Half and Half: https://amzn.to/4fHJIWT
  26. Fruit Snack — 1 — (bar) — Pure Organic Layered Fruit Bars in Raspberry Lemonade Flavor: https://amzn.to/3XcFsIp
  27. Fruit Snack — 2 — (bar) — Pure Organic Layered Fruit Bars in Strawberry Banana Flavor: https://amzn.to/3WQEekA
  28. Fruit Snack — 3 — (pouch) — Costco’s Kirkland Organic Apple Sauce Pouch: https://amzn.to/4gOYpZ9
  29. Fruit Snack — 4 — (pouch) — GoGo Squeez Organic Apple Sauce Pouch: https://amzn.to/3XhWYLe
  30. Fruit Snack — 5 — (pouch) — Once Upon A Farm Dairy-free Fruit Smoothie Pouch in Strawberry Banana Swirl Flavor: https://amzn.to/3CPMbAw
  31. Infant Formula — 1 — Bobbie Organic Gentle Infant Formula Milk-Based Powder with Iron (pink and white can): https://amzn.to/3YYb849 
  32. Infant Formula — 2 — Bobbie Organic Infant Formula Milk-Based Powder with Iron (green and white can): https://amzn.to/3VOr4Vy
  33. Infant Formula — 3 — Bobbie Grass-Fed Milk-Based Powder with Iron (green can): https://amzn.to/3ZlAaeJ
  34. Infant Formula — 4 — ByHeart Infant Formula (USA-made, not organic): https://amzn.to/48DJjTb
  35. Infant Formula — 5 — HiPP Bio Combiotik Infant Formula Powder, Stage 1 (imported)
  36. Infant Formula — 6 — HiPP HA Stage PRE (0+ Months) Combiotic Formula  (imported)
  37. Infant Formula — 7 — Holle Bio Goat Stage 2 Infant Formula (for 6-10 months, organic, European — Swiss/ German/ Austrian) is not available on Amazon, but the Stage 3 version of this product is (not yet tested, but will likely test similarly): https://amzn.to/3BVU7zI
  38. Infant Formula — 8 — Kendamil Goat Infant Formula (not organic): This product may be available at Target (it is not available on Amazon)
  39. Infant Formula — 9 — Kendamil Organic Follow-On Milk (European/ British Toddler Formula, for 6-12 months, Cow Milk): Not available on Amazon 
  40. Infant Formula — 10 — Kendamil Whole Milk Infant Formula (from Europe, pink can, not organic), available at Target
  41. Infant Formula — 11 — Kendamil Organic Infant Formula (Cow Milk): Not available on Amazon but may be available at Target
  42. Ingredient — 1 — (baking flour) — Jovial Organic Einkorn Flour (Italy): https://amzn.to/3LIqxix 
  43. Ingredient — 2 — (beans) — Jovial Organic Chickpeas, Product of Italy: https://amzn.to/4iRON1l
  44. Ingredient — 3 — (vinegar) — Napa Valley Naturals Organic Red Wine Vinegar (California): https://amzn.to/4jWhHOg
  45. Oil — 1 — (avocado) — Chosen Foods 100% Avocado Oil (not organic): https://amzn.to/3YDZSuv
  46. Oil — 2 — (coconut) — Dr. Bronner’s Regenerative Organic Coconut Oil: https://amzn.to/40xwBmv
  47. Oil — 3 — (olive) — Bryan Johnson BluePrint Snake Oil Olive Oil (not organic): https://amzn.to/4mMieUj
  48. Oil — 4 — (perilla seed) — Dr. Adorable’s Organic Perilla Seed Oil (Korea): https://amzn.to/3NDt7Yc
  49. Plant-Based Milk — 1 — (coffee creamer) — Laird Superfood Coconut Creamer: https://amzn.to/4fItA7A
  50. Plant-Based Milk — 2 — (plant milk) — Kiki Milk Organic Plant-Based Milk (original flavor): https://amzn.to/3AA6Qrt
  51. Plant-Based Milk — 3 — (soy milk) — West Soy Unflavored Unsweetened Organic Soy Milk: https://amzn.to/4dwev8l
  52. Salt — 1 — Jacobsen’s Sea Salt (Oregon, USA): https://amzn.to/4dcbk5L
  53. NEW! Salt — 2 — Maldon Sea Salt Flakes**: https://amzn.to/4iTzWTE
  54. NEW! Salt — 3 — Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt** : https://amzn.to/4cVQMiy
  55. Seeds — 1 — (chia) — Navitas Organic, Gluten-Free Chia Seeds (Mexico): https://amzn.to/3YvE7xC
  56. Seeds — 2 —  (hemp) — Costco Kirkland Organic Hemp Seeds: https://amzn.to/4e05RP9
  57. Supplement — 1 — (adult) — Clean Creatine (100% Creapure), Made in Germany (use with caution, please read article): https://amzn.to/43UjrS6
  58. Supplement — 2 — (adult) — Doctor’s Best Vitamin C with Q-C: https://amzn.to/4hlVvea
  59. Supplement — 3 — (adult) — Nature’s Way Zinc Lozenges: https://amzn.to/4liDz6f
  60. Supplement — 4 — (adult) — Nordic Naturals Omega-3 Fish Oil: https://amzn.to/48q1j2V
  61. Supplement — 5 — (adult) — Pectasol Modified Citrus Pectin, Formulated in the USA: https://amzn.to/3QUmZfN
  62. Supplement — 6 — (adult) — Pendulum Metabolic Daily Dietary Supplement: https://amzn.to/4gY5wOm
  63. Supplement — 7 — (adult) — Qwell Omega-3 by The Veggie Doctor, Vegan Algae DHA + EPA + DPA: https://amzn.to/45Lbosh
  64. Supplement — 8 — (kids) — Baby Ddrops, Organic Vitamin D3 Supplement for Babies: https://amzn.to/49C3ktH
  65. Supplement — 9 — (kids) — Mary Ruth’s Organic Toddler Multivitamin Liquid Drops with Iron: https://amzn.to/3YPhcgx
  66. Supplement — 10 — (kids) — Mary Ruth’s Organic Toddler Elderberry Liquid Drops: https://amzn.to/42617TU
  67. Supplement — 11  — (kids) — Nordic Naturals Kids Vitamin D3 Gummies (Ages 3+): https://amzn.to/4l7117a
  68. Sweetener — 1 — (sugar) — Anthony’s Organic Granulated Cane Sugar: https://amzn.to/4jf6vLv
  69. Sweetener — 2— (xylitol) — Espure Organic Xylitol: https://amzn.to/3GsCSrU
  70. Sweetener — 3— (xylitol) — Now Real Food Granulated Xylitol: https://amzn.to/4cNWDpM
  71. Toothpaste — 1 — Aquafresh “FRESH & MINTY” Fluoride Toothpaste, Purchased in London, England (Made in U.K. or Slovakia): https://amzn.to/4lhRMjO
  72. Toothpaste — 2 — Orajel Kids Training Toothpaste, Fluoride-free in Natural Berry Fruity Flavor with Elmo Sesame Street packaging: https://amzn.to/41wxtrY
  73. Toothpaste — 3 — Miessence Fluoride-free Mint Toothpaste (Made in Australia): https://amzn.to/4bJc4PO
  74. Toothpaste — 4 — Dr. Brown’s Fluoride-free Baby Toothpaste in Strawberry Flavor: https://amzn.to/3DCehzZ
  75. Toothpaste — 5 — Pegciz Kids Foam Toothpaste in Watermelon Flavor, Low Flouride (packaging varies, see report): https://amzn.to/3YzP68e
  76. Toothpaste — 6 — Kid’s Spry Fluoride-free Tooth Gel with Xylitol in Original Flavor: https://amzn.to/41GZb4e
  77. Toothpaste — 7 — Essential Oxygen Fluoride-free  BR Certified Organic in Peppermint Flavor: https://amzn.to/4lARZ2J

**Lab reports pending/ Not yet published as of 8/2/2025

Here’s a link to our landing page featuring all our third-party lab reports for the foods, supplements, and cosmetic products we have published to date, including those listed above. This is a good page to bookmark since it is updated several times each week, as new lab reports are published: https://tamararubin.com/lab-reports/

BONUS: Below are SIX additional products that each tested positive for trace (very low levels of) Arsenic —  at levels considered safe by all standards (with the limits of detection noted in the lab report for the specific product listed).

  1. Infant Formula — Kendamil Goat Toddler Milk, not organic (positive for traces of Arsenic): May be available at Target or through other online retailers of European infant formulas
  2. Ingredient — Maseca Instant Corn Masa Flour, Product of Mexico (positive for traces of Arsenic):  https://amzn.to/4iR8qWN
  3. Fruit Snack —  That’s It Apple Cherry Bars, not organic (positive for traces of Arsenic): https://amzn.to/4fHkSWV
  4. Oil — Chosen Foods 100% Pure Avocado oil, organic (postive for traces of Arsenic): https://amzn.to/3BVQYQa
  5. Supplement — (adult) — Now Sunflower Lecithin, not organic (positive for traces of Arsenic): https://amzn.to/3AFdHzO
  6. Supplement — (adult) — WishGarden Immune Boost Seasonal Rescue for Pregnancy: https://amzn.to/3Cd940N

Amazon links are affiliate links. If you purchase something after clicking on a Lead Safe Mama, LLC Amazon affiliate link, Lead Safe Mama, LLC may receive a percentage of what you spend at no extra cost to you.

#6) Lab report for the product pictured above:

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2 Comments

    1. The acidity of tomatoes and the fact that tomato sauce is often used to extract heavy metals from cookware in extraction experiments.

      Tamara

      Reply

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