Year-over-Year General Mills Cheerios Toxicity Comparison Chart – September 2025

ByTamara Posted:
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September 21, 2025
Sunday

I decided to re-test Cheerios for quite  few reasons. I am going to lay this out in a bulleted list (instead of trying to write a work of literature to discuss the concerns), as it is late — and I am tired, yet this is important information to share.  Thanks for reading.

The WIC Foods Concern

  • We tested Cheerios in July of 2024. This was one of the first food products we tested.
  • The reason Cheerios (by General Mills) is an important metric to have as a baseline (for all of the testing we do, for several reasons), is because it is a staple food that mothers on the WIC program (Women, Infants, and Children) are encouraged to purchase with their WIC vouchers – to feed their children.
  • WIC foods are government subsidized foods – as such, WIC approved brands are government subsidized brands.
  • WIC foods are foods (and brands) that create lasting food-based memories on young and very vulnerable children — often making them customers who purchase these foods (as comfort foods) for life – and across generations.
  • Food-based memories for children in families who have experienced extreme food insecurity are very strong memories (I speak about this from experience with my family and my children).
  • Many WIC foods are also poor nutrition sources that are high in sugar and likely to test positive for heavy metals.
  • WIC did not used to allow organic foods (and used to have a very limited selection of approved foods), although I understand that has changed over the past couple of decades (with the “new” electronic system for WIC vouchers).
  • When I was on WIC we got paper vouchers and each voucher could only be used for a specific food that came in a specific quantity in specific packaging. Cheerios was one of those foods.
  • Scientifically demonstrating that WIC Food staples (like Cheerios) are bad for children to eat, pokes a hole in the facade that the WIC program feeds children healthy foods and develops healthy eating habits. Doing this (making this science-based data available) may help encourage our government to clean up oversight of these very important first foods — to help make sure they are safer for our most vulnerable populations.
  • I was on WIC about 29 years ago for a bit, and then again about 23 years ago for a little bit. As the daughter of an organic honey farmer – I quickly saw through the B.S. of the WIC program, and chose not to use most of the foods for my small and growing family (even though we were very poor at the time).

You can read my original article about the concern for toxicants in Cheerios here on this link. This article discusses the specific concern related to the levels of toxicants found in this product in a bit more detail. The full original lab reports for the two batches of General Mills Cheerios breakfast cereal are below (scroll down). One is from a batch that was tested in July of 2024. The second batch was sent to the lab for testing just last month (August 2025).

Consistency of Test Results For A Product Year-Over-Year

Outside of the concerns related to Cheerios as a WIC food (which I may expound upon a bit more later), Cheerios serve as a really good product to demonstrate the likelihood of consistency in test results with mass manufactured packaged foods (reducing the need for frequent re-testing, absent significant changes in the product’s manufacturing).

  • Since we began the Lead Safe Mama, LLC Community-Collaborative Laboratory Testing Initiative many people have questioned the validity of testing “one sample” of a product, especially when one can reasonably anticipate some degree of batch-specific variation in many products.
  • Our stand is that — absent comprehensive health-protective regulatory standards & given the budgetary restrictions of our “little business that could” — “some data” is better than “no data” to help us make informed decisions for our families.
    • Said another way: if we know for certain that at least one batch of a product we may have given our children to eat tests positive for Lead and/ or Cadmium and Arsenic — that’s enough information to make an informed decision to AVOID that product and to seek out safer choices.
  • We have also hypothesized that — especially with high quantity / pervasively found, mass manufactured processed foods (like General Mills cereals, for example) — toxicant levels for one batch are likely to be within the same ballpark for another batch of the same product (with the same ingredient profile, manufactured in the same plant / by the same company).
  • While we have only retested a handful of products so far,  our re-tests have generated results consistent with the above hypothesis.
    • Products that have previously tested low (or non-detect) for toxicants, are testing similarly with retests.
    • Products  – like this one as an example – that have tested positive for Lead, Cadmium, and Arsenic with the first test, are testing similarly with a re-test.

Specific Test Results For These Two Batches:
2024 & 2025

With the above points for context, the lab test results of one batch of Cheerios (tested in July of 2024) were nearly identical to the lab test results for another batch of Cheerios tested 13 months later.

  • The Lead levels (see the chart above), were nearly identical (even closer than one might expect with a reasonable margin of error due to anticipated batch specific variation & the use of different labs, each with different ranges of specificity in the testing).
    • 5.41 ppb is essentially statistically the same as 5.0 ppb.
  • The same holds true for the Cadmium level:
    • 14.95 ppb is essentially exactly the same as 15.0 ppb (especially noting the testing was done at two different labs, one which reported in tenths of ppb and the other which rounded to single whole digit ppbs).
  • The Arsenic level in 2025 was 50% higher than the amount of Arsenic found in the July 2024 batch, however both levels were in the double digit ppb – which puts them in the same range (31.0 ppb vs 45.47 ppb are within a reasonable range one might expect with batch-specific variation for the same product).

Final Thoughts

  • Cheerios are contaminated with Lead, Cadmium, and Arsenic.
  • All relevant federal agencies agree with the scientific and medical community consensus that there is no safe level of Lead exposure for children (and for all human beings for that matter).
  • Cheerios are relied on too heavily by families with young children (children often eat more than a serving size at a time) and should therefore not be considered safe for children — especially not safe for babies and toddlers.
  • This is especially concerning given the WIC program heavily promotes Cheerios, which creates brandy-loyalty among families with food insecurity.
  • We need to demand that our government implement oversight of foods fed to our youngest citizens, especially foods that are promoted by and subsidized by government funded food programs aimed at reducing food insecurity.

Funding to cover the costs to test and report on this re-test of Cheerios was not covered by a fundraising campaign or sponsor. If you would like to make a contribution in support of this testing and reporting, please consider joining us on Patreon with a small monthly gift in support of the work, or – alternately – please consider making a contribution to our General Fund GoFundMe – link here.

Thanks for being here.

Thank you for being part of the international conversation for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety.

Thank you for supporting our work in all the ways!

Tamara Rubin
& The Lead Safe Mama Team

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

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).

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A “spacer graphic” like the one above can be found in each of our articles that include the Lead Safe Mama, LLC Lab-Tested Safer Choices List. The graphic differs depending on which version of the list is below it. The Leaf graphic above is our newest graphic spacer for the September 2025 update of this Lab-Tested Safer Choices List. If the graphic is different when you see this list in any article (a sun, rainbow, flower, heart, or shamrock), that means it is an earlier version of the Lab-Tested Safer Choices List. While the date of the list (and its last update) is included in the text below it, we also wanted to introduce the visual tool we use to identify the latest version of our lab-tested safer choices list. Lead Safe Mama team members strive to update the list with the current spacer graphic, indicating that the most recent list of safer choices is below. However, they may not have had a chance to update every copy yet. Please be patient! Thank you.

Are you interested in seeing MORE safer choices?

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 concerns for heavy metals contamination).
  • The limits of detection (low-threshold of detection) for each of the metals tested are noted in the lab report for each specific product.
    • To see the full, original lab report (and read the related article) for any of these products, type the brand name — or product 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. The original lab report can always be found at the very bottom of each related article. 
  • Most of our published lab reports are also linked here, on our lab testing landing page.
    • This landing page is updated weekly (most weeks) and is a good page to bookmark and check back on periodically if you want to check in for the latest test results.
  • Flavors (or specific variations) tested are noted in the list below (and on all of our related articles). 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.
    • Test results are PRODUCT SPECIFIC, not BRAND SPECIFIC.
      • One should never assume that all products from a specific brand are clean just because a one or more products from that specific brand came back with clean test results.

Products on our “safer choices” list are retested periodically (annually or more frequently, as funding permits). If a product no longer tests clean (non-detect for all, or safe-by-all standards) with a second round of lab testing, it is removed from the list. If you have questions about a product that was removed from this list, please use the search bar at the top of the page to see more on that product, including its most recent test results. Products that were previously on the list and have been removed are also noted at the bottom of this list.

Lab-Tested Safer Choices List
UPDATED: September 17, 2025
Now at 90 products + 6 “bonus” products
Scroll down to see all 96 Lab-Tested Safer Choices

INDEX — See Product Categories Below

  • Section #1) Baby Foods & Baby Food Pouches
  • Section #2)Infant Formulas
  • Section #3) Breakfast Cereals
  • Section #4) Coffee & Tea
  • Section #5) Dairy Products
  • Section #6) Other Beverages
  • Section #7) Packaged Snacks for Kids (Fruit Bars, Chips, etc.)
  • Section #8) Baking & Cooking Ingredients
  • Section #9) Sweeteners/ Sugars/ Sugar Alternatives
  • Section #10) Salts
  • Section #11) Oils & Fats
  • Section #12) Plant-Based Milks
  • Section #13) Seeds (Chia & Hemp)
  • Section #14) Candy & Sweet Treats
  • Section #15) Adult Supplements & General Supplements (not expressly sold for use by kids)
  • Section #16) Children’s Supplements
  • Section #17) Cosmetics, Lotions, & Sunscreens
  • Section #18) Toothpaste

Section #1) Baby Foods & Baby Food Pouches (16)

  • Baby Food — 1 — Little Spoon Kale, Carrot + Pear BabyBlends
  • Baby Food — 2 — Little Spoon Butternut Squash + Blueberry BabyBlends
  • Baby Food — 3 — Little Spoon Sweet Potato BabyBlends
  • Baby Food — 4 — Little Spoon Sweet Potato + Carrot BabyBlends
  • Baby Food — 5 — Little Spoon Banana + Pitaya BabyBlends
  • Baby Food Pouch — 6 —  Costco’s Kirkland Organic Apple Sauce Pouch: https://amzn.to/4gOYpZ9
  • Baby Food Pouch — 7 — GoGo Squeez Organic Apple Sauce Pouch: https://amzn.to/3XhWYLe
  • Baby Food Pouch — 8 — OUAF Once Upon A Farm Dairy-free Fruit Smoothie Pouch in Strawberry Banana Swirl Flavor: https://amzn.to/3CPMbAw
  • NEW!  Baby Food Pouch — 9  — [Last Tested: August 2025] OUAF Once Upon A Farm Organic Smart Blend in Pear-y Blueberry & Spinach Flavor**: https://amzn.to/4mEIe3n
  • NEW!  Baby Food Pouch — 10 — [Last Tested: August 2025] OUAF Once Upon A Farm Organic Fruit & Veggie Blend in OhMyMega Veggie Flavor**: https://amzn.to/4mIeanF
  • NEW!  Baby Food Pouch — 11 — [Last Tested: August 2025] OUAF Once Upon A Farm Organic Immunity Blend in Pineapple, Banana & Dragon Fruit Flavor**: https://amzn.to/4mJ4fON
  • NEW!  Baby Food Pouch — 12 — [Last Tested: August 2025] OUAF Once Upon A Farm Organic Immunity Blend in Mango, Banana & Spirulina Flavor**: https://amzn.to/429BjXE
  • NEW!  Baby Food Pouch — 13 — [Last Tested: August 2025] OUAF Once Upon A Farm Organic Immunity Blend in Blueberry, Banana & Ginger Flavor**: https://amzn.to/3HScYis
  • NEW!  Baby Food Pouch — 14 — [Last Tested: August 2025] Pumpkin Tree Organic Pear Puree with Oat Fiber & Seeds**: https://amzn.to/425mTb7
  • NEW!  Baby Food Pouch — 15 — [Last Tested: August 2025] HappyTot Organics Super Bellies Immune & Digestive Support Blend in Organic Pears, Beets & Blackberries Flavor**: https://amzn.to/4fZTaGk
  • NEW!  Baby Food Pouch — 16 — [Last Tested: August 2025] HappyTot Organics Fiber & Protein in Organic Pears, Peaches, Pumpkin, Apples & Cinnamon Flavor**: https://amzn.to/47UaUAS

Section #2) Infant Formulas (11/27)

  • Infant Formula — 1 — Bobbie Organic Gentle Infant Formula Milk-Based Powder with Iron (pink and white can): https://amzn.to/3YYb849 
  • Infant Formula — 2 — Bobbie Organic Infant Formula Milk-Based Powder with Iron (green and white can): https://amzn.to/3VOr4Vy
  • Infant Formula — 3 — Bobbie Grass-Fed Milk-Based Powder with Iron (green can): https://amzn.to/3ZlAaeJ
  • Infant Formula — 4 — ByHeart Infant Formula (USA-made, not organic): https://amzn.to/48DJjTb
  • Infant Formula — 5 — HiPP Bio Combiotik Infant Formula Powder, Stage 1 (imported)
  • Infant Formula — 6 — HiPP HA Stage PRE (0+ Months) Combiotic Formula  (imported)
  • 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
  • Infant Formula — 8 — Kendamil Goat Infant Formula (not organic): This product may be available at Target (it is not available on Amazon)
  • Infant Formula — 9 — Kendamil Organic Follow-On Milk (European/ British Toddler Formula, for 6-12 months, Cow Milk): Not available on Amazon 
  • Infant Formula — 10 — Kendamil Whole Milk Infant Formula (from Europe, pink can, not organic), available at Target
  • Infant Formula — 11 — Kendamil Organic Infant Formula (Cow Milk): Not available on Amazon but may be available at Target

Section #3) Breakfast Cereals (2/29)

Section #4) Coffee & Tea (4/33)

  • Coffee & Tea — 1 — Chameleon Handcrafted Organic Cold Brew Concentrate: https://amzn.to/3OcrH77
  • 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
  • Coffee & Tea — 3 — Califia Farms Almond Latte Cold Brew (XX Espresso): https://amzn.to/4gTTGoJ
  • Coffee & Tea — 4 — Death Wish Organic Espresso Roast Ground Coffee (Multi-country origin, non-USA): https://amzn.to/3yo1eiL

Section #5) Dairy Products (2/35)

Section #6) Other Beverages (3/38)

Section #7) Packaged Snacks for Kids — Fruit Bars, Chips, etc. (3/41)

  • Fruit Snack — 1 — (bar) — Pure Organic Layered Fruit Bars in Raspberry Lemonade Flavor: https://amzn.to/3XcFsIp
  • Fruit Snack — 2 — (bar) — Pure Organic Layered Fruit Bars in Strawberry Banana Flavor: https://amzn.to/3WQEekA
  • Puff  Snack — 3 — (cheese puffs) — Barbara’s Original Cheese Puffs Gluten-free Snack: https://amzn.to/429mdBB

Section #8) Baking & Cooking Ingredients (3/44)

  • Ingredient — 1 — (beans) — Jovial Organic Chickpeas, Product of Italy: https://amzn.to/4iRON1l
  • Ingredient — 2 — (red wine vinegar) — Napa Valley Naturals Organic Red Wine Vinegar (California): https://amzn.to/4jWhHOg
  • Ingredient — 3 — (apple cider vinegar) — [Last Tested: August 2025] Fairchild’s Organic Apple Cider Vinegar (Raw & Unfiltered): https://amzn.to/46gsTjM

Section #9) Sweeteners/ Sugars/ Sugar Alternatives (3/47)

Section #10) Salts (3/50)

Section #11) Oils & Fats (5/55)

  • Oil — 1 — (avocado) — Chosen Foods 100% Avocado Oil (not organic): https://amzn.to/3YDZSuv
  • Oil — 2 — (coconut) — [Last Tested: January 2025] Dr. Bronner’s White Kernel Virgin Coconut Oil, Regenerative Organic Certified: https://amzn.to/40xwBmv
  • Oil — 3 — (coconut) — [Last Tested: August 2025] Dr. Bronner’s Whole Kernel Virgin Coconut Oil, Regenerative Organic Certified: https://amzn.to/3UWrKYq
  • Oil — 4 — (olive) — Bryan Johnson BluePrint Snake Oil Olive Oil (not organic): https://amzn.to/4mMieUj
  • Oil — 5 — (perilla seed) — Dr. Adorable’s Organic Perilla Seed Oil (Made in Korea): https://amzn.to/3NDt7Yc

Section #12) Plant-Based Milks (3/58)

  • Plant-Based Milk — 1 — (coffee creamer) — Laird Superfood Coconut Creamer: https://amzn.to/4fItA7A
  • Plant-Based Milk — 2 — (plant milk) — Kiki Milk Organic Plant-Based Milk (original flavor): https://amzn.to/3AA6Qrt
  • Plant-Based Milk — 3 — (soy milk) — [Last Tested: August 2025] West Soy Unflavored Unsweetened Organic Soy Milk: https://amzn.to/4dwev8l

Section #13) Seeds (2/60)

Section #14) Candy & Sweet Treats (4/64)

Section #15) Adult Supplements & General Supplements — not expressly sold for use by kids (9/73)

  • Supplement — 1 — (adult) — Clean Creatine (100% Creapure), Made in Germany (use with caution, please read article): https://amzn.to/43UjrS6
  • Supplement — 2 — (adult) — Doctor’s Best Vitamin C with Q-C: https://amzn.to/4hlVvea
  • Supplement — 3 — (adult) — [Tested clean in August 2025] Natural Vitality CALM, Magnesium Citrate Supplement Gummies (Raspberry Lemon Flavor): https://amzn.to/3VuwsN3
  • Supplement — 4 — (adult) — Nature’s Way Zinc Lozenges: https://amzn.to/4liDz6f
  • Supplement — 5 — (adult) — Nordic Naturals Omega-3 Fish Oil: https://amzn.to/48q1j2V
  • Supplement — 6 — (adult) — [Tested clean in August 2025] Nordic Naturals Prenatal DHA (Strawberry Soft Gels): https://amzn.to/4ngIVjv
  • Supplement — 7 — (adult) — Pectasol Modified Citrus Pectin, Formulated in the USA: https://amzn.to/3QUmZfN
  • Supplement — 8 — (adult) — Pendulum Metabolic Daily Dietary Supplement: https://amzn.to/4gY5wOm
  • Supplement — 9 — (adult) — Qwell Omega-3 by The Veggie Doctor, Vegan Algae DHA + EPA + DPA: https://amzn.to/45Lbosh

Section #16) Children’s Supplements (5/78)

  • Supplement — 8 — (kids) — Baby Ddrops, Organic Vitamin D3 Supplement for Babies: https://amzn.to/49C3ktH
  • Supplement — 9 — (kids) — Mary Ruth’s Organic Toddler Multivitamin Liquid Drops with Iron: https://amzn.to/3YPhcgx
  • Supplement — 10 — (kids) — Mary Ruth’s Organic Toddler Elderberry Liquid Drops: https://amzn.to/42617TU
  • Supplement — 11  — (kids) — Nordic Naturals Kids Vitamin D3 Gummies (Ages 3+): https://amzn.to/4l7117a
  •  Supplement — 12  — (kids) — [Tested clean in August 2025] Seed PDS-08 Pediatric Daily Synbiotic, Fiber-Based Prebiotic & Probiotic for Kids: https://amzn.to/47kVTIc

Section #17) Cosmetics, Lotions, & Sunscreens (5/83)

Section #18) Toothpastes (7/90)

  • Toothpaste — 1 — Aquafresh “FRESH & MINTY” Fluoride Toothpaste, Purchased in London, England (Made in U.K. or Slovakia): https://amzn.to/4lhRMjO
  • Toothpaste — 2 — Orajel Kids Training Toothpaste, Fluoride-free in Natural Berry Fruity Flavor with Elmo Sesame Street packaging: https://amzn.to/41wxtrY
  • Toothpaste — 3 — Miessence Fluoride-free Mint Toothpaste (Made in Australia): https://amzn.to/4bJc4PO
  • Toothpaste — 4 — Dr. Brown’s Fluoride-free Baby Toothpaste in Strawberry Flavor: https://amzn.to/3DCehzZ
  • Toothpaste — 5 — Pegciz Kids Foam Toothpaste in Watermelon Flavor, Low Flouride (packaging varies, see report): https://amzn.to/3YzP68e
  • Toothpaste — 6 — Kid’s Spry Fluoride-free Tooth Gel with Xylitol in Original Flavor: https://amzn.to/41GZb4e
  • Toothpaste — 7 — Essential Oxygen Fluoride-free BR Certified Organic in Peppermint Flavor: https://amzn.to/4lARZ2J

**Lab reports pending/ Not yet published as of 9/15/2025

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 (6/96): 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 (positive 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
Products Removed from the Above “Lab-Tested Safer Choices” List

The following two products were previously on the Lead Safe Mama, LLC Lab-Tested Safer Choices List, but have since been removed due to results from retesting (in 2025) showing them as testing positive for toxicants.

In each case (for the two products noted below), the retest showed a very low level of toxicants (consistent with the narrative that these two products are still a cleaner choice when compared to similar options in their product categories). We only list products above that come back from the lab with “non-detect” results for all four metals we test for (Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, and Arsenic), so even though the re-test levels for these two products were low, they do not meet our standards for remaining on the list above.

You can read more about these products and the most recent lab test results for each in the articles linked below:

  1. One Degree Organics Sprouted Rolled Oats, yellow bag (Made in Canada) — May 2025 Retest
  2. Jovial Organic All-Purpose Einkorn Flour (Made in Italy) — August 2025 Retest Lab Report to be Published Shortly

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.
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