Testing Vital Choice Wild Sardines in Extra-Virgin Olive Oil for Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, and Arsenic with Independent, Third-Party Laboratory Analysis — our first FISH product!

ByTamara Posted: Updated:
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Published: September 29, 2025
A Quick Note from Tamara Rubin:

This is the very first fish product we have tested! 

Sadly, the results are not great — and, personally, they really give me pause about consuming any fish in the future. That said, these results give us a useful data point and helpful context for future comparisons as we continue testing fish — especially when looking at mercury levels, which are a primary concern with fish consumption. I’m looking forward to testing tuna next (maybe salmon too) to start answering some key questions: Are sardines less toxic than tuna? Does tuna accumulate more mercury than sardines? And more broadly, are smaller fish generally less toxic than larger ones, as many consumers believe?

Unfortunately, the lab we use does not yet offer Arsenic speciation with the testing we do, but I think it is important to make note of a popular narrative about Arsenic that is based on a misunderstanding. Many people say one type of Arsenic is safe, while another type is unsafe (organic vs. inorganic). In fact, this is an “interpretation” of the scientific statements clearly stating that both types of Arsenic are harmful,  and while one can be “less harmful” than the other at lower doses, at significant doses (like what what one finds in fish) both types can be equally harmful with equally negative impacts on human health. “Less harmful” is expressly not the same as “safe.” I expect the “safer” Arsenic narrative was likely language popularized by the fish industry (although it would take a little sleuthing to determine that). More on this here.

The full original lab report for the Vital Choice Wild Sardine product (pictured above) can be found at the bottom of this page. There is also a shareable social media graphic with the lab test results for this product below (scroll down). All relevant federal agencies (FDA, EPA, HUD, USDA, CDC, etc.)  have posted public statements in agreement with the consensus of the medical and scientific communities that there is no safe level of Lead exposure for human beings, however there are no similar (comprehensive, ubiquitous) statements about Mercury (nor Arsenic, or Cadmium!) — although there should be.

We hope consumers will use these test results to demand that the companies making these products do better in the future, and make an effort to manufacture cleaner products with Lead, Cadmium, and Arsenic levels falling below 5 ppb, and Mercury levels below 2 ppb — or at least below 5 ppb (all of which are reasonable and achievable limits, as has been demonstrated by our breakdown of lab-tested safer choices below — scroll down for that full list).

Who paid for the testing and reporting on this product?

A single individual supporter of Lead Safe Mama, LLC, someone committed to making safer, healthier choices, sponsored the cost of testing and reporting for this product. Thank you to that generous individual for sponsoring this testing! Most of the lab testing we’ve conducted through the Lead Safe Mama, LLC Community Collaborative Laboratory Testing Initiative (see our full list of published reports here) has been funded either by individual supporters or through product-specific GoFundMe campaigns (which you can find here). 

If you find this information helpful — including our re-tests of items featured on our Safer Choices list — and want to support testing for many more  community-nominated products (or any for which we haven’t yet launched dedicated campaigns), please consider contributing to our general GoFundMe campaign (linked here). You may also consider joining us on Patreon (details below) with a small monthly gift in support of the Lead Safe Mama, LLC Community-Collaborative Laboratory Testing Initiative. To view our other not-yet-funded testing campaigns, click here.

Thank you.

How YOU can support the Lead Safe Mama, LLC Community-Collaborative Laboratory Testing Initiative: 

To both directly support this initiative and be among the first to see our new lab reports when they are published, please subscribe to our Patreon Channel. You can join us on Patreon for FREE or with a small monthly gift (of whatever you can afford) in support of the Lead Safe Mama, LLC Community-Collaborative Laboratory Testing Initiative.

Our average monthly gift from paid Patreon members at the time of publishing this article is just about $2.66 each month. A total of 432(!) people contributing an average of about $2.66 a month adds up to just over $1,150 in combined contributions that help us get more products tested quickly each month! So while a contribution of $2.50 or $3 a month may seem small, the small contributions add up to make a big difference.

  • Our next goal is to reach $3,000 in monthly contributions by the end of the day on December 31, 2025.
  • Our stretch goal (to reach by the end of 2025 if possible) is to raise at least $5,000 a month through small monthly Patreon contributions in support of our lab testing initiative, as this amount will cover the base costs necessary to pay all the members of the Lead Safe Mama Team who help with this work (Carissa, Serina, Amy, Sarah, Heidi, Ainslie, and others too — all of whom work part-time from home at their computers around the world in Massachusetts, California, Oregon, Washington, and Thailand to help bring you the information we share)!
  • To meet our EOY goal (but not our stretch goal), we need just about 695 more people to sign up and contribute $2.66 a month or more on Patreon!
  • Thank you for considering supporting our work in this way. Welcoming 695 new paid members seems like a really achievable goal, so I’m excited we may actually get there by December 31!

To date, through the Lead Safe Mama, LLC Community-Collaborative Laboratory Testing Initiative, we have identified 96 “Lab-Tested Safer Choices” across all product types we have tested (most of which are products that came back from the lab with “non-detect” results for all four heavy metals we test for — Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, and Arsenic — with the limits of detection noted on the lab report for each product). You can find the full list of lab-tested safer choices below (please scroll down).  

Social Media Info-Graphic — Please Share!

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.

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. 

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 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 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 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 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 analysis, 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] OUAFOnce 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) — [Last tested: 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) — [Last tested: 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) — [Last tested: 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 were removed after 2025 retesting found toxicants present. 

In both cases (for the two products noted below), the retests detected very low levels of toxicants — consistent with the idea that these products are still relatively cleaner choices compared to similar items in their categories. However, we only include products on the list above if lab results show non-detect levels for all four metals we test for: Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, and Arsenic. So while these two products had low levels, they no longer meet our standards for remaining on our Safer Choices List.

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.

Lab report for the product pictured above:

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6 Comments

  1. Hi Tamara,
    Can you test “Safe Catch” tuna? It is supposed to have the lowest mercury of any brand, and is available at Costco. Thank you for considering!

    Reply

  3. I’m shocked and saddened by the levels of heavy metals found in sardines. Sardines are such a rich source of highly desirable omega-3 oils. I’ve always read that sardines were a good fish to eat because they are small and haven’t lived long enough to accumulate high levels of mercury and other toxins. We’ll, there goes that theory. This is truly discouraging news. 🙁

    Reply

  4. as noted, sardines are an excellent source of omega-3 and other nutrients, and studies have shown eating them regularly results in more retention of white matter when ageing, etc. I’ve ate the similiar Safe Catch sardines daily, and now wonder how much arsenic I’ve injested as a result.

    Reply

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