Baby Food Tested for Contaminants in New Report
A recent study of 48 products identified widespread phthalates and microplastics in various baby foods.
Updated on Sept. 22, 2026 in Babies
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Consumer Reports evaluated 48 baby food items from 11 brands to assess the presence of heavy metals, bisphenols, phthalates, and microplastics. While most items showed low levels of heavy metals, the testing revealed widespread phthalates and microplastics across the products.
Why it matters
These findings help families understand the potential presence of chemicals in common baby foods, providing a baseline for comparing current product safety against previous years. Understanding these contaminants is essential for parents looking to navigate pantry choices for their infants.
Researchers tested 48 baby food products, including cereals, pouches, jars, puffs, bars, and teething biscuits. While 96% of items demonstrated low heavy metal levels, most products contained phthalates and some purées showed evidence of microplastics.
The players
Consumer Reports
An independent, nonprofit organization that conducts rigorous product testing and provides safety evaluations for household goods.
The details
Researchers performed comprehensive testing on cereals, fruit pouches, jars, puffs, bars, teething biscuits, and juice. The analysis screened for contaminants including heavy metals, bisphenols, phthalates, and microplastics. While most items met safety thresholds for heavy metals, the study noted higher-than-advised inorganic arsenic in some samples and identified one teething wafer containing high levels of BPA.
Timeline
2018: Consumer Reports published an initial investigation on baby food metals.
2023: Consumer Reports published a follow-up investigation on baby food metals.
2026: Consumer Reports conducted the latest baby food testing.
The Home Front
This report extends the long-term monitoring of baby food purity established by previous Consumer Reports investigations. It builds on data from 2018 and 2023 to track how manufacturing standards and ingredient quality have evolved over nearly a decade.
Parents should review the types of processed snacks and purées currently in their pantry to assess their reliance on pre-packaged foods. Consider incorporating a wider variety of fresh, whole-food options to help reduce the potential for exposure to common environmental contaminants.
The takeaway
The report underscores the prevalence of microplastics and phthalates even in products that test low for heavy metals. Parents are encouraged to maintain a diverse diet for their children to minimize repeated exposure to any single source of contaminants.
Further reading
You can learn more about ingredient standards and safety in our guide to Babies.
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Do you trust that baby food products currently on store shelves are safe for your children?
