Why Little Spoon is Following the European Union Standard for Baby Food Safety

Let’s start with breaking down what the European Union (EU) standard really means. The EU’s regulations inspired Little Spoon’s standards by setting limits for how much lead, arsenic and cadmium can be safely consumed in baby food—let us add that this is an infinitesimal amount. We use parts per billion (PPB) to understand the presence of these toxins and contaminants. To put it into perspective,  think of 1 PPB as a single drop of water in an Olympic sized swimming pool or 1 penny in  stacks of cash adding up to $10 million dollars. That micro-microscopic trace of heavy metals, pesticides, and plasticizers cannot exceed this very small amount, and the same strict limit applies to every all of Little Spoon’s Babyblends, Puffs, Cereal, and Biteables.

So why doesn’t Little Spoon model standards set by the US instead? 

Because… well… there are none. The FDA continues to research the effects that toxic chemicals, heavy metals, and additives have on the development of babies and children, but no formal regulation has yet been passed to limit this exposure in baby food products. The European Union’s standards are widely trusted because they’ve been developed through decades of research and are known for being some of the most protective regulations in the world when it comes to food safety, particularly for vulnerable populations like babies. The EU’s rigorous regulations allow brands, like Little Spoon, to instill confidence in their customers about the quality of the ingredients that they are feeding their children, based on these standards. 

Little Spoon believes that baby food should be safe, wholesome and never jeopardize the health of your little ones. Little Spoon’s best-in-class safety standards for our Babyblends, Puffs, Cereal, and Biteables are modeled after those of the European Union for that reason. When these products are sent to a third-party accredited lab, they are tested for more than 500+ toxins, and contaminants, including heavy metals, plasticizers and pesticides. The test results must fall at or below the Little Spoon limit or else the product is discarded entirely and will not be sold. 

Is Little Spoon allowing heavy metals in their products? Let’s be clear: it’s virtually impossible to avoid exposure to heavy metals in food because these elements are naturally present in the earth’s crust and soil—where our food is grown. Even in the healthiest, most nutrient-rich soil, trace amounts of metals like lead, arsenic and cadmium can still be present. But, here’s where Little Spoon is taking a stand. We’re doing our part to minimize the risk of overexposure to toxic heavy metals by carefully sourcing our farm partners, …conducting tests for 555 contaminants in our Babyblends, Puffs, Cereal, and Biteables, and committing to never selling a product that does not meet our standards. Our rigorous process, modeled after the European Union’s standard for food safety, is designed to give you the peace of mind you deserve and deliver safe, high-quality baby food.