Proposition 65 Warning and Wild Foods

California Prop 65: This Californian law requires a notice on products containing naturally occurring substances found in Earth's crust (and in the human body).

Any ingredient over 1/1000th of what the WHO terms as “Safe Harbor Levels” must include a warning on the label. Natural foods grown in clean soil contain many naturally occurring chemicals and minerals.

Here are a few examples:

Spinach: One adult serving contains about 5.2 micrograms of lead, which exceeds Prop 65 levels by ten times.

Now consider all the plant foods (and processed foods) Americans regularly eat, and you see that the average person is likely consuming more than TEN TIMES the amount of one or more of these substances than what this warning requires. 

No other state requires warnings like this. Just California.

Every Wild Foods product undergoes COA testing and passes well within acceptable ranges.

The Warning for products linked to this page is:

WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals, including lead, which are known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects, or other reproductive harm. For more information, go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.

What is Prop 65?

Proposition 65 is a legal mandate exclusive to the state of California, compelling the display of warnings about products containing chemicals recognized by the state as carcinogenic or harmful to reproductive health. Such warnings have become frequent in California, not just on consumer products but also in places such as restaurants and grocery stores. No other state enforces these warning requirements.

Our warning encompasses cancer, congenital disabilities, and/or reproductive harm. This is due to the presence of a minuscule chemical in our products, which is listed under Proposition 65. The State of California has marked this chemical as potentially causing cancer or being a reproductive toxicant.

Should you be worried?

The Prop 65 list comprises over 800 chemicals, continually adding new substances. This broad list includes commonplace chemicals like retinol (vitamin A), alcohol, marijuana smoke, pesticides, and heavy metals. For instance, lead, a typical Prop 65 chemical, is prevalent in our environment, often appearing as a naturally occurring substance in food and beverages. Rest assured; all our products adhere to the regulations set forth by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Why do some comparable products lack the same warning? 

Some brands, like ours, have Prop 65 warnings, and some do not.  

However, others may not for various reasons, despite containing the same substances at comparable concentrations. Some companies might be small enough to be exempt from issuing such a warning. Meanwhile, others may gamble on the sporadic enforcement of Prop 65. 

The absence of a Prop 65 warning on a product doesn't assure it's devoid of these substances.