Natural Grocer's response to my questions about heavy metals in their herbs, spices and teas.

Does NG test their bulk items for heavy metals?

Natural Grocers Bulk Items and Heavy Metal Testing

Photo by Agnieszka Stankiewicz on Unsplash

Since I like to buy my herbs, spices, and teas in the bulk section of my local NG, I became concerned after reading about the heavy metal content in herbs, spices, and teas. Read this post on heavy metals in different herb and spice brands and read this post on Al in tea.

The Consumer Reports articles mentioned brands with low heavy metal content and higher levels.

On the NG bulk items, there is no brand label. I emailed NG customer service asking if they test their bulk items, and if they do, what heavy metals they test for, and what the approved limit is for their products.

I appreciate that NG customer service responded to me promptly. Over the years, I have emailed many companies, and I have rarely received a response.

NG Response (I had to email several times to get my questions answered, so there are three responses.

Hello Karen, 
 
Thanks for reaching out about heavy metal testing. All our bulk herbs, spices and teas are tested for heavy metals. Thank you so much for your inquiry!

Hello Karen,
 
Our bulk products that are tested for heavy metals are tested for arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury. There is a threshold, but I've never seen any products over 3 parts per million. I'm not sure what the threshold is. I am inquiring further and I'll get back to you if I find anything else out.

Karen,
 
Thanks for your inquiry. Our threshold on arsenic, cadmium and mercury are >1ppm, and lead is >3ppm. Thanks and have a great day!
 
Sincerely,
Heather

Customer Support Specialist
Vitamin Cottage Natural Food Markets, Inc.

Bottom Line

Natural Grocers bulk items may contain some heavy metals, but they test to ensure their products are below a certain threshold.

However, I am unfamiliar with what is considered low or high parts per million. We do not want any heavy metal content in our food products, but this doesn't seem easy to find.

Natural Grocers does not test for Al, so we do not know the Al content of its teas. Because of this, I am sticking to the young-leaf teas I ordered from Mountain Rose Herbs.

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