- A lawsuit has alleged that Kroger's Spinach With Bacon Salad Kit For One contains an unsafe amount of lead.
- Lead exposure accumulates over time and can cause problems with fertility and child development.
- Fourteen other products named in the lawsuit allegedly exceed California's maximum for lead in food.
A lawsuit filed against Kroger has alleged that some foods sold by the national supermarket chain contain "huge" amounts of lead.
The chain's Spinach With Bacon Salad Kit For One contained 70.1 micrograms of lead, according to independent lab testing cited by the lawsuit filed on behalf of Ecological Alliance LLC in California, which is well over the recommended limit for both children and adults.
The Food and Drug Administration recommends lead intake from food not exceed 3 micrograms per day for children, or 12.5 micrograms for adults. The heavy metal can build up in the human body over time, posing health risks for developing children and people trying to get pregnant.
Kroger's five-ounce salad kit allegedly contains more than five times the daily recommended lead limit for adults and would be considered especially unsafe for kids to eat. The chain's Single Serving Canned Sweet Peas & Carrots also contains an unallowable amount of lead, with 33 micrograms per can, according to the lawsuit.
A total of 15 Kroger foods — including some products labeled Simple Truth and Private Selection, two brands under the parent company — were considered high lead exposure risks in the lawsuit. The Ecological Alliance LLC also sued Trader Joe's in November 2021 after testing some foods for lead.
The salad tested at 140 times California's lead limit, according to the lawsuit
The FDA calculates maximum daily lead limits based on how much someone would need to consume in food to reach an elevated blood lead level. However, that blood level stands at 5 micrograms per deciliter for adults, and no amount of lead exposure is safe for kids.
High levels of heavy metal exposure can stunt children's brain development, causing difficulties with learning, behavior, hearing, and speech down the line. For adults, the primary concern is that lead exposure can result in miscarriage and fertility issues.
Some states, namely California, have instituted their own standards for lead exposure that are more stringent than the FDA's. Per California's Proposition 65, any more than 0.5 micrograms of lead per day could pose a risk of reproductive toxicity.
As the lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, Kroger will have to stop selling the affected products in California or reduce their lead content if the prosecution wins. Alternatively, the company could add a health warning to the affected products.
Kroger products that allegedly tested above the FDA's recommended limit of 3 micrograms of lead per serving include:
- Kroger's Spinach With Bacon Salad Kit For One at 70.1 micrograms per serving
- Kroger Single Serving Canned Sweet Peas & Carrots at 33.1 micrograms per serving
- Simple Truth Organic Yellow Cling Diced Peaches & Pears at 11.7 micrograms per serving
- Kroger Crumbdillyicious Graham Crackers at 11.2 micrograms per serving
- Simple Truth Organic Frozen Berry Medley at 8.34 micrograms per serving
- Kroger Cinnamon Raisin Pre-Sliced Bagels at 6.82 micrograms per serving
- Simple Truth Organic 100% Whole Wheat Spaghetti at 6.77 micrograms per serving
According to the lawsuit, several other products posed a high lead exposure risk per serving based on California's standard, but would be permitted by the FDA.
Kroger did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment.