Health Watchdog To Bring Legal Action Against Soylent Over Lead, Cadmium Levels

An anonymous reader writes: We've previously discussed Soylent, the self-proclaimed "meal replacement." The product has not been without controversy, and now it's likely to see some more: As You Sow, a non-profit foundation dedicated to corporate responsibility, plans to bring legal action against Soylent for failing to provide sufficient warning about the amount of lead and cadmium in it. They allege that a serving of Soylent contains 12 to 25 times the concentration of lead at which point consumers in the state of California must be warned. The concentration of cadmium, they say, is four times the current maximum. Soylent has acknowledged the results of heavy metal tests but says the levels present in Soylent are not toxic. As You Sow maintains that Soylent's marketing focus on replacing food suggests chronic exposure, which is more of an issue than an occasional indulgence.

Comments

As a chemist, I have something to say.

[Anonymous Coward]

| "Nobody expects heavy metals in their meals," said Andrew Behar, CEO of As You Sow.

As a chemist, I can tell you that heavy metals are everywhere. If you don't expect that in your food, you are not good at chemistry. It is the concentration that matters. Even table salt at too high concentration is toxic. I don't care much about the California's safety standard. As long as the heavy metal concentrations are lower than our local standard, I am fine with it.

Re:As a chemist, I have something to say.

[Smidge204]

Except, unlike table salt which is water soluble and excess is quickly eliminated from your body, heavy metals tend to accumulate. Small, repeated doses over a long period of time can accumulate toxic levels in your body tissues.

You're right that exposure is unavoidable, but they set exposure limits for a reason.
=Smidge=

Re:As a chemist, I have something to say.

[jpatters]

You are correct that heavy metals are everywhere. However, we can't trust corporations to self police, so we have government set limits. It is reasonable for the limits to be more strict with respect to a product that is marketed as a replacement for all of your meals, such as Soylent. Contrast this with tuna fish and mercury content, which is considered to be at acceptable levels when eaten occasionally.

Re:But this is California, so of course it's stupi

[Smidge204]

California requires warnings about metal concentrations on virutally ALL FOOD

Good. I don't see why that makes the warning useless; the effects are cumulative and people need constant reminders that they are being exposed. It keeps manufacturers and third party groups on the ball for monitoring levels to catch cases where exposure is unreasonably high.
=Smidge=