Third-Party Testing Results for Redmond Real Salt
LeadSafeMama (Tamara Rubin, July 2024):
Testing by LeadSafeMama, an independent advocate for consumer goods safety, reported 290 ppb (parts per billion) of lead and 91 ppb of arsenic in Redmond Real Salt.
These levels were described as "unsafe" by Rubin, exceeding her personal thresholds for safety, though she notes her standards are stricter than regulatory limits. Critics argue her methodology (e.g., single-lab testing via SimpleLab) may not be comprehensive, as it lacks multi-lab validation to rule out outliers.
Earlier reports from Rubin (2021) cited 167 ppb lead, based on aggregated consumer data, but this was later updated with the 2024 lab results.
Mamavation (2023):
Mamavation tested 23 salt products, including Redmond Real Salt, at an EPA-certified lab. They detected lead, arsenic, cadmium, and aluminum in Redmond’s salt, but levels were below California’s Proposition 65 warning thresholds (0.5 µg/day for lead).
Specific concentrations weren’t detailed for Redmond, but the study emphasized that all salts tested contained some heavy metals, with Redmond ranking less favorably than brands like Colima or Baja Gold.
Redmond’s Own Testing:
Redmond reports occasional detection of lead up to 200 ppb (rounded up, highest recorded) in their Elemental Analysis, based on 30 years of testing. They emphasize this is naturally occurring and safe in context.
For a 6g daily salt intake, 200 ppb lead equates to 1.2 µg/day, well below the FDA’s provisional tolerable intake for adults (~30 µg/day). Arsenic levels are also claimed to be negligible, requiring unrealistic consumption (e.g., 1,500 servings) to reach harmful levels.
Redmond argues that naturally occurring metals in unrefined salts are bound in inert forms, less bioavailable than synthetic forms, and their products undergo rigorous safety testing.
Comparison to Celtic Sea Salt
Celtic Sea Salt:
LeadSafeMama reported 626-650 ppb lead in Celtic Sea Salt, significantly higher than Redmond’s 290 ppb.
Mamavation’s testing also found heavy metals in Celtic, with lead levels higher than Redmond’s but still below Prop 65 thresholds.
Celtic’s higher lead content (potentially due to its ocean source and clay-lined harvesting) makes Redmond a relatively “cleaner” option in terms of heavy metal content, though both are flagged in independent tests.