At Baja Gold we take quality and safety very seriously.  Recently there has been increased discussion on heavy metal content in unrefined sea salts, and we wanted to share more information on this topic.  This article is also accompanied by multiple third-party laboratory tests, transparently shared so you can feel confident in your food choices. 

Most importantly, we want to reaffirm that Baja Gold products remain pure and safe.  We are a family-owned business and enjoy Baja Gold with friends and family throughout our daily lives. We remain confident Baja Gold is not just safe, but nutritious and significantly healthier than processed table salt and other salts.

Lastly, you can always find Baja Gold's latest third-party testing information on our website:  Baja Gold | The Mineral Lab.  Our goal for sharing this information is to allow you to make fully informed food choices for you and your family.  

Heavy Metals in our Environment

Heavy metals, often considered to be Arsenic, Cadmium, Lead, and Mercury, are naturally occurring elements that are present in our environment.  They’re present in our air, water, and soil, and as a result, there are trace amounts in nearly all of our food.

In particular, Lead is often the most 'common' and abundant of the heavy metals.  This may be due to the fact that Lead is fairly abundant within the Earth's crust.  

While the presence of Lead may be unavoidable, we can help to make informed choices about the quantity we may consume, relative to a complete diet.

Lead in Food

State and government regulations are in effect for the permissible quantities of heavy metals, including Lead, across a variety of food types.  Importantly, these limits and regulations vary based on food type and are largely correlated with the quantity consumed.  

For instance, water, which is consumed at a much higher and frequent rate, has a much stricter heavy metals requirement than salt, which is used sparingly.  When learning more about heavy metals in food, we recommend double-checking the food and standard being discussed, and its status (established, proposed, or declined / not enacted).

Baja Gold reliably and consistently tests well below all established national and international standards for heavy metals in salt, including CODEX and Prop 65 requirements.  Our understanding of CODEX standards is that table salt has a lead limit of 1 ppm (1,000 ppb) and natural, unrefined sea salt has a lead limit of 2 ppm (2,000 ppb).  Baja Gold tests well below both standards.   

Baja Gold Test Results

Baja Gold is an all-natural, unrefined sea salt created from the pristine waters of the Sea of Cortez.  It is exclusively solar-dried and unprocessed, with nothing ever added.  Baja Gold is created in salt flats constructed from a foundation of hardened sea salt.  It is harvested from the upper salt layer and center of the flats, for the purest, mineral-rich salt available.

As an unrefined sea salt, Baja Gold contains all of nature's minerals and trace elements as they exist in the ocean.  While there is seasonal variation in nature's creation, decades of testing have provided us a reliable range for the macro nutrients, trace minerals, and ultra-trace heavy metals we can expect from Baja Gold Mineral Sea Salt. 

Historically, and confirmed with recent tests, we see a bell-curve range of Lead results of:

• Lower Bound:  0 – 99 ppb (< 0.1 ppm)
• Mid Bound:  100 – 299 ppb (0.1 - 0.299 ppm)
• Upper Bound:  300 – 399 ppb (0.3 - 0.399 ppm)

Given CODEX Lead standards of 1 ppm (table salt) and 2 ppm (natural, unrefined sea salts), Baja Gold not only meets these standards, but exceeds them by a minimum of 2x, and often 4-8x.

Summary and More Information

To recap, heavy metals, including Lead, are naturally found in trace quantities throughout our environment.  This includes our soils, waterways, salts, produce, and other natural foods.  For the vast majority of people, our bodies are naturally equipped to manage the trace and ultra trace levels of heavy metals we are exposed to in daily life and while consuming a healthy, natural diet. This does not mean we should seek these elements out, but simply be mindful of their relative impact.  

We are confident in the safety and purity of Baja Gold products but are transparent with all testing and results to ensure our customers feel comfortable as well.  If heavy metals are of unique concern, we completely understand and respect that Baja Gold may not be the best choice for you.

If there is any additional information we can share, or if you just want to say hello, you can reach us at any time at: hello@bajagoldsaltco.com. 

All the best from our family to yours.  

-The Baja Gold Salt Co. Team

Visit The Mineral Lab for all current and updated test results: Baja Gold | The Mineral Lab.