Our Approach to Heavy Metals & Safety

As a small founder-led brand, safety and trust are at the center of everything we do. Our protein powders are made from upcycled barley and clean plant-based ingredients, and we include testing as part of our quality process. We review results carefully and only move forward with materials that meet established food-safety limits.

On this page, we’ll explain what heavy metals are, why they naturally appear in plant-based foods, and how we make sure our products stay aligned with recognized safety guidelines.

Why Do Heavy Metals Show Up in Foods?

Heavy metals are natural elements found in soil and water. Because plants grow in the ground, they can absorb tiny, trace amounts as they develop. This is true for everyday foods like vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds, and fruits — even organic ones.

Our barley-based protein is no different. The plant ingredients in our formula come from the soil, so a small amount of naturally occurring minerals can be present. These levels are extremely low and are considered safe as part of a balanced diet.

What matters is the difference between:

• Trace amounts — the background levels found in many plant foods
  
• Elevated levels — which can occur when materials are contaminated or poorly controlled

We work within established food-safety guidelines to ensure levels stay in the trace, food-safe range.

How We Test

We incorporate third-party testing into our process. Heavy metals are part of the testing scope, and results are reviewed internally to confirm they fall within recognized food-safety limits before we move forward with production.

Certificates of Analysis (COAs) are issued as part of this process, and we maintain documentation for every material we use. If a material does not meet our specifications, we don’t use it.

Bottom line: testing is part of how we operate, and we only move ahead when results meet our standards.

Our Sourcing & Manufacturing Standards

High-Quality, Vetted Ingredients

We work with trusted suppliers who provide documentation showing their materials meet food-grade quality and safety standards. Starting with clean inputs is a foundational part of keeping our final product aligned with food-safety expectations.

Clean, Controlled Manufacturing

We produce in controlled runs with close oversight. Each blend follows a precise formula, and we keep a tight eye on texture, flavor, cleanliness, and consistency throughout the process.

Quality Practices at Every Step

If something seems off during production, we pause and evaluate before continuing. This proactive approach helps ensure that every pouch reflects the quality we expect from ourselves.

No Shortcuts on Safety – What We Don’t Do

We’re strict about the choices we make:

• No low-grade materials. We avoid cheap or questionable inputs that could compromise quality.
  
• No suppliers without proper documentation. If we can’t verify safety and quality, we won’t use it.
  
• No hiding issues. If something doesn’t meet our standards, we won’t move forward with it.
  
• No unrealistic claims. We don’t promise “zero heavy metals,” miracle benefits, or anything outside responsible, food-level safety.

Our approach is simple:

If it’s not something we’d confidently use ourselves, we don’t ship it.

As we scale our testing protocols, we'll add more detailed data to this page. For now, we can confirm all materials meet FDA food-safety standards for these elements.