September 30, 2026 – AUSTIN – Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has secured a first-of-its-kind legal settlement with baby food manufacturer Plum Organics (“Plum”), establishing mandatory testing thresholds for toxic heavy metals and setting a new benchmark for industry transparency.
The agreement concludes a segment of an ongoing, wide-sweeping investigation launched by Paxton’s office in August 2025. The state’s probe began after Civil Investigative Demands (CIDs) were issued to major baby food manufacturers amid growing health concerns regarding levels of arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury found in infant and toddler products. While trace elements can occur naturally in fruits and vegetables, elevated concentrations pose severe health hazards, including risks to early neurological development.
Key Requirements of the Landmark Agreement
Under the terms of the new Assurance of Voluntary Compliance (AVC), Plum has committed to rigorous safety metrics and strict shipping prohibitions:
- Strict Safety Thresholds: Plum will adhere to FDA guidance for lead testing and limits. For cadmium and inorganic arsenic—areas lacking active FDA thresholds—the company will adopt current European Union (EU) guidelines.Additionally, Plum has established an internal cap of 10 parts per billion (ppb) for mercury in its pouches.
- No Shipment of Defective Lots:The company is legally barred from shipping any product lot that fails to meet these stringent heavy metal standards.
- Public Transparency & Tracking:Plum will continue publishing test results online for all covered products distributed or sold in Texas.Parents can search results via UPC codes, lot numbers, or “best by” dates, as well as scan packaging QR codes for products subject to FDA lead guidelines.
Industry Response and Ongoing Investigations
“I will not allow dangerous amounts of contaminants and heavy metals in baby food,” said Attorney General Paxton. “My office will continue to investigate the baby food industry to stop any company from misleading parents about the safety and quality of the products that they rely on to feed their children.”
While state officials tout the agreement as a vital consumer victory, representatives for Plum maintain that the brand has always prioritized infant health, noting that the voluntary agreement codifies pre-existing protocols that already aligned with strict regulatory frameworks.
With the broader state investigation still active, Attorney General Paxton is urging other prominent industry players—including Gerber—to follow Plum’s lead by adopting heightened safety standards and transparent public reporting.
