Published March 26, 2025
Clean Label Project: What It Means & Why It Matters for Baby Formula
At Bobbie, we’re committed to giving parents confidence in the safety, purity, and transparency of our infant formulas. That’s why we’re proud to have been the first infant formula brand in the U.S. to receive both the Clean Label Project Purity Award and Pesticide-Free Certification — a major win for parents who want to know exactly what’s in their baby’s food (and what’s not).
These Clean Label Project certifications reflect our commitment to rigorous testing and refusal to compromise on ingredient quality. From heavy metal contamination to plasticizers and other chemicals, the Clean Label Project evaluates consumer products like formula powders for contaminants that many parents may not even know to look for.
Let’s take a closer look at how Clean Label Project certification works, what it means for food safety, and why it’s important to choose Clean Label Project certified products for your baby.
What Is the Clean Label Project?
The Clean Label Project is an independent non-profit organization that’s leading a movement for transparency in the food industry. Their mission is simple: hold brands accountable by testing consumer products — including organic baby formula, food, and supplements — for contaminants, plasticizers, toxic heavy metals, and other chemicals and substances that aren’t always listed on product labels.
Products that undergo Clean Label Project Purity Award certification are tested for over 400 chemicals, including toxic heavy metals like lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury. These metals can enter food products through soil, water and manufacturing and even at low levels, they can pose a risk — especially for infants.
The Clean Label Project goes beyond federal guidelines and federal standards to set a higher standard. Using federal agencies’ data, Proposition 65 levels, and European standards as a baseline, they award certifications only to consumer products that demonstrate lower or non-detect levels of contaminants than the industry norm.
In short, they make sure what’s on the consumer product labeling reflects what’s actually inside — and if it doesn’t, they’ll let you know.
How Products Are Tested for Contaminants
To evaluate food safety, the Clean Label Project uses independent, ISO-accredited labs to analyze products for contaminants, including heavy metals, plasticizers, pesticides, and other substances that can affect human health. Their rigorous testing process goes deeper than what most federal standards require, making clean label certification a strong signal of product safety.
For infant formulas, testing focuses on powders and ingredients, checking for toxic metals, chemical and pesticide residues, BPA, and even microplastics. These tests identify levels of harmful substances and compare them to federal guidelines, European guidelines, and Proposition 65 levels to determine exposure risk.
Only the brands that meet the highest standards — with lower levels of contamination and a commitment to clean label practices — can earn the Purity Award, which specifically recognizes safety during the critical early years of life.
Why Clean Label Certification Matters for Infant Formula
For parents, transparency, safety and purity are top priorities when choosing infant formulas. That’s why Clean Label Project certification — like the Clean Label Project Purity Award — matters. It signals that a product has undergone rigorous, independent testing for contaminants like heavy metals, pesticides, plasticizers and other chemicals.
Research has shown some baby formulas contain above-recommended levels of toxic heavy metals such as lead, arsenic and cadmium. Even at low levels, these substances can pose serious health risks, including developmental delays.
While federal guidelines help set food safety standards, Clean Label Project certified brands like Bobbie go further. Bobbie’s formula meets the highest standards, earning both the Purity Award and Pesticide-Free Certification, offering consumers peace of mind with a safe, transparent and trustworthy product.
The Bigger Picture: Clean Label Project in the Food Industry
The movement toward “clean labels” isn’t just about baby formula — it’s part of a broader push for transparency across the food industry. As more consumers demand clarity about ingredients, testing and safety, brands are being challenged to meet higher standards and prioritize consumer health over profits.
Parents and consumers alike are demanding to know:
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How much lead is in this product?
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Are there plasticizers or toxic metals in this supplement?
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Does this food contain higher levels of contaminants than what’s considered safe?
And they have every right to ask.
FAQ: Clean Label Project & Bobbie
Some commonly asked questions about the Clean Label Project include:
Does Clean Label Project certification mean a product is 100% free of contaminants?
No food is completely free of trace levels of all substances, as many of these—including heavy metals—are naturally-occurring in the environment. Clean Label Project certification ensures lower or non-detect levels of toxic heavy metals and other contaminants compared to industry averages and other standards, like those in the E.U.
How does Bobbie maintain Clean Label Project standards?
Bobbie uses rigorous testing for all Bobbie baby formula, intentionally sources ingredients, and aligns with federal standards while exceeding expectations for purity and safety.
Is Clean Label Project certification the same as USDA Organic?
No. USDA Organic refers to how ingredients are grown, while Clean Label Project Certification focuses on what’s actually in the final product, including any contaminants that organic standards might not address.
Bottom Line: Clean Label, Clean Conscience
Choosing clean-label certified products like Bobbie formula means choosing purity, safety and transparency — for you and your baby. With recognition from the Clean Label Project, we’re proud to meet the highest standards for food safety, offering infant formulas you can truly trust for your little one.
Discover Bobbie’s certified best sellers and see the difference that clean label certification can make in your family’s life.
The content on this site is for informational purposes only and not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Discuss any health or feeding concerns with your infant’s pediatrician. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay it based on the content on this page.
