Target recalls over 25,000 units of baby food due to elevated lead levels

Credit: Target

More than 25,000 packs of baby food sold under Target’s Good & Gather brand have been recalled after US authorities detected elevated levels of lead, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has confirmed.

The affected product Good & Gather baby Pea Zucchini Kale & Thyme Vegetable Puree is manufactured by Miami-based company Fruselva and sold in 4-ounce tubs.

The retailer voluntarily recalled 25,600 units of the product on 12 March, identifying two impacted lot numbers: 4167 with a best-before date of 7 December, and 4169 with a best-before date of 9 December 2025.

Classified as a Class II recall, the product is considered unlikely to cause serious health problems but could still lead to temporary or reversible effects. Nonetheless, health officials have stressed the seriousness of the risk. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has previously stated that “there is no safe level of lead exposure for children,” noting that even low doses of the metal can impair brain development and cognitive function.

Consumers are being advised not to feed the recalled purée to infants. Affected products can be returned to any Target store for a full refund, and the retailer has directed customers to contact Target Guest Relations at 1-800-440-0680 for further support.

Recent US infant formula and food regulation developments

This Target recall comes at a pivotal moment for baby food regulation in the US. In April 2025, the FDA began rolling out Operation Stork Speed — a sweeping initiative to raise safety standards across infant formula and children’s food categories. Among the measures introduced are “expanded testing for heavy metals, including arsenic and lead,” a move designed to improve contamination detection and transparency across the supply chain.

In tandem with federal action, California’s Baby Food Safety Act (AB 899) also came into effect on 1 January 2025. Under the new law, all baby food sold in California must be tested monthly for toxic metals such as lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury. Infant formula remains exempt under current regulations.

Although the FDA did not disclose the specific amount of lead found in the recalled Good & Gather product, recent agency proposals suggest new action levels of 10 parts per billion (ppb) for most fruit and vegetable-based blends, and 20 ppb for dry cereals and root vegetable purées, which naturally absorb more lead from soil.

As scrutiny intensifies, the recall serves as a sharp reminder of the critical importance of rigorous safety measures in foods designed for society’s most vulnerable consumers.