Purity Test Results: Apple Cranberry Muesli
***THIS PAGE IS UNDER RECONSTRUCTION***
We are redesigning our purity verification program in March 2024, including the website and mobile pages, to make the information easier for you to access and assess. Unfortunately when we reorganized our files internally, we inadvertently broke all our lab test links on our existing Purity Test pages.
If you would like to access our test results before we launch our new pages, please reach out to us at customerservice@zegofoods.com, and we’ll be happy to send them to you. Include your product name and “Best By” date printed on the back of the package. We appreciate your understanding.
Allergy & Gluten
Tests for allergens and gluten must show no measurable amount or they are not released for sale. Here are our latest tests from May 2023 for muesli with best-by dates up to November 2025.
Why do we test for allergens and gluten?
ZEGO oats, muesli, and protein are made in a facility that does not process any of the top 14 allergens, and we are careful to source our ingredients from trusted suppliers that do not have allergens in their facilities. We do additional spot testing to ensure our purity protocols for our supply chain and at our factory are working.
We take allergen safety very seriously and know that, despite all these precautions, cross-contact can still happen. That is why we have testing requirements for our ingredients and finished products.
How does ZEGO decide what allergens to test for?
We test for peanuts, gluten/wheat, and dairy because these are the most common allergens, and the tests are more reliable for our product. Ingredients and allergens do not have equal testing reliability, so we balance the need for safety with reliability and risk. For example, the almond test is not reliable for our products because our ingredients (sunflower, apple, and pear) interfere with testing accuracy. Other tests for less common allergens require a negative sample, making them more expensive and less reliable at the lowest PPM levels that we are focused on. Because the risk is lower for these less common allergens, we do not test for those.
Explanation of Allergen Test Results
The lowest measurable amount for allergens is 2.5PPM, and for gluten 5PPM. Amounts lower than those levels cannot be detected. All tests have a 95% confidence level and are performed by several labs and internally by our quality control team at the factory. Labs include the Food Allergy Research and Resource Project (FARRP), based at the University of Nebraska. The U.S. FDA does not have definitions or threshold values for “allergy-free” or for labeling requirements of cross-contact.
What are the lowest levels of PPM that are known to cause a reaction?
It varies depending on the allergen and on the person. The FDA has determined the lowest level at which a reaction has been seen in clinical trials to be the following.
- Tree nuts: between 0.02-7.5 mg protein.
- Dairy: between 0.36-3.6 mg protein.
- Sesame: between 0.25-10 mg protein.
Glyphosate
Valid for All Muesli Products with Best Buy Dates Through October 2025:
Summary: No glyphosate was measured in this product (sensitivity <10PPB which is 0.001PPM)
Click here to view the lab report.
Why does ZEGO test for glyphosate?
We believe our customers have a right to know what is in their food, even if we are not required to list in on the label, and even if the chemical has not been proven to cause health problems yet. Though we cannot test for every chemical used in agriculture, glyphosate is the most common herbicide and testing for it can serve as a proxy for ensuring the ingredients we purchase truly are organic and/or non-GMO. We believe all companies should be testing periodically for glyphosate and try to minimize it in their products.
The lowest measurable amount for glyphosate is 0.001PPM. Amounts lower than that level cannot be detected. All tests are performed by AGQ Labs & Technological Services.
What are the lowest levels of PPM that could result in negative health consequences?
Glyphosate is different from allergen testing. Whereas a person with an extreme tree nut allergy could react to .02mg of protein, glyphosate exposure is not known to cause reactions with individual exposure of small amounts. The concern most often cited is over prolonged exposure to larger amounts.
Chemicals
Summary of Product Tests for Muesli with Best Buy Dates Through October 2025
No measurable amounts found for the 500+ pesticides and herbicides tested.
To view the entire report, click here.
Why does ZEGO test for 500+ Chemicals?
We believe our customers have a right to know what is in their food, even if we are not required to list it on the label, and even if the chemical has not been proven to cause health problems yet. Though we cannot test for every chemical used in agriculture, we are currently testing for the 500 most common chemicals, pesticides, and herbicides. Testing for these chemicals can serve as a proxy for ensuring the ingredients we purchase truly are organic and/or non-GMO. We believe all companies should be testing periodically for chemicals and try to minimize them in their products.
Even though our Muesli is organic, contamination can occur despite the farm’s best efforts to keep their crops clean, which is why we are testing for the 500 most common chemicals used or found in agriculture.
We will be conducting this test once per harvest and will update this page each time a new test is performed. We want you to have the power in deciding what foods to feed your family, which is why we are publishing the results.
Does ZEGO Test for PFAS?
At this time, we do not test for PFAS (forever chemicals found in plastic). The reason is two-fold. First, PFAS are not used in any of our packaging so the likelihood that our food products would test positive is very low. Second, there are very few labs in the world that test for PFAS, and it can take months to get your results back. Because we sell food, our products have “best by” dates that prohibit us from holding them for months awaiting test results. As testing becomes more available, we will reevaluate our policy.
Lab & Test Information
The lowest measurable amount we can test for is 0.01PPM. Amounts lower than that level cannot be detected. All tests are performed by AGQ Labs & Technological Services.
Heavy Metals
All heavy metal levels are within the norm for naturally occurring elements. Read the report from March 2023 here.
Lead – None found (testing sensitivity level <0.01 PPM)
Cadmium – 0.051 PPM
Arsenic – 0.016 PPM
Questions?
Still have questions? Please feel free to email us at info@zegofoods.com with any questions you have.