Using sales data from sources such as Nielsen, SPINS, Amazon, and others, we identify the top-selling products in the product category —typically representing 80–95% of sales—for testing.
CLP tests for a wide range of contaminants, depending on the product category. The standard panel includes bisphenols (A and S), glyphosate, heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury), pesticides (over 300 residues), and phthalates (BBP, DBP, DEHP, and DHP). Additionally, acrylamide testing is conducted for products that undergo heat processing during manufacturing.
Clean Label Project (CLP) partners with an independent third-party laboratory, Ellipse Analytics (EA). EA is ISO 17025* accredited by ANAB. EA’s accreditation encompasses the testing methods and designated product categories outlined in the CLP certification standards.
*ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation is a third-party verification and attestation that the accredited body (in this case, EA for its laboratory) has demonstrated its competence, capability, and impartiality when facilitating its testing under validated and controlled processes, procedures, and methods.
For nearly a decade, Clean Label Project (CLP) has partnered with Ellipse Analytics (EA), an independent, ISO/IEC 17025–accredited laboratory specializing in contaminant testing for the products we certify. EA’s work has been validated by other accredited third-party laboratories, universities, government agencies, and media organizations. In several instances, our findings have also undergone peer review.
Government agencies have demonstrated such confidence in our findings and supporting data that they used them as a catalyst and foundation for two major recalls—one involving infant formula and another resulting in the largest pet food recall in history.
While peer review is a critical component of the scientific process, it can take years to complete. When we identify contaminants at levels that may pose a risk to human or animal health, we believe we have an ethical obligation to disclose that information promptly rather than delay communication.
Clean Label Project certified products are tested by Ellipse Analytics using advanced equipment (Agilent and Sciex instruments) and rigorously validated methods.
The Clean Label Project also provides comparison data and regulatory guidelines to help consumers understand the results and see how the product compares to others on the market.
Many labs focus on testing one or two types of products—such as water, soil, produce, or dietary supplements. By analyzing the same materials daily, they build deep expertise in those specific products. However, applying the same methods to a different product type can compromise accuracy if those methods have not been properly validated for that material.
Ellipse Analytics (EA)—the lab used by Clean Label Project—has validated its scope of accreditation for each product category certified under Clean Label Project standards. This ensures that testing methods are appropriate for the specific matrix being analyzed and that results are accurate, relevant, and trustworthy for consumers.
All test results are independently analyzed by two chemists. If results do not meet the thresholds set in our standards, they undergo further review. This includes examining prior test results, checking for other issues within the same batch that could have affected the outcome, and considering any other relevant factors. Results may also be retested to confirm accuracy.
Our goal is to deliver a comprehensive evaluation of a product category to encourage improvement across the industry, along with a summarized list highlighting the products with the lowest overall contaminant levels. Additionally, our research relies on proprietary data from Ellipse Analytics, which conducts the testing for our certifications and provides the aggregated data used in our category reviews and Clean 16 lists.
As part of our category research, the Clean Label Project publishes the Clean 16 — a list recognizing products with the lowest overall levels of contaminants in the category tested.
Not necessarily. The product may not have been part of that specific category review—either because it wasn’t among the top 80–95% of sales used to select products for testing, or because it ranked outside the top 16 despite meeting our contaminant standards. These products may still qualify for, or may already hold, individual certification.
Not necessarily. The Clean 16 are the products that we tested in a category study that showed the lowest overall levels of contaminants.
Products are tested, evaluated, and certified individually.
We obtain products the same way a typical consumer would—by purchasing them directly from retail stores or reputable online sellers. This approach helps ensure the samples reflect what is actually available to the public.
Clean Label Project (CLP) offers several certifications focused on specific contaminants, each based on some of the most rigorous industrial and environmental standards available. Our certification criteria draw from California Proposition 65, European Union regulations, U.S. federal and state requirements, and our proprietary, category-specific data.
Clean Label Project certification takes into account both serving size and daily exposure to industrial and environmental contaminants. Serving size is important because it helps determine how much of a contaminant a person is likely to consume from a product.
Using sugar as an example, a family-size bag of cookies might contain 630 grams of sugar in total — well above the recommended daily limit. However, the stated serving size might be three cookies, which contain about 14 grams of sugar — an amount that falls below the recommended daily limit.
While the objective is to reduce contaminants as much as possible, excluding serving size from the overall analysis can misrepresent actual exposure and potentially cause disproportionate concern.
The difference between parts per million (ppm) and parts per billion (ppb) is exponential: 1 ppm equals 1,000 ppb. These units show how much of a substance is present relative to the total amount—ppm measures larger amounts, while ppb measures much smaller, more diluted quantities.
Think of it as the difference between a drop of food coloring in a backyard swimming pool versus a large lake. The drop is the same, but in the lake it is much more diluted. The drop in the swimming pool represents parts per million (ppm), while the drop in the lake represents parts per billion (ppb). When it comes to the impact on human health, that difference is monumental!
This distinction is important because some blogs, articles, or third parties report results based solely on the Limit of Detection (LoD) rather than the Limit of Quantification (LoQ), which reflects accurate measurement. Reporting values below the LoQ can make the results seem more precise and reliable than they actually are, potentially leading to confusion or misinterpretation of the data.
Ellipse analytics LOQ’s are typically in the low teens to single digit parts per billion (ppb).
While contaminants like pesticides, phthalates, and bisphenols can potentially be eliminated entirely, heavy metals naturally occur in the Earth’s crust, making trace amounts unavoidable. The goal is to minimize all contaminants as much as possible, striving to bring them as close to zero as feasible.
Clean Label Project is supported through a mix of donations, grants, and certification fees from brands that display the CLP mark on products that have been independently tested and evaluated to meet our standards.
Certified organic products typically have lower pesticide levels (though not completely free of them) but can contain higher levels of heavy metals such as lead and arsenic. Non-GMO products generally show no consistent link to higher overall purity. Similarly, retail price across all tested product categories does not correlate with greater purity.
You can read all of our category reports at https://cleanlabelproject.org/category-testing/
You can view all of our Clean 16 lists at https://cleanlabelproject.org/clean-label-project-clean-16/
You can search our database of products at https://cleanlabelproject.org/the-certified-products/ and you can download our Clean Label Project app here:
(Android coming soon!)
Harmful germs—also called pathogens—can contaminate food and make people sick. They can come from bacteria, parasites, viruses, etc. Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria, botulism, and norovirus are just some examples of pathogens commonly associated with outbreaks and serious illness.
In the United States, the FDA and USDA-FSIS regulate pathogen-related food safety. Food manufacturers also rely on independent labs, audits, certification bodies, and consultants. Together, these agencies help protect public health by ensuring steps are taken to prevent outbreaks caused by harmful germs.
But pathogens aren’t the only concern. Food can contain harmful levels of heavy metals, pesticides, phthalates, and other chemicals that are not always regulated or routinely tested. The Clean Label Project (CLP) addresses this gap by evaluating products for these additional contaminants.
To earn and maintain CLP certification, a product must meet—or exceed—FDA pathogen food safety standards and remain in good standing. If a CLP-certified product is recalled in the event of a pathogen outbreak, its certification is suspended and the product is removed from our website.
At this time we are unable to test individual products for consumers.
