[dsizzle]

It's not clear where the heavy metals are coming from. One possibility mentioned in the article is the soil itself. I wonder if even potting soil is tested for heavy metals? If heavy metals get through whatever food testing is done by the FDA, McCormick, etc., I don't have great confidence that soil testing is any better. That said, I would think growing your own is safer.

[Eelongate]

> If heavy metals get through whatever food testing is done by the FDA

About that...

> In addition, the limited testing the FDA has done on spices has been focused on harmful bacteria, such as salmonella, not heavy metals, Ronholm says.

[dsizzle]

Right, there you go. (Although it doesn't say it completely ignores it either, just that it's not a focus.)

[windex]

The reason for these is probabaly the extreme depths from which water is pumped. The normal shallow ground waters arent this bad with arsenic I would assume.

[_dark_matter_]

I wonder if hydroponically grown herbs would lack them. Could be a business opportunity, if people care enough (or the government steps in to regulate).

[NikolaeVarius]

You assume the soil you have is "safe"

[dsizzle]

Just did a little searching and came across this https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-nov-07-hm-reali...

That person did some lab testing and found high levels of lead in their backyard-grown chard.