California Proposition 65

WARNING: Consuming this product can expose you to chemicals including lead, which is known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/food.

Tea plants naturally absorb trace amounts of lead from soil, which is common in matcha and many everyday foods like leafy greens. We display this notice as required by California law.

What is Proposition 65?

Proposition 65, officially known as the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, is a California law that requires businesses to provide warnings about significant exposures to chemicals that cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm.

Why does matcha have this warning?

Tea plants naturally absorb trace amounts of lead from the soil in which they grow. Because matcha is made from whole ground tea leaves (rather than brewed and discarded), the entire leaf is consumed. Proposition 65 sets a threshold for lead of 0.5 micrograms per day. Many everyday foods, including spinach, potatoes, carrots, and sweet potatoes, contain similar trace levels.

What does this warning mean?

Our matcha is grown in Japan and produced by an established Kyoto tea maker, and it is sold as a food product under FDA rules. A Proposition 65 warning does not mean a product is unsafe or that it violates any food safety standard. The Proposition 65 warning level is separate from federal food safety standards set by the FDA.

More information

For more information about Proposition 65, visit the official California resource at www.P65Warnings.ca.gov. If you have questions about our products, contact us at support@ascenttea.com.