Mondelez agrees to pay $750,000 for failing to warn on excessive lead levels in Nabisco ginger snaps

Mondelez International has agreed to pay $750,000 as part of a settlement with California for failing to warn consumers that its Nabisco ginger snaps contained high levels of lead.

This amount includes civil penalties, legal fees and costs.

Under the settlement, the company will improve the quality of its product sourcing and testing and limit lead content in its Nabisco ginger snap cookies to up to 30 parts per billion per serving, as well as appoint a food quality auditor to train personnel, reported Reuters.

Lead content in its ginger snap cookies exceeded levels up to nine times than warranted, and required a warning label under the state’s Proposition 65.

This settlement was announced by the California Attorney Kamala D Harris. The investigation began in 2013.

Lead sources in the ginger snaps were linked to ginger and molasses.

The company will also have to fund independent auditing of its products to restrict lead levels within permissible limits, as well as stringently monitor supply chains.

Harris was quoted by Imperial Valley news as saying: "The levels of lead found in Nabisco’s ginger snap cookies posed a serious public health threat, potentially impacting the brain development of our children.

"Parents need accurate information to make educated food choices for their children.

"My office will continue to enforce Proposition 65 to guarantee that all Californians are fully informed when hazardous substances and chemicals can be found in consumer products."

Mondelez is a leading manufacturer of processed snack foods that include brands such as Nabisco, Oreo, Cadbury and Trident.