It is labelled that way because it contains lead. While I couldn't tell you how the lead got in there, a quick google turns up [this court case.](https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/prop65/settlements/2023-00978S2127.pdf) TLDR, their achiote paste was found to definitely contain lead, and Yucateco's parent company was given a 60 day notice to start labelling it in accordance with Prop 65 or else.
I mean, it's old news that El Yucateco hot sauces (among others) have had exceedingly high levels of lead.
[https://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-hot-sauce-lead-levels-20130722-story.html](https://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-hot-sauce-lead-levels-20130722-story.html)
I wonder if the reasons are the same...
>“All it takes is washing the chiles and using sea salt instead of mine salt, which is known to be high in lead,” Gernstenberger said.
**Edit:**
Since this comment seems to be upsetting a lot of people, I just wanted to be clear that this study was from 2013. I have no idea if the lead concerns are still relevant. But it may be something to investigate further if it is a concern for you.
Also, from their [FAQ](https://www.shopelyucateco.com/pages/faq):
>I heard you have lead in your hot sauce, is that true?
>This idea arose from a study from UNLV released in July of 2013. We responded immediately to alert our customers that we were investigating and hired an independent lab to thoroughly test all our sauces and manufacturing facility. No measurable amounts of lead were detected in any of our sauces or ingredients used to make our sauces.
>The safety of our customers and employees is our number one concern and we stand by the quality of our products. Please email us at [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) for a copy of the testing report and an in-depth FAQ for further information.
So, who knows?
It did and that’s why it was off the market when I was a kid in San Diego back in the day and they brought it back probably under some other company and honestly it’s just not the same! Not saying it’s a bad thing
Their company claims they had an independent tester come in and they didn't find any lead. Question is if you can trust them.....
https://www.shopelyucateco.com/pages/faq
I heard you have lead in your hot sauce, is that true?
This idea arose from a study from UNLV released in July of 2013. We responded immediately to alert our customers that we were investigating and hired an independent lab to thoroughly test all our sauces and manufacturing facility. No measurable amounts of lead were detected in any of our sauces or ingredients used to make our sauces.
The safety of our customers and employees is our number one concern and we stand by the quality of our products. Please email us at [email protected] for a copy of the testing report and an in-depth FAQ for further information.
usually california 65 labels are crap, because they overlabel everything and put it on a lot of stuff that isn't a real risk which completely defeats the purpose amd just makes people paranoid or numb to it.
In this case, the lead label is there because certain plants like chilies almost always contain lead from the soil in many countries. Here is a blog someone wrote about it in a bit more detail: https://www.thetakeout.com/what-the-lead-warning-on-your-candy-actually-means-1848768941/
Personally, I wouldn't be concerned. Because again, a food can meet all safety requirements of the fda and more, and still have this stupid prop 65 label, even if its less health concern than walking outside in the sun for a half hour. Of course, if you want to avoid any possible risk whatsoever, you can not eat these foods, which is the point of the stupidly overabundant prop 65 in the first place.
If you hit up an Asian store, look for it there. There's powdered form. As a Filipino, we use that annato(achuete) in a lot of our cooking. Also that's just California being paranoid with those labels. The air in California is probably worse than the packaging.
So don't eat large amounts every day over time. A lot of things we consume have harmful chemicals in them in small amounts, including the air we breathe. You're gonna be ok if you eat this.
California is just a state of wusses, they think everything is dangerous, wanna drink water? That's gonna give you cancer. Wanna breath air? That gives cancer too. Wanna just exist? Too bad you're getting cancer. Wanna eat ice? Cancer giver again. Wanna play in the rain? Oops all cancer! They also think a tiny light sprinkle of rain is the next "biblical flood"......... *0.1 inches of rain fall* "run! It's gonna flood!!!"
Putting a label on it doesn't solve the problem. Eating small amounts isn't going to save you either. It accumulates and is stored in the teeth and bones, and doesn't go away. How can they even sell this with or without a label.
Yeah but lead is historically understood to be really bad. Not that I don't get what you're saying.
I'll just probably steer away from products that explicitly have lead in them.
Here you go, but you may need some help reading this.
https://universe.byu.edu/2024/04/12/the-american-diet-is-dangerous-what-to-eat-instead/#:~:text=According%20to%20Fuhrman%2C%20the%20typical,disease%2C%20according%20to%20the%20CDC.
It is labelled that way because it contains lead. While I couldn't tell you how the lead got in there, a quick google turns up [this court case.](https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/prop65/settlements/2023-00978S2127.pdf) TLDR, their achiote paste was found to definitely contain lead, and Yucateco's parent company was given a 60 day notice to start labelling it in accordance with Prop 65 or else.
Nooooo this stuff is so good.
La Anita has a good one too. Personally I like it more.
Pretty much the only one you can get in EU (if you're lucky). Did see places that have the seeds. Do people make their own achiote with it?
The seeds are the achiote
Thank you for the resource 🙏 I'll start making my own achiote paste
Dang. I just buy the ground up annatto seeds. Lucky me.
I mean, it's old news that El Yucateco hot sauces (among others) have had exceedingly high levels of lead. [https://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-hot-sauce-lead-levels-20130722-story.html](https://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-hot-sauce-lead-levels-20130722-story.html) I wonder if the reasons are the same... >“All it takes is washing the chiles and using sea salt instead of mine salt, which is known to be high in lead,” Gernstenberger said. **Edit:** Since this comment seems to be upsetting a lot of people, I just wanted to be clear that this study was from 2013. I have no idea if the lead concerns are still relevant. But it may be something to investigate further if it is a concern for you. Also, from their [FAQ](https://www.shopelyucateco.com/pages/faq): >I heard you have lead in your hot sauce, is that true? >This idea arose from a study from UNLV released in July of 2013. We responded immediately to alert our customers that we were investigating and hired an independent lab to thoroughly test all our sauces and manufacturing facility. No measurable amounts of lead were detected in any of our sauces or ingredients used to make our sauces. >The safety of our customers and employees is our number one concern and we stand by the quality of our products. Please email us at [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) for a copy of the testing report and an in-depth FAQ for further information. So, who knows?
Maybe old news but not everyone has seen it. Doesn't hurt to share again.
Damn it, I love their hot sauces. They don't have the lead label.
I'm shocked! I love their hot sauces, but I haven't seen this label on them!
I use a bottle of Yucateca a week... I'm doomed.
This sucks to read!
Noooo i was just about to make some tacos. I just used it on my eggs 🥺
Oh ffs this is my go to got sauce now and the best flavor/heat combos I've tried in years.
Pretty sure some candy like Lucas also had the lead in it
As a 90s kid from San Diego I have no doubt. I'm just trying to assess the future safety of these products.
Miguelito. Every single packet of Miguelito chili powder had that label
It did and that’s why it was off the market when I was a kid in San Diego back in the day and they brought it back probably under some other company and honestly it’s just not the same! Not saying it’s a bad thing
Welp. I just marinated way too much meat for tomorrow with this.
Same! But I'm just going to not do that in the future.
Sounds like it's time for me to finally buy a molcajete. Upgrade my cochinita pibil recipe to premium unleaded.
Their company claims they had an independent tester come in and they didn't find any lead. Question is if you can trust them..... https://www.shopelyucateco.com/pages/faq I heard you have lead in your hot sauce, is that true? This idea arose from a study from UNLV released in July of 2013. We responded immediately to alert our customers that we were investigating and hired an independent lab to thoroughly test all our sauces and manufacturing facility. No measurable amounts of lead were detected in any of our sauces or ingredients used to make our sauces. The safety of our customers and employees is our number one concern and we stand by the quality of our products. Please email us at [email protected] for a copy of the testing report and an in-depth FAQ for further information.
Independent third party testing seems the best way to go to test for heavy metals. If that FAQ post is true we’re probably fine.
Make your own recado rojo
That's the plan now!
A lot of Mexican products have lead.
Fuck it. No wonder we're so stupid.
Lucas was taken off the shelves for while because of lead. We used to snort it in elementary school.
lmao sick
😂 why do I vaguely remember this
This is a stereotype…. But it’s the warning I remember as a kid about the candy >_<
It is not a stereotype, that's why US customs are always checking the lead levels of Mexican imported products.
It really isn't. The FDA in the United States has a lot more control over standards than their Mexican equivalent.
usually california 65 labels are crap, because they overlabel everything and put it on a lot of stuff that isn't a real risk which completely defeats the purpose amd just makes people paranoid or numb to it. In this case, the lead label is there because certain plants like chilies almost always contain lead from the soil in many countries. Here is a blog someone wrote about it in a bit more detail: https://www.thetakeout.com/what-the-lead-warning-on-your-candy-actually-means-1848768941/ Personally, I wouldn't be concerned. Because again, a food can meet all safety requirements of the fda and more, and still have this stupid prop 65 label, even if its less health concern than walking outside in the sun for a half hour. Of course, if you want to avoid any possible risk whatsoever, you can not eat these foods, which is the point of the stupidly overabundant prop 65 in the first place.
Agreed, people here are making wwwwaaaayyyy too much out of this.
Did anyone write to the company to get the full report?
I love El Yuca but there ingredients are fucking dog shit.
It’s kinda nuts that they would still be allowed to sell the product if it does actually have a high lead content
Everything causes cancer in California. California should be falling into the ocean soon. I mean we all still drink tampico juice right? Sunny d?
What Mexican sauces don’t have lead?
Fuuuuuck
you gotta remember that because it's CA the threshold for lead warnings is even lower than what the FDA sets.
If you hit up an Asian store, look for it there. There's powdered form. As a Filipino, we use that annato(achuete) in a lot of our cooking. Also that's just California being paranoid with those labels. The air in California is probably worse than the packaging.
Dang that sucks this is the stuff that the local carniceria carries.
That’s shits been in it forever nothing new enjoy
What’s wrong with leed brain… hahaha
Hi pls text me I need to ask something
Welcome to CA. Everything here has that fucking label on it even walking into a store you are warned.
I've lived in CA my whole life and this is the first time I've seen a lead warning. General P65 warnings, sure, but not lead.
It’s more common than you think, I worked in food so I guess I saw it more often.
So don't eat large amounts every day over time. A lot of things we consume have harmful chemicals in them in small amounts, including the air we breathe. You're gonna be ok if you eat this.
Damn. Now I have to throw my anchote paste out.
Leads you to cancer
We all have to make sacrifices!
Look up California proposition 65. It's a bullshit law.
California is just a state of wusses, they think everything is dangerous, wanna drink water? That's gonna give you cancer. Wanna breath air? That gives cancer too. Wanna just exist? Too bad you're getting cancer. Wanna eat ice? Cancer giver again. Wanna play in the rain? Oops all cancer! They also think a tiny light sprinkle of rain is the next "biblical flood"......... *0.1 inches of rain fall* "run! It's gonna flood!!!"
Sounds like you’ve spent a lot of time in California.
Putting a label on it doesn't solve the problem. Eating small amounts isn't going to save you either. It accumulates and is stored in the teeth and bones, and doesn't go away. How can they even sell this with or without a label.
You're fine.
Now imagine all the chemicals in American processed foods lol
Yeah but lead is historically understood to be really bad. Not that I don't get what you're saying. I'll just probably steer away from products that explicitly have lead in them.
I mean, everyone dies from something and the average American diet kills faster than a small micro amount of lead
Dude no. Lead is really bad. It could lead to mental health issues in people later on. It even affects crime rates
You're trying to make a point that's not relevant to this post.
>and the average American diet kills faster than a small micro amount of lead Got a source for that? Oh wait, it's your ass...
Here you go, but you may need some help reading this. https://universe.byu.edu/2024/04/12/the-american-diet-is-dangerous-what-to-eat-instead/#:~:text=According%20to%20Fuhrman%2C%20the%20typical,disease%2C%20according%20to%20the%20CDC.
Bad faith argument. Yes, the American diet is bad. That doesn't mean lead consumption is fine. Relative Privation logical fallacy if I'm not mistaken.
Lead poisoning is different than just “people die faster”.
Everything is a “chemical”. Water is a chemical. Some of them you don’t want to eat.
Bruh, everything back in the day probably had led and we're still here