Warm up the Holidays with a Sizzling Treat! A half bar a month! As You Sow won't disclose the exact amounts of metals found in the products, in hopes of working directly with the manufacturers to help target sources of these metals, it said. At the same time, we want to minimize your lead (and cadmium) intake. Have a great day! Even small amounts of lead can cause irreversible developmental problems in children. Baker’s Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate Bar 56% cocoa, Baker’s Unsweetened Baking Chocolate Bar All Natural 100% cocoa, Endangered Species Chocolate Natural Dark Chocolate 88% cocoa, Lily’s Dark Chocolate-Original Stevia Sweetened 55% cocoa, Ghirardelli Chocolate Intense Dark Twilight Delight 72% cocoa, Impulsive eating of lead chips and other non-food items. Levels found in dark chocolate products are considered too low to be dangerous. How much lead? Scientific research has found dark chocolates — and a host of other foods — contain powerful antioxidant flavonoids that are good for the brain, explains Dr. Small, director of the University of California-Los Angeles Longevity Center. Dark chocolate has more lead, because it has more cocoa. Cocoa powder sold to the final consumer typically as drinking chocolate will have a limit of 0.60 mg/kg. There is lead in your chocolate. This is not a black and white issue and they are trying to be judicious. GFF in the Press ». Skin-Care Tips Food and Nutrition “Thus, the dark chocolate consumption might be a significant source of Cd, especially for children,” they said. These articles go into great depth describing their testing methods. The Texas Poison Center Network provides a list of Mexican candies that surpass the FDA’s safe limit for lead. Lead contamination in candy dates back to the early 19th century. The Good Food Fighter is not an affiliate marketer and gets absolutely no financial compensation for recommendations or endorsements. https://www.greenamerica.org/end-child-labor-cocoa/chocolate-scorecard?fbclid=IwAR3jeVsKuBsUam0TC-u5WfRqzhSSrrjjREICftIIKynSV5nmQeAcoOHsSmc “The dark chocolate bars we tested had concentrations which were about 1/10th the amount found in cocoa [powders]. I question companies that are able to deliver extremely low prices–what are they sacrificing for cost? -your GFF. Last March, As You Sow was active in helping remove titanium dioxide nanoparticles from. Consult with your doctor to be safe. According to the Environmental Health Coalition, lead poisoning is the top environmental health threat to kids under six years old. Currently lead-acid storage batteries account for 88% of world usage of lead. Story continues below video. So if you want the antioxidant boost, go for the dark chocolate." Thanks. But the health effects of these shifts are not known. Was there any cross-examination done? "It's common practice for advocacy groups to take advantage of state laws that set stricter standards for safety and labeling, hoping to eventually set an example for action by the federal government.". While the FDA's guidelines are set to a maximum level of where there are no observable effects, the California standard takes it further, dividing that limit by 1,000 to ensure no possible harm. Where consumers believe federal policies are failing, they turn to state laws -- which can set stricter limits -- to add protection. I , literally, do the research so that you don’t have to, but you are welcome to do research, too. It’s one of the top power foods, and I’ll blog about it soon. For that candy bar to meet California standards, you would start out with much smaller candy bar -- one it equal to 5 grams, rather than the average 50 grams -- and break it up the same way. At first, candy was colored with metallic poisons like lead chromate and Brunswick green and their wrappers were printed with lead compounds. As You Sow is a consumer advocacy group. In fact, our products comply with proposition 65 even when naturally occurring minerals are included…People have been eating cocoa and chocolate for centuries with no evidence of a single incident of concern regarding these naturally occurring minerals. (CNN)It's not something that will be listed among the ingredients, but chocolate contains some lead. Overindulging in chocolate can undo any health benefits and lead to weight gain and related health problems. With regard to the benefits of chocolate, their are hundreds of articles and books on the subject, certainly enough for me to write an entire blogpost about it, and I may! Although dark chocolate contains a variety of health benefits, many brands contain heavy metals such as cadmium and lead. Dark chocolate contains 50-90% cocoa solids, cocoa butter, and sugar, whereas milk chocolate contains anywhere from 10-50% cocoa solids, cocoa butter, milk in some form, and sugar. Lead can be found in foods, air, soil, dust and water. -your GFF, Sorry for being so dense. You certainly don't want it in your food supply -- but I don't know how much of a source it is -- but it would be better to have this stuff out," said, She says consumer groups and advocates like As You Sow have become more powerful and political with the help of social media. Even dark chocolate said to have a high content of cocoa (or cacao) doesn’t necessarily have enough flavanols to affect your health. (It doesn’t. A response from the National Confectioners Association, a trade group representing the confectionery industry, said "Some minerals -- like cadmium and lead -- are found naturally in many foods, including seafood, peanuts, potatoes, grains, leafy vegetables and -- sometimes -- cocoa beans. (I call this “the big blow-off”). The information on this website has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any disease. If you doubt that cocoa is a superfood, just google it! It analyzed 50 chocolate products. Their varieties from both the Ivory Coast and from South America were equally high in lead, so it is possible that there is more contamination in their operations than in others. It couldn’t possibly be true, and yet, it is. Chocolate with over 30% cocoa and below 50% must have no more than 0.30 mg/kg of cadmium; Chocolate with more than 50% will have a threshold of 0.80 mg/kg. While I am sure that most of what you say here is true, how do I know it hasn’t been exaggerated or taken out of context for the purpose of this article? Thanks for your question! The CDC has issued warnings about lead contamination during drying, grinding, and storage. "It depends on the growing, processing, manufacturing, shipping. Where are the links for the harmful effects in children, and how much lead causes these effects? Lead concentrations in manufactured cocoa are among the highest of all foods—some have nine times the daily amount that California considers safe to avoid reproductive harm. Yeah, those are fun to play with so I gave them out as party favors at my son’s last birthday, lol. By accessing or using this website, you agree to abide by our Full Disclaimer and Privacy Policy. Like any good researcher, I consult many different sources. It's extremely important that pregnant women, infants, and young children avoid exposure to the toxic metal. "Labeling changes no longer need to wait for FDA responses to lengthy consumer group petitions, but can occur at lightning speed as a result of social media campaigns that go viral. There is lead in your chocolate. I am simply educating and trying to protect the public. Size: 100g Serving Size: 42g Ingredients: Cocoa liquor, cocoa butter, raw cane sugar Fat: 22g (14g saturated fat) Total Carbs: 15g (6g sugar, 6g fiber) For me, Vivani is one of the best dark chocolate bars in the world. https://www.greenamerica.org/end-child-labor-cocoa/chocolate-scorecard?fbclid=IwAR3jeVsKuBsUam0TC-u5WfRqzhSSrrjjREICftIIKynSV5nmQeAcoOHsSmc, https://archive.asyousow.org/our-work/environmental-health/toxic-enforcement/lead-and-cadmium-in-food/, Evidence-based virus-fighting immune-enhancing supplements.
https://archive.asyousow.org/our-work/environmental-health/toxic-enforcement/lead-and-cadmium-in-food/ Since 2014, As You Sow has commissioned independent state-certified laboratories to measure levels of lead and cadmium in over 120 chocolate products available at retailers across California. There have not yet been any industry updates, to my knowledge. More recently, lead has been found in Mexican candy, largely from contaminated chili pepper and tamarind but sometimes from lead-laden wrappers. That would be my best guess, from my experience of seeing cacao test positive, even when coming from pristine areas and processed cleanly. The group had multiple samples of 50 different cocoa products analyzed by an independent lab and found more than half contained lead and cadmium levels above the state's limits, which are more strict than federal guidelines. The FDA responded with only voluntary “guidelines” for manufacturers, so they are not required to actually make changes. ", Van Vliet said it wasn't known whether the metal sources were natural or from manufacturing. White Plains, New York, January 23, 2020 — Dark chocolate and cocoa contain antioxidant flavanols that may be good for the heart and mind, but they can also contain high levels of the heavy metal cadmium, which is toxic to kidneys and can soften bones. Some people think it may be due to the volcanic soil, as cacao only grows around the equator. Thank you for providing a very detailed and informative article. Hershey’s and Endangered Species chocolate specifically are not approved on the As You Sow article but are approved on the Consumer Lab ( I can’t see so I just have to assume) why is there a disparity in the two resources you do have? CNN's Adrian Rabin contributed to this report. I don’t really have any motive for exaggerating or taking things out of context. How do I know this isn’t fake science? It is also widely used in medical facilities to block X-ray and gamma radiation. Should we believe that? Naturally, all these lists are incomplete because the Lab did not test every chocolate in the universe. Under, "Proposition 65 has been a thorn in the side of the food industry for decades," said Bruce Silverglade, an attorney who has represented the food industry and has served as legal director for the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a consumer advocacy group. (Actually, they’re not. Endangered Species dark chocolate was tested this year by As You Sow and it’s now listed on their report: Endangered Species Chocolate Natural Dark Chocolate with 88% Cocoa for lead and cadmium; Endangered Species Chocolate Natural Dark Chocolate (72% Cocoa) for lead. So there are a few possible sources, from our research," she said. The table below shows the amount of lead and/or cadmium found in each sampled chocolate product, measured in micrograms per serving (ug/serving). Eric, Hi Eric, They also did follow up research and amended their recommendations accordingly. Predictably, the biggest manufacturers minimized my concerns and pretended that everything was fine. Comment document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a248dccfe7155f3ecb3ce7707ede2efb" );document.getElementById("d6f9ca9e7d").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Yes! The researchers then compared the concentrations in the beans, shells, and soil to manufactured chocolate and cocoa products, including baking chocolate, candy, and pudding, sold in the U.S. Lead levels in the unprocessed beans were very low—less than 0.5 ng/g, while levels in the finished products ranged as high as 230 ng/g for manufactured cocoa. Continued. And your children, whose bodies are much more susceptible to the toxicity of lead, are eating it, too. Eleanne Van Vliet, a consultant on testing for As You Sow, said that lead and cadmium can enter the products a variety of ways. Ostensibly, they did not test any artisanal chocolate. Work With the GFF »
Given the minimal amount of ingredients, the fact that it’s organic, and also the relatively low sugar content; this is one of the healthiest dark chocolate bars. You are truly a glutton!!! Do you have any info on approved cacao nibs? I hope this answers your questions. Can anyone tell me about the metals (Lead, Cadium, etc) in the Hersheys 100% cocoa unsweetened baking bar, https://www.hersheys.com/en_us/products/hersheys-unsweetened-chocolate-baking-bars-4-ounce-bars.html. It is also used for solder, pipes (which can contaminate water), pottery (which contaminates food), roofing materials, food cans in some countries, and even cosmetics (which get absorbed through the skin). "We would really like to have the chocolate industry come together and determine the sources. It differs from milk chocolate in that it contains little to no milk solids. Remember that the “banned” bars are all dark chocolate, because dark chocolate has a high cocoa content. As You Sow, a California-based consumer advocacy group, believes that some chocolate has more lead than necessary. Saving the World One Ingredient at a Time, October 3, 2017 by Good Food Fighter 10 Comments. Thanks for your challenge There's no need to panic. I look for sources that are backed by studies that use empirical methods of testing. The main reason why there is less cadmium per gram in dark chocolate than cocoa powder, is that cadmium is in the cocoa solids, which, when dried, is cocoa powder. A new study shows that some chocolate, even the dark variety with over 60% cacao, contains potentially toxic levels of lead and cadmium. However, would taking these levels out affect our health? All Hershey products meet all FDA and state standards, and our cocoa powder and chocolate are safe to eat. . What aspect of their method did you disagree with? That would be my best guess, from my experience of seeing cacao test positive, even when coming from pristine areas and processed cleanly. Minerals – including lead – are part of nature. Dark chocolate contains these cocoa solids, but also includes cocoa butter and sugar, which can make up a substantial portion of the chocolate, reducing the concentration of cadmium. It’s very helpful as I only eat 100% cacao dark chocolate. These tests are new, so we don’t know if it’s new environmental pollution or if it’s always been there…though my guess is that they’ve been present and never before tested. This can be an issue for true chocolate lovers, but it is not a unsolvable problem. Cocoa-based foods are consumed in small amounts and are not a major source of these minerals in the diet.". Hi Fern, They concluded that dark chocolates had the highest amounts of lead and cadmium. Consumer Labs does very comprehensive testing and is not affiliated with any special interests. These cookies are used to collect information about how you interact with our website. Update (2018): As You Sow, the organization that commissioned the testing has 2018 test results and a settlement with many of the listed companies agreeing to investigate the sources of lead and cadmium in chocolate and find feasible measures to lower levels of these metals by 2025, plus warn consumers if levels are above a certain level. The young and the elderly who live with lead contamination are at greatest risk. This is cacao coming from a biodynamic virgin rainforest land plot. Kidding—I eat that much every day, but that’s my weakness Lead is a heavy metal that occurs naturally in the earth’s crust, but human activity—mining, manufacturing, and burning fossil fuels —has increased everyone’s exposure. (List will be updated as responses come in): Hersheys: The FDA and many states monitor the amount of lead in food. Can you list all of your resources so I can come to these conclusions on my own? Thirty-five dark chocolate brands were found to contain either lead or cadmium. Cocoa beans tested very low for lead, and the finished chocolate products tested very high, so everyone is trying to figure out where the contamination occurs during the process from bean to bar. A study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry examined the levels of lead and cadmium in white, milk, and dark chocolate sold in Brazil. When it comes specifically to chocolate, FDA regulations say no more than .1 parts per million of lead in a piece of chocolate. Thank you for the list of approved chocolate. Government regulation resulted in eliminating these dyes. I also base my Because they are present naturally in the soil and water where plants are grown, there are harmless traces of minerals occurring in virtually all foods. Cadmium was found in 7 of the chocolates, including Ghirardelli’s Intense Dark Twilight Delight and Dove’s Dark Chocolate. But this is a start. If you broke up a candy bar into a million pieces, just one-tenth of one those million pieces could be lead. conclusions on common sense and experience—I know a lot about food already so I can spot spin and propaganda from a mile away. Coracao: (The one chocolate maker who was honest, forthright, well-informed, and clearly seeking answers, like me): I have personally not found or heard of any cacao that tests zero for any contaminants. As seen from many studies, the majority of lead and cadmium make their way into chocolate products during processing. At Winco the Bakers are around $2.69 and the same size Hersheys are $1.96 both are 4 oz 100% cocoa unsweetened baking bars This dark chocolate popcorn bark is the ultimate snack recipe, with four ingredients, minimal hands-on time, and salty and sweet flavors. Lead concentrations were derived from instrumental scans of the three major lead isotopes (206Pb, 207Pb, and 208Pb). I have seen no test results for Trader Joe’s 72 percent Belgian chocolate which comes in packages of three smaller bars, and the 72 percent Belgian chocolate which is wrapped in green and brown package and sold in larger single units. Manufacturers say it's trace amounts, and it makes its way into chocolate as a naturally occurring element that is absorbed by the cacao plant. One of my friends owns a biodynamic cacao farm in Ecuador that is helping restore rainforest cover and his cacao tests positive for these contaminants. (It must be from the Lead in the Chocolate I eat). Dark chocolate has more health benefits than you realize—the darker the better. Lead was once used in paint and is still used in gasoline in a handful of countries to boost car performance. (California has the toughest laws). And it’s not just industrial chocolate like Hersheys that’s affected, but organic chocolate like Green and Black’s. Dark chocolate is rich in minerals, such as iron, magnesium, and zinc. Interestingly, cocoa bean shells suck up lead like a sponge so they test high for lead. Now, this list will be my ‘go to’ when shopping for chocolate. Glad that I could help, and stay tuned for updates on chocolate–as soon as new research comes out, I will be on top of it! A recent study measured lead in chocolate. The researchers said that if a child ate 10 g a day of a dark chocolate with the highest cadmium concentration found in its study, it would contribute to 8.6% of their recommended monthly intake. It looked at both dark and milk chocolate brands. So eat dark, beware of the bars on the blacklist, and check back as I will be adding more safe bars as I discover them. In the meantime, give your kids dark chocolate….sparingly. Updated 1846 GMT (0246 HKT) March 25, 2016. White chocolate is an insignificant source of methylxanthines. Based on this list, I’ll be changing my brand. Not all chocolate is safe to eat, and particularly for children. One study showed the mean lead level in milk chocolate candy bars was 0.027 µg lead per gram of candy; another study found that some chocolate purchased at U.S. supermarkets contained up to 0.965 µg per gram, close to the international (voluntary) standard limit for lead in cocoa powder or beans, which is 1 µg of lead per gram. No milk chocolate tested positive. ), Nestle: Nestlè chocolate products pose no health risk. Growing processes can include using phosphate fertilizers and pesticides, which can contain high levels of both of these metals. Trader Joe’s: As a privately held company, we do not participate in interviews for articles/publications, nor do we provide public access to copies of internal business documents (of course not, you need to protect yourselves!) The SOW report confirmed the results of an earlier study by Environmental Health Perspectives, found in the National Institutes of Health library, which explains the testing methods. Hi Jeff, Particles from leaded gasoline are absorbed into soil and can be present for years, even after the additive (tetra-ethly lead or TEL) is phased out. To find out more, see our Privacy Policy. The sweets that had highest levels of lead were Ricaleta Diablo, Tiramindo, Ricaleta Chamoy, Tutsi Pop and Indy Marimbas. Sounds pretty sophisticated to me, but if you need more details, read all about it here. Dark chocolate has more lead, because it has more cocoa. 3. They contain lead, a potent neurotoxin. PS: I saw a study (printed) on-line where the Bakers brand of unsweetened 100% Cocoa baking bar was rated as the richest in healthy Flavonoids and a best buy. So I have nothing to gain or lose by praising or criticizing any company. Is endangered species 88% chocolate safe or not? Here are some excerpts from email exchanges with the companies. The results are here and also below. Lastly, I am not taking money from any company. I’ve been told unsweetened 100% cocoa is healthy for people and have been eating a “square” or a few “squares” of the bar per day. -your GFF. Below I have consolidated the good, the bad, and the ugly. It also goes by … It’s not something that will be listed among the ingredients, but chocolate contains some lead. After these results were published, the Candy Lobby unsurprisingly put out a statement saying that all foods naturally contain trace minerals and that people have been safely eating candy for hundreds of years. The cocoa in dark chocolate also contains antioxidants called flavonoids, which may provide several health benefits. …we will not offer any products we feel are unsafe; ever, and we have no reason to believe our chocolate products are not absolutely safe to enjoy (Then you didn’t read the news)…we are always monitoring several aspects of chocolate production in relation to the supply chain and the marketing of “finished goods” to guarantee the quality and integrity of our products…We believe all the ingredients used by our suppliers, no matter where they are sourced, are of the highest quality, and meet our strict standards for quality, taste, and authenticity. Many of those campaigns are based more on political science than sound science. We use this information in order to improve and customize your viewing experience and for analytics about our visitors both on this website and other media. A survey by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published in 2000 found milk chocolate bars to have the fourth highest lead concentration of all the food it tested. No, actually. So enjoy your favorite treat without worry, unless you're pregnant. To your specific questions: It was, indeed, As You Sow that broke the story. "The [Food and Drug Association] and many states monitor the amount of cadmium and lead in food. "Consumer groups are becoming more powerful -- using politics to promote advocacy, whether it is scientifically justified, or even if the science isn't clear," Nestle said. Copyright © 2021 GoodFoodFighter, Inc. • Privacy Policy • Disclaimer • website by DotcomCowgirl. Where are the links for the companies you posted and their stances. Sign me up for the weekly newsletter! In short, they used a Finnegan MAT Element high-resolution magnetic sector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (HR-ICPMS). Because the higher the cocoa content, the higher the lead content, I would eat dark chocolate sparingly as a rule—don’t replace with milk chocolate because there’s really no nutritional value. California's limits on toxic chemicals such as lead and cadmium are the strictest in the nation, tougher than federal FDA's guidelines. Lead acts as a shield against nuclear radiation when nuclear material is being transported. Studies have found these metals in chocolate purchased all around the world. Cocoa bean hulls contain ~255 mg/oz (9.1 … According to ConsumerLab.com, dark chocolate seems to be a “cleaner” source of flavanols than cocoa powders. In a study conducted by As You Sow, levels of cadmium and lead in 45 of 70 chocolate bar samples (including some organic brands) tested were found to be higher than what is considered safe in drinking water.Both lead and cadmium are toxic metals that are unhealthy even at extremely low doses.Lead is found in many places in our environment: air and drinking water, soil, dust, paint, cosmetics, contaminated herbal products from C… Lead was found in 17 of the tested chocolates, including Cadbury’s Royal Dark Mini Eggs and Royal Dark Chocolate Bar, Godiva’s 72% and 50% cacao dark chocolate, and Hershey’s Special Dark. "It's good to get it out of there. Atmospheric lead can contaminate things that are exposed to the air. This includes the very strict Proposition 65 standards for lead and cadmium in candy and other products. Candy manufactured in the United States follows an FDA-established safety guideline that is among the strictest in the world. Check out my latest blogpost for their very latest updated list and more information on the ongoing investigation. Our products are among the safest in the world. The amount of cadmium and lead found in chocolate products can be traced back to where the cocoa beans were harvested. TCHO’s dark chocolate comes by way of Ghana and is single-origin (meaning, the cocoa beans come from one specific place, rather than multiple). But a new analysis reveals a dark side to some kinds of chocolate. There are trace amounts of naturally occurring elements such as lead in chocolate, just as in all natural foods. And your children, whose bodies are much more susceptible to … It's a confusing minefield for both manufacturers and the public," attorney Silverglade said. Since this report was released by As You Sow, chocolate companies have agreed to work together to identify the source of lead and other metals since the cocoa beans are apparently clean but chocolate bars are contaminated. Here's Why You Shouldn't Freak Out A consumer advocacy group says many brands contain levels that exceed the safety threshold set by California law. You will be able to see a summary at this link, or you can pay for full access. What about resources for the benefits of dark chocolate as well, we all know them sure, but resources validate your claims. How does the Good Food Fighter know this? Limits are lower for chocolate varieties consumed by children. I see the only researched claim you have here is from an As You Sow article (Which I have researched into myself and come to my own very different conclusions about how they operate and their testing methods) and the Consumer Labs report that I can’t access without paying. I had to subscribe to their site to get the complete lists and analysis which was very extensive. According to food safety experts, a person cannot eat enough chocolate in a lifetime for these naturally occurring elements to be of any concern. Keep in mind that dark chocolate has higher amounts of lead and cadmium because it has higher percentages of cocoa than milk chocolate. From a fair trade perspective, Endangered Species is ranked very highly. Chocolate bars labeled as a percentage of cocoa/cacao are based on unsweetened chocolate, ie, a 65% cacao bar would contain ~293 mg (450 mg × 0.65) of methylxanthines per oz (10.4 mg/g). This website stores cookies on your computer. CNN reached out to the manufacturers tested, and several replied by the time of publication. ), Chocolove: Chocolove beans are purchased mainly from the Ivory Coast. Dark chocolate is produced by adding fat and sugar to cocoa. The main reason why there is less cadmium per gram in dark chocolate than cocoa powder, is that cadmium is in the cocoa solids, which, when dried, is cocoa powder. First we're told chocolate is good for you, especially dark chocolate and now tests done on hundreds of chocolate bars found some had higher than normal levels of two heavy metals, lead and cadmium. I’m curious because these are ones I am consuming most often. Plus a study indicates that the body absorbs only a small percentage of the lead in cocoa. Check out this chart: In terms of heavy metals, the 88% chocolate bar was found to have traces of lead and cadmium and the 72% bar, lead. I’d like to use nibs in trail mix, however I’ve not seen any studies on nibs. If you eat a low cocoa content you’re consuming more sugar (and/or mediocre quality milk product), plus you miss out on all the health benefits of chocolate. All companies said that the products were safe and that the metals were from naturally occurring sources. Same goes with the effects of lead in children—there’s an enormous body of evidence, so a quick search is bound to turn up everything you ever wanted to know. California limits lead exposure to just 5 micrograms a day for everyone, from all sources. (We’re off to a bad start here: the FDA is virtually useless since it panders to industry lobbies). (But you didn’t answer the question of why your chocolate bars—so many of them—are dangerously high in lead). Once it is made into chocolate in Belgium, it is tested for all sorts of minerals, including lead, to ensure it is within US and Belgian federal guidelines.