Last month, a Consumer Reports study found that many common dark chocolate bars contain both lead and cadmium, two heavy metals that pose risks when digested in large amounts. Trader Joe’s and Ghirardelli dark chocolates were linked to the study, as were others like Lindt and Godiva.
Dark chocolate is often touted as the “healthiest” chocolate option for its abundance of antioxidants. However, the chocolate industry has been looking for ways to reduce the amount of lead and cadmium, as these two heavy metals can cause serious developmental problems, according to consumer reports. In addition to affecting brain development, frequent exposure to lead can lead to nervous system complications, kidney damage, and reproductive problems, among other health issues.
In the study, Consumer Reports tested 28 different brands of dark chocolate. Since there is no federal limit for the amount of heavy metals most foods can contain, the analysis used California regulations because they are the strictest, according to Consumer Reports.
To determine the amount of metal in each chocolate bar, Consumer Reports measured the amount of lead and cadmium by testing one ounce of each brand of chocolate. To determine the percentage of metal in each ounce, the researchers compared the amount with the maximum allowable dose under California guidelines. For lead, the maximum dose in a food product is 0.5 micrograms; for cadmium, it’s 4.1 micrograms.
The results for Ghirardelli have been pretty positive (if that’s possible), especially when compared to Trader Joe’s chocolate. In one of Ghirardelli’s 86% cocoa dark chocolate bars, 1 ounce contained 36% of the maximum allowable amount of lead and 39% cadmium. This means that each ounce of Ghirardelli’s Intense Dark Chocolate Bars contained 0.18 micrograms of lead and 1.6 micrograms of cadmium. Consumer Reports ranked Ghirardelli as one of the “safest choices” of chocolate on the market.
In a statement to SFGATE, a Ghirardelli spokesperson said: “Food safety and high quality are paramount to Ghirardelli and the entire Lindt & Sprüngli Group. All of our products cited in the Consumer Reports study meet strict quality and food safety requirements.
Trader Joe’s, on the other hand, fared much worse in the Consumer Reports study. One ounce of Lover’s Chocolate dark chocolate, which is 85% cocoa, contains 127% of the maximum allowable amount of lead and 229% cadmium. That’s 0.635 micrograms of lead and 9.39 micrograms of cadmium, both above the maximum allowable doses in California.
On January 4, a consumer sued Trader Joe’s for “misleading and endangering buyers by selling dark chocolate containing harmful levels of lead and cadmium”.
SFGATE contacted Trader Joe’s for comment, but did not receive a response in time for publication.
So why does dark chocolate contain lead and cadmium?
Cadmium and lead are present in cocoa and chocolate due to [the] floor,” Christopher Gindlesperger, senior vice president of public affairs and communications for the National Confectioners Association, explained in an email to SFGATE. “The products cited in this study comply with strict quality and safety requirements, and the levels provided to us by Consumer Reports tests are well below the limits established by our regulations.”
Gindlesperger added that the grain cleaning process reduces these two metals in chocolate products. However, it is more difficult to remove cadmium from cocoa because it enters the plant through the roots and deposits it in the center (seeds) of the cocoa bean. Glues, on the other hand, lead to the outer hulls of the kernels, making them much easier to remove during the cleaning process, according to a three-year study by the National Confectioners Association completed in 2018.
Consumer Reports and the National Confectioners Association said consumers don’t have to give up dark chocolate altogether; they just need to be wise about the bars they choose.
“Chocolate and cocoa are safe to eat and can be enjoyed as treats as they have been for centuries,” Gindlesperger said. “Food safety and product quality remain our top priorities and we remain committed to being transparent and socially responsible.”
0 Comments