Food Safety
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Food Safety
  • NEWS
    • Latest News
    • White Papers
  • PRODUCTS
  • TOPICS
    • Contamination Control
    • Food Types
    • Management
    • Process Control
    • Regulatory
    • Sanitation
    • Supply Chain
    • Testing and Analysis
  • PODCAST
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Food Safety Five Newsreel
    • eBooks
    • FSM Distinguished Service Award
    • Interactive Product Spotlights
    • Videos
  • BUYER'S GUIDE
  • MORE
    • ENEWSLETTER >
      • Archive Issues
      • Subscribe to eNews
    • Store
    • Sponsor Insights
  • WEBINARS
  • FOOD SAFETY SUMMIT
  • EMAG
    • eMagazine
    • Archive Issues
    • Editorial Advisory Board
    • Contact
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!
NewsContamination ControlFood TypeChemicalIngredients

Consumer Reports Finds High Levels of Cadmium, Lead in One-Third of Chocolate Products

By Food Safety Magazine Editorial Team
chocolate batter in a bowl on a stand mixer

Image credit: Felippe Lopes via Unsplash

October 26, 2023

Building upon a December 2022 report on the levels of toxic heavy metals in dark chocolate, Consumer Reports recently published new findings about the contaminants in other kinds of chocolates, suggesting that one-third of chocolate products contain high levels of heavy metals.

Although dark chocolate contains the highest levels of cocoa, the ingredient in which lead and cadmium tend to accumulate, Consumer Reports sought to investigate the extent to which toxic heavy metals exist in milk chocolate and other cocoa-containing products.

The researchers tested 48 different products across seven categories, specifically: cocoa powder; chocolate chips; milk chocolate bars; and mixes for brownies, chocolate cake, and hot chocolate. Consumer Reports also tested some dark chocolate bars. Products were purchased from big name brands such as Hershey’s, Ghirardelli, and Nestlé, at national retailers like Costco, Target, Trader Joe’s, Walmart, and Whole Foods. Specialty makers, such as Droste and Navitas, were also included in the study.

To assess the risk from lead and cadmium, the researchers determined whether a serving of each product tested would cause exposure above California’s standard maximum allowable dose levels (MADL) for lead (0.5 micrograms [µg] per day) and cadmium (4.1 µg per day) in food.

As expected, dark chocolates tended to have higher levels of heavy metals compared to milk chocolate. However, every product that was tested had detectable amounts of lead and cadmium. Of the 48 products tested, 16 had amounts above Consumer Reports’ levels of concern for at least one of the heavy metals, in some cases exceeding more than twice the group’s limit.

Of the seven dark chocolate bars tested by Consumer reports, five (71 percent) were above the MADL for lead, cadmium, or both. Only two bars—Divine 70 Percent Deliciously Smooth Dark Chocolate and Sam’s Choice (Walmart) Dark Chocolate 85 percent Cocoa—fell below the MADL for both lead and cadmium, based on a serving of about 1 ounce (oz.).

Milk chocolate tends to be lower in heavy metals than dark chocolate because it has less cocoa solids, and none of the five tested milk chocolate bars were over the MADL for lead or cadmium. For chocolate chips, none of the 12 products tested had high levels of cadmium, and only two—Hu Dark Chocolate Gems and Good and Gather (Target) Semi-Sweet Mini Chocolate Chips—were over the MADL for lead. However, the serving size for chocolate chips is approximately 0.5 oz., and eating more than the recommended serving would likely expose a consumer to levels of cadmium and lead exceeding the MADLs.

Regarding cocoa powders, none of the samples exceeded the MADL for cadmium, and only two—Hershey’s Cocoa Naturally Unsweetened 100 percent Cacao and Droste Cacao Powder—exceeded lead limits (for a 1 tablespoon serving). However, for hot chocolate mixes, four of six samples exceeded the MADL for lead: Great Value (Walmart) Milk Chocolate Flavor Hot Cocoa Mix, Nestlé Rich Milk Chocolate Flavor Hot Cocoa Mix, Trader Joe's Organic Hot Cocoa Mix, and Starbucks Hot Cocoa Classic (also made by Nestlé).

None of the brownie and cake mixes tested were high in cadmium, and only one brownie mix and two cake mixes exceeded the MADL for lead: Ghirardelli Premium Brownie Mix Double Chocolate, Simple Mills Almond Flour Baking Mix—Chocolate Muffin and Cake, and Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Mix. However, the recommended serving sizes are small compared to how some consumers portion their brownies and cakes, and could lead to elevated heavy metals exposure.

Although toxic heavy metals occur naturally in soil and are therefore difficult to remove completely from products, there are some steps that chocolate makers can take to make their products safer, such as sourcing from areas with lower levels and mixing beans from different areas to ensure that the final product has lower levels. Producers could also test lots of cocoa to identify problem areas and reject particularly contaminated lots.

KEYWORDS: cadmium chocolate cocoa Consumer Reports lead study toxic heavy metals

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Fsm purple logo 200x200

The Food Safety Magazine editorial team comprises Bailee Henderson, Digital Editor ✉; Adrienne Blume, M.A., Editorial Director; and Stacy Atchison, Publisher.

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • people holding baby chicks

    Serovar Differences Matter: Utility of Deep Serotyping in Broiler Production and Processing

    This article discusses the significance of Salmonella in...
    Testing & Analysis
    By: Nikki Shariat Ph.D.
  • woman washing hands

    Building a Culture of Hygiene in the Food Processing Plant

    Everyone entering a food processing facility needs to...
    Personal Hygiene/Handwashing
    By: Richard F. Stier, M.S.
  • graphical representation of earth over dirt

    Climate Change and Emerging Risks to Food Safety: Building Climate Resilience

    This article examines the multifaceted threats to food...
    International
    By: Maria Cristina Tirado Ph.D., D.V.M. and Shamini Albert Raj M.A.
Manage My Account
  • eMagazine Subscription
  • Subscribe to eNewsletter
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Website Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Food Safety Magazine audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Food Safety Magazine or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • mold
    Sponsored byIFC

    Tackling Mold Remediation in Food Processing Plants

  • a worker in a food processing plant
    Sponsored byLPS® DETEX®

    How a Beverage Facility Improved Food Safety and Compliance with Detectable Packaging Solutions

  • Two men standing in a produce storage facility having a discussion.
    Sponsored byOrkin Commercial

    Staying Compliant With FSMA

Popular Stories

smoked salmon in oil

Study Shows Food Type Significantly Affects Listeria’s Ability to Survive Digestion, Cause Sickness

straight-on view of u.s. capitol hill

Bill Reintroduced to Congress Would Require FDA to Systematically Reassess Food Chemicals

FSM podcast

Ep. 197. Jatin Patel: Lessons Learned and Best Practices for Handling a Recall

Events

July 15, 2025

Hygienic Design Risk Management: Industry Challenges and Global Insights

Live: July 15, 2025 at 11:00 am EDT: From this webinar, attendees will learn the importance of hygienic design to ensure food safety and sanitation effectiveness.

July 22, 2025

Beyond the Binder: Digital Management of Food Safety

Live: July 22, 2025 at 3:00 pm EDT: During this webinar, attendees will learn best practices for the use of digital food safety management systems across industry and regulatory agencies.

August 7, 2025

Achieve Active Managerial Control of Major Risk Factors Using a Food Safety Management System

Live: August 7, 2025 at 2:00 pm EDT: From this webinar, attendees will learn about changes to the FDA Food Code, which now includes a requirement for FSMS. 

View All

Products

Global Food Safety Microbial Interventions and Molecular Advancements

Global Food Safety Microbial Interventions and Molecular Advancements

See More Products
Environmental Monitoring Excellence eBook

Related Articles

  • two hands full of dried cocoa beans

    Study Finds Chocolate Made from West African, Asian Cocoa Have Lowest Cadmium, Lead Levels

    See More
  • chocolate bars and cocoa beans

    Study Finds Concerning Levels of Toxic Heavy Metals in Dark Chocolate

    See More
  • Plate of rice on a cutting board

    Report: High Levels of Arsenic and Cadmium in Store-Bought Rice Pose Health Threats to Infants

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • 9781498721776.jpg

    Handbook of Food Processing: Food Safety, Quality, and Manufacturing Processes

  • 1118396308.jpg

    High Throughput Analysis for Food Safety

  • 1444333348.jpg

    Handbook of Food Safety Engineering

See More Products

Related Directories

  • OneEvent Technologies

    OneEvent provides wireless temperature monitoring of coolers and freezers through a cellular gateway. Data is collected from temperature and door sensors and when a temperature exceeds your pre-set limits, you get notified. And, OneEvent can predict if a unit will exceed its temperature limits up to 30 days in advance.
  • On Target Packaging

    On Target Packaging is a production/maintenance servicer for combination and check weighers. We do not sell or process food, but provide service/repairs, and equipment for the food industry
×

Never miss the latest news and trends driving the food safety industry

eNewsletter | Website | eMagazine

JOIN TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing