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After a US-based non-profit organization, Consumer Reports, claimed to have identified a “troubling” presence of lead and cadmium in well-known chocolate brands during their testing, the National Confectioners Association (NCA) has asserted that “chocolate and cocoa are safe for consumption”.
Consumer Reports examined 48 products spanning seven categories of chocolate items, and reportedly, 16 of these products contained levels of lead or cadmium that exceeded what the organization deems safe, as stated by Forbes. The allegedly affected products encompassed dark chocolate bars and hot chocolate mixes from Walmart, cocoa powder from Hershey’s and Droste, semi-sweet chocolate chips from Target, as well as hot chocolate mixes from Trader Joe’s, Nestle, and Starbucks, according to Consumer Reports’ findings.
Among the dark chocolate bars subjected to testing, Perugina, a brand owned by Nestle, purportedly registered the highest lead content, while Evolved allegedly exhibited the highest cadmium level.
In response to the Consumer Reports article on chocolate and cocoa, the NCA affirmed on Wednesday that “chocolate and cocoa are safe to eat and can be enjoyed as treats, just as they have been for centuries”.
The association, which serves as the principal trade body for the US confectionery industry, emphasized, “Food safety and product quality remain our utmost priorities, and we are committed to transparency and social responsibility.”
Evolved stated in a release that it conducts regular testing of raw materials and finished products to ensure compliance and, ultimately, consumer safety.
A spokesperson from Nestle mentioned that the company collaborates with its suppliers on an ongoing basis to closely monitor and minimize the presence of these substances in its products.
Target asserted that its products mentioned in the report adhere to federal product safety standards.
Consumer Reports utilized California’s established maximum allowable dosage of each metal for comparison.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) currently sets limits for the quantity of these two metals in specific foods, and scientists from Consumer Reports “believe that California’s standard levels are the most protective available”.
