Research published in the journal Frontiers in NutritionTuesday (30/7) showed the concentration of heavy metals found in a single portion
some chocolate and cocoa-based products are, in most cases, too low to pose a health risk to consumers.
If you only consume a small amount (one serving/according to the dosage), it is not a problem, but if you exceed the dosage or combine it with other sources of heavy metals – such as seafood and unwashed brown rice – according to researchers, cumulatively it can increase exposure.Several consumer groups and independent testing agencies have previously reported heavy metal contamination in cocoa products such as dark chocolate. The type of soil where the cocoa is grown and processed has been blamed.
.Researchers at the George Washington University School of Medicine and ConsumerLab.com found that 70 of the 72 cocoa-containing products they analyzed were below the lead contamination limit set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (Food and Drugs Administration
/FDA).
However, using the more stringent limits set by the state of California, 31 of the 72 products were recorded as exceeding the lead limit, while 13 of the 37 products were above the cadmium limit.
ILLUSTRATION – How much is a safe amount to drink a cup of hot chocolate? (Matthew Mead/AP)The recommended single serving size for chocolate is about 1 to 2 ounces (30 grams to 60 grams). “If the contaminated product as a whole is consumed in small amounts and infrequently by most people, this contamination is unlikely to be a public health concern,” the paper said, ending with a call for further testing of products that consumers would purchase (consumer products)
.
“Conversely, if many of these products are consumed fairly regularly by a large number of consumers, exposure to additives may be a public health concern.”
The US chocolate industry group, the National Confectioners Association, said the study confirmed that “chocolate and cocoa are safe to eat and can be enjoyed as a treat as they have been for centuries.”
The long-running study analyzed 72 products for potential contamination with heavy metals such as lead, cadmium and arsenic in four different batches in 2014, 2016, 2019 and 2022.
“The average concentration of every metal tested was lower than the conservative Prop 65,” they said.
“However, consuming multiple tested products, or more than one serving per day in combination with non-cocoa sources … may result in exposures exceeding Prop 65 (limits).” The researchers used California law because it sets contamination limits for the three types of heavy metals tested, while FDA regulations only set limits for lead.
(es/ft)
A single serving is the amount listed on the nutrition facts label on a product's packaging.
