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Two dangerous heavy metals were reported to be found inside dozens of popular dark chocolate bars.
ConsumerReports.org reports that lead and cadmium showed up in tests of 28 dark chocolate bars, which included eight bars listed as high in cadmium, 10 bars listed as high in lead and five bars listed as high in both lead and cadmium.
"Our results indicate which products had comparatively higher levels and are not assessments of whether a product exceeds a legal standard," Consumer Reports wrote. "We used those levels because there are no federal limits for the amount of lead and cadmium most foods can contain, and CR’s scientists believe that California’s levels are the most protective available.
"While both cadmium and lead pose serious health risks, products within each category are listed in order of lead level, because that heavy metal poses particular concerns and no amount of it is considered safe."
The full results from the tests are listed below:
'Safer choices' with lower levels
- Mast Organic Dark Chocolate 80% Cocoa- 14% for lead, 40% cadmium
- Taza Chocolate Organic Deliciously Dark Chocolate 70% Cacao- 33% for lead, 74% for cadmium.
- Ghirardelli Intense Dark Chocolate 85% Cacao- 36% for lead, 39% for cadmium.
- Ghirardelli Intense Dark Chocolate Twilight Delight 72% Cacao- 61% for lead, 96% for cadmium.
- Valrhona Abinao Dark Chocolate 85% Cacao- 63% for lead, 73% for cadmium.
Bars listed as high in cadmium
- Beyond Good Organic Pure Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa- 112% for cadmium.
- Beyond Good Organic Pure Dark Chocolate 80% Cocoa- 138% for cadmium.
- Equal Exchange Organic Extra Dark Chocolate 80% Cacao- 120% for cadmium.
- Lindt Excellence Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa- 116% for cadmium.
- Scharffen Berger Extra Dark Chocolate 82% Cacao- 136% for cadmium.
- Alter Eco Organic Dark Chocolate Classic Blackout 85% Cacao- 204% for cadmium.
- Pascha Organic Very Dark Dark Chocolate 85% Cacao- 253% for cadmium.
- Dove Promises Deeper Dark Chocolate 70% Cacao- 112% for cadmium.
Bars listed as high in lead
- Tony’s Chocolonely Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa- 134% for lead.
- Lily’s Extra Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa- 144% for lead.
- Godiva Signature Dark Chocolate 72% Cacao- 146% for lead.
- Chocolove Strong Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa- 152% for lead.
- Lindt Excellence Dark Chocolate 85% Cocoa- 166% for lead.
- Endangered Species Bold + Silky Dark Chocolate 72% Cocoa- 181% for lead.
- Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate 72% Cacao- 192% for lead.
- Hu Organic Simple Dark Chocolate 70% Cacao- 210% for lead.
- Chocolove Extreme Dark Chocolate 88% Cocoa- 240% for lead.
- Hershey’s Special Dark Mildly Sweet Chocolate- 265% for lead.
Bars listed as high in both lead and cadmium
- Theo Organic Pure Dark 70% Cocoa- 120% for lead, 142% for cadmium.
- Trader Joe’s The Dark Chocolate Lover’s Chocolate 85% Cacao- 127% for lead, 229% for cadmium.
- Theo Organic Extra Dark Pure Dark Chocolate 85% Cocoa- 140% for lead, 189% for cadmium.
- Lily’s Extremely Dark Chocolate 85% Cocoa- 143% for lead, 101% for cadmium.
- Green & Black’s Organic Dark Chocolate 70% Cacao- 143% for lead, 181% for cadmium.
Lead and cadmium are linked to several health problems among all age groups but are reported to cause the greatest danger to pregnant women and young children in relation to developmental problems and brain development issues, according to Tunde Akinleye, a Consumer Reports researcher who led the study.