and full of toxic heavy metals
Metal content
Chocolate, particularly dark chocolate, may contain appreciable levels of toxic heavy metals, such as cadmium, which may be present naturally in the soil of cocoa plantations, particularly in Latin America.[47][48] For products containing over 50% cocoa, the European Commission has set a limit for cadmium of 0.8 mg/kg, while for chocolate containing between 30%–50% cocoa, the limit is 0.3 mg/kg.[47] After these limits came into enforcement in 2019, similar regulations were enforced in other jurisdictions across the world.[49] The state of California recommends a maximum daily intake of 4.1 micrograms of cadmium.[50]
A 2024 report analyzing dark chocolate and cocoa samples in the United States from 2014 to 2022 found that multiple samples exceeded Prop 65 levels for heavy metals: 43% of samples exceeding levels for lead, and 35% exceeding levels for cadmium.[51]
Cadmium is where Cadbury’s chocolate gets its name
