Dark chocolate and similar cocoa products are contaminated with lead and cadmium, two neurotoxic metals that have been linked to cancer, chronic diseases or reproductive and developmental problems, especially in children, according to a new study of products sold in the United States.
As natural elements of the Earth’s crust, lead, cadmium and other heavy metals are present in the soil where crops are grown and therefore cannot be avoided. However, some agricultural fields and regions contain more toxic levels than others, in part due to the overuse of fertilizers containing metals and ongoing industrial pollution.
However, despite being grown on land with fewer pesticides and other contaminants, organic versions of dark chocolate had some of the highest levels, according to the study published Wednesday (31) in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition.
Dark chocolate is known to be rich in plant nutrients called flavonoids, antioxidants and beneficial minerals and has been linked to improved cardiovascular health, cognitive performance and reduced chronic inflammation.
The research team examined only pure dark chocolate products, as they contain the highest amount of cocoa. Candy or cooking chocolates with other ingredients were eliminated. The study did not disclose the names or manufacturers of the products tested.
“The average levels of lead and cadmium in cocoa-containing products in the new study are at or above the average values that Food and Drug Administration (FDA) finds lead and cadmium in the most contaminated foods they test,” says Jane Houlihan, national director of science and health for Healthy Babies Bright Futures, a coalition of advocates committed to reducing infants’ exposure to neurotoxic chemicals.
Baby sweet potatoes, baby teething biscuits, sandwich cookies, white wine and ranch dressing top the FDA’s list of foods most contaminated with lead, while sunflower seeds, spinach, French fries, lettuce and potato chips contain the highest levels of cadmium, Houlihan says.
“If the typical health risks of eating chocolate are below the federal government’s official safety limits, it’s because people typically consume relatively small amounts,” says Houlihan, who was not involved in the study.
“We expect increased risks for young children, pregnant women and people who regularly eat chocolate, especially dark chocolate.”
The National Confectioners Association, which represents the chocolate industry, tells CNN via email that “chocolates and cocoa are safe to consume and can be enjoyed as treats, as they have been for centuries. Food safety and product quality remain our highest priorities, and we remain dedicated to transparency and social responsibility.”
Lead and cadmium found, but no arsenic
The new study analyzed 72 consumer cocoa products for levels of lead, cadmium and arsenic. Compared to previous studies that analyzed heavy metals in chocolate at a specific point in time, the latest study tested the products over an eight-year period, in 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2020.
The tests were conducted by Consumer Labs, a non-profit organization that provides independent testing on health and nutrition products. They sent samples to multiple labs to maximize accuracy.
Of the 72 chocolate products tested over the course of the study, 43 percent exceeded the maximum allowable level of lead set by California’s Proposition 65, while 35 percent exceeded the maximum allowable level of cadmium under Proposition 65, the researchers found. The study found no significant levels of arsenic.
Proposition 65 limits are lower than those set by the federal government. The maximum allowable level of lead in children’s candy is 0.1 parts per million, according to the FDA. California’s Proposition 65 sets a safety standard of 0.05 parts per million for chocolate, about half that amount.
“Proposition 65 establishes a protective level that allows consumers to make a rational choice and say, ‘OK, how much do I want to consume?’” said Danielle Fugere, president and chief legal counsel at As You Sow, a nonprofit that specializes in shareholder advocacy, who was not involved in the new study.
“There are many sources of lead, for example: there is lead in water, there is lead in vegetables and fruits, there is lead in our soil, dust and air,” says Fugere. “Do I feel good about eating a piece of chocolate that may also contain lead? Each person can make their own decision.”
Healthy adults who limit their intake to small amounts shouldn’t be afraid to eat chocolate, says study lead author Leigh Frame, executive director of the Office of Integrative Medicine and Health at George Washington University in Washington, D.C.
“A typical serving of dark chocolate is 1 ounce, so consuming 1 ounce or so every day poses a relatively small risk in the grand scheme of things,” Frame says. “But it’s something we need to be aware of if we’re also exposed to other sources of lead, like lead paint in an older home.”
Should I avoid eating chocolate?
This risk of heavy metal exposure increases, however, if a person has a compromised medical condition, is pregnant or is a young child, says Tewodros Godebo, an assistant professor of environmental geochemistry at the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in New Orleans.
He was the author of a July study who analyzed 155 chocolate samples and found higher levels of cadmium, but little lead, in dark chocolates.
Over time, consuming low levels of cadmium can damage your kidneys. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency considers cadmium to be metal a probable human carcinogen.
“There are sensitive, medically compromised individuals, such as people with kidney disease, who may not be able to efficiently excrete metals from the body. And of course, a pregnant woman protecting her baby in the womb would also be at higher risk,” says Godebo, who was not involved in the new study.
Children can absorb about 50 percent of the lead they ingest after a meal and up to 100 percent on an empty stomach, experts say. There is no safe level of lead, especially for children, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
“In particular, lead can affect children’s brain development, resulting in reduced intelligence quotient (IQ), behavioral changes such as decreased attention span and increased antisocial behavior, and reduced educational achievement,” the WHO says on its website.
However, for healthy adults, Godebo’s risk analysis found little to worry about when choosing to indulge in 1 ounce of dark chocolate every now and then.
“Of course, we want to have close to zero exposure, but that’s impossible,” he says. “Everything we eat probably contains some level of these contaminants. But it’s a relative risk.”
Source: CNN Brasil
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