Lawyers suing as Consumer Reports says high metal levels in chocolates

Robert Besser
28 Jan 2023, 03:23 GMT+10

Consumer magazine Consumer Reports has urged four chocolate producers to reduce the amounts of lead and cadmium in their dark chocolate products by Valentine's Day
Long-term exposure to the metals can result in nervous system problems, immune system suppression and kidney damage, said Consumer Reports
In December, Consumer Reports said of the 28 dark chocolate bars it tested, 23 had potentially harmful levels of lead, cadmium or both for people who eat more than one ounce of chocolate a day

YONKERS, New York: After testing discovered harmful levels of heavy metals in chocolate, consumer magazine Consumer Reports has urged four chocolate producers to reduce the amounts of lead and cadmium in their dark chocolate products by Valentine's Day.

Long-term exposure to the metals can result in nervous system problems, immune system suppression and kidney damage, said Consumer Reports in letters to Hershey, Mondelez International, Theo Chocolate and Trader Joe's, which were accompanied by nearly 55,000 petition signatures.

The risks were higher for pregnant women and young children because of the risk of developmental problems, the letters stated.

In December, Consumer Reports said of the 28 dark chocolate bars it tested, 23 had potentially harmful levels of lead, cadmium or both for people who eat more than one ounce of chocolate a day.

Many consumers eat dark chocolate for its potential health benefits and relatively low sugar levels, but "there is nothing healthy about ingesting heavy metals," the magazine added.

Trade group National Confectioners Association said that California health guidelines used by Consumer Reports considered "the most protective available and are not food safety standards," adding that chocolate are still safe to eat.

Since Consumer Reports released its study, Trader Joe's has been sued at least nine times by consumers due to potential heavy metals in its dark chocolate.

Hershey's and Mondelez have also been sued over the magazine's findings, as well as other chocolate makers, including Godiva and Lindt.

Watch latest videos

News RELEASES

Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Illinois Intelligencer.

More Information

48 ℉

Fair in Springfield

North America

Section

North Korea Test-Fires 2 More Missiles as Tensions Rise

Seoul - North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missile toward waters off its eastern coast Monday, adding to a recent ...

Army Pulls Recruiting Ads after Jonathan Majors Arrest

Washington - The arrest of actor Jonathan Majors has upended the Army's newly launched advertising campaign that was aimed at ...

Taliban urges for removal of officials from UN blacklist

Kabul [Afghanistan], March 27 (ANI): The Taliban has once again urged the United Nations (UN) to remove the names of ...

Botic van de Zandschulp upsets No. 3 seed Casper Ruud in Miami

Third-seeded Casper Ruud was the only upset victim on Sunday at the Miami Open, losing in three sets to Botic ...

Pro-Khalistan protest in Washington: SC lawyer files complaint with Delhi Police, seeks revocation of protesters' passports

New Delhi [India], March 27 (ANI): The Supreme Court lawyer Vineet Jindal on Monday filed a complaint in Delhi Police ...

Marketa Vondrousova pulls off upset at Miami Open

The Czech Republic's Marketa Vondrousova and 18th-seeded Ekaterina Alexandrova of Russia each recorded straight-set upsets on Sunday in the third ...

International

Section