Heavy metal in most chocolates may not pose health risk, researchers say
(VOVWORLD) - Concentrations of heavy metals found in single servings of some chocolates and cocoa-based products are too low in most cases to pose a health risk to consumers, research set to be published on Thursday in the journal Frontiers shows.
Some consumer groups and independent test agencies have previously reported heavy metal contamination in cocoa products such as dark chocolate, with possible causes being the type of soil where cocoa is grown and industrial processing.
Yet researchers at the George Washington University School of Medicine and ConsumerLab.com found that 70 of the 72 cocoa-containing products they analyzed fell below limits set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for lead contamination. They said the findings of their study showed the products may not pose a health risk when consumed as single servings.
The recommended single serving for chocolate is about 30 gm to 60 gm. But the paper said if many such products are consumed fairly regularly by the average consumer, the additive exposure may be a public health concern.