Are You Eating Toxic Chocolate? Lead Found in
Trader Joe’s, Hershey’s and Other Chocolates
Mar. 26, 2016 12:40PM EST
Consumer health watchdog As You Sow released results Wednesday showing that 35 of 50 chocolate
products tested, including chocolate bunnies and eggs, expose consumers to lead and cadmium above
levels set by California’s Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act.
Testing commissioned by As You Sow, and conducted at independent laboratories, indicates that the
chocolate products contain lead and/or cadmium, and they fail to provide the legally required warning
to consumers.
“Lead exposure is associated with neurological impairment, such as learning disabilities and decreased
IQ, even at very low levels. In fact, there is no safe level of lead for children,” said Eleanne van Vliet,
MPH, As You Sow’s environmental health consultant.
As You Sow has filed legal notices against chocolate manufacturers, including Trader Joe’s, Hershey’s,
Green and Black’s, Lindt, Whole Foods, Kroger, Godiva, See’s Candies, Mars, Theo Chocolate, Equal
Exchange, Ghirardelli, Earth Circle Organics and more, for failure to warn of lead and/or cadmium in
their chocolate products.
“As underscored by the Flint disaster, humans have contaminated our environment with lead, and now
we must do everything in our power to protect ourselves and children, who are the most vulnerable of
us, from every possible exposure,” said Sean Palfrey, MD, a pediatrician and professor of pediatrics and
public health at Boston University School of Medicine. “Young children and pregnant women especially
should avoid exposure to lead.”..
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