Tag: Cacao farming

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), chocolate is known to sometimes contain cadmium and lead from environmental origins. The key reason for this is that cacao plants, the source of chocolate, readily absorb cadmium from the soil as they grow. This heavy metal then accumulates in the cocoa beans, which are eventually processed into chocolate.

According to Consumer Reports, 23 out of 28 dark chocolate bars tested in 2022 contained potentially concerning levels of heavy metals like cadmium and lead. The primary reason why dark chocolate is so high in heavy metals is a combination of how cacao plants absorb these elements from the soil and contamination introduced during post-harvest processing.