Tag: Natural contaminants

According to the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), over 900 chemicals are on the Proposition 65 list, triggering warnings for countless consumer products, including maca. The primary reason why maca has a Prop 65 warning is the potential for trace amounts of naturally occurring heavy metals, like lead, absorbed from the soil during cultivation.

According to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), a significant percentage of herbal and black teas can contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs), natural toxins produced by certain plants. Knowing which foods contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids is crucial for consumers seeking to minimize their exposure to these potentially harmful compounds.

According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), it is considered safe for public consumption if there are fewer than 60 insect pieces per 100 grams of chocolate. This regulatory guideline addresses the practically unavoidable presence of natural contaminants during the food production process, including the question of whether chocolate has insect parts in it.