Insert the question of your choice about the big headlines about lead and cadmium in chocolate.
Is it safe?
What do you think?
Why do they allow those high levels?
Which of your beans have the lower levels of lead and cadmium?
I had really hoped to have the opportunity to get an article written about this before commenting in public but alas I just can’t handle the onslaught of emails so this is basically my initial response. There will be way more coming.
Let’s get this straight!! Lead and Cadmium in food and water is important.
Disclaimer in place, let’s continue.
The latest hubbub is brought to you by the self proclaimed consumer advocacy group As You Sow.
I talked about their last dive into metals and chocolate here.
https://chocolatealchemy.com/blog/2017/12/7/ask-the-alchemist-231
This time they are using the regulations from the ONE state that has the honor of bring you the most ignored label that I can think of. Yep. Prop 65.
https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2020-07-23/prop-65-product-warnings
“…..One of them, a compound found in carrots, hops, lemongrass and cannabis, had been linked to cancerous renal tumors in male rats that were force-fed large quantities of it, five days a week, for up to two years. That earned it a place on the Proposition 65 list in 2015, over objections from the makers of sustainable products and carrot growers…..”
This excerpt about 65 says so much. To be clear, this isn’t about Prop 65 but instead is about heavy metals, but to me it says so much about the mindset of the metal levels that these chocolates are said to have
My take is that it has been blown all out of proportion and is scare mongering under the guise of sticking to the man and uncovering the truth. What I find VERY interesting is that people are saying 'high' levels when the levels are not high. They are above some hyper conservative level set by one state (see above).
I won’t be publishing lead or cadmium levels for any beans I offer for the time foreseeable. And please don’t mis-read my intent. This is NOT because there is anything to hide but because those numbers don’t tell the story and I have nearly no belief that one 3 oz sample out of a 20,000 lb ‘lot’ can possibly represent so much cocoa accurately. The situation is more complex than a simple number and I refuse to put out numbers out there that can be taken out of context. That is my whole issue with the story that got put out.
I'll be writing at length about this soon but basically that is my take. It was irresponsible journalism and fear mongering with catchy sound bites to stir up the most drama. In the mean time I’ve downloaded the 381 page report that As you Sow has made available and will be going through it in detail. I’ve done this because without that data in hand, those single points of data are unsubstantiated claims in my book. I’ve personally worked with chocolate in my days as an analytical chemist and I have to tell you, it was hands down one of the most difficult matrixes I’ve ever dealt with and getting good data can be really hard. So until I see that data and the supporting quality control, I’m just not going to be too concerned about these accusations and I suggest you likewise just carry on until we all know more.
Until then, if you write me about lead and cadmium or my take on the situation I’m just going to be referring you back to this post while I more fully research this whole subject and give it the attention it deserves.