Overview
The narrative and the evidence summary on this page grow as studies are catalogued.
Who this page is for
This page is for brand legal, retailer-compliance, and regulator readers who need the current literature record for Chocolate. It is a public evidence surface, not a certification-threshold table. Readers should use it to see which cited sources actually support this product row and to keep row fit, market, basis, and analyte species visible.
Evidence summary
Evidence summary
The table below summarizes what the peer-reviewed and government literature cited on this page reports for heavy-metal concentrations in Chocolate. Values are pulled directly from cited sources without re-aggregation. This page publishes literature evidence only, not certification thresholds.
Methodology rules for speciation, basis preservation, non-detect handling, and source pooling are stated in the Methodology section above and apply to every row below.
| Analyte | Subcategory | Reported concentration range | Detection rate | Applicable regulatory cap | Sources | Confidence | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| cadmium (Cd) | Chocolate (summary-only / supporting context) | mean/median 18 to 6986 ppb (2 sources); highest reported 6986 ppb | Sample-level detection rate not reported | Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915 cadmium maximum levels: 100 ppb (product as placed on market) | 2 cited (plus commodity-synthesis context) | low (1-2 sources) | commodity-level synthesized range (ingredient page contamination-profile); native product-form basis not resolved |
| lead (Pb) | Chocolate (summary-only / supporting context) | mean 615 ppb (1 source); highest reported 615 ppb | Sample-level detection rate not reported | Paraguay Decree 1335/2019 - inorganic contaminants in food: 200 ppb (product as offered to consumer) | 1 cited (plus commodity-synthesis context) | low (1-2 sources) | commodity-level synthesized range (ingredient page contamination-profile); native product-form basis not resolved |
| total arsenic (tAs) | Chocolate (summary-only / supporting context) | highest reported 0 ppb | Sample-level detection rate not reported | Paraguay Decree 1335/2019 - inorganic contaminants in food: 200 ppb (product as offered to consumer) | 0 primary (commodity-synthesis context only) | data gap | commodity-level synthesized range (ingredient page contamination-profile); native product-form basis not resolved |
Source Evidence Inventory
At this synthesis stage, the inventory is used to distinguish direct finished-product occurrence data from broader dietary, ingredient, exposure, or review context. Sources that do not resolve product form, jurisdiction, basis, or analyte species remain visible here but should not be treated as benchmark-ready rows until structured extraction and routing confirm fit.
Supporting evidence and scope
Pending: regenerated by tools/evidence/apply-product-broad-context.mjs once broad-scope sources route to this page.
Federal/Regulatory Limits vs Field Findings
Pending: regenerated by tools/apply-product-crosswalk-sections.mjs once applicable_regulations are identified and field-finding evidence is pooled.
Controls and mitigation
The practical control levers for Chocolate start with product identity and lot-level evidence: keep the product form, ingredient contributors, market, and analytical basis attached to each test result. Sourcing and formulation controls should focus on ingredients or mineral/colorant/botanical inputs named by the routed sources, while finished-product testing remains the check on combined formulation, processing, and packaging effects. Where the current sources are review or exposure-context sources, the immediate lever is better row-specific occurrence testing rather than broad cross-category inference.
Direct answer
For the question of which dark chocolate brands have the lowest lead and cadmium, this page does not name retail brands or rank them; the ingredient record is Chocolate. Hands et al. 2024 measured 72 US dark chocolate and cocoa products as sold and reported lead at a mean of 0.062 mcg/g (62 µg/kg) and a median of 0.05 mcg/g (50 µg/kg), with a range of 0.009 to 0.269 mcg/g, and cadmium at a mean of 0.396 mcg/g (396 µg/kg) and a median of 0.239 mcg/g (239 µg/kg), with a range of 0.016 to 2.2 mcg/g (A multi-year heavy metal analysis of 72 dark chocolate and cocoa products in the USA, DOI 10.3389/fnut.2024.1366231). Abt et al. 2018, an FDA convenience sample of 144 US retail products from 67 manufacturers, reported a dark chocolate mean of 0.27 ± 0.25 mg/kg cadmium (270 ± 250 µg/kg) and 0.03 ± 0.02 mg/kg lead (30 ± 20 µg/kg), and a milk chocolate mean of 0.06 ± 0.07 mg/kg cadmium (60 ± 70 µg/kg) and 0.01 ± 0.01 mg/kg lead (10 ± 10 µg/kg), without a brand ranking (Cadmium and Lead in Cocoa Powder and Chocolate Products in the U.S. Market, DOI 10.1080/19393210.2017.1420700).
How standards math uses this page
This page reports what the peer-reviewed and government literature says about heavy-metal concentrations in this product category; it publishes no certification thresholds of its own. Certification criteria are set separately under the Heavy Metal Tested & Certified program at heavymetalcertified.com, which reads this page as its literature baseline. The two are kept apart by design, so this page remains an independent record of the evidence rather than a justification for any threshold.
Historical recalls and enforcement
No row-specific public recall or enforcement synthesis has been promoted for Chocolate in this pass. Regulatory references on this page should be read as context unless a source ties an event to this exact product scope and analyte. Future enforcement prose should remain event-framed and should not convert source mentions into brand rankings.
Additional geographic and remediation evidence
Emmanuel Joy Enogbe, 2025. Two anonymous chocolate products from Bwari market contained measurable nickel, iron, copper, chromium and lead. Their reported sample concentrations are preserved independently of inconsistent dispersion, intake means and safety comparisons in the paper. Provides a small local occurrence observation with anonymous products. It cannot establish market prevalence, source attribution, or a no-risk conclusion. Total chromium (Cr) is not Cr(VI).
Methodology
This page follows the Part 6 product-page rules: values stay in the source-reported basis, non-detect handling follows the source, and analyte species are not substituted. Produce and food evidence is kept jurisdiction- and market-aware, with fresh, dried, canned, infused, or processed forms separated when basis changes. This page reports the literature; certification thresholds are set separately under the certification program, not on this page.
References
Works cited in this page’s text, in first-appearance order. See Sources for this page’s source inventory. Each title links to a source record with bibliographic details, reported findings, and document provenance.
- A multi-year heavy metal analysis of 72 dark chocolate and cocoa products in the USAPeer-reviewed
- Cadmium and Lead in Cocoa Powder and Chocolate Products in the U.S. MarketPeer-reviewed
- Levels of heavy metals concentrations in chocolates from Bwari market Abuja FCT, NigeriaPeer-reviewed
Sources
Source records associated with this topic. Inclusion does not establish that every finding applies to this product or ingredient. References above identify works cited in the text.
| # | Citation | Year | Type | Used on this page for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ANSES 2026. Opinion of the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety on the results of the Third French Total Diet Study (TDS3) - Acrylamide, aluminium, silver, cadmium, mercury and lead, ANSES Opinion, Request No 2019-SA-0010 | 2026 | Government report | FR Al, Ag, Cd, Pb, tHg, iHg, MeHg occurrence in French TDS3 foods selected from 276 foods across 44 groups, with 718 samples collected in Loiret, Puy-de-Dome, and… (n=718) |
| 2 | Fabien et al. 2026. Microbiological and chemical safety of artisanal dark and white chocolate bars from small-scale industries in West Java, Indonesia, Food Safety and Risk 2026, 13: 42 | 2026 | Peer-reviewed | Contribution to this topic remains under review; see the source record for its reported scope. |
| 3 | Oliveira et al. 2026. Total Arsenic Quantification in Commercial Chocolate Bars, BIOFARM - Journal of Biology & Pharmacy and Agricultural Management 21(1) | 2026 | Peer-reviewed | Contribution to this topic remains under review; see the source record for its reported scope. |
| 4 | Enogbe et al. 2025. Levels of heavy metals concentrations in chocolates from Bwari market Abuja FCT, Nigeria, International Journal of Adulteration9:e2ijad3057 | 2025 | Peer-reviewed | NG Ni, Fe, Cu, Cr, Pb occurrence in Two anonymous chocolate products purchased in Bwari market,Abuja; collection date, formulation and cocoa percentage not stated. (n=2) |
| 5 | Masri et al. 2025. Assessing Dietary Consumption of Toxicant-Laden Foods and Beverages by Age and Ethnicity in California: Implications for Proposition 65, Nutrients | 2025 | Peer-reviewed | US Pb, Cd, tAs, MeHg occurrence in Cross-sectional online dietary survey (Qualtrics) administered between 1 March and 15 June 2023 to Southern California residents (adults… (n=186) |
| 6 | Nešić et al. 2025. Impact of Chocolate Cadmium on Vulnerable Populations in Serbia, Foods 2025, 14(1): 18 (published online 25 December 2024) | 2025 | Peer-reviewed | Contribution to this topic remains under review; see the source record for its reported scope. |
| 7 | Bravo et al. 2024. Cadmium in cacao crops and artisanal chocolates in the Arauca Department, Colombia, Environmental Monitoring and Assessment | 2024 | Peer-reviewed | CO Cd occurrence in 180 cacao farms surveyed across four municipalities in Arauca Department, Colombia (Arauquita, Fortul, Saravena, Tame); seed subsamples from… (n=20) |
| 8 | Centre for the Promotion 2024. What requirements must cocoa meet to be allowed on the European market?, CBI (Centre for the Promotion of Imports from developing countries), Netherlands Enterprise Agency / Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs — market-information / buyer-requirements article | 2024 | Government guidance | Contribution to this topic remains under review; see the source record for its reported scope. |
| 9 | EU 2024. Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/1987 of 30 July 2024 amending Regulation (EU) 2023/915 as regards maximum levels of nickel in certain foodstuffs, Official Journal of the European Union, L series, 2024/1987 (31.7.2024) | 2024 | Regulation | Contribution to this topic remains under review; see the source record for its reported scope. |
| 10 | EU 2024. Commission Recommendation (EU) 2024/907 of 22 March 2024 on the monitoring of nickel in food, Official Journal of the European Union, L series, 2024/907 (26.3.2024) | 2024 | Regulation | Contribution to this topic remains under review; see the source record for its reported scope. |
| 11 | Zealand 2024. Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code - Schedule 19 - Maximum levels of contaminants and natural toxicants, Federal Register of Legislation, Authorised Version F2024C00908 | 2024 | Government report | Contribution to this topic remains under review; see the source record for its reported scope. |
| 12 | Hands et al. 2024. A multi-year heavy metal analysis of 72 dark chocolate and cocoa products in the USA, Frontiers in Nutrition | 2024 | Peer-reviewed | US Pb, Cd, tAs concentrations (n=72) |
| 13 | Maharjan et al. 2024. Evaluation of heavy metals in different brands of chocolates marketed in Kathmandu, Nepal, and their associated health risks, Journal of Nepal Chemical Society 44(1):47-61 | 2024 | Peer-reviewed | Contribution to this topic remains under review; see the source record for its reported scope. |
| 14 | Prattay et al. 2024. Microbiological Analysis and Content of Heavy Metals in Different Candies, Chocolates, and Their Wrappers in Bangladesh, International Journal of Food Science 2024, Article ID 4536475, 13 pages | 2024 | Peer-reviewed | Contribution to this topic remains under review; see the source record for its reported scope. |
| 15 | Sani et al. 2024. Heavy Metal Determinations in Some Selected Chocolates Marketed in Nigeria, International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology 2024, 9(11): 1542-1544 | 2024 | Peer-reviewed | Contribution to this topic remains under review; see the source record for its reported scope. |
| 16 | Burgon 2023. Cacau e Chocolates “Bean to Bar”: Contaminantes Inorgânicos e Ocratoxina A (Cocoa beans and “Bean to Bar” chocolates: Inorganic contaminants and Ochratoxin A), Master’s thesis, Instituto de Tecnologia de Alimentos (ITAL), Centro de Ciência e Qualidade de Alimentos, Campinas-SP, Brazil | 2023 | Thesis | BR Pb, Cd, tAs, tHg, Cu, Co, Se concentrations |
| 17 | EU 2023. Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915 of 25 April 2023 on maximum levels for certain contaminants in food and repealing Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006, Official Journal of the European Union | 2023 | Regulation | Contribution to this topic remains under review; see the source record for its reported scope. |
| 18 | Marincich et al. 2023. Threat or treat: Exposure assessment and risk characterisation of chemical contaminants in soft drinks and chocolate bars in various Polish population age groups, EFSA Journal | 2023 | Peer-reviewed | PL/EU Cd occurrence in Multiple chocolate bars from different brands purchased in Warsaw supermarkets, 2022–2023; two matrices: milk chocolate and bitter chocolate |
| 19 | USDA 2023. China Releases the Standard for Maximum Levels of Contaminants in Foods (USDA FAS GAIN Report CH2023-0040, unofficial translation of GB 2762-2022), USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN), Report Number CH2023-0040 | 2023 | Regulation | Contribution to this topic remains under review; see the source record for its reported scope. |
| 20 | Ahn et al. 2022. Expert Investigation Related to Cocoa and Chocolate Products: Final Report, Expert Committee report submitted to As You Sow and the Settling Defendants under a California Proposition 65 Consent Judgment; Project Manager: Eastern Research Group, Inc. (ERG). Final Report dated March 28, 2022 (381 pp., including three technical attachments). | 2022 | Industry | US-CA/US/EC Pb, Cd concentrations |
| 21 | BfR 2022. Nickel: estimate of long-term intake via food based on the BfR MEAL Study, BfR Communication No. 033/2022 | 2022 | Government report | DE/EU Ni occurrence in 840 food pools from 356 foods representing 90%+ of German food consumption; adults and adolescents N=13,926 (NVS II,… (n=840) |
| 22 | FDA 2022. Total Diet Study Report: Fiscal Years 2018-2020 Elements Data, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Total Diet Study Program | 2022 | Government report | US Pb, Cd, tAs, iAs, tHg, Ni, Cr, U, Sb occurrence in Composite TDS samples across 307 foods (3,241 food/beverage samples + 35 bottled-water samples) collected across six US regions… (n=3276) |
| 23 | Fechner et al. 2022. Results of the BfR MEAL Study: In Germany, mercury is mostly contained in fish and seafood while cadmium, lead, and nickel are present in a broad spectrum of foods, Food Chemistry: X | 2022 | Peer-reviewed | DE/EU tHg, Cd, Pb, Ni occurrence in 869 pooled samples from 356 foods representing 90%+ of German food consumption; adults and adolescents N=13,926 (NVS II… (n=869) |
| 24 | Gutiérrez et al. 2022. Cadmium fractionation in soils affected by organic matter application: Transfer of cadmium to cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) tissues, Frontiers in Environmental Science | 2022 | Peer-reviewed | EC Cd occurrence in Four Ecuadorian cacao farms, three in Manabi and one in Guayas, with cacao pods and leaves sampled under… (n=4) |
| 25 | Jaćimović et al. 2022. Antioxidant Activity and Multi-Elemental Analysis of Dark Chocolate, Foods 2022, 11(10): 1445 | 2022 | Peer-reviewed | Contribution to this topic remains under review; see the source record for its reported scope. |
| 26 | Jia et al. 2022. Fast Detection of Cadmium in Chocolate by Solid Sampling Electrothermal Vaporization Atomic Absorption Spectrometry and Its Application on Dietary Exposure Risk Assessment, Molecules 2022, 27, 6197 | 2022 | Peer-reviewed | Contribution to this topic remains under review; see the source record for its reported scope. |
| 27 | Wade et al. 2022. Drivers of cadmium accumulation in Theobroma cacao L. beans: A quantitative synthesis of soil-plant relationships across the Cacao Belt, PLOS ONE | 2022 | Peer-reviewed | EC/PE/CO Cd occurrence in 489 site-years from 31 studies across 10 cacao-producing countries; 2,127 observations compiled from systematic literature search (n=2127) |
| 28 | Amjad et al. 2021. Determination of Heavy Metals in Locally Available Chocolates in Lahore Region, Turkish Journal of Agriculture - Food Science and Technology | 2021 | Peer-reviewed | PK Pb, Ni, Cr, Cd occurrence in Thirty locally available chocolate samples collected from shops and markets in Lahore, Pakistan (n=30) |
| 29 | Beyhan et al. 2021. Determination Essential and Toxic Metals in Bitter, Milk and White Chocolate Samples from Eight Different Manufacturers, Süleyman Demirel Üniversitesi Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü Dergisi 2021, 25(2): 459-465 | 2021 | Peer-reviewed | Contribution to this topic remains under review; see the source record for its reported scope. |
| 30 | EU 2021. Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/1323 of 10 August 2021 amending Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 as regards maximum levels of cadmium in certain foodstuffs, Official Journal of the European Union (OJ L 288, 11.8.2021, p. 13–18) | 2021 | Regulation | Contribution to this topic remains under review; see the source record for its reported scope. |
| 31 | Ferreira et al. 2021. Cd and Pb in cocoa beans: Occurrence and effects of chocolate processing, Food Control 119, 107455 | 2021 | Peer-reviewed | BR/EC/CI Cd, Pb occurrence in 90 fermented and dried cocoa-bean batches from Brazil (Bahia n=33, Pará n=29, Espírito Santo n=4, Rondônia n=8), Côte… (n=90) |
| 32 | Abt et al. 2020. Perspective on Cadmium and Lead in Cocoa and Chocolate, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry | 2020 | Peer-reviewed | US/international Cd, Pb concentrations |
| 33 | Elsheikh et al. 2020. Evaluation of Some Toxic and Essential Trace Elements in Children Foods and Infant Formulae by Using ICP-OES, Asian Journal of Chemistry 32(6):1273-1278 | 2020 | Peer-reviewed | SA Al, Pb, Cd, tAs, Mn, Ni, V, Si, Ba occurrence in Fifty-seven samples covering 19 different brands purchased in Turabah province, Saudi Arabia: 3 brands of infant formula (including… (n=57) |
| 34 | Oliveira 2020. Cádmio e chumbo em amêndoas e produtos derivados de cacau, Instituto de Tecnologia de Alimentos, master’s dissertation, Campinas | 2020 | Thesis | Contribution to this topic remains under review; see the source record for its reported scope. |
| 35 | EC 2019. Cadmium in Chocolate (European Commission consumer information leaflet), European Commission, Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (consumer information leaflet) | 2019 | Government guidance | Contribution to this topic remains under review; see the source record for its reported scope. |
| 36 | Fechner et al. 2019. Dietary exposure assessment of aluminium and cadmium from cocoa in relation to cocoa origin, PLoS ONE | 2019 | Peer-reviewed | DE/EU Al, Cd concentrations (n=12482) |
| 37 | Meter et al. 2019. Cadmium in Cacao from Latin America and the Caribbean: A Review of Research and Potential Mitigation Solutions, Bioversity International / CAF Development Bank of Latin America | 2019 | Government report | EC/CO/PE Cd concentrations |
| 38 | Vanderschueren et al. 2019. The elemental composition of chocolates is related to cacao content and origin: a multi-element fingerprinting analysis of single origin chocolates, Journal of Food Composition and Analysis 2019, article 103277 (author accepted manuscript; volume and pages not printed in the file) | 2019 | Peer-reviewed | Contribution to this topic remains under review; see the source record for its reported scope. |
| 39 | Abt et al. 2018. Cadmium and Lead in Cocoa Powder and Chocolate Products in the U.S. Market, Food Additives & Contaminants: Part B Surveillance | 2018 | Peer-reviewed | US Cd, Pb concentrations |
| 40 | Kataoka et al. 2018. Surveillance of Cadmium Concentration in Chocolate and Cocoa Powder Products Distributed in Japan, Food Hygiene and Safety Science | 2018 | Peer-reviewed | JP Cd occurrence in Retail chocolate and cocoa powder products purchased online or at supermarkets in Tokyo and surrounding areas, April 2015… (n=320) |
| 41 | Grimaldi 2017. Proposition 65 Settlement May Establish New Industry Standard for Lead and Cadmium in Chocolate, Grimaldi Law Offices (San Francisco) — attorney commentary article | 2017 | News | Contribution to this topic remains under review; see the source record for its reported scope. |
| 42 | Shkhaier 2017. Cadmium , nickel and lead in chocolates and candies from Baghdad markets in Iraq., Al Mustansiriyah Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences (AJPS) 2017, 17(1): 204-211 | 2017 | Peer-reviewed | Contribution to this topic remains under review; see the source record for its reported scope. |
| 43 | Stahl et al. 2017. Migration of aluminum from food contact materials to food - a health risk for consumers? Part I of III: exposure to aluminum, release of aluminum, tolerable weekly intake (TWI), toxicological effects of aluminum, study design, and methods, Environmental Sciences Europe | 2017 | Peer-reviewed | DE/EU Al occurrence in Hessian State Laboratory aluminum results for 1,825 foodstuff samples across 30 product groups, plus Part I study-design context… (n=1825) |
| 44 | Ramtahal et al. 2016. Relationships between cadmium in tissues of cacao trees and soils in plantations of Trinidad and Tobago, Food and Nutrition Sciences | 2016 | Peer-reviewed | TT Cd concentrations (n=45) |
| 45 | Vitola et al. 2016. The Effect of Cocoa Beans Heavy and Trace Elements on Safety and Stability of Confectionery Products, Rural Sustainability Research 35(330):19-23 | 2016 | Peer-reviewed | CM/EC/NG tHg, tAs, Pb, Cd, Al, Zn, Se occurrence in Forastero cocoa-bean lots from Cameroon, Ecuador, Nigeria, and Ghana, sampled from 10 bags per origin and analyzed with… (n=4) |
| 46 | EFSA 2015. Scientific Opinion on the risks to public health related to the presence of nickel in food and drinking water, EFSA Journal 2015;13(2):4002, 202 pp. | 2015 | Government report | EU Ni occurrence in 18,885 food samples and 25,700 drinking water samples (final dataset after exclusions) submitted to EFSA from 15 European… (n=18885) |
| 47 | EU 2015. Commission Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006, consolidated text of 21 May 2015, EUR-Lex consolidated text, CELEX 02006R1881-20150521 | 2015 | Government report | Contribution to this topic remains under review; see the source record for its reported scope. |
| 48 | EFSA 2012. Cadmium dietary exposure in the European population, EFSA Journal 2012;10(1):2551 | 2012 | Government report | EU Cd occurrence in Cadmium occurrence results in food submitted to EFSA from 22 EU Member States, 3 European Economic Area or… (n=178541) |
| 49 | Grembecka et al. 2012. Differentiation of Confectionery Products Based on Mineral Composition, Food Analytical Methods 2012, 5: 250-259 | 2012 | Peer-reviewed | Contribution to this topic remains under review; see the source record for its reported scope. |
| 50 | Zealand 2011. The 23rd Australian Total Diet Study, Food Standards Australia New Zealand | 2011 | Government report | AU/NZ Al, tAs, iAs, Cd, Pb, tHg, iHg, MeHg occurrence in Ninety-two Australian foods and beverages, including tap and bottled water, represented by 570 composite samples; each composite used… (n=570) |
| 51 | Manton 2006. Sources of Lead in Cocoa and Chocolate (correspondence, with reply: Lead in Cocoa and Chocolate: Rankin and Flegal Respond), Environmental Health Perspectives 114(5): A274–A275 (Correspondence) | 2006 | Letter | Contribution to this topic remains under review; see the source record for its reported scope. |
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