Chocolate Chips, Cocoa Powder, Brownie, & Cake Mix — Safest Products Guide

Where do you find the safest milk chocolate, chocolate chips, cocoa powder, brownie, and chocolate cake mix with lower levels of heavy metals lead & cadmium? The answer to this question can only be found when EPA-certified laboratories are testing chocolate for lead and cadmium and sharing those results. Today, we are reporting on a consumer study on chocolate released by Consumer Reports and bringing you the safest products. You’ve trusted Mamavation to bring you topics like butter without PFAS “forever chemicals” in packaging, dairy with the lowest levels of phthalates, and best water purifiers, now join us as we break down the latest consumer study on milk chocolate, chocolate chips, cocoa powder, brownie, & chocolate cake mixes with an inclusion of the ingredients for you to study as a guide.

Disclosure: This post was medically reviewed by Sondra Strand, RN, BSN, PHN. This post also contains affiliate links. Mamavation is an Amazon Associate, so we receive proceeds from links that go to Amazon. We use this to pay for research, labs, and the daily functions of the site. Thank you! 

Study on Chocolate, Chocolate Chips, Cocoa Powder, Brownie, & Chocolate Cake Mix Had High Levels of Heavy Metals

Consumer Reports tested 48 different chocolate products in seven categories — cocoa powder, chocolate chips, milk chocolate bars, and mixes for brownies, chocolate cake, and hot chocolate. Most of these brands represented national brands like Hershey’s, Ghirardelli, and Nestlé and also from national retailers like Costco, Target, Trader Joe’s, Walmart, and Whole Foods. Last year, they also released chocolate results but focused primarily on dark chocolate.

Overall, it’s pretty clear that dark chocolate is the most problematic of all the chocolate categories with the most lead and cadmium present in amounts that can be problematic to health. James Rogers, PhD, Director and Acting Head of Product Safety Testing at Consumer Reports (and also a friend of Mamavation) had this to say: “Every product we tested had detectable amounts of lead and cadmium. Sixteen of the 48 products had amounts above CR’s levels of concern for at least one of the heavy metals–in some cases more than twice our limit–but we did find safer options in each category of chocolate products.”

Exposure to heavy metals is of greatest concern to pregnant women and children. This is because the brain and nervous system are the most vulnerable at this time. Exposure to heavy metals at this vulnerable time is linked to developmental delays, learning, and behavioral problems. For adults, they run a risk of immune system suppression, reproductive issues, kidney damage, and hypertension.

Is All Chocolate Tainted with Heavy Metals Like Lead and Cadmium?

Is all chocolate tainted with heavy metals? Mostly yes, but the levels vary. There are some brands that have lower levels that are underneath what the State of California is concerned about, while other brands have levels of lead and/or cadmium that would be considered detrimental to health. Some non-profits like As You Sow have been on the front lines testing and litigating chocolate companies. After several years of litigation, negotiations, and additional testing by industry, a settlement was reached including funding a multi-year study with mutually agreed upon experts to find the root cause of the heavy metals problems. In this study, they were able to figure out how lead and cadmium were contaminating chocolate and suggest mitigation efforts on how to clean it up.

Here are some of the main takeaways from that study:

• Lead: This heavy metal can be deposited on the cocoa beans after harvest from dust and soil as beans dry outdoors. The surrounding area and the amount of lead naturally or unnaturally in the soil can have an impact on the amount carried by wind. For instance, some issues that can cause higher lead contamination are the following scenarios: “the burning of leaded gasoline and diesel fuel, from leaded paint, the burning of plastics and/or garbage, the operation of smelters and other industrial processes, use of fertilizers, and emissions from coal-fired power plants, among others.” Mitigation efforts here focus on being more careful in handling and drying the beans to prevent cross-contamination with lead.
• Cadmium: This heavy metal is found in various levels in different soils based on prior farming practices and geographic areas with naturally higher cadmium levels. For instance, cocoa coming from Latin American and Caribbean farms typically have higher amounts of cadmium than farms from West Africa. According to reporting, “Mitigating this contamination includes changing the Ph of the soil, switching out tree stocks, reducing metals contamination from fertilizers and other inputs including water.”

So how bad is most chocolate? California has the strictest standards in the world in terms of heavy metals, however, other experts say there are no safe levels of heavy metals around children or pregnant women. This makes it difficult to make sense of how much chocolate to eat because not everyone will react to the amounts of heavy metals in chocolate, but some people in the population absolutely will. Therefore, calculating the amount of chocolate that is safe or risky to eat is very complicated. Not to mention the fact that chocolate is not the only source of heavy metals one is exposed to on a daily basis. Foods like carrots, sweet potatoes, and spinach are also high in heavy metals.

Finally, levels of heavy metals can vary from brand to brand and likely from batch to batch. The problem we are concerned about is the overall general amounts of heavy metals that are presently found today. Thus, decreasing your intake of chocolate, especially dark chocolate, is very wise.

Mamavation’s Investigation of Chocolate, Chocolate Chips, Cocoa Powder, & Chocolate Cake Mix

Mamavation took the raw data from both years of Consumer Reports testing of chocolate, including dark chocolate that was tested last year. Here are the levels they were concerned with. We combined this with additional testing done by As You Sow in 2022 to create a handy list for you. The rankings were as follows:

• Not Our Favorite Chocolate Products: These chocolate products had problematic amounts of both lead and cadmium according to Consumer Reports.
• Better Chocolate Products: These chocolate products had high amounts of either lead OR cadmium, but not both according to Consumer Reports. Check the ingredients for your personal preferences, because we have provided them.
• Best Chocolate Products: These chocolate products had the lowest levels of lead and cadmium and would be considered a “safer” choice according to Consumer Reports. Check the ingredients for your personal preferences, because we have provided them.

Please note we are only rating these products via heavy metal contamination and thus we have included the ingredients of products in the better and best section so you can make better decisions with that in mind. Avoiding heavy metals in excess would be more important than avoiding additives and preservatives based on the studied health outcomes. But you’ll be able to find brands that meet both of your requirements easily if you pay attention to the ingredients provided in this report below.

We have also provided the raw data from the Consumer Reports study. Consumer Reports explains “we list the percentages of the standard MADL levels for lead and cadmium supplied in one serving of the foods.” CR’s scientists measured heavy metal content against California’s standard levels. Presently, there are no federal limits for the amount of lead and cadmium most foods can contain. California’s standard levels are the most protective available so that was what was used.

Not Our Favorite Chocolate Products

These chocolate products had problematic amounts of both lead and cadmium according to Consumer Reports. Organic products are marked with a **. We list the percentages of the standard MADL levels for lead and cadmium supplied in one serving of the food from their study.

Not Our Favorite Milk Chocolate

• No “not our favorite” milk chocolate brands. Most milk chocolate brands had either lower levels of heavy metals OR only had concentrations in one category of heavy metals, not both.

Not Our Favorite Dark Chocolate

• Evolved Signature Dark 72% Cocoa (236% lead and 149% cadmium)
• **Green & Black’s Organic Dark Chocolate 70% Cacao (143% lead and 181% cadmium)
• Lily’s Extremely Dark Chocolate 85% Cocoa (143% lead and 101% cadmium)
• **Theo Organic Pure Dark 70% Cocoa (120% lead and 142% cadmium)
• Trader Joe’s The Dark Chocolate Lover’s Chocolate 85% Cacao (127% lead and 229% cadmium)
• **Theo Organic Extra Dark Pure Dark Chocolate 85% Cocoa (140% lead and 189% cadmium)

Not Our Favorite Chocolate Chips

• No “not our favorite” chocolate chip brands. Most chocolate chip brands had either lower levels of heavy metals OR only had concentrations in one category of heavy metals, not both.

Not Our Favorite Cocoa Powder

• No “not our favorite” cocoa powder brands. Most cocoa powder brands had either lower levels of heavy metals OR only had concentrations in one category of heavy metals, not both.

Not Our Favorite Brownie or Chocolate Cake Mix

• No “not our favorite” brownie or chocolate cake mix. Most brownie and chocolate cake mix brands had either lower levels of heavy metals OR only had concentrations in one category of heavy metals, not both.

Better Chocolate Products

These chocolate products had high amounts of either lead OR cadmium, but not both according to Consumer Reports. Please make sure to pay close attention to the ingredients of each product to ensure you are getting exactly what you want. We have ranked products based on heavy metal contamination and thus we left information about the ingredients for you to compare on your own. Organic selections are marked with a **. We list the percentages of the standard MADL levels for lead and cadmium supplied in one serving of the food from their study.

Better Milk Chocolate

• No better milk chocolate brands. Most milk chocolate brands had lower levels of lead and cadmium.

Better Dark Chocolate

High in Lead Only

• Chocolove Extreme Dark Chocolate 88% Cocoa (240% lead and 83% cadmium)(Ingredients: cocoa liquor, sugar, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, vanilla)
• Chocolove Strong Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa (152% lead and 60% cadmium)(Ingredients: Cocoa Liquor**, Sugar, Cocoa Butter**, Soy Lecithin, Vanilla)
• Divine 85% Exquisitely Smooth Dark Chocolate (120% lead and 56% cadmium)(Ingredients: cocoa mass, cocoa butter, sugar, cocoa powder, sunflower lecithin (emulsifier), vanilla)
• Endangered Species Bold + Silky Dark Chocolate 72% Cocoa (181% lead and 31% cadmium)(Ingredients: cocoa mass, cocoa butter, unbleached water-filtered beet sugar, soy lecithin, natural vanilla, natural flavoring.)
• Godiva Signature Dark Chocolate 72% Cacao (146% lead and 25% cadmium)(Ingredients: unsweetened chocolate, sugar, cocoa butter, cocoa powder, emulsifier (soy lecithin, butter oil, milk))
• **Hu Organic Simple Dark Chocolate 70% Cacao (210% lead and 56% cadmium)(Ingredients: Organic Fairtrade cacao, unrefined organic coconut sugar, organic Fairtrade cocoa butter.)
• Hershey’s Special Dark Mildly Sweet Chocolate (265% lead and 30% cadmium)(Ingredients: sugar, chocolate, cocoa butter, cocoa processed with alkali, milk fat, contains 2% of less of: Lecithin (soy), PGPR, natural flavor.)
• Lily’s Extra Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa (144% lead and 42% cadmium)(Ingredients: Unsweetened Cocoa, Erythritol, Inulin, Cocoa Butter, Organic Soy Lecithin, Vanilla Extract, Stevia Extract.)
• Lindt Excellence Dark Chocolate 85% Cocoa (166% lead and 80% cadmium)(Ingredients: Chocolate, cocoa powder, cocoa butter, demerara sugar, bourbon vanilla beans.)
• Perugina 70% Premium Dark Chocolate (314% lead and 82% cadmium)(Ingredients: Sugar, Cocoa Paste, Hazelnuts 11%, Vegetable Oils and Fats (Palm Kernel, Palm, Coconut, Shea, in varying proportions) – in the filling, Cocoa Butter, Whey Powder, Emulsifier (Sunflower Lecithin), Natural Vanilla Flavour.)
• Perugina 85% Premium Dark Chocolate (539% lead and 68% cadmium)(Ingredients: chocolate (processed with alkali), sugar, cocoa butter, sunflower lecithin, natural vanilla flavor, may contain milk and tree nuts).
• Tony’s Chocolonely Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa (134% lead and 28% cadmium)(Ingredients: cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, cocoa powder, soy lecithin)
• Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate 72% Cacao (192% lead and 36% cadmium)

High in Cadmium Only

• Alter Eco Organic Dark Chocolate Classic Blackout 85% Cacao (49% lead and 204% cadmium)(Ingredients: Organic cacao beans, organic cocoa butter, organic raw cane sugar, organic vanilla beans)
• Beyond Good Organic Pure Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa (42% lead and 112% cadmium)(Ingredients: Organic Cocoa Beans, Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Cocoa Butter, Organic Sunflower Lecithin (Emulsifier))
• Beyond Good Organic Pure Dark Chocolate 80% Cocoa (42% lead and 138% cadmium)(Ingredients: Cocoa Beans, Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Sunflower Lecithin (emulsifier))
• Dove Promises Deeper Dark Chocolate 70% Cacao (74% lead and 112% cadmium)(Ingredients: Semisweet chocolate (chocolate, sugar, cocoa butter, milk fat, natural flavor)
• Equal Exchange Organic Extra Dark Chocolate 80% Cacao (45% lead and 120% cadmium)(Ingredients: organic chocolate liquor, organic raw fane sugar, organic cocoa butter, organic ground vanilla beans)
• Lindt Excellence Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa (48% lead and 116% cadmium)(Ingredients: cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, vanilla Cocoa)
• **Pascha Organic Very Dark Dark Chocolate 85% Cacao (68% lead and 253% cadmium)(Ingredient: Organic Chocolate Liquor, Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Cocoa Butter)
• Scharffen Berger Extra Dark Chocolate 82% Cacao (49% lead and 136% cadmium)(Ingredients: chocolate, sugar, whole vanilla beans, non-GMO soy lecithin)
• Sam’s Choice (Walmart) Dark Chocolate 72% Cocoa (36% lead and 118% cadmium)

Better Chocolate Chips

High in Lead Only

• Good & Gather (Target) Semi-Sweet Mini Chocolate Chips (102% lead and 9% cadmium)
• Hu Dark Chocolate Gems (121% lead and 20% cadmium)(Ingredients: Organic cacao, unrefined organic coconut sugar, organic fair-trade cocoa butter.)

Better Cocoa Powder

High in Lead Only

• Droste Cacao Powder (324% lead and 41% cadmium)(Ingredients: 100% Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder)
• Hershey’s Cocoa Naturally Unsweetened 100% Cacao (125% lead and 18% cadmium)(Ingredients: cocoa)

Better Hot Chocolate

High in Lead Only

• Great Value (Walmart) Milk Chocolate Flavor Hot Cocoa Mix (345% lead and 13% cadmium)
• Nestle Rich Milk Chocolate Flavor Hot Cocoa Mix (108% lead and 10% cadmium)(Ingredients: sugar, dairy products solids (from milk), cocoa processed with alkali, corn syrup, hydrogenated vegetable oil (palm kernel, coconut, and/or soybean), and less than 2% of caramel color, cellulose gum, dipotassium phosphate, salt, acid casein (from milk), acesulfame potassium, mono- and diglycerides, sodium aluminosilicate, sucralose, DATEM, sodium-hydroxide.)
• Starbucks Hot Cocoa Classic (159% lead and 44% cadmium)(Ingredients: Cane sugar, cocoa, cocoa processed with alkali, natural vanilla flavor.)
• Trader Joe’s Organic Hot Cocoa Mix (112% lead and 88% cadmium)

Better Brownie & Chocolate Cake Mix

• No better brands. Most brownie & chocolate cake brands had lower levels of lead and cadmium.

Best Chocolate Products

These chocolate products had the lowest levels of lead and cadmium and would be considered a “safer” choice according to Consumer Reports. Please make sure to pay close attention to the ingredients of each product to ensure you are getting exactly what you want. We have ranked products based on heavy metal contamination only and thus we left information about the ingredients for you to compare on your own. Heavy metal contamination is more problematic than additives and preservatives based on studied health outcomes, however, there are plenty of brands that are “cleaner” and also lower in heavy metals. Brands with mostly organic ingredients are marked with a ** for you to easily find. We list the percentages of the standard MADL levels for lead and cadmium supplied in one serving of the food from their study.

Best Milk Chocolate

• **365 Whole Foods Market Organic Milk Chocolate (37% lead and 40% cadmium)
• Chocolove Milk Chocolate (55% lead and 8% cadmium)(Ingredients: Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Milk, Cocoa Liquor, Soy Lecithin, Vanilla.)
• Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar (67% lead and 31% cadmium)(Ingredients: milk chocolate (sugar, milk, chocolate, cocoa butter, milk fat, lecithin (soy)), PGPR, natural flavor.)
• Lindt Classic Recipe Milk Chocolate Bar (11% lead and 13% cadmium)(Ingredients: Sugar, cocoa butter, milk, chocolate, skim milk, soy lecithin (emulsifier), barley malt powder, artificial flavor)
• **Mr. Beast Bar Feastables Milk Chocolate (36% lead and 80% cadmium)(Ingredients: cane sugar, organic chocolate, organic vanilla, organic cocoa butter, organic grass-fed milk)

Best Dark Chocolate

• Ghirardelli Intense Dark Chocolate 86% Cacao (36% lead and 39% cadmium) (Ingredients: Unsweetened Chocolate, Cocoa Butter, Cane Sugar, Milk Fat, Natural Flavor, Vanilla Extract, Soy Lecithin.)
• Ghirardelli Intense Dark Chocolate Twilight Delight 72% Cacao (61% lead and 96% cadmium) (Ingredients: Unsweetened Chocolate, Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Vanilla, Soy Lecithin – an Emulsifier.)
• **Mast Organic Dark Chocolate 80% Cocoa (14% lead and 40% cadmium)(Ingredients: Organic cocoa beans, organic cane sugar, organic vanilla bean)
• Sam’s Choice (Walmart) Dark Chocolate 85% Cocoa (43% lead and 99% cadmium)
• **Taza Chocolate Organic Deliciously Dark Chocolate (70% Cacao (33% lead and 74% cadmium)(Ingredients: Organic cacao beans, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter, organic vanilla beans.)
• Valrhona Abinao Dark Chocolate 85% Cacao (63% lead and 73% cadmium) (Ingredients: Cocoa beans, sugar, cocoa butter, emulsifier: sunflower lecithin, natural vanilla extract.)

Best Chocolate Chips

• 365 Whole Foods Market Semi-Sweet Chocolate Baking Chips (46% lead and 24% cadmium)(Ingredients: Cane Sugar*, Chocolate Liquor*, Cocoa Butter*, Milkfat, Soy Lecithin (Emulsifier), Vanilla Extract*.)
• Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Mini Chips (49% lead and 36% cadmium)(Ingredients: Cane Sugar, Unsweetened Chocolate, Cocoa Butter)
• Ghirardelli Premium Baking Bittersweet Chocolate Chips 60% Cocoa (29% lead and 57% cadmium)(Ingredients: Unsweetened chocolate, sugar, cocoa butter, milk fat, soy lecithin, vanilla extract)
• Great Value (Walmart) Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (58% lead and 14% cadmium)
• Guittard Chocolate Company Extra Dark Chocolate Baking Chips (71% lead and 50% cadmium)(Ingredients: Cacao beans‡, cane sugar, sunflower lecithin, and vanilla. Free from 14 major allergens and sensitizers. ‡Fair Trade Certified by Fair Trade USA® 63% Fair Trade Certified™ Ingredients)
• Hershey’s Special Dark Chocolate Chips (65% lead and 21% cadmium)(Ingredients: sugar, chocolate, cocoa butter, cocoa processed with alkali, milk fat, contains 2% or less of: lecithin (soy), natural flavor, milk.)
• Kirkland Signature (Costco) Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (48% lead and 11% cadmium)
• Lily’s Semi-Sweet Style Baking Chips (46% lead and 45% cadmium)(Ingredients: Unsweetened Chocolate, Inulin, Erythritol, Milk Fat (rBST Free), Cocoa Butter, Sunflower Lecithin, Stevia Extract, Vanilla Extract)
• Nestle Toll House Semi-Sweet Morsels (36% lead and 37% cadmium)(Ingredients: Sugar, chocolate, cocoa butter, milkfat, soy lecithin, natural flavors.)
• Trader Joe’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (84% lead and 19% cadmium)

Best Cocoa Powder

• **365 Whole Foods Market Organic Cocoa Powder (97% lead and 93% cadmium)(Ingredients: Organic Cocoa Powder (Processed With Alkali)*)
• **BetterBody Foods Organic Cacao Powder (95% lead and 95% cadmium)(Ingredients: Organic cacao powder)
• **Navitas Organics Organic Cacao Powder (77% lead and 17% cadmium)(Ingredients: Certified organic cacao (theobroma cacao).)
• Nestle Toll House 100% Pure Cocoa (77% lead and 66% cadmium)(Ingredients: Cocoa)

Best Hot Chocolate

• Ghirardelli Premium Hot Cocoa Mix (76% lead and 17% cadmium)(Ingredients: Sugar, cocoa processed with alkali, creamer (coconut oil, maltodextrin, sodium caseinate (milk derivative), silicon dioxide, sodium citrate, soy lecithin), nonfat dry milk, whey powder, salt, guar gum, gum arabic, natural flavor (contains dairy), silicon dioxide (to prevent caking).
• Swiss Miss Milk Chocolate Flavor Hot Cocoa (80% lead and 13% cadmium)(Ingredients: Sugar, corn syrup, modified whey, cocoa (processed with alkali), hydrogenated coconut oil, non-fat milk, salt, dipotassium phosphate, mono & diglycerides, natural flavor)

Best Brownie & Chocolate Cake Mix

• **Annie’s Organic Double Chocolate Brownie Mix (47% lead and 61% cadmium)(Ingredients: Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Wheat Flour, Organic Chocolate Chips (Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Chocolate, Organic Cocoa Butter, Organic Vanilla Extract), Organic Cocoa, Organic Palm Oil, Organic Tapioca Starch, Sea Salt, Organic Natural Flavor.)
• Better Crocker Fudge Brownie Mix (34% lead and 13% cadmium) (Ingredients: Sugar, Enriched Flour Bleached (wheat flour, niacin, iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), Cocoa Processed with Alkali, Palm Oil, Corn Syrup. Contains 2% or less of: Corn Starch, Salt, Canola Oil, Carob Powder, and Artificial Flavor.)
• Better Crocker Super Moist Triple Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix (77% lead and 29% cadmium)(Ingredients: Enriched Flour Bleached (wheat flour, niacin, iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), Sugar, Cocoa Processed with Alkali (red Dutched and dark Dutched), Corn Syrup, Chocolate Chips (sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, artificial flavor), Leavening (baking soda, monocalcium phosphate, sodium aluminum phosphate). Contains 2% or less of: Modified Corn Starch, Corn Starch, Propylene Glycol Mono and Diesters, Monoglycerides, Palm Oil, Salt, Dicalcium Phosphate, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Xanthan Gum, Cellulose Gum, Carob Powder, Artificial Flavor.)
• Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate Fudge Brownie Mix (70% lead and 43% cadmium) (Ingredients: Sugar, enriched bleached wheat flour (flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), vegetable shortening (palm oil and/or partially hydrogenated soybean oil), cocoa powder processed with alkali, contains 2% or less of: wheat starch, dextrose, salt, artificial flavor, carrageenan, leavening (sodium bicarbonate))
• Duncan Hines Devil’s Food Cake Mix (90% lead and 31% cadmium) (Ingredients: Sugar, enriched bleached wheat flour (flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), vegetable oil shortening (partially hydrogenated soybean oil, propylene glycol mono- and diesters of fats, mono- and diglycerides), cocoa powder processed with alkali, dextrose, leavening (sodium bicarbonate, sodium aluminum phosphate, dicalcium phosphate, monocalcium phosphate), contains 2% or less of: modified food starch, wheat starch, salt, cellulose gum, xanthan gum, artificial flavor)
• Great Value (Walmart) Devil’s Food Chocolate Cake Mix (52% lead and 23% cadmium) (Ingredients: bleached enriched flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), sugar, cocoa processed with alkali, leavening (baking soda, calcium phosphate, sodium aluminum phosphate), contains 2% or less of: canola oil, propylene glycol esters of mono- and diesters of fats and fatty acids, mono-and diglycerides, dextrose, wheat starch, salt, corn starch, natural and artificial flavoring, cellulose, xanthan gum, modified corn starch, maltodextrin, sodium stearoyl lactylate, FD&C Yellow No. 5 and FD&C Red No. 40, cellulose gum, BHT (preservative), citric acid (preservative).)
• Krusteaz Gluten Free Double Chocolate Brownie Mix (94% lead and 24% cadmium)(Ingredients: Sugar, brown rice flour (rice flour, stabilized rice bran with germ), semi-sweet chocolate chips (sugar, unsweetened chocolate, cocoa butter, soy lecithin (emulsifier), vanilla extract), cocoa (processed with alkali), soybean oil. Less than 2% of: salt, baking soda, natural flavor.)
• Miss Jones Baking Co. Brownie Double Chocolate Baking Mix (76% lead and 36% cadmium)(Ingredients: SmartSugar (cane sugar, chicory root or tapioca fiber, tapioca syrup, monkfruit extract), Whole Wheat Flour, Chocolate Chips (sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, vanilla), Cocoa Powder, Salt, Baking Soda, Natural Vanilla Flavor. Contains: Wheat)
• Pillsbury Devil’s Food Premium Cake Mix (58% lead and 28% cadmium) (Ingredients: Enriched Bleached Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Sugar, Cocoa Processed With Alkali, Leavening (Baking Soda, Calcium Phosphate, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate), Contains 2% Or Less Of: Canola Oil, Propylene Glycol Esters Of Fatty Acids, Corn Starch, Salt, Monoglycerides, Cellulose, Cellulose Gum, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Natural And Artificial Flavor, Citric Acid And BHT (Antioxidants), Red 40.)

Safer Chocolate Candy Conventional Brands with Lower Heavy Metals

The vast majority of this testing represents what As You Sow has discovered from their testing of heavy metals in 2022.

• Cadbury Mini Eggs Milk Chocolate with a Crips Sugar Shell (0.3 ug/serving of lead & 0.2 ug/serving of cadmium)
• Chocolove Ruby Chocolate 34 Cocoa Content (0.1 ug/serving of lead & 1.6 ug/serving of cadmium)
• Chocolove Peppermint in Dark Chocolate 55 Cocoa Content (0.4 ug/serving of lead & 0.9 ug/serving of cadmium)
• Chocolove Chilies Cherries in Dark Chocolate 55 Cocoa Content (0.2 ug/serving of lead & 0.1 ug/serving of cadmium)
• Chocolove Raspberries in Dark Chocolate 55 Cocoa Content (0.3 ug/serving of lead & 0.1 us/serving of cadmium)
• Chocolove Ginger In Crystallized Dark Chocolate 65 Cocoa Content (0.3 ug/serving of lead & 0.1 ug/serving of cadmium)
• Chocolove Extreme Dark Chocolate 88 Cacao Content (0.4 ug/serving of lead & 0.1 ug/serving of cadmium)
• Chocolove Almonds Sea Salt in Dark Chocolate 55 Cocoa Content (0.4 ug/serving of lead & 0.9 ug/serving of cadmium)
• Chocolove Orange peel in Dark Chocolate 55 Cocoa Content (0.5 ug/serving of lead & 0.8 ug/serving of cadmium)
• Chuao Firecracker (0.4 ug/serving of lead & 2.4 ug/serving of cadmium)
• Dove Silky Smooth Solid Dark Chocolate Bunny (0.3 ug/serving of lead & 3.8 ug/serving of cadmium)
• Endangered Species Chocolate Natural Dark Chocolate with Cherries 72 Cocoa (0.4 ug/serving of lead & 0.1 ug/serving of cadmium)
• Ferrero Collection Fine assorted Confections (0.3 ug/serving of lead & 0.7 ug/serving of cadmium)
• Ghirardelli Chocolate Premium Baking Bar 100 Cacao Unsweetened Chocolate (0.3 ug/serving of lead & 3.3 ug/serving of cadmium)
• Ghirardelli Chocolate Premium Baking Bar 60 Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate (0.2 ug/serving of lead & 1.8 ug/serving of cadmium)
• Ghirardelli Chocolate Intense Dark Twilight Delight 72 Cacao (0.2 ug/serving of lead & 3.7 ug/serving of cadmium)
• Ghirardelli Chocolate Raspberry Dark Chocolate with Raspberry Bits (0.2 ug/serving of lead & 2.4 ug/serving of cadmium)
• Ghirardelli Chocolate 92 Cacao Dark Chocolate (0.2 ug/serving of lead & 2.4 ug/serving of cadmium)
• Ghirardelli Chocolate Intense Dark Midnight Reverie 86 Cacao (0.2 ug/serving of lead & 2.0 ug/serving of cadmium)
• Guittard Grand Cacao Sweet Ground Chocolate 53 Cacao can (0.2 ug/serving of lead & 0.8 ug/serving of cadmium)
• Guittard Unsweetened Chocolate Gourmet Baking Bars (0.1 ug/serving for lead & 3.3 ug/serving of cadmium)
• Hershey’s Kisses Milk Chocolate (0.5 ug/serving of lead & 2.8 ug/serving of cadmium)
• Hershey’s Cocoa 100 Cacao Natural Unsweetened (0.4 ug/serving of lead & 2.6 ug/serving of cadmium)
• Hershey’s Solid Milk Chocolate Bunny (0.3 ug/serving of lead & 1.2 ug/serving of cadmium)
• Lindt Gold Bunny Milk Chocolate (0.2 ug/serving of lead & 1.9 ug/serving of cadmium)
• Lindt Excellence Dark A Touch of Sea Salt (0.1 ug/serving of lead & 1.5 ug/serving of cadmium)
• Lindt Dark Chocolate Truffles (0.3 ug/serving of lead & 2.5 ug/serving of cadmium)
• M&Ms Chocolate Candies Milk Chocolate Made with Real Milk Chocolate (0.3 ug/serving of lead & 0.5 ug/serving of cadmium)
• M&Ms Dark Chocolate (0.2 ug/serving of lead & 0.8 ug/serving of cadmium)
• Ojio Organic Cacao Nibs Ethically Sourced Peru (Non-detect for lead & 0.2 ug/serving for cadmium)
• Reeses Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups (0.2 ug/serving of lead & 1.7 ug/serving of cadmium)
• Reeses Peanut Butter Bunny Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter (0.5 ug/serving of lead & 0.3 ug/serving of cadmium)
• Ritter Sport Dark Chocolate 81 Cacao Extra Intense with Cacao from Ghana (0.4 ug/serving of lead & 1.8 ug/serving of cadmium)
• Russell Stover Milk Chocolate Bunny (0.3 ug/serving of lead & 0.6 us/serving of cadmium)
• Snickers Bar (0.2 ug/serving of lead & 0.6 ug/serving of cadmium)
• Toblerone of Switzerland Milk Chocolate with Honey and Almond Nougat (0.1 ug/serving of lead & 0.7 ug/serving of cadmium)