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Heavy Metal in Most Chocolates May Not Pose Health Risk, Researchers Say

A worker cools chocolate during a manufacturing process in Belgium, May 15, 2024. (Reuters)
A worker cools chocolate during a manufacturing process in Belgium, May 15, 2024. (Reuters)
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Heavy Metal in Most Chocolates May Not Pose Health Risk, Researchers Say

A worker cools chocolate during a manufacturing process in Belgium, May 15, 2024. (Reuters)
A worker cools chocolate during a manufacturing process in Belgium, May 15, 2024. (Reuters)

Concentrations of heavy metals found in single servings of some chocolates and cocoa-based products are too low in most cases to pose a health risk to consumers, research set to be published on Thursday in the journal Frontiers shows.

Some consumer groups and independent test agencies have previously reported heavy metal contamination in cocoa products such as dark chocolate, with possible causes being the type of soil where cocoa is grown and industrial processing.

Yet researchers at the George Washington University School of Medicine and ConsumerLab.com found that 70 of the 72 cocoa-containing products they analyzed fell below limits set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for lead contamination.

They said the findings of their study showed the products may not pose a health risk when consumed as single servings, though larger portions could exceed strict California limits set in a law known as Prop 65.

The recommended single serving for chocolate is about 1 oz to 2 oz (30 gm to 60 gm).

"If contaminated products as a whole are consumed in small amounts and infrequently by most, these contaminants may not be a public health concern," read the paper, which concluded with a call for more testing of consumer products.

"In contrast, if many such products are consumed fairly regularly by the average consumer, the additive exposure may be a public health concern."

US chocolate industry group the National Confectioners Association said the research confirms that "chocolate and cocoa are safe to eat and can be enjoyed as treats as they have been for centuries."

The long-running research analyzed 72 products for potential contamination with heavy metals such as lead, cadmium and arsenic in four different cohorts in 2014, 2016, 2019 and 2022.

"Median concentrations of each metal tested were lower than even the conservative Prop 65," they added, referring to the strict California legislation on food contamination used as a benchmark for the study.

"However, consuming some of the products tested, or more than one serving per day in combination with non-cocoa derived sources ... may add up to exposure that would exceed the Prop 65 (limits)."

The researchers used the California legislation because it sets limits on contamination for the three types of heavy metals tested, while the FDA regulation only sets limits for lead.

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Crickets Get Crunchy as Singapore Approves Edible Insects Amid Food Security Push 

A chef garnishes a plate of fried rice with house crickets during a showcase of insect-based dishes at the House of Seafood restaurant in Singapore July 16, 2024. (Reuters)
A chef garnishes a plate of fried rice with house crickets during a showcase of insect-based dishes at the House of Seafood restaurant in Singapore July 16, 2024. (Reuters)
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Crickets Get Crunchy as Singapore Approves Edible Insects Amid Food Security Push 

A chef garnishes a plate of fried rice with house crickets during a showcase of insect-based dishes at the House of Seafood restaurant in Singapore July 16, 2024. (Reuters)
A chef garnishes a plate of fried rice with house crickets during a showcase of insect-based dishes at the House of Seafood restaurant in Singapore July 16, 2024. (Reuters)

At Singapore's House of Seafood restaurant, the fish-head curry comes with a side of crunchy crickets, the tofu has bugs crawling out of it and the patrons can't get enough.

The seaside restaurant is the first eatery to put insects on the menu after the city state's stringent food authority this month approved for human consumption 16 species ranging from crickets to grasshoppers, grubs and mealworms after two years of deliberation.

Crickets and other insects have long been enjoyed as street food in Southeast Asia, but not in the wealthy financial hub, where food imports come with strict restrictions for safety and hygiene purposes.

Francis Ng, chief executive of House of Seafood, said customers love it when the dishes play up the insects, like that tofu dish he plated to look like bugs were crawling out of it, and a dish of glutinous rice balls studded with silkworms.

"It looks scarier so customers can film for their Tiktok," said Ng, adding that his phone has been ringing off the hook with customers eager to book a tasting.

The restaurant has drafted a menu with 30 dishes that feature insects, which they can sell to the general public once their importers are approved by the food authority. For now, Ng is offering free samples.

In 2019, Singapore declared it was aiming to produce 30% of its nutritional needs by 2030 instead of the current model where 90% of food is imports, and food security expert Paul Teng said insects could certainly help move towards this goal - if people got over "the yuck factor".

"Most insects are almost all protein," said Teng, who works at the Nanyang Technological University's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, adding that there needs to be local production to make this alternative protein source affordable.

"Getting people to accept insects in their diet is a challenge. But really, it's a normal food item. Let's do something about it to prepare the consumer for it," he said. "Me personally, I have no problem eating insects."

The United Nations has deemed bugs a sustainable source of protein to feed a global population estimated to swell to 9.7 billion by 2050 and global food security issues due to extreme weather and conflicts have also increased the interest in the high-quality, economical nutrition that bugs provide.

In Singapore, all insects approved for human consumption must be farmed in a controlled environment and not harvested from the wild, and cannot be fed contaminants like manure or rotten food, according to the food agency.

In tandem, the Food and Agriculture Organization has been promoting farming of insects for human consumption and animal feed, and there has been local interest to import insects, but cost remains a barrier for now: Ng said insects make up 10% of his costs at the House of Seafood, and they are all imported.

"The price is definitely higher than eggs," he said.

It's too early to tell if insects will become a feature of the Singapore diet or whether demand will fizzle out as it has for fake meat products.

But for now, some diners say they are happy to develop a taste for bugs.

"If they have a higher source of protein, why not? I'll add it to my daily meal and daily food intake," said Bregria Sim, a 23-year-old a logistics executive, adding she would pay around S$40 ($30) for the novelty dishes.