In October 2023, Consumer Reports tested 48 chocolate products (including cocoa powders, chocolate chips, milk chocolate bars, brownie/cake mixes, and hot cocoa mixes) for lead, cadmium, arsenic, and mercury. • Hot cocoa mixes specifically: 4 of the 6 tested exceeded Consumer Reports’ lead limit (based on California’s Maximum Allowable Dose Level of 0.5 micrograms of lead per day from food). • Walmart Great Value Milk Chocolate Flavor Hot Cocoa Mix had the highest lead level among the mixes tested — reported as 345% of the limit (over 3 times). Other high ones included Starbucks Hot Cocoa Classic (~159%), Trader Joe’s Organic Hot Cocoa Mix (~112%), and Nestlé Rich Milk Chocolate Flavor Hot Cocoa Mix (~108%). • Lower/safer options in the test: Swiss Miss Milk Chocolate Flavor Hot Cocoa Mix and Ghirardelli Premium Hot Cocoa Mix. • Cadmium was detected but did not exceed the limit in the hot cocoa mixes. No concerning arsenic or mercury levels were found overall. Consumer Reports used California’s protective standards because there are no federal limits for lead/cadmium in most foods. They note that every product tested had detectable lead and cadmium, but levels varied. About lead and health risks • Lead can harm the brain and nervous system, especially in children and during pregnancy (linked to developmental delays, lower IQ, learning/behavior problems, etc.). • No safe blood lead level is known — this is the clear position of the CDC and other health authorities. Even low levels can cause harm. Primary source / links • Original Consumer Reports article (Oct 25, 2023): A Third of Chocolate Products Are High in Heavy Metals, CR’s Tests Find consumerreports.org/health/f…