Overview

• In a typical day, two Bjorg chocolate-filled biscuits, a bowl of Chocapic and a cup of Poulain hot chocolate would give a 10-year-old nearly half the daily cadmium dose linked to potential health risk.
• The association notes that products tested met current maximum cadmium limits, yet combining several items can still lead consumers to exceed the tolerable intake.
• Anses sets the cadmium toxicological reference at 0.35 microgram per kilogram of body weight per day for a substance classified as a carcinogen that accumulates and can damage kidneys and bones.
• Organic chocolate often contains higher cadmium levels, and the group advises choosing organic bars whose cocoa beans are not sourced from Latin America where soils are naturally richer in cadmium.
• Bjorg and Carambar&Co confirmed the measured levels and Nestlé said cadmium can occur as traces in raw materials, while Anses expects to publish a population exposure assessment by year-end.