Chocolate maker Hershey has been sued in the US over claims that the firm is selling products containing harmful levels of the metal.
The lawsuit, brought by Christopher Lazzaro, alleges the firm misled consumers by failing to disclose the amounts of lead and cadmium in three dark chocolate bars.
He claimed that if he had known, he would not have bought the product.
Hershey did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Some studies suggest that the antioxidants and relatively low levels of sugar in dark chocolate may help prevent heart disease.
But the lawsuit refers to recent findings from US magazine Consumer Reports (CR), which tested 28 dark chocolate bars for lead and cadmium.
The magazine alleged that 23 of them, including Hershey's, Godiva's and Lindt's chocolates, contained "comparatively high levels" of the metals.
"For 23 times, eating just one ounce (28 grams) a day would put an adult at a level that public health officials and CR experts say is harmful for at least one of those heavy metals." Maybe," it claimed.
Specifically, Hershey's Special Dark bars and 70% of Lilly's bars had high levels of lead, while 85% of Lilly's bars had high levels of lead and cadmium.
"Any food can contain heavy metals if they are present in high concentrations in the soil," nutritionist Sheeba Majmudar told the BBC.
“There is currently no food law that says all food batches need to be tested – unless they make you sick. While there is no safe level of toxins, it has always been a 'buyer beware' slogan that comes to mind."
Mr. Lazzaro's lawsuit, filed Wednesday in a New York federal court, alleges he underpaid or underpaid Hershey's Special Dark Mildly Sweet Chocolate, Lilly's Extra Dark Chocolate 70% Cacao and Lilly's Extreme Dark Chocolate bars. wanted to
Hershey bought low-sugar treat maker Lilly's last June, calling it "a great addition to Hershey's growing portfolio of better-for-you snacking brands."
The lawsuit argues, "Consumers trust [Hershey] to be truthful about ingredients."
It added that "people are concerned about what is in the food they are putting into their bodies," while parents and carers "are concerned about what they may be exposing the children in their care to". feeding".
Mr Lazzaro is seeking at least $5m (£4.2m) in damages from Hershey in a proposed class action lawsuit.
Lawyers for Hershey and Mr Lazzaro did not immediately respond to the BBC's requests for comment.
Source link bbc news
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