The chocolate brand Hershey’s has been taken to court in the United States because its dark chocolate allegedly contains harmful amounts of heavy metals, US media including CNBC report.
In the study which formed the basis of the US lawsuit, heavy metals were also reported in dark chocolate manufactured by other brands, including Lindt and Godiva, the originally Belgian brand which is now owned by Turkey’s Yildiz holding company.
The plaintiff, a New York consumer, is basing his suit on a recent study in the American magazine Consumer Report (CR), which tested 28 kinds of dark chocolate for the presence of lead and cadmium. The study found that 23 varieties contained “similarly high levels” of these heavy metals.
If an adult were to eat just one ‘ounce’ (28 grammes) per day, they would be exposed to levels of these heavy metals considered harmful by health authorities, it added.
In particular, the Hershey’s Special Dark and Lily’s 70% chocolate bars were said to contain high levels of lead. Lily’s 85% also reportedly had high levels of cadmium.
The plaintiff, Christopher Lazazzaro, charged that he was misled by the manufacturer. He contended that he would not have purchased the products had he known about their metal content.
Lazazzaro went to court in New York earlier this week and is demanding $500 million in damages. Hershey’s has not yet responded.
