Hershey ‘evaluating’ if it can eliminate lead, cadmium in its chocolate: CFO – National | 24CA News

Hershey is trying to cut back “trace” quantities of lead and cadmium in its chocolate, chief monetary officer Steve Voskiul instructed Reuters on Wednesday, after Consumer Reports discovered that some darkish chocolate bars had doubtlessly dangerous ranges of the heavy metals.

Consumer Reports, a nonprofit client group, examined chocolate bars together with these made by Hershey late final 12 months and located that a few of them contained presumably dangerous ranges of lead, cadmium or each for individuals who eat multiple ounce per day.

The hint quantities of the metals present in some chocolate are “below any recommended level, any standard,” Voskuil mentioned, including that lead and cadmium are parts in soil and might naturally happen within the product.

“Depending on where you source, you may get relatively more lead or cadmium in West Africa versus South America, but in both cases it’s a naturally occurring ingredient,” Voskuil mentioned.

“We would love to eradicate it completely and continue to look for opportunities in the process, is there more we can do there,” he mentioned on the sidelines of the Reese’s makers’ investor day.

Consumer Reports discovered that Hershey’s Lily’s extraordinarily darkish chocolate 85 per cent cocoa bar was excessive in lead and cadmium. Its Hershey’s Special Dark mildly candy chocolate and Lily’s additional darkish chocolate 70 per cent had been additionally excessive in lead in response to the report.

Voskuil mentioned the manufacturing and cleansing course of for cocoa beans removes the “vast majority” of lead and cadmium.

Hershey is “evaluating” if it will probably take away extra of the metals via extra cleansing of cocoa beans or alternate sourcing, he mentioned.

“Despite the cleaning process we’re also always looking, are there other things we can do to reduce it even lower,” Voskuil mentioned.

Hershey faces a number of lawsuits from shoppers who declare the chocolate maker ought to have disclosed the degrees of heavy metals, and that they might have paid much less for or not purchased the merchandise had they recognized.