Chocolate regulations to be tightened

  • By Chiu Chih-jou and Jake Chung / Reporter, with editor-in-chief

The overall residual cadmium content in chocolate will be limited in line with international standards set by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said yesterday.

A draft amendment to the Health Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Foods (Health Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Foods) stipulates that the total volume of dried coca solids or powder shall determine the residual amount of cadmium in chocolate products.

The amendment separates residual cadmium into five levels, stipulating that 20 to 30 percent of coca solids can contain only 0.3 mg/kg of residual cadmium, 30 to 50 percent can contain 0.7 mg/kg, 50 to 70 percent can contain 0.8 mg/kg, 70 percent and above can contain 0.9 mg/kg, and cocoa powder can contain 2 mg/kg.

Photo: Chiu Chih-jou, Taipei Times

The amendment was proposed citing research from George Washington University showing that more than 40 percent of dark chocolate products were contaminated with lead and cadmium, with some products containing more than 6.5 times the permitted amount of residual heavy metals.

Last year, the Consumer Foundation inspected dark chocolate products for heavy metal residues. It found that some products exceeded the recommended amount and that the ministry had no regulations in place to limit excess heavy metals in chocolate products.

Food and Drug Administration Deputy Director General Lin Chin-fu (林金富) said the amount of residual cadmium is determined by the species of cocoa beans used, the environment in which they grow and the total amount of cocoa solids used.

Lin said international regulations often use the amount of cocoa solids as the basis for regulatory policies.

As the majority of chocolate products in Taiwan are imported, the agency will seek opinions and, if necessary, introduce new amendments to maintain food safety, he said, adding that there would be a 60-day period, which began yesterday, to gather opinions from the public and experts.

If the draft amendment does not provoke a negative reaction, it is expected to be promulgated by Jan. 1 next year, Lin said.

All chocolate products in circulation will have to comply with the new standards as soon as they are promulgated, regardless of when they were manufactured, he said.

Additional reporting from ACN

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