Cocoa is often cultivated on volcanic soils, such as in South America. The cocoa plant benefits from the rich nutrients such as iron, calcium, magnesium and sodium in these soils. These fertile soils also naturally contain cadmium, which is absorbed by the roots of the cocoa trees into the beans. Dark chocolate with a high cocoa content can therefore contain small amounts of cadmium. This eventually enters the human body in very small amounts through the food chain.
Since cadmium is among the undesirable substances in food, the EU and Switzerland have established clear limitations for cadmium content in chocolate products. This ensures the safety of consuming dark chocolate. The setting of cadmium limitations is based on scientific assessments by recognised health authorities such as the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO) in Switzerland. These limitations were established taking into account health risks and the long-term effects of cadmium. Thus, chocolate consumption poses no health risks as long as these statutory requirements are met.
The cadmium limitations in Switzerland are defined as follows:
HALBA sources cocoa from various countries of origin - within these, from sometimes different regions - and is aware of the cadmium content of each cocoa variety being processed. Regular analyses guarantee that these values are always up to date. Moreover, these values are taken into consideration when creating new recipes. Thus, HALBA guarantees legally impeccable and high-quality chocolate - for enjoyment without any concerns.