Worst tier · Cocoa / cacao
Droste Cacao Powder (Dutch-process)
CR Oct-2023: highest lead reading in the entire 48-product chocolate panel — ~324% of CA Prop 65 lead MADL per 1 Tbsp.
AvoidCR's worst single reading across the entire chocolate suite — avoid.
Why it ranks
Consumer Reports tested 48 chocolate products in October 2023 (powders, bars, hot cocoas, mixes). Droste Cacao Powder, a Dutch-process (alkalized) cocoa, came in highest in the entire panel for lead — about 324% of California's Prop 65 Maximum Allowable Daily Limit per 1 Tbsp. The warning is based on CR's measured product result; Dutch-process is descriptive here, not proof that alkalization itself caused the result. There is no defensible daily-use case for this product if you care about heavy metal load.
Highlights
- Distinct dark color and mellow flavor (because it is alkalized)
Caveats
- CR Oct-2023: highest lead reading in 48-product chocolate panel — ~324% Pb MADL
- Dutch-processed (alkalized) cocoa — this exact CR-tested product was elevated; do not infer all Dutch-process powders fail
- Daily 1 Tbsp use exceeds CA Prop 65 lead reference dose by ~3×
- Switch to Navitas Organics natural cacao for the cleanest CR tier
- No official/live exact product image source verified today, so the old unverified product-photo asset is no longer displayed
Testing method
CR triplicate ICP-MS — Pb & Cd vs CA Prop 65 MADLs