Heart of the Earth Cacao Pre Ground Paste is being recalled for high lead levels, at 0.671 parts per million in cacao (chocolate). According to FDA regulations, foods can only have 0.1 ppm of lead, mostly because small children eat a lot of chocolate and they are most affected by this heavy metal. There is no word on whether or not any illnesses have been reported, since this recall notice was posted on the FDA’s Enforcement Reports page.
There is no safe level of lead consumption. This metal can cause serious health effects, including lowered IQ and learning disabilities.
The product is 100% pure cacao (chocolate) which is not ready for consumption. In most cases it is made into a chocolate drink with hot water using a blender.
The recalled product was sold at the retail level in these states: California, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, Oregon, Texas, Utah, and Wisconsin. It is Heart of the Earth Cacao Pre Ground Paste with a net weight of 16 ounces (454 grams). The cacao is packaged in Kraft paper heat sealed stand-up pouch bags with an inner plastic liner, The SKU number on the label is PC-GRUCCP-1LB. The lot number that is printed on the label is 506, with the best by date of June 18, 2026. This cacao paste is a product of Guatemala. No pictures of the product were provided in the recall notice.
If you purchased this product, do not eat it. You can throw it away in a secure trash can with a tight fitting lid, or you can take it back to the store where you bought t for a full refund.
