Issues > March/April 2006 (#113) > News Flash: Dagoba Chocolate Recalled Due to High Lead Levels

News Flash: Dagoba Chocolate Recalled Due to High Lead Levels

With Easter coming up next week, make sure that you and your child avoid contaminated Dagoba candies. High levels of lead have been found in Dagoba Chocolate's "Eclipse 87%," "Los Rios 68%" and "Prima Materia 100%" dark chocolate products prompting their immediate recall from store shelves.

Dagoba has learned that the chocolates have had high lead levels since November; however, it hasn't yet released the exact lead levels found. The Green Guide will look into the extent of the problem of lead contamination in chocolate and report back on what the company plans to do to find new safe sources of cacao. The specific lead-contaminated chocolate products are:

1) Dagoba Organic Eclipse 87% Extra Dark, Size: 2 oz. bar
2) Dagoba Organic Los Rios 68% - Ecuador Arriba, Size: 2 oz. bar
3) Dagoba Organic Prima Materia 100% - Ecuador Arriba, Size: 2 lb. brick
4) Dagoba Organic Los Rios Choco Drops 68% - Ecuador Arriba Nacional, Size: 5 lb. foil bag
5) Dagoba Organic Los Rios 68% - Ecuador Arriba Nacional, Size: 25 lb. bag
6) Dagoba Organic "Eclipse Broken Bars" Forest Grown Organic Extra Dark Chocolate, Size: 1.5 lb. bulk bags

If you or your children have eaten these Dagoba chocolates since November, you can have your blood lead levels checked by your physician who will recommend any appropriate steps to be taken.

For now, you can find below other organic chocolates to fill your Easter basket and print out our Chocolate Smart Shopper's Card in the sidebar—but skip the Dagoba recommendation until we have more information about the extent of the company's lead contamination.

• Rapunzel's Dark Organic Chocolate Bar, ($4.65; www.diamondorganics.com, 888-ORGANIC)

• Endangered Species Chocolate Company's Lady Bug Gift Box with trading cards ($11.95; www.chocolatebar.com, 317-844-2886).

• Allison’s Gourmet Organic Vegan Chocolate Assortment. Includes truffles, caramels and toffee ($14.95/6-piece box; www.allisonsgourmet.com, 800-361-8292).

• Equal Exchange's organic, fair-trade chocolate bars in milk chocolate, dark chocolate with almonds and very dark chocolate ($2.85; www.worldcentric.org, 650-283-3797).

• La Siembra Group's Cocoa Camino chocolate bars ($12 for 4; www.lasiembra.com, 613-235-6122).

• Green & Black's and Maya Gold Chocolate dark chocolate bar ($4.75/bar; www.chocosphere.com).

• Plantations Arriba Rainforest Alliance-certified 75-percent dark ($3.42/bar; www.echocolates.com, 800-207-7058) helps restore Ecuador's native shade-grown cacao heritage.