It's a little known fact that many food products contain heavy metals. Pretty much all chocolate and cacao contains trace amounts of heavy metals (specifically lead and/or cadmium), even if it's grown without chemical pesticides or fertilizers.In the case of cacao, cadmium uptake can occur if the soil is too acidic, whereas lead tends to come from methods of processing.Because we value health and transparency, we have all our cacao varieties tested for heavy metals by an unbiased, third-party laboratory.The FDA and EU Commission publish advised limits of these substances in parts per million (ppm) – in other words, how many micrograms of a heavy metal there can be per kilogram of food product.We're proud to say that all of our products fall in generally safe ranges for the FDA's advised limits of lead (0.1 ppm) and the EU Commission's advised limits of cadmium (0.8 ppm).Since customers in California can order our products, we also take into consideration the Proposition 65 (aka "Prop 65) rules about heavy metals in food products. Instead of ppm, Prop 65 advises limits based on what amount is okay to ingest per day. CA Prop 65 appears to be the strictest system in the world governing heavy metals, and it's possible that it's overly cautious. However, if any products fall outside the Prop 65 limits per serving, we will list that on the product page.We have not been able to find research on the actual effects of cadmium and lead if ingested with cacao or chocolate specifically. High amounts of heavy metals would probably need to be ingested on a regular basis for a number of years to cause an issue. Because cacao has a self-limiting nature that's not prone to overuse, it's not clear at this time if it's even possible to eat enough cacao or chocolate that this could be a problem for the average person.The main areas of concern seem to be for young children, pregnant woman, and the elderly. But reports say that heavy metals can affect people differently. If you have any concerns about this subject, please consult a medical professional.We will continue to do everything in our power to make sure that our products are safe for you, so that you gain the most benefit possible when you enjoy them. That includes working with sources to identify and remedy any issues whatsoever that could reduce the net positive impact of the cacao.