Beware of chocolate abuse, rich in cadmium, a heavy metal harmful to health – rts.ch

Enjoy in the same day two Bjorg filled cookies. Nevertheless, a bowl of Chocapic and a cup of hot chocolate brings to a 10 -year -old child “almost half of the daily dose of cadmium” from which a health risk is possible, warns the association.

The reference toxicological value (VTR) of this metal which accumulates in the body. Nevertheless, exposes to an increased risk of cardiovascular pathologies and cancer has been fixed at “0.35 cadmium microgram per kilogram of body weight per day” by the National Agency for the Safety of Food. Moreover, Environment and Work (ANSES).

Contamination massive – Beware chocolate abuse, rich cadmium,

In early June. Furthermore, liberal doctors had alerted to the massive contamination of the beware chocolate abuse, rich cadmium, French-mainly children and women-with cadmium via phosphate fertilizers used in agriculture, which are found in particular in breakfast cereals, bread or potatoes.

If the cocoa products mentioned in the UFC-Que survey. choose the maximum regulatory cadmium content according to the analysis carried out by an independent laboratory for the association in 2022, it explains to AFP that consumers can still “exceed the tolerable daily dose by consuming several products containing cadmium in the same day”.

Even more in organic chocolate

According to the survey. a portion of 50 grams of Bjorg cookies filled with dark chocolate represents 20% of this reference toxicological value in a child, compared to 8% for an adult. This share reaches 11% in children and 5% in adults for a portion of 46 grams of Chocapic or 17% and 7% for 13.5 grams of chocolate powder powder large intense aroma 70% cocoa.

The UFC-Que Choisir points the even stronger presence beware chocolate abuse, rich cadmium, of cadmium in organic chocolate. suggests favoring organic tablets “whose beans are not imported from Latin America”, because cadmium is very naturally present in certain production areas of this region.

A lowered recommendation

Invited to react about Cadmium on Saturday in the Forum program. David Vernez, associate professor at the University of Lausanne and director of the Health, Labor and Environment Department in United, explains that Cadmium is not a new pollutant, that he is known for a long time and that we find it “everywhere”: tobacco, cereals, meats, plants, as well as crustaceans and fish.

“Cadmium has an effect on the kidney, in which it is readily stores, on the liver. It also has an effect on the bones since a ingested part can finish in the bone mass. It is also classified as proven carcinogen. but for the lung, so it concerns workers and not our diet,” details the specialist.

What is pointed out is the excess. the duration

David Vernez also returns to the ANSES figures. “In fact, the agency lowered its recommendations to relatively low thresholds. This comes from the fact that it has considered another effect, which is the bone effect. This recommendation aims to prevent the appearance in adulthood of a bone density which is a possible preliminary of. osteoporosis […] The debate also comes from the fact that we observe in France an increase in the rate of cadmium in the population. It is not natural and would be linked to human activity and in particular the use of phosphates in agriculture. “

The specialist is ultimately reassuring: “What is pointed out is excess and duration. So, you have to eat it moderately”.

ats/jfe