UPDATE (Posted 12/03)
Holiday Chocolates for Serving and Baking
Five Brands are tested this year.
One brand has a level of insect fragments that is more than three times the average of all brands and 38! times the lowest level. This brand also contains numerous animal hairs - some of which are rodent hairs.
Complete results are contained in our Newsletter.
For the complete report with Brand Names, send $50 to
Central Hudson Lab, PO Box 580, Washingtonville, NY 10992
Posted 12/02
BAKING CHOCOLATES
Thinking of baking with chocolate this holiday? Think again.
Seven samples are reported in our Market Newsletter representing six National Brands.
Is one National Brand as good as any other? No. One National "Quality" Brand had 6 times the insect level of the lowest Brand.
The complete results are contained in our Newsletter.
Other contaminants were rodent hair, feather fragments, mites, and metal foil particles. Read the complete story in our Newsletter.
Rates: $250 per year, $50 for a single issue.
Payment: Email us a PO Number and we will invoice your company OR make a direct payment to
Central Hudson Lab, PO Box 580, Washingtonville, NY 10992, U.S.A.
POSTED 12/01
Part I - Chocolate Bars/Solid Pieces
Part II - Chocolate Syrup
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Sample 1
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37 insect fragments
2 feather barbs/barbules
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Sample 2
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35 insect fragments
3 feather barbs/barbules
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Sample 3
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30 insect fragments
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Sample 4
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12 insect fragments
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Sample 5
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8 insect fragments
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Sample 6
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2 insect fragments
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Sample 7
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1 insect fragment
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Sample 8
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1 insect fragment
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Mean:
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14.4 insect fragments
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Opinion:
Three of the eight brands have an insect contamination greater than twice the mean of the survey. This is poor Quality Control. It makes you wonder if these companies are even testing their raw materials. You may link directly to the FDA's Defect Action Levels for regulations of chocolate at the end of this report.
Regarding, the presence of feather fragments in Samples 1 and 2, birds do clean themselves. In this grooming process they ingest feather fragments that end up in their excrement. It may be concluded that if feather fragments are found in food products; they may have been contaminated by bird excrement. This is a violation of Section 402a (3), (4) of the Food and Drug Law of the United States.
Three of the brands show that very high quality standards are being enforced. These results do not come about by luck but rather an excellent Quality Control Program.
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Part II - Chocolate Syrup
Two Brands representing two companies are analyzed.
Results on 500 gram sample using AOAC extraction procedures:
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Sample 1
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7 insect fragments (flat grain beetle)
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Sample 2
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1 insect fragment
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Opinion:
Considering the very high dilution factor for syrup, Sample 1's results are significant. This sample also shows evidence of post processing contamination by a stored product pest, the flat grain beetle. You may link to the FDA's Defect Action Levels at the end of this report.
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For a complete list of the FDA's Defect Action Levels for food
products,
please visit FDA-CFSAN Defect Action Level Handbook.
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