Mina Stone on Safer Chocolate: Cadmium, Lead, and Dutch Process

Mina Stone, a cook and artist, shares her research on chocolate safety and cooking tips in a CULTURED article. She highlights that cadmium and lead contamination is common in dark chocolate, with Consumer Reports listing Mast, Taza, Ghirardelli, and Valrhona as brands with lower levels. Stone prefers milk chocolate due to lower contaminant concentrations. She also explains Dutch process cocoa versus natural cocoa, noting that Dutch processed (alkalized) cocoa yields a smoother flavor and is used with baking powder, while natural cocoa works with baking soda. Stone recommends moderation and suggests researching brands. She lists favorite chocolate shops: Fine and Raw, Li-Lac Chocolates (Manhattan's oldest), Nunu Chocolates, and Leonidas Chocolate.