Arcsa Orders Recall of Contaminated Cocoa Batch After Finding Cadmium

A few days ago, Arcsa discovered methanol in an alcoholic beverage, which, like cadmium, can be harmful to health.

The National Agency for Health Regulation, Control, and Surveillance (Arcsa) has issued a new health alert after detecting heavy metal contamination (cadmium) in batch 0020 of the product Cocoa 100% Soluble Ecuadorian Cocoa, manufactured by Fábrica BIOS Cía. Ltda.

In a statement released on the afternoon of January 27, the agency warned that consuming foods with high levels of cadmium can lead to serious health issues, such as severe stomach irritation, vomiting, diarrhea, and long-term damage to vital organs like bones, lungs, and kidneys. This can significantly impact the quality of life for those who consume it.

According to the tests conducted, this batch does not meet the standards set by the International Codex Alimentarius CXS 193-1995, as the cadmium content exceeds the allowed limits. As a result, Arcsa has ordered the immediate removal of batch 0020 from the market and suspended the company’s Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) certification.

Source: Expreso.