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Posted February 12, 2015

Many Dark Chocolate Bars Found to Contain Undeclared Milk

On February 11, 2015, the FDA announced its study of dark chocolate bars found many - including some which did not list milk as an ingredient or were labeled as "dairy-free" or "allergen-free," to contain milk. This poses a danger for people who have a milk allergy and can suffer a severe or life-threatening reaction to even small amounts of milk. 

The FDA tested 94 dark chocolate bars, each from a unique manufacturer and/or product line and sold in various regions of the U.S., for the presence of undeclared milk. The names of the bars and brands were not given. 

They found that 2 of 17 bars labeled "dairy-free" or "allergen-free" contained milk, and that 6 of 11 bars labeled as containing only "traces of milk" contained enough milk to potentially cause severe reactions in some people. Additionally, 55 of 93 dark chocolate bars with no indication of the presence of milk on the label were found to contain milk. 

One researcher advised that consumers with milk allergies contact manufacturers to find out how they control for allergens like milk, even if a dark chocolate bar is labeled as dairy or allergen free.

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