Chocolate lead declined while cadmium did not

The controlling scientific record is the public Heavy Metal Index synthesis, supported by 3 named anchor sources and expressed for Lead, Cadmium.

ICS does not reproduce the source extraction here. Keeping the evidence on the independent index preserves source-level methods, units, species, basis, uncertainty, and review state. This note records only the institutional consequence of that evidence.

Track lead and cadmium as separate time series, preserve cocoa-solids and product-form splits, and require current lots rather than treating category-level improvement as a brand claim.

This disposition may change taxonomy, analyte coverage, test basis, surveillance priority, disclosure, or claim language. It does not allow a market occurrence percentile or a dramatic single study to become an initial certification value.

The finding is published in two additional authority layers: the HMI evidence record and the HMTc certification interpretation. Distribution should prioritize chocolate manufacturers, laboratories, retailers, journalists while preserving those distinct roles in headlines, briefings, interviews, and social posts.