Meijer Patriotic Dark Chocolate Malted Milk Premium Balls, Patriotic Dark Chocolate
Meijer, Inc. · Chocolate · barcode 00708820341074
What stands out
- From the label
The ingredients list Blue No. 1 (Brilliant Blue), Blue No. 2 (indigotine), Red No. 3 (erythrosine), Red No. 40 (Allura Red), Yellow No. 5 (tartrazine), Yellow No. 6 (Sunset Yellow) and Titanium dioxide, which have stricter rules elsewhere. Strictest: Not allowed in the EU since 2022; US (FDA) ban from 2027. Details
- Lab testsNo lab has published results for this exact product.
- RecallsNo FDA recall lists this barcode.
- Additives7 ingredients have stricter rules elsewhere. Strictest: Not allowed in the EU since 2022; US (FDA) ban from 2027. Which
- TypicalFDA's tests of chocolate show what's typical. See levels
- Others3 other chocolate products have lab results. Compare them
Additives with restrictions somewhere
From the ingredient list on file (label data dated 2023-09-14). Recipes change, so check the package you have.
Rules that apply to more than one of these
- US (FDA): Allowed Source. Applies to Blue No. 1 (Brilliant Blue), Blue No. 2 (indigotine), Red No. 40 (Allura Red), Yellow No. 5 (tartrazine), Yellow No. 6 (Sunset Yellow), Titanium dioxide.
- EU: Allowed (Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008) Source. Applies to Blue No. 1 (Brilliant Blue), Blue No. 2 (indigotine), Red No. 3 (erythrosine).
- California: Banned in school meals from 2027-12-31 Banned in food and drinks offered in California public schools from December 31, 2027. (AB 2316 (2024)) Source. Applies to Blue No. 1 (Brilliant Blue), Blue No. 2 (indigotine), Red No. 40 (Allura Red), Yellow No. 5 (tartrazine), Yellow No. 6 (Sunset Yellow).
- West Virginia: Banned from 2028-01-01 Food containing it is treated as adulterated in West Virginia from January 1, 2028. (HB 2354 (2025)) Source. Applies to Blue No. 1 (Brilliant Blue), Blue No. 2 (indigotine), Red No. 3 (erythrosine), Red No. 40 (Allura Red), Yellow No. 5 (tartrazine), Yellow No. 6 (Sunset Yellow).
- West Virginia: Banned in school meals from 2025-08-01 Banned in West Virginia school meals since August 1, 2025. (HB 2354 (2025)) Source. Applies to Blue No. 1 (Brilliant Blue), Blue No. 2 (indigotine), Red No. 3 (erythrosine), Red No. 40 (Allura Red), Yellow No. 5 (tartrazine), Yellow No. 6 (Sunset Yellow).
- Texas: Warning label required from 2027-01-01 Labels developed on or after January 1, 2027 must warn that the product contains an ingredient not recommended for consumption in Australia, Canada, the EU or the UK. (SB 25 (2025)) Source. Applies to all of them.
- Louisiana: Banned in school meals from 2028-2029 school year Banned in Louisiana school food from the 2028-2029 school year (concession stands and vending machines exempt). (SB 14, Act 463 (2025)) Source. Applies to Blue No. 1 (Brilliant Blue), Blue No. 2 (indigotine), Red No. 3 (erythrosine), Red No. 40 (Allura Red), Yellow No. 5 (tartrazine), Yellow No. 6 (Sunset Yellow).
- Louisiana: Warning label required from 2028-01-01 Products containing it must carry a QR code disclosure from January 1, 2028. (SB 14, Act 463 (2025)) Source. Applies to Blue No. 1 (Brilliant Blue), Blue No. 2 (indigotine), Red No. 3 (erythrosine), Red No. 40 (Allura Red), Yellow No. 5 (tartrazine), Yellow No. 6 (Sunset Yellow).
- EU: Allowed with warning label (Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008, Annex V) Source. Applies to Red No. 40 (Allura Red), Yellow No. 5 (tartrazine), Yellow No. 6 (Sunset Yellow).
Blue No. 1 (Brilliant Blue) (E133)
Only the shared rules above.
Blue No. 2 (indigotine) (E132)
Only the shared rules above.
Red No. 3 (erythrosine) (E127)
- US (FDA): Authorization revoked from 2027-01-15 FDA revoked its approval for food; food makers must stop using it by January 15, 2027 (ingested drugs by January 18, 2028). (90 FR 4628 (2025)) Source
- California: Banned from 2027-01-01 Banned in food made, sold or distributed in California after January 1, 2027. (AB 418 (2023)) Source
Red No. 40 (Allura Red) (E129)
Only the shared rules above.
Yellow No. 5 (tartrazine) (E102)
Only the shared rules above.
Yellow No. 6 (Sunset Yellow) (E110)
Only the shared rules above.
Titanium dioxide (E171)
- EU: Removed from approved list from 2022-08-07 Removed as a food additive in 2022; food made under the old rules could be sold until August 7, 2022. (Regulation (EU) 2022/63) Source
Typical for chocolate
What FDA found when it bought and tested this kind of food across the US. These are not tests of this product.
- Lead: typically 4.05 ppb (FDA, 6 samples, 2018-2020).
A toddler reaches FDA's daily limit at about 550 g (19 oz) a day; an adult at about 2.2 kg (4.9 lb).One serving (4 pieces, 30 g, from the label):5% of a toddler's daily limit1% of an adult's daily limit
- Cadmium: typically 18 ppb (FDA, 6 samples, 2018-2020).
A toddler reaches EPA's daily limit at about 840 g (30 oz) a day; an adult at about 3.9 kg (8.6 lb).One serving (4 pieces, 30 g, from the label):4% of a toddler's daily limitunder 1% of an adult's daily limit
- Arsenic (total): typically 3.1 ppb (FDA, 6 samples, 2018-2020). No US agency limit we can cite.
- Perchlorate: typically 5.98 ppb (FDA, 40 samples, 2008-2012).
A toddler reaches EPA's daily limit at about 1.8 kg (4 lb) a day; an adult at about 8.6 kg (19 lb).One serving (4 pieces, 30 g, from the label):2% of a toddler's daily limitunder 1% of an adult's daily limit
- Mercury: usually below 1 ppb, the lab's limit, in FDA's samples.
FDA samples behind these numbers
- Lead in Candy bar, chocolate, nougat, with nuts: found in 0 of 3 samples, all below 4 ppb (2018-2020)
- Lead in Candy bar, milk chocolate, plain: found in 3 of 3 samples, average 7.93, highest 8.3 ppb (2018-2020)
- Cadmium in Candy bar, chocolate, nougat, with nuts: found in 3 of 3 samples, average 15.7, highest 17 ppb (2018-2020)
- Cadmium in Candy bar, milk chocolate, plain: found in 3 of 3 samples, average 20, highest 26 ppb (2018-2020)
- Mercury in Candy bar, chocolate, nougat, with nuts: found in 0 of 3 samples, all below 1 ppb (2018-2020)
- Mercury in Candy bar, milk chocolate, plain: found in 1 of 3 samples, average 0.57, highest 1.7 ppb (2018-2020)
- Arsenic (total) in Candy bar, chocolate, nougat, with nuts: found in 2 of 3 samples, average 3.63, highest 7.8 ppb (2018-2020)
- Arsenic (total) in Candy bar, milk chocolate, plain: found in 2 of 3 samples, average 2.13, highest 3.3 ppb (2018-2020)
- Perchlorate in Candy bar, chocolate, nougat, and nuts: found in 15 of 20 samples, average 2.52, highest 9 ppb (2008-2012)
- Perchlorate in Candy bar, milk chocolate, plain: found in 19 of 20 samples, average 8.92, highest 15 ppb (2008-2012)
"Typically" is FDA's middle sample. Daily amounts use the long-run average and each chemical's daily limit (EPA reference dose, or FDA's level for lead) for a 33-lb toddler and a 154-lb adult. ppb = micrograms per kilogram of food. Source: FDA Total Diet Study.
Not tested
No published results for this product cover: Metals, Perchlorate, Phthalates (plastic softeners), Phthalate substitutes, Bisphenols. That means nobody has published a test, not that these are absent.
Ingredients (from the label)
DARK CHOCOLATE (SUGAR, CHOCOLATE LIQUOR [PROCESSED WITH ALKALI], COCOA BUTTER, SOY LECITHIN [AN EMULSIFIER], VANILLA), MALTED MILK BALLS (CORN SYRUP, SUGAR, DAIRY BLEND [WHEY, WHEY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE], MALTED POWDER [MALTED BARLEY, WHEAT, MILK, HYDROLYZED WHEAT GLUTEN, SODIUM BICARBONATE, SALT], MALTED BARLEY, SOY LECITHIN, SALT), CANE SUGAR, CERTIFIED COLORS INCLUDING: FD&C BLUE #1, BLUE #1 LAKE, BLUE #2 LAKE, RED #3, RED #40, RED #40 LAKE, YELLOW #5, YELLOW #5 LAKE, YELLOW #6 LAKE, AND TITANIUM DIOXIDE, CONFECTIONER'S GLAZE (SHELLAC), CARNAUBA WAX, BEE'S WAX, GUM ARABIC, CORN STARCH.
From USDA FoodData Central, label dated 2023-09-14. Labels change; check the package.