What is the safest way to acquire non-alkalized cocoa powder?
I am looking for a non-alkalized, full-fat cocoa powder to use in recipes. By non-alkalized, I mean cocoa which has not undergone the Dutch process.
The problem in detail: Gourmet grocery stores sell various "raw cacao" powders that fit the bill, however there seem to be safety issues. For example, ConsumerLab shows high levels of lead and cadmium for many of these products. Some products even have a California Proposition 65 warning. One might treat these as a guide, however absence of a bad ConsumerLab result or Prop 65 warning isn't a strong signal, because batches vary and many brands don't even test their product. It would seem likely that the safest cocoa products would come from big brands like Valrhona, Callebaut or Guittard, however their cocoa powder products are all alkalized.
Back to the question: What is the safest way to acquire a high-quality, non-alkalized cocoa powder? UPDATED: I would accept a definition of "safe" from someone with expertise in the area of metals contamination in food, but short of that, here's what would qualify as "safe" for me:
- A product from a major producer in the industry.
- A product from a company with a specific commitment about metals contamination, such as stated practices or certificates of analysis.
Best Answer
Without actually being able to access the ConsumerLab report you mentioned, it's difficult to know what meets your definition of safe.
Scharffen Berger natural cocoa is one option. It has 1g fat per 5g serving, which I believe should meet your definition of "full fat". It is natural (non-alkalized) cocoa powder. It's quite expensive, and I believe normally considered "high quality". Scharffen Berger is now owned by Hershey's, which is definitely a major producer in the chocolate industry.
I highly doubt that Scharffen Berger and Hershey's cocoa are now identical. This is partly based on personal experience (10 years ago, which is not current), but also on the nutritional information for Hershey's (0.5 g fat per ~5 g serving), which I believe does not meet your "full fat" criterion.
Another option is Ghirardelli unsweetened ground cocoa, which is also a large producer.
Not processed with Alkaline/not Dutch processed.
I have no affiliation with Scharffen Berger, Hershey's, Ghirardelli, or any other chocolate producer.
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What brands of cocoa powder are not Dutch processed?
If you're looking for a rich, deep chocolate flavor, try Ghirardelli's Unsweetened Cocoa Powder. It's rich in flavor, much like Hershey's unsweetened. It isn't Dutch-processed, so will be more acidic and slightly bitter, but I enjoy the flavor of this cocoa to use in many baking recipes.What is natural non alkalized cocoa powder?
Natural (non-alkalized) cocoa powder is pure roasted cocoa beans -- with most of the fat removed -- ground to a fine powder. With all of the flavor but a fraction of the fat, cocoa powder is essentially a concentrated form of cocoa beans: it is bitter and strong.What is the healthiest cocoa powder to buy?
Most Trusted Powder: Hershey's Natural Unsweetened Cocoa This gluten-free unsweetened powder provides surprising health-conscious benefits in addition to practical use. Most utilized for desserts, frostings, and hot chocolate, this cocoa powder has no sugar, no sodium, and no saturated fats.Is non alkalized cocoa powder better?
Non alkalized, or natural cocoa tends to be lighter in color but less mellow in flavor. For cooks it's important to know that the alkalizing process, causes the pH of Dutched cocoa to rise from 5.5 (acidic) to 7 (neutral) or 8 (slightly alkaline).Dutch Process Cocoa Powder vs. Natural Cocoa Powder- Kitchen Conundrums with Thomas Joseph
More answers regarding what is the safest way to acquire non-alkalized cocoa powder?
Answer 2
The following cocoa powders are non-alkalized, and meet the original question's criterion of coming from major producers:
- "Hershey's Cocoa 100% Cacao" (10% fat)
- Scharffen Berger "Natural Unsweetened Cocoa Powder" (20% fat)
- Ghirardelli "100% Unsweetened Ground Cocoa" (25% fat)
Fat percentages are by weight.
(The key product information here came from the answer by user mattm. I wrote this answer to share the information in a more utilitarian form.)
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