Dubai chocolate in criticism: health risks and fraud revealed!

Food examiners in Hesse found only one complaint when checking dubai chocolate. This affected a sample that did not meet the requirements for the German market due to labeling. The complained chocolate, which was sold in the Main-Taunus district, came from Turkey and had no understandable information on ingredients and nutritional value for German customers on the label. The chocolate consists of whole milk chocolate, filled with pistachio cream and angel hair, sweet dough thread. In 2024, the Dubai chocolate experienced a hype, which led to limited availability and high prices. Several federal states triggered by this development, special programs for the quality check of the Dubai chocolate.

The Ministry of Consumer in Stuttgart describes in a comprehensive report that the Dubai chocolate is currently trendy, but imported samples have been negatively assessed during tests. In the tests of the chemical and veterinary examination office Stuttgart (CVUA), contamination, dyes, allergens and external fat were found in all tested samples. In five rehearsals from the United Arab Emirates, it was found that instead of real chocolate was contained. In addition, sesame not declared in three samples from Turkey, which can be potentially dangerous for people with sesame allergies. In addition, almost all samples showed artificial dyes that appeared that they contained a higher proportion of qualitative ingredients.

reactions and measures

Consumer Minister Peter Hauk has demanded that "Dubai chocolate" have to contain real chocolate with high-quality ingredients. The Baden-Württemberg authorities have launched a nationwide special program to review dubai chocolate from third countries and the EU. In addition, products from local manufacturers, confectioners and confectionery are also subjected to a precise review. During a screening of pistachio cream from wholesale, high proportions of mold poison (aflatoxins) were found. The suspicion of aflatoxin highest content was confirmed and the goods were blocked until the final result determination. In contrast, initial studies of pistachio creams from wholesale on Aflatoxins have so far showed no abnormalities.