Food recall

Inner Waymark LLC recall: Heart of the Earth (HOTE) 100% Pure Ceremonial Cacao Pre-Ground Paste

Inner Waymark LLC, of Portland, OR, recalled Heart of the Earth (HOTE) 100% Pure Ceremonial Cacao Pre-Ground Paste. The FDA's reason: “Elevated lead level 0.671 ppm in cacao (chocolate).” The FDA classified it Class II: it could cause temporary or minor harm. The company began the recall voluntarily on August 21, 2024, and the FDA first listed it in its Enforcement Report of October 9, 2024. The recall is still going on.

How serious

Class II

It could cause temporary or minor harm

Why

Lead or other chemicals

Status

Ongoing

The recall

Company
Inner Waymark LLC (Portland, OR)
Reason, in FDA's words
“Elevated lead level 0.671 ppm in cacao (chocolate)”
Where it was sold
Distributed to CA, FL, IL, KY, MD, ME, MI, MO, MT, NH, NY, OR, TX, UT, and WI.
Recall began
, by the company
FDA classified it
First in an FDA Enforcement Report
FDA event number
95213

The product recalled

As the FDA describes them, with the codes that tell whether a package is part of the recall.

  • F-0004-2025 Class II

    Heart of the Earth (HOTE) 100% Pure Ceremonial Cacao Pre-Ground Paste. Net Wt. 16oz (454g). Packaged in Kraft paper heat sealed stand-up pouch bags with inner plastic liner with SKU PC-GRUCCP-1LB. Product of Guatemala. Distributed Soul Lift Cacao of Portland, Oregon. The product is 100% pure cacao (chocolate) which is not ready for consumption. In most cases it is prepared into a chocolate drink with hot water and a blender.

    Codes: Lot #506 with "best by" date June 18, 2026.

    Quantity: 60/1lb. bags

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Source and notes

U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Enforcement Reports (openFDA food recall data) (Public domain (U.S. government work); source U.S. Food and Drug Administration, openFDA), data as of October 9, 2024.

Each week the FDA lists the recalls it has classified in its Enforcement Report, often weeks after the company announced the recall, so a month with five weekly reports tends to count more. Each recall counts once, however many products it covers, in the month FDA first listed it. Class I means the food could cause serious harm or death, Class II temporary or minor harm, and Class III is unlikely to harm anyone. Meat, poultry and most egg products are recalled by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, not the FDA, and aren't included. For what to do with a recalled product, see the FDA's recalls page.