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.

Recall Insight

This FDA Food action (record #F-0004-2025) was formally reported on October 9, 2024, with the manufacturer initiating the action on August 21, 2024. It is classified under Moderate severity (Class II), with a current status of Ongoing. Inner Waymark LLC is listed as the recalling firm, operating out of Portland, OR. Federal records indicate 60/1lb. bags units are affected.

The documented reason for this recall is: Elevated lead level 0.671 ppm in cacao (chocolate) Distribution data in the federal record shows the product reached: Distributed to CA, FL, IL, KY, MD, ME, MI, MO, MT, NH, NY, OR, TX, UT, and WI.. Distribution scope directly affects the consumer exposure window and determines whether a recall remains regional or escalates into a nationwide advisory.

To put this record in context, PlainRecalls indexes 83,949 recalls across the FDA, CPSC, NHTSA and USDA FSIS going back to 1995. Within the same product category, the database holds 6 closely related recalls, of which 3 were also issued by FDA Food. That clustering is a signal — repeated actions in a narrow category often indicate a systemic quality-control issue, a supplier-wide contamination, or a design defect that has propagated across product lines. This recall is roughly 2 years old; older recalls can remain relevant because many units enter resale, rental, and secondary-market channels where the original warning never reaches the end user. Always cross-check the recall number against the official agency page before relying on any summary.