FDA Warns 59 Percent of Dark Chocolate Contains Secret Allergen

Just in time for Valentine's Day, the FDA has released a warning to dark chocolate eaters. Most are unaware that the sweet treat contains an unlikely ingredient.

If you or someone you love has a milk allergy, you may not be aware that eating dark chocolate can be dangerous.  According to Yahoo Health, The FDA found that 59 percent of dark chocolate products in the U.S. contain trace amounts of milk.

Those who are allergic to milk usually eat dark chocolate because it doesn't contain milk. However, the FDA sampled over 100 bars of dark chocolate and found that many of them did, indeed, have trace amounts of milk.

It's believed that the milk is a product of cross-contamination, as many dark chocolate makers use the same equipment to process their milk chocolate. The FDA says this can be a problem because:

even one small bite of a product containing milk can cause a dangerous reaction in some individuals

The unfortunate thing is that many times you can't tell if there is a trace amount milk in your dark chocolate by reading the label.

So if the one you love this Valentine's Day is allergic to milk, you might just want to stick to flowers.