I'd have to ask next time I get the chance! The rep seemed convinced that looking for a way to lower copper content was his only route to break the impasse. Maybe it's as you say though, and he just didn't pick up on the subtext of what the official was hoping to receive.

They're not. The hurdle isn't copper. What you've got is a local official who's looking for some extra money. I'm going to guess that you've not been given any official documentation with the official's name on it, pointing to copper standards?

I was speaking with the Asia rep of a chocolate company not too long ago, and he asked me if I might be able to get to the bottom of what his company could do about the fact that his higher percentage bars were being refused by China due to their higher copper content.

Chocolate IS in china, and higher percentage bars are higher in copper, but as for dark chocolate I'm not sure what percentages are most common in this market or if certain ways of making chocolate could help reduce copper. After researching his problem further I have a few hunches as to why China might be concerned about copper content of imported food, but I'm still drawing a lot of blanks. Anyone have any insight?

updated by @jessica-conrad: 04/11/15 17:41:43