Testing Ceremonial Cacao for Mold and Mycotoxins

Testing Ceremonial Cacao for Mold and Mycotoxins

(First published 2/2/2023. Last updated 3/26/2026)

Everyone has had an experience of seeing mold grow on food.

It’s most common in perishable foods – that is, foods that have to be kept in the fridge or freezer. That’s why we keep them in colder temperatures: to prevent the growth of pathogens that can cause disease. [1, 2]

Non-perishable foods are less susceptible to microbial growth and don’t require cold storage. This is the category that chocolate and ceremonial cacao fall into.

However, there are many steps in the production of cacao in which mold growth can occur.

When mold does grow on food, it can lead to the production of mycotoxins, which are basically what they sound like – harmful compounds that result as a byproduct of mold growth. [3] (Note: The prefix “myco” means mushroom or fungus.) [4]

How do we know if cacao and chocolate are free of mold and mycotoxins?

Many nutrition buffs are familiar with aflatoxins, which can be present in peanuts and some other common foods. Aflatoxin and ochratoxin are types of mycotoxins. [3]

Sometimes people express concern about the possibility of mycotoxins in chocolate and cacao. Some also make claims that they’ve found “mycotoxin-free” chocolate.

In order to make such claims, there has to be proper laboratory testing. Mycotoxin tests are very expensive, so they were cost-prohibitive for us when we started exploring this in 2022.

Because mycotoxins can really only appear if mold is present, we started having all our pure cacao varieties tested for mold by a third-party laboratory.

The lab used the FDA’s “BAM” test for mold and yeast. [5] We're happy to report that all the cacao varieties we carry have been shown to be free of mold and yeast.

What are the reasons that mold and mycotoxins could appear in cacao or chocolate?

A 2014 review (a survey of existing research) published in the International Journal of Food Microbiology lays it all out very clearly. [6]

Mold can arise due to poor practices at every step including harvest, fermentation, drying, roasting, shelling, and/or grinding.

According to the study, mold could appear in finished cacao or chocolate for the following reasons:

Using damaged cacao pods
Fermenting too long or not turning the seeds (a.k.a. cacao “beans”) often enough
Not drying the seeds well enough (leaving too much moisture content)
Storing dried seeds in a place that’s too wet or humid
Not roasting the seeds to high enough temperatures
Peeling husks mechanically instead of by hand (or anything else that allows too much of the husk into the grinding step)

One not mentioned in the study is whether there’s enough oversight at each step of the production process. Because our cacao varieties are made mostly by hand in small batches, the artisans visually check pretty much all the cacao seeds and remove any that look bad.

Cacao is grown in hotter lowlands and fermented and dried at the farms. Most of the ones we carry are then taken to higher elevations where the climate is drier and cooler. This may have been the natural flow of a lot of cacao historically, since higher elevation creates more flexibility for storage and processing.

What are the most effective ways of preventing mold contamination in cacao?

The authors say, “Roasting nibs…at 105-150 ˚C, is considered to be the only step in chocolate production that destroys all microorganisms.” [7] That’s 221-302 ˚F! So claims of “raw” cacao being better aren’t taking that into account, and high-temp roasting is actually the best way to prevent mold contamination.

Our cacao is roasted over wood fire, the traditional way. The temperature is not measured. It’s more of an artisanal artform. But clearly from our test results, this is an effective practice.

Our cacao is also peeled by hand, which according to the study can cause a significant reduction in pathogens. “Mechanical shelling removed an average of 48% of ochratoxin A, while shelling by hand reduced between 50 and 100%.” [8] In other words, peeling the seeds by hand can potentially remove all ochratoxin A and be twice as effective as mechanical shelling.

Is there really reason to be concerned about mold and mycotoxins being in chocolate and cacao?

Heavy exposure can cause various health issues, but it doesn’t appear to be a huge concern with chocolate and cacao in general.

The study said that aflatoxin and ochratoxin A were found in 80% of chocolate samples tested, but that “concentrations are generally low.” [9]

Of course it’s always important to buy from a trusted brand with sufficient transparency about their sourcing and production methods. And that doesn’t just go for cacao and chocolate.

The reality is that mycotoxins are common in modern food sources. The study reports that chocolate and “cocoa” (the name usually used for more processed cacao products) are the source of only 5-6% of the typical dietary intake of ochratoxin A. [10]

What type of cacao has the least amount of mold and mycotoxin in it?

According to the review, the most reliable cacao would be made in small batches using mostly traditional, artisanal practices (that is, making it mostly by hand). This is the only way that each step can have enough oversight to prevent mold – and therefore mycotoxins – from appearing in larger amounts.

However, we've noticed a lingering concern about this subject after influencers post podcasts and social media videos. Anything health-related can be click-bait on the internet, and even if someone has a medical background they might not fully back up their claims or concerns with real evidence.

To address this more directly, in January 2026 we ordered a full mycotoxin panel on Heart of the Earth cacao (our longest-running source partner), which includes aflatoxins, ochratoxins and more. And we ordered aflatoxin tests on the other five cacao varieties we carry (because those are more affordable).

All lab results showed no detectable levels of aflatoxins, ochratoxins, or any other mycotoxins.

Even though this is unambiguous and highly conclusive, we're sure this topic will continue to resurface from time to time. And of course this only speaks to cacao sourced and prepared the way ours is, not all products labeled "ceremonial cacao."

Thank you for supporting our model that helps uplift the ancient indigenous traditions of cacao cultivation and preparation. Our indigenous cacao partners thank you!

REFERENCES

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mold

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pathogen

[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycotoxin

[4] https://www.dictionary.com/browse/myco-

[5] https://www.fda.gov/food/laboratory-methods-food/bam-chapter-18-yeasts-molds-and-mycotoxins

[6] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/260995198_Fungi_and_mycotoxins_in_cocoa_From_farm_to_chocolate

[7] Study p. 16

[8] Study p. 16

[9] Study p. 17

[10] Study p. 18