Cocoa mass contaminated by moulds!

Cocoa mass contaminated by moulds can used in chocolate production? is there any chance of survival of moulds/mycotoxin during the process

Pls help me with this topic

What level of contamination?

In addition to Tony's question, what is your finishing process and expected shelf life? 

Do you have a kill step?  Like a part in the process nothing can grow after being exposed to?

Ugh, man moisture content in chocolate is so low nothing can grow, but it seems like bad practice. 

 

Ugh, man moisture content in chocolate is so low nothing can grow, but it seems like bad practice. 

Some pathogens are able to survive and even at low levels be of concern: Cadbury's comes to mind

Some pathogens are able to survive and even at low levels be of concern: Cadbury's comes to mind

Gross! Thank you,   I'm going to share with my team

Hello Mr bsundar,

       It seems there is visible contamination of molds on the cocoa mass as seen by naked eye. Ochratoxigenic and aflatoxigenic fungi can grow on cocoa mass if the conditions are right like moisture content etc.Probably the cocoa mass has absorbed Moisture.

Check for ochratoxin and aflotoxin content in the cocoa mass from outside accreditated laboratories as per regulatory requirements in cocoa mass both before and after processing of the sampled cocoa mass and also other microbiological parameters.

Specification attached herewith--

Thank you for all your inputs

Mr. Tony:the level of contamination is varying from 100 to 500 cfu/g for moulds

Mr. Slab:it will undergo a process step where the temperature will be from 50 to 70 deg.c  for 4 hours with the expected shelf life as one year

thanks

Thank you for all your inputs

 

Mr. Tony:the level of contamination is varying from 100 to 500 cfu/g for moulds

 

Mr. Slab:it will undergo a process step where the temperature will be from 50 to 70 deg.c  for 4 hours with the expected shelf life as one year

 

thanks

If there are visible moulds then I think your figure is an underestimation. You could try replicating your heat process in the Laboratory & analyse the subsequent product for mould levels and toxins.

Regards,

Tony