About
Cocoa mass (also called chocolate liquor) is the homogeneous paste produced by grinding roasted, husked cocoa nibs from Theobroma cacao L., containing approximately equal parts of cocoa solids and cocoa butter. It is the primary base ingredient in chocolate and cocoa confectionery products and is a rich natural source of flavanols and methylxanthines.
Safety summary
Cocoa mass is broadly recognised as safe and is governed by standardised food regulations in all major jurisdictions; its flavanol content has been linked to cardiovascular benefits including maintenance of normal endothelium-dependent vasodilation as confirmed by EFSA. However, it naturally contains caffeine and theobromine warranting caution in pregnant women and young children, and cocoa beans bioaccumulate cadmium from soil, posing a low but documented concern for high-frequency consumers — particularly toddlers and children — whose estimated weekly intakes can approach EFSA's provisional tolerable weekly intake of 2.5 µg/kg body weight.
Regulatory landscape
| Jurisdiction | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| FSANZ (Food Standards Australia New Zealand) (Australia) | Approved | Permitted under the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code as a standardised cocoa/chocolate commodity ingredient; no ADI established as it is not a food additive.source |
| EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union) | Approved | Regulated as a primary cocoa/chocolate ingredient under Directive 2000/36/EC on cocoa and chocolate products intended for human consumption. EFSA separately approved a health claim (EFSA J. 2014;12:3678) for cocoa flavanols at ≥200 mg/day for maintenance of normal endothelium-dependent vasodilation.source |
| FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India) | Approved | Permitted under FSSAI Food Safety and Standards Regulations as a cocoa product ingredient; standards aligned with Codex Alimentarius CXS 141-1983 for cocoa (cacao) mass and cocoa cake.source |
| FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States) | Approved | Defined as a standardised food ('chocolate liquor') under 21 CFR 163.111; regulated as a food commodity, not a food additive; no ADI established. Cocoa flavanols in high-flavanol cocoa products confirmed safe and lawful under 21 CFR 101.14(b)(3)(ii).source |
Who should approach with care
Research citations
- 1FDA. Chocolate Liquor – Code of Federal Regulations Title 21, Part 163, Section 163.111. accessdata.fda.gov
- 2PubMed. Impact of Chocolate Cadmium on Vulnerable Populations in Serbia, 2025. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 3PubMed. Cocoa, Blood Pressure, and Vascular Function, 2017. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 4EFSA. Scientific Opinion on the modification of the authorisation of a health claim related to cocoa flavanols and maintenance of normal endothelium-dependent vasodilation pursuant to Article 13(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, 2014. efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
- 5other. Standard for Cocoa (Cacao) Mass (Cocoa/Chocolate Liquor) and Cocoa Cake – Codex Alimentarius CXS 141-1983 (revised 2025), 1983. fao.org
