Addressing Cadmium in Cacao Farmland: A Path to Safer, Sustainable Chocolate

Gina Alexandra García Porras, Jéssica Aires dos Santos, Mariana Rocha de Carvalho, Elberth Hernando Pinzón-Sandoval, Aline Aparecida Silva Pereira and Luiz Roberto Guimarães Guilherme ()
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Gina Alexandra García Porras: Department of Biology, Postgraduate Program of Plant Physiology, Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), Lavras 37203-202, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Jéssica Aires dos Santos: Department of Biology, Postgraduate Program of Plant Physiology, Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), Lavras 37203-202, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Mariana Rocha de Carvalho: Department of Soil Science, Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), Lavras 37203-202, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Elberth Hernando Pinzón-Sandoval: Department of Biology, Postgraduate Program of Plant Physiology, Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), Lavras 37203-202, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Aline Aparecida Silva Pereira: Department of Biology, Postgraduate Program of Plant Physiology, Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), Lavras 37203-202, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Luiz Roberto Guimarães Guilherme: Department of Soil Science, Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), Lavras 37203-202, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Agriculture, 2025, vol. 15, issue 4, 1-17

Abstract: Cacao cultivation is an important economic and social activity for tropical regions worldwide. Elevated cadmium (Cd) concentrations in soil and cacao beans have become a serious concern for producers and consumers, particularly following the implementation of stricter Cd limits for cacao products in the European Union since 2019. Cadmium is a potentially toxic element that can bioaccumulate in different plant tissues, raising concerns about the future of cacao exports and posing a significant threat to the food chain through consuming products with high Cd concentrations. Therefore, understanding the origins of Cd in cacao-producing countries’ agricultural soils is essential. Equally important is the need to investigate the factors influencing its availability, uptake, translocation, and distribution within the cacao plant, in addition to strategies for mitigating its effects or reducing its concentration in agriculturally relevant tissues. This review aims to contextualize the sources of Cd in the cacao agroecosystems while highlighting recent advances and perspectives in applying essential and beneficial elements, selecting low-accumulator genotypes, and utilizing associated microbiota. These strategies seek to mitigate Cd bioaccumulation and minimize its negative impacts on the cocoa value chain.

Keywords: food safety; Theobroma cacao; trace element; cadmium bioavailability; mitigation strategies (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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