Mushroom chocolate bars contain dangerous ingredients, CDPH warns

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Mushroom Magic Blend Chocolate Bars contain illegal psychoactive drugs, putting consumers at risk of injury, illness or death, the California Department of Public Health reports.

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Consumers are being warned not to eat PolkaDot brand Mushroom Magic Blend chocolate bars that contain dangerous additives, the California Department of Public Health reported.

CDPH and the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department are investigating PolkaDot brand chocolate bars labeled with an unsafe food additive, amanita muscaria, a type of mushroom, CPDH reported. Laboratory research also showed that the chocolate bars contained an additional synthetic psychoactive drug.

More than $3 million worth of PolkaDot brand chocolate bars — which produce microdosing mushroom products — were embargoed and voluntarily destroyed, CPDH reported.

Although no illnesses have yet been reported, CDPH is concerned that individuals seeking psychedelic mushroom products for therapeutic effects may be at risk of serious or life-threatening illness if they consume this product.

The chocolate bars can cause serious adverse health problems due to unintentional misuse and overuse, as well as interactions with other medications and underlying health conditions, CDPH reports. The products should not be consumed and may be particularly dangerous for young children, who may mistake them for regular chocolate bars.

The manufacturer could face civil or criminal penalties pending additional investigative work, CPDH reported.

Which Mushroom Magic Blend chocolate bars have been recalled?

The PolkaDot brand Mushroom Magic Blend chocolate bars withdrawn from stores were 2.1 ounces each and were produced in multiple flavors. The following flavors have been laboratory tested and found to be adulterated:

  • Belgian milk chocolate caramel-peanut twist
  • Belgian milk chocolate intensely pure
  • Belgian milk chocolate Maui coconut twist

These chocolate bars were sold directly by the manufacturer to retailers such as smoke shops and online, the CDPH reports. Spread throughout California and to other states is likely.

What should you do if you get sick from chocolate bars?

Consumers who experience adverse effects after consuming these products should consult their healthcare provider. Anyone who finds these products for sale should call the CDPH Complaint Hotline at (800) 495-3232 or file an electronic report here.

What Did FDA Tests Find in Microdosing Edible Mushrooms?

FDA research has found that mushroom-infused products are typically advertised for use in microdosing and often boast the addition of “mushroom nootropics” or “functional mushrooms,” which are advertised as good for the health and clarity of the brain and because they provide nutritional value. The FDA or other health agencies have not reviewed these claims.

Commercial mushroom-infused products sold legally in the US are not allowed to contain what many people traditionally associate with “magic mushrooms.” Instead, they are usually made with extracts from legal mushrooms, such as Amanita muscaria (which produces muscimol), or simply with a “proprietary mushroom mix” that is not fully disclosed on the packaging.

Results shared by the FDA showed that different compounds are not only present in different flavors of the chocolate bars, but also in the same flavors. The agency noted that there may be variants in which compounds are present and in which combinations are used from product to product.

“Although these compounds have known effects individually when taken, there is less research on the interactions between these compounds when taken together,” the FDA said.

The FDA results are consistent with previously performed tests by experts at the University of Virginia (UVA) Poison Center in July.

The The FDA issued an initial warning on June 7saying that a “serious” illness linked to some mushroom chocolate bars had left several people hospitalized with medical problems including seizures, vomiting and an abnormal heartbeat.

Where are the mushroom candies sold?

The candies are sold nationwide online and in person at various retail locations, including smoke and vape shops, as well as at retailers selling hemp-derived products including cannabidiol (CBD) or delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-8 THC).

USA TODAY contributed to this report.