Discoveries and innovations within the field of scientific research - Healthier and eco-friendlier chocolate is set to hit the market.
Scientists from Zurich have introduced a more eco-friendly and healthier type of chocolate. Instead of solely using cocoa beans, they incorporated other parts of the cocoa fruit, which also serve as a natural sweetener.
The team led by Kim Mishra from ETH Zurich reported in the journal "Nature Food" that their chocolate production method uses only components of cocoa beans in the final product. They claim it tastes similarly sweet to conventional chocolate, but has better nutritional value and more fiber while having a lower amount of saturated fat.
Moreover, the production of this unique chocolate helps decrease land usage and greenhouse gas emissions more substantially compared to regular European dark chocolate production, as per their findings.
Cocoa beans are just a tiny portion of the cocoa fruit, resulting in a large amount of land area and greenhouse gas emissions needed for growth. Thus, utilizing other parts of the cocoa pod like the fruit flesh and the cocoa shell could potentially help lower the significant environmental impacts during cultivation.
The long cocoa fruit, also known as cocoa pods, have a tough outer shell. Opening the fruit exposes the shell and the cocoa beans, surrounded by white pulp (fruit flesh).
In this new process, the cocoa beans from Ghana were roasted, toasted, ground, and sterilized, resulting in the cocoa mass. The team then processed the inner part of the cocoa fruit shell into a powder. This was combined with a portion of the fruit flesh to create a sweet jelly, replacing the traditionally added crystallized sugar in the new chocolate recipe. The researchers claim that this recipe is, on average, more environmentally friendly than the regular one.
The cocoa fruit chocolate contains 15 grams of fiber, significantly more than a typical European dark chocolate with 12 grams per 100 grams. It also holds 23 grams of saturated fatty acids, lower than the 33 grams found in a typical European dark chocolate.
Financial benefits for farmers
Farmers might gain additional income from selling the extra components of the fruit alongside the new chocolate, suggested the researchers. The outer part of the fruit shell is typically burned or used as compost, but now, it could be profits instead.
In order to bring this chocolate to market, there are still a few steps to complete. "We showed that our chocolate has a similar taste and quality as regular chocolate," stated Mishra. "Now we need to finalize the entire production chain, starting with cocoa farmers who require drying facilities. Only when the sufficient amount of powder is produced by the food processing company can cocoa fruit chocolate be manufactured and sold on a larger scale by a chocolate company." ETH has applied for a patent on the recipe for cocoa fruit chocolate.
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- The Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) has shown interest in collaborating with ETH Zurich's team to further explore the potential of using various parts of the cocoa fruit in nutrition and environmental science research.
- Switzerland's climate policies could be significantly impacted by the success of this eco-friendly chocolate, as it could incentivize other industries to adopt more sustainable practices, reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
- The unique chocolate recipe developed by ETH Zurich has generated interest from nutritionists and environmentalists worldwide, with universities in Zurich, London, and Ghana expressing interest in studying its effects on human health and the environment.
- Zurich-based chocolate companies are considering the incorporation of this innovative cocoa fruit chocolate into their product lines, aiming to cater to health-conscious consumers while reducing their environmental footprints.
- The Swiss government has allocated funds for research into alternative cocoa production methods, recognizing the potential of utilizing the whole cocoa fruit for improved health, nutrition, and environmental sustainability.
Source: www.stern.de
