Researchers in Zurich promise to create healthier chocolate.
A team of Swiss researchers has created a special kind of super chocolate that is healthier and more eco-friendly than regular chocolate. Instead of using crystal sugar, they used additional parts of the cocoa fruit to make the sweetener. This new chocolate is both tasty and offers better nutritional value with more fiber and less saturated fatty acids. It also has the potential to help farmers earn more money and save the environment.
The study, led by Kim Mishra from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH), was published in the journal "Nature Food." They used cocoa shell components in the chocolate, which give it a sweet taste similar to regular chocolate. The process of creating the chocolate can reduce the land use and greenhouse gas emissions compared to the average European dark chocolate production.
Cocoa beans are only a small part of the fruit, so the necessary land area and the greenhouse gas emissions due to the conversion of original tropical vegetation per bean are usually high. To address this problem, the researchers used the inner part of the cocoa fruit shell and created a powder. They then mixed this with a portion of the fruit flesh to create a sweet jelly, which replaced the usual sugar in the new chocolate. The end result is a more sustainable chocolate recipe.
Cocoa beans are usually roasted, shelled, ground, and sterilized to make cocoa mass. In this new method, the fruit flesh and the cocoa shell are also used to create the cocoa fruit chocolate. This means that farmers can sell additional parts of the fruit, which could help them earn more money and reduce the negative environmental impacts associated with chocolate production.
The new chocolate recipe has a higher fiber content of 15 grams per 100 grams compared to 12 grams in a typical European dark chocolate. It also has 23 grams of saturated fatty acids, compared to 33 grams in a typical European dark chocolate.
However, it may take some time before this chocolate becomes widely available for purchase. The researchers need to work with cocoa farmers to create drying facilities and produce enough powder before a large-scale chocolate manufacturer can produce and market it. For now, the ETH has applied for a patent for the recipe for cocoa fruit chocolate.
In conclusion, the Swiss researchers have created a healthier and more sustainable chocolate by utilizing different parts of the cocoa fruit, promising a better deal for farmers and a greener environment. Although it may be some time before consumers can enjoy this super chocolate, the development is an important step in the right direction.
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This new chocolate, resulting from the research in Zurich, not only promotes better health with its increased fiber content and reduced saturated fatty acids but also contributes to sustainability in agriculture by utilizing more parts of the cocoa fruit. Furthermore, the potential income increase for farmers and reduced environmental impact during production make this innovation an essential step towards education in sustainable cocoa production.
Source: www.ntv.de
