Rich in flavor and smooth in texture, this enchanting chocolate will make you want to indulge yourself. If chocolate advertisements could include the words "healthy" and "sustainable," the reason to eat chocolate would be even more perfect. Now, Swiss scientists have successfully used cocoa pulp and endocarp to create a new type of chocolate that is both high in fiber and environmentally friendly.
The taste is comparable to dark chocolate, and the nutritional value has greatly improved.
Traditionally, chocolate is made by cracking the cocoa pod open and removing the cocoa beans. The hard shell is usually discarded, while the outer pulp of the cocoa bean disappears during the fermentation process. Scientists have discovered a new method that involves grinding the inner endocarp of the shell into a powder, concentrating the pulp into a paste, and then combining the two to create "cocoa jelly." This gel is very sweet and can be used to replace the sugar added to chocolate.
The study, published in the journal Nature Food at the end of May, was conducted by a team of researchers from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich). The cocoa pod shell is rich in antioxidants, pectin, minerals, dietary fiber, and protein. Cocoa jelly offers a higher nutritional value than regular sugar. Furthermore, the new chocolate contains 20% more fiber than European dark chocolate and approximately 30% less saturated fat.
What about taste? La Vanguardia reports that blind tests have shown the new chocolate to taste similar to European dark chocolate. The study's lead author, Kim Mishra, told the Guardian that the new chocolate releases sweetness more slowly than traditional dark chocolate, resulting in a more pronounced fruity and acidic flavor.
Cocoa shells are also treasures
This new type of chocolate combines health, environmental, and social benefits. Using a laboratory-based process, the new chocolate uses 6% less land and water than traditional chocolate. Cocoa farmers in the cocoa-producing regions also gain new income, as both the pulp and the endocarp can be sold. However, the endocarp drying process is energy-intensive, resulting in a 12% increase in greenhouse gas emissions. Researchers hope that future large-scale production could utilize solar drying or photovoltaics to minimize these negative impacts.
When will the new chocolate be available? Consumers may have to wait a while. The research team stated that in order to make this chocolate a successful case study in terms of technology, nutrition, environment, and income diversification for smallholder farmers, they hope that smallholder cocoa farmers will first have drying facilities before entering the mass production stage.
References：
*The Guardian (June 1, 2024),Scientists develop method of making healthier, more sustainable chocolate
*ETH Zürich（2024.5.21），Chocolate that harnesses the full potential of the cocoa fruit
*La Vanguardia（2024.5.24），Swiss scientists invent a new type of chocolate: how it is made and what it tastes like
*Salon（2024.6.15），Scientists have found a use for cocoa pod scraps. It could change the future of chocolate
Sources: Environmental Information Center
