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Chocolate has a sustainability problem. Science believes it has found the answer

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Chocolate has a sustainability problem. Science believes it has found the answer

Elsewhere, Mars is seeking to get to the literal root of the problem by improving the resilience of the important cocoa plant. The food giant is working with the USDA and UC Davis to sequence the genome of disease pathogens that wreak havoc on crop yields, including black pod disease. He hopes that by understanding the issues at a microscopic level, he can select resilient cocoa trees and avoid the sector’s supply problems altogether.

Nag points to other areas of development, which focus on improving the quality of new solutions. In particular, it suggests that pascalization may hold promise.

“Pascalization (also known as high pressure processing -HPP) involves the application of high levels of hydrostatic pressure to cocoa products to stabilize the cocoa particles and prevent separation of the cocoa powder,” he explains.

“This technique preserves flavors and nutrients, extends shelf life, modifies texture, and ensures food safety in cocoa and chocolate products without relying on heat or chemical preservatives. “While this method is still under investigation, it shows promise for improving the texture of chocolate products, particularly in alternative formulations.”

Regardless of the growing competition, Mishra is confident in the group’s full potential. However, his team is not the first to consider it, and both Nestlé and Lindt & Sprüngli have made tentative forays into similar markets, with varying degrees of success.

After launching its Incoa cocoa-only product in 2019, Nestlé quietly pulled it from the market in 2023 after receiving a disappointing reception in a few select European markets. The chocolate did not use the endocarp and skipped the gel-making stage, but it promised similar positive results for farmers. Elsewhere, Lindt & Sprüngli has apparently found more appetite following the launch of its Cocoa Pure product in 2021; continues to offer the limited-edition 100 percent cocoa bar, also in partnership with Koa, but also using only the pulp.

So the spirit of the industry seems to be open to new ideas, but will the public accept this new chocolate? Will ETH Zurich’s unique chocolate-making method ever leave the lab?

“If I didn’t have a day job, I would probably start a company,” Mishra says. “But the real implementation milestone that needs to be achieved is for a chocolate company to take the risk of creating a prototype of a product – a real product, not a product made by scientists. We scientists, in general, are very bad at preparing culinary delights. “I think as soon as a larger chocolate manufacturer sees this as a worthy path to follow, the change will begin.”

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