Researchers at Zurich’s Federal Institute of Technology have discovered a groundbreaking method for transforming cocoa bean pod husks and flesh into a sugary syrup, potentially revolutionizing the chocolate manufacturing process. This innovation clears two major hurdles in one jump, allowing chocolatiers to remove sugar from their processes and significantly reduce biological waste.
The team, led by scientist Kim Mishra, distilled the juice from the white milky flesh of the cocoa pod and mixed it with pulp and husk as a thickener. The resulting chocolatey gel contains 14% simple sugars by weight and is ideal for making chocolate or serving as a sweetener.
Mishra emphasizes that this innovation has the potential to create jobs, value, and income in countries where cocoa farming takes place. He highlights that removing agricultural subsidies would make the cocoa gel more competitive, citing interest from industry entities on three continents.
This breakthrough also sheds light on the often-overlooked issue of agricultural subsidies, which can have far-reaching consequences for society.
Source: https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/big-chocolate-on-brink-of-revolution-as-swiss-scientists-use-cocoa-bean-waste-to-replace-sugar/