Sunday Times 2
Fruit juice chocolate
View(s):Scientists have invented a novel way to cut the fat content in chocolate- bars made with fruit juice. And it is better for their waistline too, as the tiny droplets of juice – apple, orange and cranberry – are used to replace up to half of the bar’s fat content. The technique works with all types of chocolate, dark, milk, and white, but does give the final product a fruity flavour, the researchers have admitted.
But there is the option to use a mixture of water and vitamin C instead of fruit juice in a bid to maintain a more chocolatey taste.
The technique, developed by a team at the University of Warwick, substitute the cocoa butter and milk fats that go into conventional bars with liquid in the form of micro-bubbles. This helps the chocolate retain a velvety ‘mouth-feel’ – firm and snappy to the bite and yet melt in the mouth.
Speaking about the technique at national meeting of the American Chemical Society in New Orleans, lead researcher Dr Stefan Bon said: ‘We have established the chemistry that’s a starting point for healthier chocolate confectionary. ‘This approach maintains the things that make chocolate “chocolatey”, but with fruit juice instead of fat.
Now we’re hoping the food industry will take the next steps and use the technology to make tasty, lower-fat chocolate bars and other candy.’
© Daily Mail, London
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