Currently, chocolate is not widely used in tropical countries, even though these regions produce most of the world’s cocoa. The reason is the hot weather, which causes chocolate to melt easily.
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(Image: chocolate.org) |
Scientists have been working to address this issue for decades, and now a research team in Nigeria believes they have created a new chocolate product that can withstand heat while still tasting like traditional chocolate.
Most current chocolates melt at temperatures between 25-32 degrees Celsius.
Food scientists at the Cocoa Research Institute in Nigeria have mixed corn starch with cocoa to create a heat-resistant chocolate that is comparable to traditional milk chocolate in terms of color, flavor, smoothness, and overall quality.
The corn starch thickens the chocolate and prevents cocoa butter from melting under heat. Researchers found that a 10% corn starch ratio is ideal. This new product can withstand temperatures of up to 50 degrees Celsius.
The researchers hope that their new product will help expand the consumption and distribution of chocolate in tropical countries.
M.T