Study shows flavanol antioxidant content of US chocolate and cocoa-containing products. - NewsRx Health & Science

A recent study confirms that the antioxidants and other plant-based nutrients in chocolate and cocoa products are highly associated with the amount of non-fat cocoa-derived ingredients in the product. The study expands on previously published results.

The study, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, was conducted by a scientific team from The Hershey Company, Brunswick Laboratories, and Cornell University, compared the detailed cocoa antioxidant contents of commercially available chocolate and cocoa-containing products sold in the United States.

The flavanol compounds, with the exception of catechin, correlated very well with total polyphenols, the non-fat cocoa solids, and to a slightly lesser degree with the calculated % cacao in the products. 'These studies reconfirm that the amount of flavanols, whether large or small, in products like dark chocolate, milk chocolate and cocoa powder are closely tied to the level of brown cocoa particles in the products.' said David Stuart Ph.D., Director of Natural Products at Hershey's, who led the research team.

In the study, the top-selling three or four brands of natural cocoa powder, unsweetened baking chocolate, dark chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate, and chocolate syrup were purchased across the United States. Each product was tested for antioxidant activity, total polyphenols, and individual flavanol monomers and oligomers. These results were compared to the amount of nonfat cocoa solids and total polyphenols in each product, as well as to the calculated percent cacao.

The weaker correlation between catechin (a flavanol monomer present in all samples) and levels of non-fat cocoa solids, total polyphenols and calculated % cacao, was attributed by the researchers to differences in manufacturing processes. It is known from other work that epicatechin, the major flavanol monomer present in the samples, can be converted to catechin during roasting and alkali processing.

When products were classified by their composition, each category, except dark chocolate and semi-sweet baking chips which are very close in formulation, separated from each other. The products with the highest level of flavanol antioxidants were cocoa powders, followed by unsweetened baking chocolate, dark chocolate and semi-sweet chips, then milk chocolate and finally chocolate syrup.

'Being able to fully measure and communicate the levels of flavanol antioxidants in products is increasingly important for studying the potential health benefits of cocoa and chocolate and providing information to consumers,' said Debra Miller, Ph.D., Director of Nutrition at The Hershey Company.

This scientific publication is part of series of papers from the Hershey Center for Health and Nutrition[R] to investigate and communicate to both the scientific community and the public important compositional information regarding typical chocolate and cocoa-containing products.

Keywords: Agriculture, Agricultural, Chemicals, Chemistry, Cornell University, Food, Food Chemistry, The Hershey Company.

Chocolate Purists Alarmed by Proposal To Fudge Standards; Lines Drawn Over Cocoa Butter - The Washington Post

Rarely do documents making their way through federal agenciescause chocolate lovers to totally melt down. Then came Appendix C.

Accompanying a 35-page petition signed by a diverse set ofculinary groups -- juice producers, meat canners and the chocolatelobby -- the appendix charts proposed changes to food standarddefinitions set by the Food and Drug Administration, including thisone: 'use a vegetable fat in place of another vegetable fat named inthe standard (e.g., cacao fat).'

Chocolate lovers read that as a direct assault on their palates.That's because the current FDA standard for chocolate says it mustcontain cacao fat -- a.k.a. cocoa butter -- and this proposalwould make it possible to call something chocolate even if it hadvegetable oil instead of that defining ingredient. Whoppers maltedmilk balls, for instance, do not have cocoa butter.

Chocolate purists, of which there are apparently many, haveundertaken a grassroots letter-writing campaign to the FDA to informthe agency that such a change to the standards is just not okay withthem. More than 225 comments to the petition have been processed sofar by the agency, and chocolate bloggers are pressing for more. Inthe annals of bureaucratic Washington battles, this is a sweet one.

'If this puts a smile on people's faces even though it's aserious matter, that's what chocolate is meant to do,' saidCalifornia chocolate maker and traditionalist Gary Guittard, whoseWeb site, DontMessWithOurChocolate.com, has led the counterassault.

Other proposals in the petition -- e.g., to market cartooncharacter-shaped pasta as macaroni -- have not caused as muchheartburn. That's because chocolate isn't just food. It symbolizespassion, and for its lovers, it borders on religion. They buychocolate based on cacao content -- some desire 70 percent, otherswill go higher. The most demanding examine labels to make sure it isfrom one region, not a blend, focusing on production methods muchthe same way that coffee lovers home in on where beans are grown.Even mass chocolate producers are trying to tap into this spirit.There's now a Limited Edition Dark Snickers bar.

The industry has also been touting chocolate's health benefits -- it contains flavonoids, which may benefit the heart and arteries;cocoa butter doesn't raise cholesterol levels; and chocolate doesn'tcontain trans fats. Mars has even launched a division called MarsNutrition for Health & Well-Being, which markets chocolate productswith explicit health claims.

Guittard, whose family has been making chocolate since 1868, saidsome big chocolate manufacturers favor the proposed change inregulations because they want to keep prices down on key ingredientsby using less expensive vegetable fat, which can contain trans fats,instead of cocoa butter. That scares him. Cybele May, a playwright,whale-watching enthusiast and Web editor in California, has beenencouraging people to write the FDA with posts on her blog atcandyblog.net. 'Suddenly, we are worried that the chocolate barisn't the same anymore and we don't know why,' May said.

If the change is approved, products would still need to containchocolate liquor, the ground-up center of the cocoa bean. But aconfection such as PayDay Chocolatey Avalanche -- which doesn'tcontain cocoa butter -- would be able to call itself PayDayChocolate Avalanche. It seems like a small distinction, but topeople like Guittard and May, it is not.

An FDA spokeswoman said if -- stressing, if -- the agencydecides to consider changing the standards as requested in thepetition, the process would take several years.

For their part, chocolate makers aren't saying much. KirkSaville, a Hershey's spokesman, said it was 'premature to speculateon any changes before the process is complete.' He was moreexpansive in speaking to the Harrisburg Patriot-News, in thecompany's back yard, saying, 'There are high-quality oils availablewhich are equal to or better than cocoa butter in taste, nutrition,texture and function, and are preferred by consumers.'

Officials from the Chocolate Manufacturers Association declinedan interview request. In a statement, the association said now is anappropriate time to update standards of identity for all foods andadded, 'We want to emphasize that by co-signing the food industrypetition, CMA has not endorsed any particular changes to thestandards of identity for chocolate products.'

From the department of cooler heads comes Nick Malgieri, thedirector of the baking program at the Institute of CulinaryEducation in New York.

Dark chocolate: morsels, not mouthfuls.(THE SUPERMARKET SLEUTH) - Food & Fitness Advisor

If you're a chocoholic, the news about dark chocolate's health benefits sounds like pure bliss--there's nothing like feeling good about your favorite guilty pleasure. According to Joanne Haire, RD, a dietitian at Weill Cornell Medical Center, 'Cocoa contains many components which can be classified as healthy. It has flavonoid polyphenols, which can act as antioxidants and can also help to lower blood pressure.' Flavonoids, which are particularly potent antioxidants, comprise more than 10 percent of the weight of cocoa powder. The types of flavonoids in cocoa products are catechins, epicatechins, and procyandins. Haire reports that chocolate also contains serotonin, which acts as an antidepressant, and endorphins, which produce pleasurable feelings.

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The dark side of chocolate. Modern chocolate bars are usually a processed whip of chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, cocoa powder, sugar, emulsifiers and milk that may minimize their potential polyphenol content. In finished products, the amount of cocoa can vary from seven to 35 percent in milk chocolate, and 30 to 80 percent in dark chocolate. Dark chocolate generally has twice the amount of polyphenols as milk chocolate, and white chocolate has none. Haire suggests that you look for dark chocolate as your best source of cocoa flavonoids (dark chocolate containing at least 70% cacao is even better).

Another chocolate shortfall: 'It is a calorie-dense food and can be very high in fat and sugar, depending on what is added to it,' says Haire. At 135 to 150 calories per ounce, chocolate can quickly lose its health benefit if you overindulge. Formulations vary for chocolate products, so keep an eye on the amounts of sugar and saturated fat in your favorite dark chocolate. Filled nougat and caramel centers can further increase the amounts of fat and sugar. And many dark chocolate bars are gigantic, containing as much as 500 calories, 38 grams (g) fat and 24 g saturated fat in a three-ounce bar.

Better by the bite. Chocolate makers have started packaging dark chocolates in smaller, single-serving packages, which makes it easier to stay within your limits. Several single-serving and bite-size dark chocolates made our Sleuth List, such as Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate 100 Calorie Bars, with only 100 calories, 5 g fat, 3.5 g saturated fat and 9 g sugar per 17-g bar, which is slightly more than half an ounce. However, some chocolate bars that may appear to be a 'single serving' are much bigger and provide a heftier load of calories, fat and sugar. For example, Godiva's Solid Dark Chocolate Chocoiste Bar weighs 43 g, and if you eat the whole thing, you'll add 230 calories, 14 g fat, 9 g saturated fat and 20 g sugar to your day. Conversely, some individual dark chocolates are packaged in tiny sizes, such as Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Kisses, at 5 g each. Haire emphasizes that individual portion sizes definitely can help, but beware of an open bag of Hershey's Kisses.

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The wisest approach is to determine how many calories and grams of fat and sugar you can afford to consume from chocolate on a daily or weekly basis and then create your own portion size that matches up.

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Complex confections: lines blur as marketers offer more and less in sweets.(STATE OF THE INDUSTRY: Confections) - Stagnito's New Products Magazine

An unscientific consumer poll reveals that consumers don't think 'confections' or 'candy' when asked to name 'health and wellness' foods. It's a sure bet that results would be the same in a scientific poll. Candy might be good for the soul, but teeth, blood sugar, waistlines? No way.

Still, the category that conjures fun and indulgence hasn't ignored health. In fact, there are certain elements in the confectionery category that are boldly declaring health and wellness.

New product growth is robust in the confectionery category. New candy product totals for the year ended June 2007 were 3,500, according to Mintel's Global New Product Database, up from 2,403 for the same period in 2006. More than 38 percent (1,342) of new product confectionery launches through June 2007 contained a health claim, compared with nearly 27 percent (639) bearing a health claim for the year ended June 2006. Total retail confectionery sales for 2006 were $28.9 billion, a 2.8 percent increase over the prior year, according to the National Confectioners Association.

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The real excitement--healthy or indulgent--centers on chocolate.

According to Mintel, sales of chocolate through all channels increased 129 percent from 2001 to 2006, from $896 million to $20.5 billion. It's growing at a rate of about 14 percent a year. The impetus for consumers, it seems, is self-gifting/reward, as well as the positive health appeal of dark chocolate.

The light side of dark

'In years past, milk chocolate was more popular than dark. Now it's the opposite,' says Allyson Myers, director of sales for specialty chocolate manufacturer and retailer Lake Champlain Chocolates, Burlington, Vt., who has seen sales of dark chocolate surge.

'Consumers are reading about the great health benefits of dark chocolate, including antioxidants, how it can lower blood pressure or help pregnant women have healthy babies,' says Myers.

It's not hard to find good news about dark chocolate. A study from the University of Cologne, Germany, published in The Journal of the American Medical Association, indicates that dark chocolate lowers high blood pressure.

Another study, from the National Institute for Food and Nutrition Research, Rome, as reported in Nature, reveals that dark chocolate is a potent antioxidant, capable of gobbling up pesky free radicals that are a chief culprit of heart disease and other ailments.

While consumers might be drawn to chocolate for satisfaction, they are wary of fat and calories. Research concedes that to gain the benefits from the chocolate, less of something else should be consumed to offset the added fat and calories. Marcia Mogelonsky, a chocolate expert and author of a Mintel chocolate report, says consumers are okay with eating small quantities of good chocolate, but because they're consuming less, they're more likely buying up when they do indulge. That in turn has led to higher sales of premium and super premium chocolate. Premium chocolates are those priced at $8 or more per pound ($0.50 or more per ounce).

Mintel reports that dark chocolate sales are up 49 percent between 2003 and 2006, from $1.26 billion to $1.88 billion, and premium chocolate sales are up 91 percent between 2002 and 2007.

While antioxidant tags are appearing with greater frequency on packages, more companies seem happy to focus on high cacao content.

'We label the cocoa content, because consumers are now savvy enough to know it refers to higher chocolate content, but we see ourselves as a luxury first, with health as a bonus,' says Lake Champlain's Myers.

Hershey's Cacao Reserve line, for example, displays the cocoa content on the label of its signature products, as do products in the Lindt Excellence line, Ghirardelli Intense Dark, E. and Guittard Chocolate Co., among others.

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Everybody wins

It's not just premium chocolate companies that are cashing in on dark chocolate's healthy glow. Hershey's Special Dark, for example, is a mass market product with a lot of consumer appeal. The product's sales through FDM channels (excluding Wal-Mart) were up 88 percent between 2004 and 2006, according to Information Resources Inc. In May, Hershey launched Special Dark Nuggets with Almonds.

Other mainstream brands hope for the same growth. New under the M&M's banner are dark chocolate peanut candies, launched in June. Snickers Dark and Snickers Almond Dark launched in April. Dove launched Extra Dark Chocolate with High Cacao Content in June, in both 63 percent cocoa and 71 percent cocoa content varieties. Dove promotes its new Dark Chocolate as a natural source of cocoa flavanols.

While currently not resonating with consumers on a large scale, other chocolate trends that tend to keep premium safely separated from mass market include single origin, organic and fair trade.

Mogelonsky says these practices, along with ethics, go hand in hand. 'For now, in the big wide world it's not that big a deal,' says Mogelonsky, whose research indicates these tags resonate most with consumers under the age of 35. She, like other industry observers, believes organic and fair trade will gain in importance in the coming years.

'We find the fair trade message resonates with almost all consumers once they have an understanding of what it means. Consumers who are already aware and looking for the Fair Trade seal include those most attuned to social justice and environmental issues,' says Debra Music, vice president of sales and marketing at Theo Chocolate, Seattle. Theo Origin Bars feature premium dark chocolate from Venezuela, Ghana, Ecuador, Madagascar and the Ivory Coast.

Interesting inclusions are no longer strictly the domain of boutique and artisinal chocolatiers, either. Lavendar or goat cheese may still be in the boutique stage, but other herbs, nuts and berries are going mainstream. On the fringe between artisinal and mainstream are superfoods, such as goji berries and green tea. Currently hitting the mass market are Hershey's Goodness Chocolate's Hershey's Extra Dark Cranberries, Blueberries and Almonds, and Hershey's Extra Dark Macadamia Nuts and Cranberries. Each contains natural flavanol antioxidants and features 60 percent cacao dark chocolate.

Milk chocolate

Dark chocolate may be the darling, but milk chocolate isn't letting go of the spotlight without a fight.

Milk chocolate is in a statistical tie with baked goods and ice cream/frozen yogurt as the most popular of nine sweet foods one could eat to satisfy a craving, according to Mintel. Dark chocolate comes in second.

Mogelonsky reports that milk chocolate still holds a lot of potential, particularly in the premium category.

The strategy being exercised by the Hershey Co., Hershey, Pa., is to extend the healthy message of dark chocolate to milk chocolate. The company is expanding its Goodness Chocolate line with Hershey's Antioxidant Milk Chocolate and Hershey's Whole Bean Chocolate. These products join Hershey's Extra Dark Chocolate and 60-calorie Hershey's Sticks in offering Hershey's chocolate with good-for-you benefits.

'Consumers are very interested in the goodness benefits of chocolate, including the antioxidants found naturally in dark chocolate,' Michele Buck, Hershey's senior vice president, chief marketing officer, said in a statement. 'Hershey's Antioxidant Milk Chocolate and Hershey's Whole Bean Chocolate bring the goodness benefits of dark chocolate to the broader milk chocolate category.'

Hershey's Antioxidant Milk Chocolate features more flavanol antioxidants than the leading dark chocolate while staying true to the taste of Hershey's Milk Chocolate.

Blurred lines

New formats, such as sticks, as well as inclusions--fruits, nuts and other textures--are evidence that the lines between confections and snacks are blurring.

'When asked why they selected chocolate, 56 percent of consumers said it was because they wanted a dessert or snack, so there is the thought that it can be a snack,' says Mogelonsky. 'It's not just a chocolate bar, it's also Luna and Pria that are chocolate ... there's a lot of competition, from ice cream, cookies, pies, etc.'

Mars Inc. is making sure it can provide a snack option for any day part. The Hackettstown, N.J., company has revamped a number of its noted brands to comply with guidelines established by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a joint initiative of the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation. Companies meeting the Alliance's criteria for healthy foods stand a much better chance of regaining valuable vending space in schools across the nation.

Mars is calling the snacks Generation Max, and the line includes such iconic brands as M&M's, Snickers, Twix and 3 Musketeers. Generation Max products include cereal clusters, cookies, brownie bars, crackers and pretzel products, all 150 calories per serving or less, with less than 35 percent of calories from fat, 10 percent of calories from saturated fat, and 35 percent by weight of sugar per serving, along with additional nutrients.

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Kids' choice

Candy, predominantly in the nonchocolate arena, is about kids. Here, where the lines blur between toys and candy, health is worming its way in. Atlanta-based Innovative Candy Concepts took the bold move last year of removing sugar from its products and adding the SmartChoice tag to its popular brands that include Too Tarts and Screaming Sour Powder Pods. These 'better-for-you' sour candies in fruit flavors contain 18 calories per serving.

'As a manufacturer of confectionery products, I believe we have a responsibility to offer healthier alternatives while not just preserving, but actually enhancing the taste profiles of those products so that kids and adults alike will like them,' says Armand Hammer, president and chief executive officer of Innovative Candy Concepts. 'Traditionally, products that were categorized as 'healthier' or 'sugar-free' were perceived as tasting terrible. We strive to change that perception.'

Aside from the notion of sweet treat, Hammer says 'interactive, fun, colorful packaging resonates with kids.' He says that extreme sour remains big with kids, but he's also betting on the success of new spray candies, for kids and adults.

For kids: Melted Ice-Cream Spray Candy, in strawberry, blueberry and banana split melted ice cream flavors. 'These sprays are creamy, rich and taste spot on like the real thing, however, they are sugar free, diabetic-friendly and only 10 calories per serving and the sprays are super-sized, offering more candy for the cost,' says Hammer.

Just as the line between candy and snacks is blurred, so too is the line between candy and the package. Although sales are flat in the novelty sub-category, there's still plenty of excitement.

Funose Inc., Istanbul, Turkey, markets Vitviti Fun and Lollipocus products. Vitviti Fun chocolates are packaged in multiple-part tubes that convert to interconnecting pieces. Different tubes contain different parts that can be connected together for creative play. Lollipocus consists of a line of lollipops with moving parts imbedded in the candy.

Indulgence and fun reign

Health and wellness has permeated the confectionery category, but it hasn't diminished the indulgent nature of the category. Rather, a new emphasis on health and wellness has opened up the confectionery category to more consumers. But at the end of the day, it's all about taste and experience.

'Why do people eat chocolate? For no reason at all; they feel like it,' says Mogelonsky.

Unscientifically speaking, that goes for the whole category.

Sugar lows

Fifty-two percent of shoppers aged 65 or older find the claim 'lower in sugar' extremely or very important on labels, compared to 33 percent of shoppers aged 18-39 years old.

'Considering the greater concerns that older shoppers have about their diets, and the propensity for diabetes to increase with age, sugar concerns are higher amongst older shoppers.'

Fresh-brewed chocolate.(IN THE AISLES) - Grocery Headquarters

The gap between coffee and hot chocolate has been bridged With Choffy--a drink made from 100% organic cacao (cocoa) beans that have been roasted and ground. Consumers simply brew Choffy just as they would coffee.

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Choffy contains no sugar, dairy or chemicals, yet according to the manufacturer, maintains the health benefits of cacao including antioxidants, Theobromine, improved circulation and 'feel great' properties. Also according to the manufacturer, an 8-ounce cup of Choffy contains more antioxidants than a serving of blueberries.

Manufactured by Vancouver, Wash.-based Choffy, Inc., Choffy is available in two varieties. Ivory Coast Choffy is the signature blend, made from fair trade, organic cacao beans from the Ivory Coast. It has a deep chocolate flavor with hints of natural grains and slightly earthy notes. La Espanola Choffy highlights single-estate organic cacao beans from the Dominican Republic. They impart deep, rich yet smooth chocolate flavors with nutty overtones.

Choffy is available in a 12-ounce bag with a suggested $ 15 retail, as well as a 5-pound bag that has a suggest retail of $85.

Raising the bar: Chocolate has always been decadent and delicious; now, it's really, really rich. - The Sun (Lowell, MA)

Byline: Kathleen Pierce

Feb. 7--WESTFORD -- A double, no-foam latte was an effete order a few years back. Now UPS drivers sail into Starbucks in their brown uniforms and rattle off the request with the ease of a well-heeled soccer mom.

Coffee is not the only everyday staple going upscale. This year, it's chocolate's turn. The suddenly gourmet indulgence that has been around since Mayan times now carries the cache of wine. Notice the '70 percent cocoa' stamped on your Hershey's bar. That wasn't there a year ago.

Hershey just released a line called Cacao Reserve that comes in percentage points according to cacao quantities. Cacao, pronounced 'ka-kow,' the central ingredient in cocoa and chocolate, entered the lexicon as sneakily as words like macchiato did.

'I went down the candy aisle at Market Basket the other day and was shocked by all the chocolate that is stamped with percentage points,' said Geneva Schult of Westford, who is coordinating the St. Mark's Episcopal Church Chocolate Festival in Westford this weekend.

The availability of great quality chocolate at your corner pharmacy has made this suddenly gourmet item accessible to all. At the same time, chocolate's personality makeover is making the shopworn treat highbrow.

'I have noticed a lot of snobbery. People are saying I can't eat that if it's not 60 percent cacao,' said Schult.

Bringing chocolate back down to earth are people like Schult, who is as comfortable making a mock truffle as a decadent chocolate torte. On her kitchen island last week were products purchased at the supermarket, such as fudge mix, Oreo cookies, cocoa powder and candy melts. Zapping the melts in the microwave for 60 seconds, Schult dips the cookies in the chocolate and the dessert is done and looking fabulous.

Alongside her is 12-year-old LillyAnna Kuehl, perfecting her raspberry brownies. Extolling the virtues of working with chocolate in the kitchen, Kuehl said: 'I like the taste, it's easy to deal with.'

But more importantly, 'it gives you that happy feeling.'

Schult and Kuehl took home first and second place respectively at the St. Mark's Episcopal Church's Chocolate Festival last year. Now in its 17th year, the festival, happening this weekend, was ahead of its time.

'People have always liked chocolate, but now it is being considered a great idea for an event or party,' said Schult.

On the other end of the sweet spectrum is Maribel Lieberman. The owner of MarieBelle is doing for chocolates what Tiffany did for jewels, elevating them to a work of art. Coming in sea blue boxes, and in flavors like cinnamon, Earl Grey and cardamom, her chocolates are exquisitely decorated frills that are being gobbled up globally.

'I sell them at Bergdorf's, the Four Seasons Hotel, Japan, France, all over Europe,' said the former fashion designer who trained herself to be a chef.

She opened MarieBelle in New York in 2001 at a time when most stores were closing. Right away, she struck gold.

'I was never pleased with the chocolates sold around here. I felt it was cocoa powder. If it is chocolate it should be cocoa, not powder,' said Lieberman.

Like a chemist, she experimented with Aztec chocolate and found its lack of sweetness pleasing to her refined palate. At the same time, she heard from European chocolatiers that Americans would not take to dark chocolate. By touting its health benefits, she proved them wrong and helped spark dark chocolate's renaissance. According to WebMD.com, dark chocolate lowers high blood pressure and is loaded with antioxidants

Her sophisticated designs are highly graphic, as well as intricate and fun. Sweet Peas in Westford carries the artisanal treats and shop owner Wendy Lepore says they are selling briskly for Valentine's Day, even though the higher price tag, $35.99 per box, would be prohibitive for many.

'They go for it. The concentration is higher and it's just a nicer quality of chocolate,' said Lepore.

St. Mark's Episcopal Church's Chocolate Festival takes place Sunday with seatings at noon and 3 p.m. at the Westford Regency, 219 Littleton Road, Westford. Admission is $12 in advance, $14 at the door. For more information, visit www.st-mark.org.

Copyright (c) 2007, The Sun, Lowell, Mass.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business

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Would you eat chocolate made with - vegetable oil?(N) - The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA)

Byline: ANDREW BRIDGES

By Andrew Bridges

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON

Like many battles, this one's being fought block by block. Victory, for whomever prevails, will be sweet. Or bitter - or even bittersweet.

It all depends on how you like your chocolate.

At stake is the very definition of chocolate, and whether cheaper vegetable oils can be substituted for what many consider the very quintessence of every block, bar and square of chocolate: cocoa butter.

In Europe, the cocoa butter vs. vegetable oil fight took 30 years to resolve. In the United States, it's been less than a year since the first volley. Hundreds of chocoholics have joined the fray, the outcome of which could in turn affect the livelihoods of millions of cocoa farmers in Africa and South America.

It all began in October, when a dozen industry groups filed a petition with the Food and Drug Administration seeking to amend the standards that guide how nearly 300 foods can be produced, from canned cherries to evaporated milk.

Broadly speaking, the so-called standards of identity are intended to ensure listed products contain the right amount of key ingredients and are both properly made and not deceptively packaged. For example, chocolate in its purest state - the 'liquor' made from ground, processed cacao beans - must contain between 50 percent and 60 percent cocoa butter, also known as cocoa fat.

The Grocery Manufacturers Association, Chocolate Manufacturers Association and 10 other food industry groups want more flexibility in those rigid standards. They seek broad permission to add ingredients, use different techniques, employ new shapes and substitute ingredients - something the standards currently don't allow.

The petitioners say it's all about modernizing antiquated standards that now can take years to change.

'If you're trying to innovate, the process is not amenable to introducing change in a reasonable amount of time. It's not efficient,' said Regina Hildwine, the Grocery Manufacturers Association's senior director of food labeling and standards.

Opponents of the change say it's out of step with the times.

'It's a real philosophical thing, just about the foods we eat. There is such a focus on people's wanting to know what's in the foods they eat, how they're grown, where they come from - this seems to fly against the direction of the way things are moving,' said Gary Guittard, the president of California's Guittard Chocolate Co. and a leader of the opposition.

The broadly written petition skimps on the details but includes an appendix that lists examples of proposed changes. Tucked between requests to allow antifungals on bulk cheese and powdered milk in yogurt is what has people riled up the most: a proposal that would let manufacturers 'use a vegetable fat in place of another vegetable fat named in the standard (e.g. cacao fat).'

Manufacturers already can use vegetable fats instead of cocoa butter - they just can't call it 'chocolate.' Hundreds of people have filed comments with the FDA, with the overwhelming majority seeking to keep it that way, according to an Associated Press review of the file.

'It is a passionate debate. You don't get that about yogurt. People feel very protective about their chocolate,' said Beth Kimmerle, author of 'Chocolate: The Sweet History.'

The FDA has yet to completely analyze the petition .

'Greater flexibility is one of the goals of our modernization. However, we always have to look at whether it results in a food that retains the basic nature of the food, retain the essential character of the food and is something that consumers expect. So that would be very difficult to do in a very short time,' said Geraldine June, a supervisor in the regulations and review team of the agency's food labeling and standards staff.

For centuries, if not millennia, chocolate has been made from the cacao bean, with cocoa butter as an essential ingredient. That ingredient is the essence of the taste, texture and 'mouth feel' of chocolate, according to Jay King, president of the Retail Confectioners International, an industry group.

Cacao is grown around the globe, within a narrow band that straddles the equator. As many as 50 million people depend upon cocoa for their livelihood, according to the World Cocoa Foundation.

Allowing chocolate in the United States to be made with vegetable oils could have an 'extraordinary and unfortunate impact' on those millions, Steven J. Laning, an executive with Archer Daniels Midland Co.'s cocoa division, wrote to the FDA.

But the shift would make chocolate cheaper to produce, since cocoa butter can be at least four times the cost of shea, palm oil and other vegetable fats.

The petition comes as scientists find evidence that suggests chocolate - when eaten in moderation - can lower blood pressure, among its other health benefits.

Chocolate makers have capitalized on those findings and trotted out products they tout as healthful, especially dark chocolates high in flavanols, antioxidants found in cacao beans.

'It just seems to position chocolate in a murky field, especially now with all this great news about its health benefits coming into the light,' Kimmerle said. 'It feels like a better time to get clearer about standards.'

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