Saturday, November 15, 2014



Genetics Plays a Large Role in Chocolate


     Once upon a time, chocolate taste and quality was based on cocoa bean selection and quality of those beans from grower to chocolatier.  Those days are still here but unfortunately the market is flooded with people who are after the largest profit they can get.  This means diluting quality cocoa beans with below grade quality beans and selling them at the premium price to unsuspecting buyers.  Geneticists are now combating that growing issue using 48 genetic markers to match the bean                                                                                    to the tree where it came from.


     This research is still currently in development to be a more streamlined and cost effective process of course.  Removing the seed coat is time consuming and needs labor.  More importantly though is that this is really just a start to much bigger applications of genetics with the cocoa bean.  As the use of DNA mapping becomes quicker, easier, and cheaper, you see more and more practical uses of science and food.  There is already projects underway to reduce the costs of chocolate by creating more abundance of the crop.  Geneticists are currently making cocoa plants that are able to grow in different soil as well as fend off disease and weather. This is important research since the numbers show that the world is consuming more chocolate than is being produced.  The next time you drink your chocolate milk, hopefully we can breathe easier it won't become a rare delicacy like caviar.

http://news.sciencemag.org/biology/2014/01/scienceshot-genetic-test-high-quality-chocolate
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/save-chocolate-scientists-develop-breeds-050001866.html
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2 comments:

  1. AnonymousNovember 15, 2014 at 11:27 PM

    For as long as I can remember there has never been a shortage of chocolate. It's honestly everywhere. If you ever take a trip to Hershey's Chocolate Factory, you'll understand what I mean; that's a hell of a lot of chocolate in one place. However, after reading this blog post, I realize I may be wrong after all. In that case only on of two things will happen: geneticists will finally create cocoa seeds that can withstand just about anything or Hershey is going to get even richer. I'm leaning towards the the first.

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  2. UnknownNovember 16, 2014 at 11:33 AM

    Very interesting to see something that most Americans take for granted in a different light. Most of us don't think about the time and effort that goes into an industry like this or the science that is being used to hopefully improve it. As a chocolate love myself I hope the industry remains strong, profitable (but honest cause no one wants to be tricked into paying for a diluted product) and that the supplies become more plentiful.

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