It’s an interesting idea. And something I’m surprised nobody has come up with before. Just one problem: Its time may already have come and gone. Fortified chocolate a great Easter treat. If we could still afford chocolate…
Bar-snappin’ good: Pure Dark Chocolate. Even healthier with added probiotics!
Here’s a truly innovative idea that may once have had substantial currency and merit. Researchers at the American Chemical Society (ACS) are proposing fortifying dark chocolate with important bio-nutrients to take full advantage of its natural nutritional benefits…
The rationale…
“Many people will soon load up Easter baskets with chocolate candy for children and adults to enjoy,” the introduction to a new report from the ACS asserts.
“On its own, dark chocolate has health benefits, such as antioxidants that neutralize damaging free radicals,” the report continues. And, “packing the sweet treat with pre- and probiotics could make it more healthful.
The power of probiotics
“Probiotics, found in fermented foods such as yogurt and kimchi, are living microbes that improve the gut microbiome, shifting the balance toward beneficial bacteria and yeasts. They can also ease digestive issues and reduce inflammation,” the report explains.
These live active cultures need nutrition of their own and protection to survive harsh gut conditions. That’s why prebiotics — substances like dietary fibre and oligosaccharides — are sometimes added to probiotic-containing ingredients to create what are called synbiotic foods.
What they did
The researchers added pre-biotocs, probiotics and common flavouring agents used in confectionery chocolate products to separate experimental batches of identical chocolate, to compare the samples’ makeup and effects to un-fortified dark chocolate.
What they found
Team leaders Smriti Gaur and Shubhi Singh found there were both pros and cons…
- Fat levels, which influence texture and mouthfeel, and are therefore important to the consumer appeal of chocolate, were consistent among all five samples.
- Flavorings impacted some characteristics of the synbiotic chocolates. For example, orange flavorings decreased pH, increased moisture and enhanced protein levels compared to all the other samples.
- The four synbiotic samples had higher antioxidant levels than the ‘plain’ control.
- Synbiotic samples had less ‘snap’ compared to the control, suggesting that the additional ingredients disrupted the internal structure of the chocolate.
- Furthermore, the prebiotic-infused chocolate samples exhibited significant shelf life performance, and to viability, ‘when subjected to simulated gastrointestinal conditions’.
The takeaway
The researchers also tasted their enhanced confections. “Personally, we enjoyed the orange-flavored chocolates the most, where the vibrant citrus notes complemented the rich cocoa, and it had a slightly softer texture that made each bite feel more luxurious,” says Gaur. “In the future, we are excited to explore additional health benefits of these chocolates while thoroughly investigating their sensory and nutritional profiles, with the goal of creating an even more wholesome and enjoyable treat.”
My take
There’s just one problem with the initial rational for exploring probiotic-enhanced chocolates. The world is heading into what may become an extended period of chocolate shortages and resulting price increases.
And the ‘crisis’ may last long enough to significantly influence consumers’ feelings about chocolate long term. In short, those ‘Easter baskets loaded up with chocolate candy’ envisioned by the researchers in the preamble to their report may already be over.
But other investigators are also working on developing climate change- and disease-resisant strains of cocoa plants that could, in some mid-term or distant future, lead to a chocolate renaissance.
We’ll just have to wait and see that happens…
~ Maggie J.