Nestlé has developed a novel patented technique to get more yield from cocoa fruit.
The approach is claimed to use up to 30% more of the cocoa fruit to help farmers get more yield as well as value from their cocoa harvests.
Traditionally, chocolate is made using only the cocoa beans that are extracted from inside the cocoa pod. The beans are harvested, fermented, dried, roasted, and then ground into a liquor, which is used to make chocolate.
However, a significant amount of cocoa fruit, including the pulp, placenta, and pod husk, remains largely unused.
Therefore, Nestlé’s R&D experts set out to develop a patented technique that leveraged all parts of the fruit inside the cocoa pod.
Everything inside the cocoa pod is collected as a wet mass, which ferments naturally, to unlock “the key chocolate flavour”. The mass is then ground, roasted and dried into chocolate flakes that can be used to make chocolate.
Nestlé claims the technique has the potential to increase the amount of cocoa material available to farmers, and free up time for them to focus on agricultural practices like pruning, which has been shown to improve yields.
Reducing waste
Using cocoa pulp in chocolate confectionery products is not new. For example, M&S launched a duo of chocolate truffles made with a filling made from cacao fruit pulp in April.
However, Nestlé claims its technique, which uses makes use of the entire cocoa fruit – beans, pulp, husk and placenta – to create both milk and dark chocolate, is unique.
“With climate change increasingly affecting cocoa yields around the world, we are exploring innovative solutions that could help cocoa farmers maximise the potential of their harvests,” said Louise Barrett, head of Nestlé’s R&D centre for confectionery.
“This groundbreaking technique utilises more of the fruit, while enabling us to provide delicious chocolate to our consumers.
“While this project is still at a pilot stage, we are currently exploring how to apply this innovation at a larger scale.”
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