‘Breakthrough technology’ behind reduced calorie chocolate claim

Cargill’s cocoa and chocolate business has unveiled ‘the breakthrough technology’ behind what it claims is the first chocolate to achieve an EU-approved consumer claim of reduced calorie.
According to Cargill, the 30% calorie reduction is double that of any other chocolate on the market and is equivalent to a saving of up to 160 calories for a 100g chocolate bar.
According to the firm, it’s all down to an innovative process using a patented blend of sweeteners, including Cargill’s zero-calorie bulk sweetener, Zerose erythritol.

“Unlike chocolate made with alternative sweeteners, our new reduced-calorie chocolate can achieve a calorie reduction of 30 per cent. As a result, it can carry the EU-approved reduced calorie claim,” explains Blanche Olry, research and development manager at Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate. “As an alternative to the reduced calorie claim, the Cargill innovation also offers two further benefits to manufacturers using chocolate as an ingredient: they can reduce the calorie level per portion; or they can use more chocolate in their product for the same calorie amount. The latter option is certain to appeal to manufacturers of cookies, cereal bars and other snacks where 99 calories per portion is the target maximum. With our reduced calorie chocolate, there is now the option to increase the amount of chocolate for the same number of calories.”

It’s expected to be available commercially next year.