Glossary

Cocoa and chocolate

Table of contents:

Glossary......................................................................................................................................1

Cocoa and chocolate..................................................................................................................1

Table of contents:......................................................................................................................1

Agroforestry system...................................................................................................................3

Working and living conditions of cocoa famers.........................................................................3

Conching.................................................................................................................................... 4

Harvest.......................................................................................................................................4

Fair trade....................................................................................................................................5

Fermentation............................................................................................................................. 5

Histamine intolerance................................................................................................................6

Cocoa contents.......................................................................................................................... 6

Cocoa tree..................................................................................................................................7

Cocoa butter.............................................................................................................................. 7

Cocoa fruit..................................................................................................................................7

Chocolate liquor.........................................................................................................................8

Child labour................................................................................................................................8

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Smallholdings.............................................................................................................................9

Colonialism.................................................................................................................................9

Cultural history.........................................................................................................................10

Lactose intolerance..................................................................................................................11

Food allergies...........................................................................................................................12

Food intolerance......................................................................................................................12

Lecithin.....................................................................................................................................13

Milk powder.............................................................................................................................13

Mixed cultivation..................................................................................................................... 14

Monoculture............................................................................................................................ 14

Sustainability............................................................................................................................15

Plantations............................................................................................................................... 15

Roasting................................................................................................................................... 16

Chocolate manufacturing.........................................................................................................16

Certification marks...................................................................................................................17

Transport................................................................................................................................. 18

Vanilla/Vanillin.........................................................................................................................18

Conditions of growth............................................................................................................... 19

Celiac disease...........................................................................................................................19

Sugar........................................................................................................................................ 20

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Agroforestry system

In agroforestry systems, cocoa trees are planted alongside shade-tolerant plants as well as soil-

surface plants and crops to simulate a natural rainforest environment. The cocoa trees are

spaced further apart to lower the spread of pests and diseases. Pesticides and fertiliser are

generally unnecessary which enables environmentally friendly farming. The variety of

vegetation guards against erosion and, above all, from soil leaching.

Although the cocoa yield from this form of planting is relatively low, the producers have

additional sources of food and income from the crops planted alongside the cocoa trees. The

organic certification attained through using this system makes it possible to sell the cocoa at

higher prices.

Working and living conditions of cocoa famers

The number of cocoa farmers worldwide is estimated to be around five to six million. When

their families are included, we can assume that around 40 to 50 million people are dependent

on cocoa farming.

The living and working conditions of cocoa farmers and their families differ widely from country

to country, and even from region to region. Conditions vary also depending on whether the

farmers are smallholders with their own land, or labourers working on large plantations. In

many places, price falls over the past decade have seen conditions worsen for cocoa farmers.

The decrease in earning potential often leads to an increase in child labour.

It is difficult to calculate how much a cocoa farmer usually earns. Cocoa farmers in Ghana, for

example, have in recent years earned around 30 to 50 per cent of the world market price. In

many cocoa-growing countries, cocoa farmers are among the poorer, or even the poorest

members of society.

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Conching

Conching is an important process in the production of chocolate (see “Chocolate production”)

which was invented in 1879 by Rodolphe Lindt. The process has four aims: reducing moisture in

the chocolate liquor, enhancing the desired flavours, removing the undesired flavours, and

achieving the desired consistency.

In order to achieve these aims, chocolate liquor undergoes conching involving simultaneous

tempering and mechanical processing. Extra heat is added to the heat caused from fiction to

reach conching temperatures of up to 90°C. Conching takes between 12 and 72 hours,

depending on the recipe. The process reduces moisture in the chocolate to below one per cent,

suppresses undesirable flavouring substances, and fully releases the pleasant flavourings. In

addition, movement and heat causes fat to coat the miniscule particles in the chocolate (e.g.

sugar) to create a smoother liquor.

Harvest

As soon as the cocoa fruits ripen, they are carefully cut from the tree using a machete or hook

knife fastened to a long pole. The worker must take care during this process not to damage the

cocoa tree or the fruits. After being harvested, the fruits are taken to a collection point and

piled up before being opened. The workers do this by holding the fruit in their hands and

cutting it in two halves with a machete.

Inside the fruits are the cocoa beans which are removed along with the pulp and piled on

banana leaves. Next, the piles are covered with banana leaves and left for around one week in

the open air. Over the week, the pulp begins to ferment and seeps into the cocoa beans which

partly breaks down the bitter constituents of the beans and markedly improves their taste. This

process is called fermentation (see “Fermentation”).

Finally, the cocoa beans must be dried, which takes around one week. Drying reduces the

moisture content enough to enable the cocoa beans to be transported.

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Fair trade

The history of fair trade begins in the 1970s. At that time, the gradual fall of the world market

price for cocoa led to the first negotiations of an international cocoa agreement. The main idea

was to improve working and living conditions for cocoa producers by paying higher and, above

all, more stable prices. This agreement and all further attempts failed, which led to various

private organisations being founded. These set out to establish fair trade between the cocoa

producers and the cocoa consumers and manufacturers.

In the early 1990s, the first initiatives appeared for fair-trade certification marks, which are still

active today. The certification marks stipulate a minimum price for fairly traded cocoa, which

includes a fixed sum for social and ecological investment. If the world market price for cocoa

rises, so too does that for fair-traded cocoa. An amount for social and ecological investment is

then added to this price. An additional premium is paid for cocoa from certified organic farms.

Today, in order to be able to sell a product with a fair-trade certification mark, certain

standards must be reached. These include, among others, regulated working conditions, and

bans on discrimination, exploitative child labour and dangerous chemicals. Furthermore,

farming must be environmentally friendly and protect natural resources. Also, minimum prices

and premiums are paid, harvests are pre-financed and trade relationships are transparent and

reasonable.

Fermentation

Fermentation is an important step in the processing of cocoa beans. It follows immediately

after the harvest of the cocoa fruits (see “Harvest”). Different cocoa-growing regions use

different techniques, and the length of the fermentation depends on the method used and the

variety of cocoa: high-quality fine cocoa varieties take two to three days, whereas bulk cocoa

needs between six and ten days.

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During fermentation, a number of chemical processes are at work to decompose the fruit pulp

through yeasts and bacteria. The piles of fruit pulp and cocoa beans warm to a temperature of

between 45 and 52°C. Alcoholic fermentation caused by the yeasts produces ethanol from the

sugar in the pulp. Oxygen quickly dissipates and bacteria convert the remaining sugar, as well as

the ethanol, into acetic acid. To optimise the process, only ripe fruits should be used because of

their particularly high sugar content. The acetic acid produced is taken up by the beans, the

beans macerate and germs are killed.

Through this process, the cocoa beans take on their characteristic cocoa aroma and ultimately

their brown colouring. During the whole process, the beans must be frequently turned and

aired in order to ensure an even fermentation process.

Histamine intolerance

Histamine intolerance is a maladjustment to histamine and its breakdown. In healthy people,

histamine ingested in food is broken down relatively quickly in the small intestine, but

histamine intolerance means this process fails to properly function. The exact cause has not yet

been explained, but it is believed that the enzymes required to break down histamine are either

inactive or too few. Histamine intolerance causes allergy-like symptoms which is why it is also

described as a pseudoallergy. Symptoms are typical allergy-related indicators such as itching or

erythema, but also those related to the gastro-intestinal tract. Histamine is not only found in

chocolate, but also in beer, wine or very mature cheeses.

Cocoa contents

Some contents in cocoa are said to enhance health and wellbeing, e.g. serotonin and dopamine

which are classed as mood elevators. Other contents include minerals such as calcium or

magnesium, but also dietary fibre and, for example, vitamin E. Theobromine has a stimulating

effect on the central nervous system and circulation. The flavanols contained in cocoa, through

their positive effects on blood vessel elasticity, help to lower blood pressure and may therefore

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reduce the risk of stroke. Cocoa butter is often used for cosmetic products because it is thought

to slow the signs of aging skin and provides a great deal of moisture.

Cocoa tree

The cocoa tree is a tropical plant that grows in the undergrowth of tropical rainforests in Africa,

America and Asia. It can grow to a height of up to 20 metres and bears on the trunk and thicker

branches around 100 to 300 fruits per year. Due to stable climatic conditions, the tree

constantly produces flowers and ripe and unripe fruits simultaneously. For this reason there is

no clear harvesting season. Cocoa fruits can be harvested throughout the year though usually

there are two main harvests. On plantations, the tree is pruned to a height of a few metres.

Cocoa trees can live up to 100 years.

Cocoa butter

Cocoa beans consist of more than 50% fat, known as cocoa butter. This can be extracted by

pressing the beans. Cocoa butter is golden yellow in its liquid form and turns a whitish yellow

when chilled. It has a unique cocoa butter taste and is used especially in the process of making

white chocolate.

Cocoa fruit

The cocoa fruit is around 10 to 32 centimetres in length and weighs between 300 and 1,000

grams. Depending on the variety, cocoa fruits can be yellow, red or violet, and contain around

20 to 60 cocoa beans embedded in a white pulp. Though the cocoa beans are unappetising in

their natural state, the pulp, which has a lightly sweet flavour, is easily edible. In some cocoa-

growing countries, the pulp is used to produce a drink. The rind is usually also used, for

example as fertiliser, animal feed, or in the production of soap.

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Cocoa beans are naturally very bitter, a taste that becomes milder only by processing the

beans. They must be peeled before they are processed to make chocolate. Cocoa peel can, for

example, be sold in pharmacies in order to make a tea, which has a light cocoa taste and

stimulates circulation, as well as a having a diuretic effect. Later, chocolate is produced from

the cocoa beans—depending on the variety, between 20 and 40 cocoa beans are needed to

make a 100 gram bar of chocolate.

Chocolate liquor

For chocolate production, cocoa beans are cleaned, roasted, peeled and ground. The cocoa

beans become liquid through the friction created by grinding. When the beans reach this state,

the term used is 'chocolate liquor'. Other ingredients, such as sugar or milk powder, are added

and the resulting mixture is processed and eventually becomes chocolate.

Child labour

Child labour in the cocoa industry is particularly widespread in West Africa, mainly caused by

lack of education and poverty. The income from cocoa is often the sole source of income for

cocoa farmers and their families. Fluctuations in the world market price also affect farmer

incomes. In general, cocoa prices have fallen in the past decade while the costs for the farmers

have not and may even have increased. A further explanation is that adult workers demand

wages that the farmers are either unwilling or unable to pay.

The tasks for children are varied. They help with the harvest, collection and opening of the

cocoa fruits, as well as with packing and loading the beans. These tasks are often unsuited to

the children's ages. The risk of injury is very high due to the use of sharp tools such as

machetes, and the children may also suffer from illnesses caused by contact with chemicals.

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Children are often poorly paid, and sometimes not paid at all, and have very limited or

absolutely no access to education.

Smallholdings

Between 80 and 90 per cent of the cocoa produced worldwide is grown by smallholders.

Smallholdings are found above all in West Africa, but also in Central and South America and

Papua New Guinea. The farmers work on an area of between half a hectare and five hectares

(a football pitch is approximately 0.7 hectares), mostly in the form of mixed cultivation. Cocoa is

grown alongside a number of other crops, either for the farmer's own use or for re-sale. This

method of cultivation is based on the different levels found in rainforests. A functional

ecosystem is produced which means there is no soil leaching and the cocoa is protected from

sun and wind from the shade of larger trees.

The yield from smallholdings is extremely varied with many factors playing a role. As well as

climatic conditions, the variety of cocoa, disease, insect infestations and the age of the cocoa

trees all have major impacts.

Colonialism

In basic terms, colonialism describes the practice of European countries extending their

sovereignty into areas outside Europe. The driving force behind these efforts was the desire to

increase the wealth of the colonial rulers. They strove to collect goods, raw materials or plants,

which were rare, expensive and desirable back in Europe. Cocoa was one of these. This was

transformed from a luxury good, which was at first reserved only for the affluent classes, into

an everyday product. In the African colonies, the Europeans founded cocoa plantations,

dispossessed local people and used slaves to provide for their cocoa and chocolate

consumption. Advertising was also influenced by colonialism: the chocolate industry presented

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exotic images to advertise its products, and in Europe repeatedly used the prevailing

stereotypes of African peoples.

Cultural history

Chocolate has been prepared In Mesoamerica for over 5,000 years. It was usually consumed as

a drink, with cocoa beans first being roasted over a fire and then shelled. The beans were then

ground to a paste on a so-called metate (grinding stone). When the paste was mixed with

cornmeal, flat cocoa cakes were produced which might be considered as precursors of our

chocolate bars. These were very nutritious and were especially favoured by soldiers as

provisions. The cocoa paste was however usually mixed with hot water, producing a relatively

thick and foamy drink, which was generally flavoured with chilli.

Cocoa has a special significance in Mesoamerican cultures. It was regarded as a holy drink and

used as medicine, and often drunk on special occasions. The peculiar value of cocoa beans is

also evident in the fact that it was used as a medium of exchange. A chicken or a rabbit could

be bought for ten cocoa beans, a slave for 100.

The first European encounter with cocoa beans took place in 1502. On his fourth journey to

America, Christopher Columbus encountered a Mayan trading boat off the coast of

contemporary Honduras. Among the boat’s cargo were cocoa beans. Yet the special value of

cocoa beans to Mesoamerican cultures went unnoticed by Columbus.

It was Hernán Cortés who first recognised their importance when he arrived in Central America

in 1519. He used chocolate as provisions for his soldiers and invested in cocoa plantations to

produce cocoa beans which he could then use as currency. It is not certain when cocoa beans

first arrived in Europe. It is, however, attested that they first appeared at the Spanish royal

court in 1544 and the first large shipment of cocoa arrived in Seville in 1585 from Veracruz.

In Europe, chocolate became a luxury drink. Because of its expensive ingredients and labour

intensive production, it was reserved primarily for the nobility and high clergy. These groups

usually drank chocolate from expensive porcelain cups, many of which were specially

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manufactured for the enjoyment of chocolate. In contrast to the Mesoamerican peoples,

chocolate in Europe was always enjoyed warm and sweetened. Chocolate was therefore dosed

with cane sugar, also very expensive and making chocolate a luxury drink. As well as sugar,

vanilla, cinnamon and many other ingredients were also added to chocolate.

Following its arrival in Europe, chocolate was often sold in pharmacies because it was

considered a medicinal substance. Scholarly publications of the time emphasised chocolate’s

special nutritional value and its effects on various medical complaints and diseases.

In the course of the 19th century, chocolate transformed from a luxury to a common consumer

good. Chocolate manufacturers made increasing use of machines and steam power which led

to a significant reduction in costs. In addition, raw materials such as cocoa and sugar were

easier to obtain thanks to improved cultivation conditions and means of transportation,

meaning that chocolate gradually became affordable to a broader public. From the middle of

the 19th century, chocolate bars came to take the place of drinking chocolate. Cocoa now

became a drink, a development made possible by the manufacture of the cocoa butter press in

1828.

It was in these times that the first great chocolate factories came into being, many of which are

still in existence today. To secure healthy sales of the chocolate produced, chocolate

manufacturers began to intensify their advertising campaigns. In spite of this development,

chocolate remained expensive. It was only after the Second World War that it finally became a

general consumer good, at least in the countries of the industrialised West.

Lactose intolerance

Lactose intolerance is the most frequently occurring food intolerance in the European

population. The cause is a deficiency in the enzyme lactase, which has the task of breaking

down lactose. Through this deficiency, lactose can be broken down only to a restricted extent

or not at all, leading to medical conditions in the gastrointestinal tract. When the deficiency is

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congenital, it is referred to as a primary lactose intolerance; when the intolerance is due to an

injury to the small intestine lining, e.g. through an illness, it is referred to as a secondary lactose

intolerance.

Food allergies

In Germany, around 5 to 7 per cent of the population react allergically to particular foodstuffs.

The percentage is somewhat higher among children, but their allergies often reduce as they

reach adulthood.

In the case of a food allergy, the immune system recognises certain components of foods as

dangerous and begins a defensive response. An uncommonly large quantity of antibodies is

released. These bind themselves to specific cells and cause them to release histamine.

Histamine produces many reactions in the case of an allergy, such as erythema, and swelling or

constriction of the trachea. At first contact, the immune system identifies a protein as

dangerous and begins to build antibodies. At each subsequent contact, the immune system

recognises these proteins and fights them off, producing an allergic reaction.

In principle, all foodstuffs can produce allergic reactions. Children react above all to milk, eggs,

soya or wheat. Youths and adults react more to shellfish and crustaceans, nuts, and types of

fruit and vegetable. They can also be triggered by a cross-allergy, in this case by an allergy to

pollen. In such a case, the immune system reacts to allergenic substances with a similar

structure, such as ingredients in foodstuffs.

Food intolerance

In the case of a food intolerance, the organism is unable to digest certain products or properly

metabolise them. It is not to be confused with a food allergy, which is hypersensitivity based on

an immunological reaction. The job of the digestive system is to process food to the extent that

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its nutrients can be absorbed by the body. If this process is impaired, it can lead to health

problems for the affected person.

The most common form of food intolerance is lactose intolerance (see “Lactose intolerance”)

and histamine intolerance (see “Histamine intolerance”). Celiac disease presents a special case

(see “Celiac disease”).

Lecithin

Lecithin is a natural substance occurring in fats and oils and is found primarily in egg yolk or in

oily plants such as sunflowers. The lecithin from soya beans is usually used for manufacturing

chocolate. For other products, rapeseed, corn, sunflowers or peanuts can serve as a basis.

Lecithin is an emulsifying agent which binds together the aqueous and fatty ingredients of

chocolate. It is also used in smaller quantities to improve consistency. It is often used for this

reason in the manufacture of filled chocolate products to improve the fluidity of the chocolate

and to guarantee an even thickness to the chocolate shell.

Lecithin must be listed as 'soy lecithin (an emulsifier)' on the list of ingredients on packaging. As

soya is one of the most frequently genetically modified plants, consumers often ask themselves

whether the soya lecithin used in their chocolate is genetically modified. When the amount of

genetically modified ingredients is 1% or above, it is obligatory to state this on the packaging.

In Germany, many chocolate manufacturers have so far abstained from using genetically

modified raw materials. To this end, they work with certified suppliers and impose strict quality

controls on the raw materials used.

Milk powder

Milk powder is an essential component of milk chocolate. Dark chocolate, by contrast, contains

no milk powder. Fresh milk is not usually used in chocolate manufacturing because its higher

moisture content makes processing more difficult.

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There are two processes for transforming fluid milk into powder: spray drying, whereby the

milk is atomised in a hot air stream, and drum drying, whereby moisture is removed from the

milk through hot drums.

Besides milk powder, cream powder is also used for milk chocolate. This is manufactured

according to the same procedures as milk powder. Cream is the fatty layer of milk which

gathers at the surface when it is left to rest.

Mixed cultivation

This cultivation method is mainly used by smallholders. It is characterised by the additional

cultivation of shade plants. Here, cocoa trees are not located close to one another as is the case

in monoculture. They are therefore less susceptible to pests and diseases. Use of pesticides is

usually unnecessary and enables organic farming which leads to greater incomes for farmers.

Examples of the shade plants used include banana trees or oil palms, the produce of which can

likewise be sold or used by the farmers themselves. This form of cultivation enables farmers to

achieve low to medium yields.

Monoculture

Typical for a monoculture is high density planting with only one species of plant. This enables

pests and diseases to spread rapidly, meaning that treatment with pesticides is necessary.

Fertilizers are required because of soil leaching resulting from the sustenance of only a single

species. The chemicals used for cultivation can infiltrate the groundwater and endanger the

health of humans, animals and plants. The use of nets as a replacement for shady trees is also

characteristic for cultivating cocoa monocultures. These hinder access by native fauna.

Monoculture is a cultivating method for cocoa with the greatest potential for high yields.

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Sustainability

The past few years have seen a growing awareness of the need for sustainable cocoa cultivation

on the part of both producers and consumers. This means ensuring that economic, ecological

and social conditions are such that cocoa cultivation provides a sustainable livelihood with a

real future for millions of cocoa farmers and their families. It is vital to pay appropriate prices

for cocoa not only to provide sufficient nourishment, access to education facilities and medical

care, but also to protect and maintain natural resources.

In recent years, chocolate producers have initiated multiple projects to promote the

sustainability of cocoa cultivation. One of the central measures was founding the Sustainable

Cocoa Forum in 2012, where chocolate producers, commercial enterprises and NGOs combined

to develop and implement collective initiatives.

Plantations

Cocoa plantations can be found predominantly in Malaysia and Indonesia, but also in Brazil and

Ecuador. Plantations with land measuring 10 to 430 hectares usually grow monocultures.

Production on large plantations often results in higher yields than those from smallholdings. But

the size of the plantations conceals certain problems: soils become leached, diseases and pests

can spread more quickly, and soil erosion can develop.

Cocoa trees are planted at a density of 500 to 3,000 trees per hectare. To avoid considerable

losses, the trees have to be very well cultivated. Frequent watering is just as necessary as the

deployment of insecticides, pesticides and fertilisers. Mixed crops are planted on some

plantations. Banana trees, for example, can be planted to provide shade for the cocoa trees.

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Roasting

Roasting is an important component of chocolate manufacturing (see “Chocolate

manufacturing”) and can be performed in many different ways: in roasting machines, on a grill

or in a rotating drum with hot air. Temperatures vary between 130 und 150 °C. This develops

the roast notes and produces the dark brown colour of the cocoa beans. At the same time the

water content in the beans decreases and the shells loosen themselves from the kernels. The

roasting time depends on the size and variety of the bean, but also on its quality. The process

takes from 25 to 35 minutes according to the desired degree of the roast. Bulk cocoa is roasted

at higher temperatures than fine cocoa. After the beans have cooled, they are ready for further

processing.

Chocolate manufacturing

Roasting (see “Roasting”) is an important component of the production process. It releases the

flavours contained in the cocoa beans, reduces the water content and loosens the kernels from

the shell. The length and temperature of the roast depends upon the variety of cocoa but is

also determined by the size of the bean and its quality.

In the breaking process, the cocoa beans are crushed, separating the shells from the kernels.

Due to their lighter weight, the shells can then be removed via suction. The broken cocoa

kernels (nibs) are then sieved multiple times to ensure that they are no longer contaminated by

the shell.

Grinding the broken cocoa kernels lacerates their cell tissue. This process exposes the cocoa

butter located in the cells. The grinding produces frictional heat which melts the cocoa butter

resulting in liquid cocoa liquor.

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The next stage of production is mixing. Chocolate consist essentially of cocoa, milk powder and

vanilla. All ingredients are pumped into the mixer and mixed thoroughly with one another.

The rolling process consists of two stages, pre-rolling and fine rolling. During pre-rolling the

solid components of the chocolate liquor are refined for the first time, resulting in a degree of

fineness to approximately 15-20 thousandths of a millimetre. The fine roller consists of five

vertically arranged steel rollers of different widths. In addition, the spaces between the rollers

are increasingly narrow. The chocolate liquor achieves a degree of fineness of 150-200

thousandths of a millimetre on reaching the highest pair of rollers.

The conching process (see “Conching”) aims to achieve four outcomes: reducing moisture in

the chocolate liquor, releasing desired flavours, removing undesired flavours and volatile acids,

and achieving a smooth chocolate liquor. To achieve these aims, the conching process subjects

the chocolate liquor to both tempering and mechanical processing simultaneously. Additional

heat is added to the frictional heat so that conching temperatures reach up to 90°C. Depending

on the recipe, conching takes from 12 to 72 hours. During this process, moisture in the

chocolate is reduced to less than one per cent, undesired flavouring substances are released,

and unpleasant flavouring substances are broken down. Moreover, the movement and heat

causes the fat to coat the miniscule particles in the chocolate (of sugar, for example) so that a

smoother liquor develops. Depending on the manufacturer and recipe, cocoa butter and an

emulsifying agent can be added during conching.

Certification marks

There are various groups of certification marks for fair trade, each fulfilling different criteria.

Certification marks certifying an integrated supply chain confirm that the complete chain for all

products of a given company fulfil the criteria of fair trade. All products from the company are

therefore fully fair traded. Examples include the certification marks of GEPA and EL PUENTE.

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Product certification certifies only specific products as fairly traded. This means that a company

must not necessarily manufacture all its products according to the standards of fair trade.

Likewise, the certification mark relates in most cases to the raw material and not to the end

product. The fair-trade certification marks of TransFair e.V. is an example.

There are also certification marks which concentrate primarily on ecological and economic

criteria, partially omitting social criteria. Examples include the UTZ certification mark and the

certification mark of the Rainforest Alliance.

Transport

After harvesting, the prepared cocoa beans are packed in jute sacks of approximately 60

kilograms and then brought to distributors by bike, dugout and lorry. The sacks of cocoa finally

reach the port via several intermediate stops. They are then loaded onto ships and transported

to Germany. In most cases, the cocoa arrives in Hamburg, where it is once more loaded onto

lorries and cargo trains and delivered to chocolate factories.

Vanilla/Vanillin

In high-quality chocolate, real vanilla is usually used. In most cases, however, the quantities

used are so small that it cannot be identified as an independent flavour. Vanilla serves rather to

accentuate the flavours of the cocoa and soften its more bitter notes.

The artificially produced vanillin is frequently used for manufacturing chocolate instead of

vanilla, since it can be biotechnologically manufactured in a cost-efficient manner. It contains,

however, significantly fewer flavouring substances than natural vanilla and so cannot be used

as a genuine vanilla replacement. High-quality chocolate should therefore contain exclusively

real, natural vanilla.

Vanillin is used not only in chocolate manufacturing, but also in a range of other foodstuffs, as

well as in the production of perfumes and medications.

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Conditions of growth

The original habitat of the cocoa tree is the Amazon region. Humans later brought it to the

tropical regions of Africa and Asia.

Cocoa trees require a nutrient-rich and porous soil and a moist and warm climate. The annual

average temperature should lie between 25 and 28°C and not sink below 20°C. In addition, the

cocoa tree requires a yearly rainfall of approximately 1,500 to 2,000mm per square meter,

which is about three times the average rainfall in the Rhineland. The cocoa tree cannot

withstand direct sunlight. It belongs to the smaller plants of the tropical rainforest and grows in

the undergrowth below taller trees which protect it from the sun’s rays.

Celiac disease

It is still not fully established whether celiac disease is an autoimmune disease or an allergy

because it exhibits symptoms which could point to both. A celiac’s immune system classifies

gluten as a dangerous substance and produces antibodies. Whilst in healthy persons the gluten

is processed in the small intestines, in those afflicted with celiac disease the antibodies attack

the cells of the small intestine’s mucous membrane, causing inflammation of the membrane.

The surface of the small intestine, through which the mucous membrane can absorb nutrients,

shrinks due to these inflammations. Besides complaints relating to the gastro-intestinal tract,

signs of deficiencies are therefore also amongst the symptoms of celiac disease.

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Sugar

Sugar is the most important ingredient in chocolate after cocoa. Whilst beet sugar is usually

used, some chocolate manufacturers also use cane sugar. In milk chocolate, the sugar content

is around 50%, though it is considerably less in dark chocolate.

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