Traceability, authenticity and sustainability of cocoa and chocolate products: a challenge for the chocolate industry

Abstract

Cocoa beans, the seeds of the tree Theobroma cacao L., are the key raw material for chocolate production that implies an extensive post-harvest process. Chocolate properties can vary depending on cocoa origin, composition and manufacturing procedure, which will give unique sensory properties to the final product. On the other hand, the high global consumption of cocoa products, long recognized as a major source of dietary polyphenols with important health benefits, has increased interest in tracking the geographical origin of cocoa and authenticating chocolate to guarantee product quality and reveal possible commercial fraud. However, the sustainable production of high-quality cocoa is still far from reality, and the cocoa sector continues to face many challenges in this field. This review provides an update on the progress toward the authenticity, traceability and sustainability of cocoa products, issues that chocolate producers still need to resolve.

Keywords:

• Cocoa origin
• consumer acceptance
• fingerprinting
• food safety
• processing
• Theobroma cacao

Acknowledgments

A. Lopez-Yerena thanks the Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACYT) of Mexico for the doctoral scholarship. A. Vallverdú-Queralt thanks the Ministry of Science Innovation and Universities for the Ramon y Cajal contract (RYC-2016-19355). We also thank Professor Lamuela-Raventós for her support in this work.