FDA Could Change Chocolate!

[Uncle Bob]

Seems the deadline has been extended to June 25 to contact the FDA. Could it be "they" are listening??

[bethzaring]

Originally Posted by jasonr

As for brands like Bakers, who cares what thet put in their chocolate? Nothing could possibly make it any worse than it is.

Well I care, I REALLY care. I just hate to see good food degraded like that. If it were on the market, folks might think it was an acceptable product.

[aguynamedrobert]

Hello Everyone,
As you have read about the recent struggle with the FDA to keep chocolate the way it is you might be interested in seeing the man who spearheaded this whole movement against the change...

This link will show you a video of Gary Guittard giving a chocolate tasting at COPIA in Napa California. Check it out...

[PanchoHambre]

Originally Posted by jasonr

What difference does it make?

If you bake with "Baker's" brand chocolate or some such trash, then it can't get any worse.

And if you bake with quality chocolate like Callebaut or Lindt, then it doesn't matter either, because no quality brand is going to start putting vegetable oil in their chocolate anyway, right?

Actually it matters alot.

If I buy a product labled "Juice" or "olive oil" I want to know it is actaully what I think it is and not some other synthetic inferior or cheaper product.

Likewise with chocolate...Something should be called "Chocolate Flavored" not Pure Chocolate if it is not.

Honesty in labeling is important to be able to be an informed consumer and make choices.

And it is not just in raw materials you buy to cook with. this would allow the ingredient list on products you buy to be less than accurate.

[BBQ Mikey]

They have been "cutting" chocolate with veggie fats for quite some time now, and labeling it as chocolate. I agree it should be labeled as "Chocolate Flavored" .

[Goodweed of the North]

Actually, and correct me if I'm wrong, chocolate flavor comes from the roasted nibs, which are turned into cocoa and cocoa powder. Teh chocolate butter is the nearly flavorless fat that has the specific characteristcs that make tempered chocolate possible. The taste difference will be minimal if can be discernable at all. But the textural quality will suffer greatly. And the hydrogenated fats are more damaging to the body than is cocoa butter.

When you think of cocoa butter, remember that it is put into soaps, skin creams, and tanning lotions. It is what gives wite chocolate its texture, but has nothing to do with the flavor of either white or brown chocolates.

Even with that said, I will be one of the many who contacts the FDA to ask that the standards remain as they are. I like real chocolate, made with real cocoa butter. Texture is every bit as important as is taste in good chocolate.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

[aguynamedrobert]

To answer the two comments above...

1) BBQ Mikey - For ever anyone has been able to add vegetable fats to chocolate but they are not allowed by the FDA to call it chocolate. It HAS to be called "chocolate flavored" or "Chocolate compound". If a place isn't doing that then they are going against the FDA and the situation would be handled quickly.

2) Goodweed or the North - Thanks for your comments. Anyone would assume the same thing as you did. As I would have. Now, try chocolate compound or "chocolate flavored chocolate" side by side with real chocolate. You will for sure be able to tell them apart. This is because cocoa butter actually carrys the flavors of the cocoa solids. If we replace the cocoa butter with vegetable fats then the flavor is portrayed far different and the full flavor does not come through. The fat, surprisingly, does effect the flavor but in its own way.

Have a great day everyone,

[Goodweed of the North]

aguynamedrobert; Thanks for the correction. As I stated, though I know some of the characteristics of chocolate, I am by no means a pastry chef, or a chocolatier. Thank you for the correction and the new-to-me information. I know more now than I did when I posted.

Seeeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

[aguynamedrobert]

Well lets just say that I am not the smartest on chocolate either. I have just learned from some of the smartest chocolate people in the world. I humbly learn alongside of you...

Have a great weekend,

[Russellkhan]

Originally Posted by Quadlex

How do they propose to make things taste like chocolate if there's no cocoa in them at all?

There still needs to be cocoa - what they would be replacing is the cocoa butter.

And, why would there be a DECREASE in purity, when common opinion and strategy is going the other way?

The lobby group is made up of companies like Nestle & Hershey (not absolutely sure both of these companies are involved as it was awhile ago that I read about this, but it was this type of company), not the companies that make fine chocolates, but the giant corps that make tons of money on so-so candies that contain chocolate.

Russ