Jackfruit seeds could substitute cocoa beans to make chocolate


By K.S. Jayaraman

Bengaluru, Apr 25 (IANS): New research has found that the seeds of jackfruit -- a large fruit found in many tropical countries -- are a potentially low-cost substitute
for cocoa beans, the primary ingredient of chocolate.

Considering that the worldwide demand for chocolate is outstripping the production of cocoa beans, the finding reported in the American Chemical Society Journal of
Agricultural & Food Chemistry would be welcome news for chocolate lovers.

While in some countries, the sweet-smelling jackfruit seeds are boiled, steamed and roasted before eating, providing a cheap source of fibre, protein and minerals,
they are mostly thrown away as waste.

Globally, farmers produce about 3.7 million tonnes of cocoa annually, but estimates suggest that demand for these beans will grow to 4.5 million tonnes by 2020.

Researchers at the University of São Paulo who were looking to put the waste jackfruit seeds to better use discovered that compounds found in them produce many of the
same aromas as processed cocoa beans and therefore could potentially be a cheap substitute for use in chocolate manufacturing.

The Brazilian researchers made jackfruit seed flours by acidifying or fermenting the seeds prior to drying. They roasted these flours for various times and
temperatures using processes similar to those used to enhance the chocolaty flavor of cocoa beans.

Using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, the team identified several compounds from the jackfruit flours that give chocolate its distinctive aromas -- such as
caramel, hazelnut or fruity.

While there are several reports on the use of waste jackfruit seeds to produce starch, "for the first time we found that after roasting, jackfruit seeds imparted an
aroma similar to that of chocolate", the researchers say.

They conclude that the cheap and abundant jackfruit seeds are thus "a potential replacement" for cocoa beans for the manufacture of chocolate.

  

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Comment on this article

  • Richard Rodrigues, Niddodi

    Wed, Apr 26 2017

    At least now the people of Mangalore save jackfruit trees for the better future instead of greedy wood mills future

    DisAgree Agree [2] Reply Report Abuse

  • Rita, Germany

    Wed, Apr 26 2017

    Good news if they start using these seeds as cocoa suppliment.Difference is from coco seeds they produce butter which in jackfruits may not find.then our jackfruits price will certainly raise.Even china and asian countrys are having jackfruits.In india we use seeds ,to cook,or eat fried.I find astauned to hear in Brasilian they throw it.Best chance to India if we ever try to produce,sell and export.

    DisAgree Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • Max and Jessie Rasquinha, Mangalore, Houston/Dallas, texas

    Tue, Apr 25 2017

    Brazil and India has lot in common, as far as the Agriculture, the soil, the water, the climate and also the people. Brazil being a Portuguese colony of the past has had the privilege of having abundance of coconut plantation, cashew plantation, sugar cane plantation and even coffee plantation that was bartered thru trade, navigation and commerce. Brazil in the past shipped shipload of timber to India hundreds of years ago, and in return brought shipload of coconut plants and many other ingredients from India, specially from Goa where the Portuguese intelligently bartered the trade with Brazil.

    Brazil is predominantly Catholic, and the lifestyle of the people resembles very much with Goa and the rest of India.

    It is therefore mutually beneficially for India and Brazil to have closer relations in the future so that many more available resources as well as ideas of research between the people of both the countries can be shared for mutual benefit.

    Even the Energy sector of Brazil, the shipyards and many of the Offshore activities are resembling very much with India, hence a closer relations between both the countries would be a benefit for all.

    DisAgree Agree [7] Reply Report Abuse


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