Research results confirm health benefits of polyphenols in cocoa beans

12/04/05 Research results have confirmed that due to their health benefits polyphenols in cocoa beans are valuable substances, which should be retained in foods to the greatest-possible degree. Barry Callebaut has developed a special process for the preservation of polyphenols in cocoa, which although valuable are partly lost during normal processing.

This process - under the trademark ACTICOA and for which patent applications are pending - covers several processing stages, from harvesting through the processing of cocoa beans to the finished product, chocolate. The greatest loss in terms of natural polyphenols takes place during the fermentation of cocoa beans. This is why part of the beans used by Barry Callebaut in the Acticoa process are unfermented.

The ACTICOA symbol on packs of Barry Callebaut chocolates sold by Barry Callebaut or by its customers indicates the use of the gentle new process, and thus a particularly high level of polyphenols.

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