Monday, August 5, 2013

Why Is There A Chocolate War Going On?



Although I’ve eaten chocolate all my life, I haven’t given much thought of health issues that may be related to the processing of cacao beans – until now.  

 It seems there is a “chocolate war” going on between Russia and the Ukraine! 

After reading several articles, I’ve surmised that benzoapyrene (BaP), a carcinogenic compound, has been found in some Ukraine chocolate (milk chocolate made by Roshen) at higher levels than regulations allow.  Or is this a marketing ploy by Russia to obtain/maintain market advantage? 

“Benzo[a]pyrene is found in chocolate.  That’s quite normal due to raw materials.  BaP is found when you do heat treatments, when you dry things, when you roast them or grill them, BaP is formed . . . amounts depend on the process of production.”  (ConfectioneryNews) 

Therefore, smoke drying cacao beans causes BaP.  How many countries or regions that produce chocolate products use this method to dry beans?  Is this a standard method of production?  Throughout the industry, this method is used to dry raw beans during the rainy season. 

What are the long-term effects for chocolate consumers?  Could we get cancer decades from now after eating cocoa contaminated with BaP?  I’ve never heard of anyone getting cancer from eating chocolate – but then, when most people get cancer, they really don’t know why; doctors do not usually pinpoint the disease to any one particular thing or specific food.


So, what’s a chocolate lover to do?!   


The Journal of European Union, Commission Regulation, notates guidelines for “polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in foodstuffs.” (RegulationEU)  In determining health risks, the Commission utilizes the “Margin of Exposure” approach – that is, low level consumers and high level consumers.  And I wonder, what level consumer am I?  How do I decide my level of exposure? Should this be determined by how many pounds of chocolate I eat a week, a month, a year?  


 I think I’ll get me a mellow chocolate bar and contemplate this!



                                                                                                                                                   

Works Cited


ConfectioneryNews. (2013, August 5). Benzo[a]pyrene: The chocolate industry's burning issue by Anne-Rose Harrison-Dunn. Retrieved from Confectionery News; Regulation and Safety: http://www.confectionerynews.com/Regulation-Safety/Benzo-a-pyrene-The-chocolate-industry-s-burning-issue
RegulationEU. (2011, August 20). Commission Regulation (EU) No 835/2011. Retrieved from Official Journal of the European Union: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2011:215:0004:0008:EN:PDF



                                                                                                                                                  

Other Articles of Interest:

Chocolate Threats: Carcinogenic PAHs
http://www.spectroscopynow.com/details/ezine/13dc04fc61e/Chocolate-threats-Carcinogenic-PAHs.html


Candy Trap: Chocolate candies laced with PAHs
http://www.separationsnow.com/details/ezine/sepspec26612ezine/Candy-trap-Chocolate-candies-laced-with-PAHs.html?tzcheck=1



Crude cacao Theobroma cacao extract reduces mutagenicity induced by benzo[a]pyrene through inhibition of CYP1A activity in vitro
http://science.naturalnews.com/2009/156497_Crude_cacao_Theobroma_cacao_extract_reduces_mutagenicity_induced_by_benzoapyrene.html