Chocolate
Chaitanya Kalathuru
Hearths
- Made from the seeds of the Theobroma Cacao Tree
- Earliest documentation of chocolate was around 1100 BC
- Domesticated for about 3000 years in Northern South America, Mexico, and Central America.
- Very popular in Mesoamerica, people would use cacao seeds for rituals and also for chocoalte beverages known as Xocolatl
Improvements and Changes in Chocolate
- Chocolate was changed drastically when the Europeans came and added two ingredients that were unknown to the Native Americans; the Europeans added sugar and milk
- By adding extra ingredients to sweeten and fatten it, it became very popular around the world
- However, Cadbury's emulsification process enabled chocolate to become solid, which enabled chocolate to be preserved
Where are Cacao Seeds Produced?
- The world greatest producer of cacao seeds is Cote D'Ivoire or the Ivory Coast
- They produce half of the world's cacao seeds
- Cacao seeds are produced in West Africa, and places in the Caribbean and South America
Bulk-Reducing Industry
Chocolate would be called a bulk-reducing industry for many reasons
- Cacao seeds are gathered from the Theobroma Cacao tree, and transporting the Cacao tree costs a lot to transport long distances
- Placing the factory near the trees helps minimize costs of transporting goods
- The cacao seeds then can be transported to the sea to be shipped to chocolate factories
- This process helps minimize costs and maximize revenues
Spread of Chocolate Around the World (Diffusion)
- Chocolate was spread to many places around the world through relocation diffusion when European people colonized many places
- In some areas like America and Europe, chocolate diffused primarily by contagious diffusion because many people ate chocolate like a delicacy
How is Chocolate Made?
Modern Marvels: Valentines Day: How Chocolate is Made
Chocolate Today
- America's biggest provider of chocolate is Hershey
- Hershey mass produce their chocolate using machines (Industrial Revolution)
- Hershey import cacao from other countries and use other ingredients to make a delicious candy bar
Interesting Facts About Chocolate
- Manufactures of chocolate use 40% of the almonds and 20% of the peanuts around the world
- American manufactures of chocolate use 1.5 billion pounds of milk and consume only 3.5 million pounds of milk per year
- The word chocolate come originates from the Aztec word Xocolatl, which means bitter water
- An average american eats 22 pounds of candy per year, whereas Europeans eat far less