A study reveals that while chocolate contains potentially harmful chemicals at safe levels, these compounds appear in much higher, possibly unsafe concentrations in some baked desserts.
What makes chocolate taste and smell so delicious? Chemistry, of course! A variety of molecules work together to create that unmistakable aroma, but those same molecules might carry some unwanted health effects if there are too many around.
According to research published in ACS’ Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, while many of the compounds appeared in chocolate in low enough concentrations to be safe, higher amounts were found in some baked sweet treats.
When making chocolate, cocoa beans are roasted to help their chocolatey flavors shine. During this process, new molecules like α,β-unsaturated carbonyls are formed when they react with other ingredients under high temperatures. This class of carbonyls is highly reactive and potentially genotoxic, or able to cause damage to DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.4c01043
The authors acknowledge funding from the Belgian Federal Public Service of Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment.