Do any of the methods used to process chocolate pose health risks?
Not particularly. The greatest health risks in the manufacturing of chocolate are probably those that the employees are exposed to by working in an industrial environment. In terms of consumer risk: by and large, there are none. Cocoa beans are typically harvested by hand and allowed to ferment naturally. The beans are then dried and shipped to manufacturers. At the production site, the beans are roasted, separated from the shells, and ground into a chocolate mass. This is subsequently used for production of either cocoa powder or chocolate products. During the processing stage, different foodstuffs may be added, such as sugars, edible vegetable oils (e.g., palm) to control the fat content, milk, natural and artificial flavourings, fruit, and nuts. Chocolate is a fairly ‘natural’ product. And it’s not bad for you, except for its propensity to encourage people to grow sideways.
