Last day to save our chocolate!

Ok, I know, in the grand scheme of things to save in this world -polar bears, hungry kids, the environment, etc, etc- chocolates probably rank pretty low on your priority. But there comes a time when we must defend our rights to be frivolous. And that time has come.

I don't know if you've heard, but big agri-business and chocolate companies like Hershey, Nestle, and ADM are lobbying the FDA to allow them to substitute nasty stuff like hydrogenated vegetable oil in place of cocoa butter in chocolate. Why are they doing this? Well, the $$$ of course. According to Bloomberg News, "Cocoa prices in New York have surged about 28 percent in the past six months on speculation that dry weather may impair cocoa production in the Ivory Coast and Ghana, the world's largest suppliers of beans to make chocolate." So now these companies want to substitute cheap vegetable oil and still call the crap they plan to produce chocolate! Mockolate is more like it.

There is something we all can do. The FDA has a website set up for the public to comment on pending issues. If you have a moment -and of course you do- please go to this website (set up by Guittard, a local chocolate maker here in San Francisco) and follow the instructions to submit your objection to the FDA. The public comment process is closing as of tomorrow April 25. Please do it now!

Comments

[Mary]

I submitted my objection earlier today, through the dontmesswithourchocolate.com site. I don't think this is frivolous at all. It's not just about chocolate, it's about the integrity of ingredients in our food supply and the steal from Peter to pay Paul mentality of our government. Michael Pollan's article in the NY Times today is a great description of what's at stake when government allows big companies to make a profit from increasingly overweight and unhealthy consumers. Chocolate, paradoxically, which appears to be a luxury, high fat treat, is a case in point. The changes they are proposing would reduce the nutritional value of chocolate (and yes, there is one), while at the same time upping the content of unhealthy fats. If we can't get the FDA to hear us on this issue, what's next? Thanks Pim for posting about this.

[The Corkdork]

I put my comment in! We don't need messing with our chocolates. J

[radish]

I submitted my comments yesterday - chocolate should stay as it is!

[Nicholas Paldino]

Being frivolous is a privilege, not a right.

[Linda]

funny you should mention this. my neighborhood bakery owner in the east village was just mentioning this to me last week... and told me i should eat as much chocolate as possible while is still can. i'll take just about any excuse!

[Jo]

I work for the FDA. And I can tell you unequivocally that public opinions mean a lot to the FDA.

In fact, to be even more effective, call up your congressperson. Then Congressman X calls up the FDA and talks to our bosses. Our bosses get a phone call from a congressman who says that his/her constituents are looking into a particular matter. Believe me, when a senator calls you, I don't care who you are, you think twice about doing something.

So write to the FDA. We want to hear from you. Science doesn't exist in a vacuum. The decisions that we make at the FDA are placed in the context of the need of our society. Represent your voice. Flex your political will. Get that chocolate back.

Good luck

An FDA scientist who reviews medicine but who loves food.

[At Home with kim vallee]

I stopped eating Hershey, Nestle or other mass produced chocolate a few years ago. And I cannot go back. I tried an Aero bar this winter because I was hungry; I just ate the first piece. Too much sugar in it with a fake chocolate taste!

If these large corporations are willing to replace the small amount of cacao that they put with oil, it strengthens my views that they do not care what in the products they sell as long as they make money.

You should write to the FDA because the government should not allow this. I am Canadian that why I do not write myself. But the best thing you can do is to stop buying their products right away.

Buy instead real chocolate bars (you can get great ones by spending 50 cents more) or a nice Chocolatine from a reputable baker. Try it before the price hike and you will see that they worth every penny.

[Pim]

Thanks everyone for this.

Long live chocolate!