All-British chocolate bar made by scientists using Reading-grown cocoa
Scientists at the University of Reading have produced a chocolate bar using 100% British-grown cocoa to celebrate the university's centenary. The project aims to highlight the vulnerability of global cocoa supplies to climate change.
Why it matters
It underscores the potential impact of climate change on sensitive agricultural commodities and the importance of preserving diverse plant varieties for future food security.
Maha Khan, the University of Reading food security master’s student who created the chocolate bar. Photograph: University of Reading Maha Khan, the University of Reading food security master’s student who created the chocolate bar. Photograph: University of Reading Chocolate All-British chocolate bar made by scientists using Reading-grown cocoa Master’s student made first bar with 100% UK ingredients since 1932 to highlight affect of climate crisis on cocoa plants
Prefer the Guardian on Google The late queen was the only person in history to have ever eaten a chocolate bar made with 100% British ingredients, after she was given one as a six-year-old in 1932 by the confectioner Rowntree’s.
The bar was created from a glasshouse-grown cocoa plant, at Rowntree’s headquarters in York.
But now, others could have the same experience after scientists at the University of Reading created a bar with cocoa beans grown in Berkshire .
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in