Chocolate made with jackfruit seeds nearly ready, says Indian co-op

Current trial versions contain about 15% of the tropical fruit, which researchers discovered in 2017 could resemble the aromas of chocolate​​. On top of being nearly black in color, the jackfruit’s seeds share a similar moisture and pH level to chocolate, they said.

That study, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, took jackfruit seed flours and first fermented or acidified them before roasting. Then, by separating inherent chemical compounds from the biomass, extracted specific aromas​​ – those also found in chocolate.

The team concluded that jackfruit seeds were ‘capable’ of mirroring chocolate aromas and thus could serve as a viable replacement for the aroma of cocoa powder or chocolate.

Campco has been experimenting with jackfruit as an ingredient​​ in chocolate, according to The Hindu Business Line. The company, which runs a chocolate factory in Karnataka in southwest India, jackfruit’s native home – has begun testing the shelf life of its jackfruit-based bar.

Some consumers who have tasted the bar have said that they might prefer it to offer a more noticeable jackfruit flavor.

Meanwhile, the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR) told the Hindi paper that its team had mastered technology to prepare chocolate from jackfruit seed powder. Chocolate makers and entrepreneurs curious about the process have the opportunity to collaborate with IIHR through a memorandum of understanding, the organization said.

According to a local news story in Karnataka, Campco and IIHR are pursuing a way to provide value-added products using jackfruit.

What's so cool about jackfruit?

Sometimes referred to as the ‘pest plant,’ jackfruit has recently been adopted by vegetarian and vegan consumers as a meaty, nutrient-dense food that soaks up most any flavor.

The fruit offers tons of fiber, potassium, calcium, and vitamins A and C.

In India, where it has been cultivated for thousands of years, the smelly, heavy fruit finds many uses.

In the south, people enjoy it in chip form, in jams and curries, and in ice cream. In the north, it might be pickled. The seeds typically fall to waste, but sometimes they are roasted with spices and served alongside rice.

Jackfruits develop a spiky outer skin that transitions from green to yellow when ripe. Up to 90cm long and 50cm in diameter (35in x 20in), they can weigh as much as 55kg (120lb).