Calling all chocoholics. Put down the truffles and power up the PC. It's time to weigh in on a fundamental question: What \o7is \f7chocolate?
Two of California's oldest confectioners, See's Candies Inc. and Guittard Chocolate Co., are battling an attempt to loosen government rules that dictate what ingredients go into the sweet stuff.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Tuesday April 17, 2007 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 0 inches; 20 words Type of Material: Correction
Chocolate: An article in Saturday's Section A on changing rules for chocolate manufacturers misspelled Adreana Langston's first name as Andrea.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Wednesday April 25, 2007 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 41 words Type of Material: Correction
Chocolate standards: A photograph accompanying an article in Section A on April 14 about a proposal to loosen government rules that dictate what ingredients go into chocolate described the candy pictured as containing walnuts. In fact, the confection shown contained pecans.
Legally, the candy that melts hearts and comforts the brokenhearted is made with cocoa butter and, in the case of milk chocolate, whole milk. But the Grocery Manufacturers of America, a trade group, wants to let confectioners substitute cheaper ingredients -- vegetable oils and milk protein concentrates.
Gary Guittard, president of his eponymous, family-owned business, sees this as a battle for the soul of the popular confection.
"Anybody who has a passion for chocolate doesn't want to see it adulterated," said Guittard, whose great-grandfather Etienne Guittard founded the company in San Francisco in 1868.
But the trade group, which has the support of the Chocolate Manufacturers of America, says it's just thinking outside the old chocolate box. The petition is part of a broad effort to give its members more flexibility in choosing the ingredients that go into many food products. A spokeswoman said the proposed rules would not prevent companies such as See's and Guittard from adhering to the current standards for chocolate.
Nevertheless, Guittard and See's Chief Executive Brad Kinstler want America's chocoholics to complain loudly to the Food and Drug Administration before April 25, the day the agency will stop taking public comments on the issue.
It's a big constituency. About a quarter of Americans eat chocolate at least once every two weeks, according to market research firm NPD Group Inc. All told, the U.S. consumes 3.6 billion pounds of chocolate annually -- that's 12 pounds per person.
The chocolatiers have urged lovers of the candy to visit Guittard's DontMessWithOur Chocolate.com website, where they can electronically submit complaints to the FDA.
The idea of substituting vegetable oil for cocoa butter, a natural component of the cocoa bean that is the traditional source of chocolate, irks Andrea Langston of Long Beach.
"I would feel like I was being duped," said Langston, who has taken a liking to dark organic chocolate.
"It's $3.50 a bar, but it is so worth it. You just eat one square at a time," said the 36-year-old employee of a computer products company.
