Tag Archives: chocolate

Focus on research: Does your Easter chocolate have palm oil in it?

By Gregory R. Ziegler

Editor’s note: This article originally appeared on The Conversation.

It may come as no surprise that fats and oils are part of any piece of chocolate we eat. But the push to cut trans fats from food for health reasons has created demand for palm oil, an ingredient with significant environmental impacts.

The rapid expansion of palm oil production for food and biofuels in the past 25 years in Indonesia and Malaysia has been blamed for loss of biodiversity and land-use changes that increase carbon emissions. About 80% of palm oil production goes into food, according to a web site sponsored by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board.

Palm oil is used in many candies with chocolate, although a number of confectionery producers do not use it or have started to use certified sustainable palm oil. The El Paso Zoo is just one of the organizations that lists candy products with palm oil, including goodies for a palm oil-free Easter basket fillerContinue reading Focus on research: Does your Easter chocolate have palm oil in it?

Focus on research: Go nuts on Valentine’s Day & enjoy American Heart Month

By Jennifer Fleming

Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in The Centre Daily Times as an installment of the paper’s Focus on Research column. Focus on Research highlights  research projects and topics being explored across all disciplines at Penn State. Each column features the work of a different researcher.

For centuries, Valentine’s Day has symbolized one of the most romantic days of the year. As far back as the 18th-century in England, people showed their love by giving flowers, candy and greeting cards — known as “valentines” — and today the tradition continues. But February is about more than celebrating Valentine’s Day — February is American Heart Month. And, yes, it is possible to keep your sweetheart happy and their heart healthy — and yours, too.  Continue reading Focus on research: Go nuts on Valentine’s Day & enjoy American Heart Month