Barry Callebaut develops chocolate with stevia

Barry Callebaut has developed a no sugar added chocolate with an extract from the stevia plant.

Sugar has been replaced completely by a sweetener solution being high in fibers and having up to 65% less calories than sugar.

The company is dubbed to be the first chocolate maker to produce on an industrial scale a no added sugar chocolate with stevia extract that does not cause a laxative effect and all of this without compromising on the celebrated taste, texture and aroma of fine, traditional chocolate.

The chocolate will be retailed by Belgian chocolate maker Cavalier.

"Chocolate with stevia is based on a sweetener solution limiting the overconsumption of sugars, while still offering the same unaltered experience of purity and refinement, as well as all healthy ingredients naturally found in cocoa. As such, it responds perfectly to the increasing consumer demand for healthier forms of indulgence," says Felix Verdegem, owner of Cavalier Chocolate.

Chief innovation officer at Barry Callebaut, Hans Vriens adds: "For chocolate, finding a great-tasting, calorie-reduced alternative for sugar maintaining all the right properties in terms of texture and viscosity is a major challenge. Barry Callebaut's unique chocolate-sweetener solution is based on a well selected blend of ingredients from a natural source."

Chocolate with Stevia extract may be labeled as sugar reduced (90%), light sugar, containing maximum 5% sugars and rich in fiber (of which 20% cocoa-derived fiber).

For the US market, the product can be labeled as No Sugar Added Dark Chocolate or Dark Chocolate.