Pulp power: Dirafrost launches cacao fruit puree in nod to sugar-free sweetness and sustainability

16 Oct 2019 --- Positioned as both a natural sweetener and a flavoring, Dirafrost’s new cacao fruit puree is made from the white pulp surrounding cacao beans – which are typically destined for chocolate production. As the demand for cacao products rises, methods that utilize the whole of the cacao fruit are also growing. These are increasingly highlighted as the sustainable way forward. FoodIngredientsFirst spoke with Dirafrost, part of the Austria-based Agrana Group, about the launch at Anuga 2019, in Germany.

“The product is as pure as can be. After centrifuging the total content of the cacao fruit pod, the cacao beans are distracted from the white pulp surrounding them. The beans are destined for chocolate production, and the white pulp becomes the cacao fruit puree,” explains Veronique Thielens, Marketing & Communication Manager at Dirafrost. “The mashing (pulp) process consists of a specific and controlled heat treatment that provides the necessary microbiological guarantees without affecting the taste, nor the natural color of the puree.”

This process ensures the puree’s purity, meaning it is free of additives, preservatives and added sugar. “We explicitly looked for a supplier who could offer high-quality fruit without using any pesticides, delivering a 100 percent natural product, pure, with a natural brix level between 18 and 22. Our supplier is in Ecuador. The product needed to be clean-label, and go through as few processes as possible.” Dirafrost was exhibiting its desserts made with the puree at the busy Agrana-Dirafrost stand at Anuga 2019 in Cologne, Germany.

The method also utilizes a part of the cacao fruit that is normally destined to become waste. In the normal chocolate creating process, about 70 percent of the fruit is typically discarded.

Aside from delivering on a sustainability standpoint, Thielens notes that the unique flavor of the puree also lends itself to use in innovative NPD. Although the flavor of the puree is mild, the pear-like taste can add an “adventurous” note to applications such as pastry, ganache, smoothies, juices, cocktails, confectionery, ice cream and sorbets. 

The creamy-white appearance of the puree is also wildly different to what consumers may expect from a cacao fruit product. Consumer research (2018) conducted by Innova Market Insights found that seven in 10 US consumers “love to discover new flavors.”

The cacao fruit puree is the newest addition to Dirafrost’s range of 22 flavors, which are available in buckets of 1kg and 10kg. All are touted as being 100 percent natural, containing no additives and available with or without sugar or seeds.

Unlocking the pulp potential
Dubbed the “wonderfruit,” cacao is characterized and championed for its high nutritional content, and its potential has not gone unnoticed by other key industry players. Both Nestlé and Barry Callebaut have recently made media splashes with their forays into the space.

In July, Nestlé created a unique new chocolate made entirely from the cacao fruit, using only the beans and pulp as ingredients. The new chocolate, to be launched in Japan in autumn, has been developed using a “natural approach” and patented technique which does not require adding any refined sugar. 

While in September, Barry Callebaut also launched a whole fruit experience, with its WholeFruit chocolate, which is made from 100 percent cacao fruit. This creates a chocolate with a strong nutritional profile as it has at least 40 percent less sugar, 90 percent more fiber and 25 percent more protein than most dark and milk chocolates. 

Also at Anuga 2019 were kōkōjoo. The start-up won Anuga’s Food Start-Up Award in the Drinks category for its first product, Pelure de Cacao, which is made from a cacao bean shell infusion. It is touted as being rich in antioxidants and minerals, low in calories and sugar, vegan and completely natural. 

Other innovations highlighted at Anuga 2019 included two new fruit elements from Bösch Boden Spies, artisanal bakery solutions and meat grown in space.

By Laxmi Haigh