Chocolate: Recent Developments: Other Concerns

In 2010, the genome sequencing project spearheaded by the USDA-ARS, with substantial funding from Mars, was completed. The project has helped clarified the genetic origins of cacao and the relationship between types. The old paradigm of criollo versus forastero has been superseded by a growing number of genetic clusters (thirteen to date) that include the old commercial types Criollo, Amelonado, and Nacional. A more sophisticated understanding of cacao genetics is already allowing scientists to select cultivars that are fast-growing and more resistant to pests and diseases than yesterday’s commercial varieties. In the end a more accurate knowledge of cacao genetics will turn cacao into a modern crop and translate into more respect for chocolate quality.