British researchers from Bangor University's School of Environment, Natural Resources and Geography believe they have found a potential solution to the world's chocolate crisis: wild mango butter.
Wild mango butter has chemical, physical and thermal properties similar to cocoa butter.
Production of cocoa worldwide is on the decline because of crop failure and diseased and ageing plants, while demand for cocoa is expected to rise 30 percent within 4 years.
Cocoa butter, from cocoa beans, is one of the priciest of all tropical fats and oils, with its cost more than doubling between 2005 and 2015.
Study author Sayma Akhter explains that wild mango’s real potential had not been realized so far.
It even has a higher moisture content than cocoa butter, which could help create low fat chocolate.