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Charms of chocology
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Paul Hebblethwaite, Professor of chocology, who believes there are many positive sides to chocolate
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CHOCOLATE A healthy treat
It’s a profession to die for and it’s called chocology. The person involved here not only becomes a scientist who “studies chocolates seriously” but also gets invited by people across the world to taste chocolates, give sugges
tions and talks about the “positive aspects” of these divine desserts that makes people of all ages go weak in their knees.
Meet Paul Hebblethwaite, from the U.K., the only Professor of Chocology in the world! “Chocology is a platform where we bring all the positive aspects of chocolates. I initiated the science for I believe there are many positive sides to a chocolate,” he insists. Paul is also the one who came up with the term chocology for he “wanted a funky name and it goes with the names biology and psychology”.
So what does it take to become a chocologist? “A sure appreciation of the product and to be able to understand its nutritional qualities,” says Paul, whose association with chocolates dates back to the 1970s. He joined Cadbury Schweppes Foods Division in 1974 and became research and development manager. In 1988, he left the company to join Chivers-Hartley as general manager and then came back to Cadbury Schweppes in 1991 to become technical director and later, technical and buying director.
Now, as group technical director of Cadbury Schweppes, Paul is responsible for global quality and environmental management. In 2003, he became group science director. “We’re not saying that chocolate is a health food. But when eaten in moderation it does have its benefits,” he adds. Why aren’t Indian chocolates so much in demand as their western counterparts? “India is a tropical country and the weather is too hot for a product like chocolate. It is so easy for them to melt and become soggy,” says Paul, who was in India recently.
Explaining the benefits of chocolate, he says, “Dark chocolate is high in cocoa, and so is high in antioxidants. Second, chocolate acts as a mood lifter. But the worst part is that critics discard it though it has vitamins and minerals.”
“Chocolates have been around for 4,000 years and are known for their mood-enhancing properties. My aim to help people enjoy them without feeling guilty,” says Paul. Now, whoever would want to say no to chocolates?
SHILPA SEBASTIAN R.
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