Been scoffing a few too many chocolates this Christmas? For many of us, the silky texture and sweet rich taste are almost irresistible. And now, chocolate may be set to become even tastier...
Scientists have decoded the DNA of fine cocoa, publishing their results in Nature. Fine cocoa is used in the production of luxury chocolates and is only used for a fraction of chocolate production. The Guardian explains:
Fine cocoa accounts for only 5% of world cocoa production because the trees are susceptible to disease and produce lower yields than other strains of cocoa tree.
With the chocolate genome decoded, scientists will be able to develop varieties of chocolate which are more productive and hardy (good for farmers), or ones which look, smell and taste even better than the chocolate we currently have (good for chocoholics!)
Another group of scientists have also discovered the genetic structure of wild strawberries (the genome of woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca), in Nature). With the prospect of strawberries that taste and smell even more delicious than the current varieties, perhaps we'll be able to stay away from the chocolates!
Image credit: mrsraggle
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