New Chocolate Has 90% Fewer Calories, Doesn't Melt

A mistake in the labs of the world's largest chocolate producer inadvertently led researchers to the ultimate in confectionery: a recipe that's not only heat-resistant, but that contains 90% fewer calories than normal chocolate. Food engineers fooling around at Barry Callebaut, which makes products for Nestlé and Cadbury, ended up creating a crispy bar with a light consistency that doesn't melt below 131°F.

"It's called Vulcano because it can be eaten when it's hot, and it's airy and full of bubbles, like volcanic rock," said a spokesman for the chocolatier, which produces more than a million tons of the stuff a year. The product will be targeted at calorie counters in America and Europe, plus smaller markets in Asia and Africa where high temperatures have made sales difficult. Vulcano should be for sale by 2011.
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