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As consumers face a large and expanding selection of premium/specialty chocolates and many new choices, the Chocolate Manufacturers Association (CMA) has put together an online consumer's guide entitled "Making Sense of % Cacao."

According to the guide, the term '% cacao' refers to the total percentage of ingredients (by weight) which come from the cacao bean (or cocoa bean) such as chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, and cocoa powder found in a chocolate product. The term is being increasingly used in connection with premium chocolates — including dark chocolate. "The '% cacao' number is a key part of what consumers should consider when searching for specific flavor intensity, whether eating a bar of chocolate or consuming it in other forms such as baking and drinking," said Dr. Leah Porter, vice president of the American Cocoa Research Institute (ACRI), the research arm of the CMA. "In general, the '% cacao' number can guide you toward milder or deeper chocolate flavor intensity, depending on your taste preferences or the needs of your recipe." - Gourmet Retailer