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World Chocolate Day 2025
From bean to bar
Today is World Chocolate Day, and what better occasion to shine a light on the EHEDG Working Group ‘Chocolate Processing’? From harvesting and fermenting to drying, transporting, cleaning, roasting, processing and retailing—the journey of chocolate is complex, spanning continents and multiple transformation steps before chocolate products reach our tables. This team of experts is working on a new guideline that aims to raise the bar on food safety and hygienic design throughout the chocolate supply chain.
“What is unique about chocolate and related products is that the pathogen removal step occurs very early in this very long supply chain,” says Dr. Matilda Freund, Chair of the EHEDG Working Group ‘Chocolate Processing’.
Because of this, any contamination risk introduced later in the process can have significant consequences. That’s why special attention must be paid to handling, shipping conditions, GMPs, the hygienic design of processing equipment, and facility layout—all of which are essential to maintaining safety after the early kill step. Even if not the root cause, poor design can hinder effective cleaning, increase contamination risk, and reduce safety margins.
That’s why EHEDG has established a team composed of scientists, engineers, equipment manufacturers, cleaning experts, consultants and researchers from major chocolate producers, who are developing a comprehensive document focusing on three main areas:
- Utilities and Infrastructure
- Definition of and Optimal Methods to Clean
- Hygienic Design of Chocolate Processing Equipment
“This team has the technical expertise and chocolate experience to challenge the status quo and drive real change,” says Dr. Freund. “I am very excited to work with such a distinguished group of professionals from so many companies.”
As the group continues its work, EHEDG celebrates their progress and commitment on this sweet day. Happy World Chocolate Day from all of us!
A special thanks to Matilda Freund, Juergen Willmann & Jonas Ture Schimmel (Habasit), Adam Ruskin (Ecolab), Anett Winkler (Cargill), Chloe Pallister (Nestlé), Dennis Holmud (Aasted), David Le Meur & Holger Hölzemann (Commercial Food Sanitation L.L.C.), Edyta Margas (Bühler Group), Djurdjica Ackar, PhD, Etai Shinaar (Strauss Group), Jitendra Rai (Mondelēz International), John Holah & Garry Pearson (Kersia, inventing a food safe world), Giuseppe Allais (AMMEGA), Hansruedi Mürner (Halag Chemie AG), Kurt De Kerpel and Nikki Stringer (Barry Callebaut Group), Miomir Niksic, Natacha Holmud (FORCE Technology), Torsten Klein (SMC), Roberto Barucco and Liliana Maddalena (Ferrero).
Interested in this topic? Watch a snippet of the EHEDG Webinar ''Hygienic Design in Chocolate Production Safety', otherwise log in with your credentials to watch the full version
