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December, 2024
I spent years in the chocolate business, sometimes with a spatula in one hand and a chocolate mould in the other, sometimes with chocolate lessons from Dr Kleinert in Switzerland. Not to mention the search for unusual products in window observations during my travels abroad…
Being a chocolatier, it would be impossible not to be interested in Dubai chocolate, which has made a name for itself in recent days. Thanks to them, my friends in the neighbourhood accepted us as experts and attempted to take an exam with their samples. Actually, it was not me who took the test, but the Dubai chocolate samples.
As the name suggests, Dubai chocolate originated in Dubai. The new innovative product of the Fix Dessert Chocolatier brand, founded by Sarah Hamouda, a British entrepreneur originally from Egypt and Palestinian chef Nouel Catis Omamalin. Dubai chocolate, which was first presented under the name ‘Can’t Get Enough Knafeh (Künefe) of it’, consists of crispy kadayıf, pistachio and sugar cream filled with milk chocolate. The combination of different textures in harmony with the intensity of flavour makes you want to consume more.
It should be known that, Dubai Chocolate is not a privileged category, it is a product with pistachio cream from the Filled Chocolate category.
So, what could be the reason why Dubai chocolate has become so well-known worldwide in the last year?
The recognition of Dubai chocolate began in December 2023 with a TikTok video by Maria Vehera, a Dubai-based foodie. In this video, Vehera tasted a chocolate tablet from Fix Dessert, highlighting the texture and flavour of the product. To date, the video has been viewed more than 80 million times. The visual and auditory appeal of chocolate increased its popularity. The crunchy sounds produced when the chocolate tablet is broken and the fluid structure of the filling attracted great attention in ASMR videos (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, a phenomenon consisting of sounds, visuals and tactile stimuli that create a relaxing feeling for some people). The fact that the product was sold only in Dubai provided a sense of luxury and privilege (similar products were immediately made in Türkiye, from petrol stations to shopping malls…)
We observe that the popularity of this chocolate is fuelled by social media and that it has become a widespread consumption trend, especially among young people. However, it is important to remember that excessive consumption of such products may cause health problems.
It should be known that Dubai chocolate is filled (the chocolate ratio is quite low) and may cause allergic effects in some bodies due to the pistachios contained in the filling. Clinical findings in food allergy occur very soon after the food is consumed. Symptoms of food allergy include redness, itching and oedema plaques on the skin, swelling of the lips and around the eyes, abdominal pain, vomiting, shortness of breath, coughing, feeling of congestion in the throat, swelling of the tongue, chest pain, palpitations and low blood pressure. The most severe allergic symptoms are those that pose a life risk by causing breathing difficulties and/or low blood pressure, which is called anaphylaxis or anaphylactic shock. (Ebru Akdağ, Soframızdaki Hurafeler – Superstitions On Our Table, Page:78)
Processing of pistachios used in the product in uncontrolled and unhygienic environments may enhance the risk of aflatoxin contamination. (Aflatoxin is the most known mycotoxin in the world and is carcinogenic and genotoxic) To reduce the risk of aflatoxin, products of reliable brands should be preferred.
Dubai chocolate, which is low in fibre and high in sugar and fat, contains close to 530 calories per 100 grams. Excessive consumption paves the way for early obesity and increases the risk of metabolic disorders such as insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
Chocolates recommended for a healthy diet are those rich in strong antioxidants. The higher the cocoa content in chocolates, the higher the antioxidant properties. Nevertheless, it is useful to limit daily consumption to 20 g…
By Necdet Buzbaş,
The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye (TOBB) Food Assembly President…
