{
  "id": 19750330,
  "title": "Chocolate: Pralines, Sculptures, Insect Wings – The Sweetest Innovations in the World",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/13/schokolade-pralinen-skulpturen-insektenflugel-die-su-esten",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-11-13T03:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Handelsblatt",
    "slug": "handelsblatt",
    "url": "https://www.handelsblatt.com/arts_und_style/schokolade-die-suessesten-innovationen-der-welt/100265523.html"
  },
  "original_language": "de",
  "account": "Antwerpen, a city steeped in history and commerce, recently hosted an impressive event at the Antwerp Trade Fair. In this venerable building, which has stood for centuries as a hub of international trade, cutting-edge tools like infrared thermometers, heating devices, cold sprays, flypaper, electric mixers, silicone mats, and 3D printer forms were employed. The seemingly disparate array of equipment came together to create the most exquisite chocolate sculptures during the World Chocolate Masters (WCM) competition. Participants harnessed every available technology to craft these modern marvels of confectionery artistry. The history of chocolate as a foodstuff, however, spans millennia. The Maya civilization in the upper Amazon region, now part of Ecuador, first utilized the cacao plant over 5,500 years ago. The Aztecs later developed Xotlātl, a chocolate beverage, around 1,900 BC. Progress was slow, with centuries separating significant developments. It took nearly 3,500 years for chocolate to make its grand entrance into Europe, beginning with the arrival of Spanish conquistadors in 1528. The industrial revolution brought about a game-changing innovation in 1828, when Coenraad van Houten invented a press that separated cocoa butter and powder, making industrial production feasible. A year later, British inventors created the first chocolate bar, and the following decade saw the creation of milk chocolate by Daniel Peters and Henri Nestlé. The final touch came in 1879 when Rodolphe Lindt introduced the conching process, which significantly improved the texture and smoothness of chocolate. To this day, the basic process remains largely unchanged, a testament to chocolate's enduring appeal and versatility.",
  "summary": "At the World Chocolate Masters, some of the world's best chocolatiers showed that innovation often has an unspectacular effect and yet can change a world. A visit to Antwerp.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}