03/12/08 Daskalidès and Chocolaterie Smet, two Belgian chocolate makers active both in Belgium and abroad, are the first in the world to release toothfriendly chocolate products onto the market. Toothfriendly chocolate is a new innovation courtesy of Barry Callebaut, the world’s leading producer of high quality cocoa and chocolate. Barry Callebaut’s toothfriendly chocolate has been bestowed the prestigious ‘Happy Tooth’ label from Toothfriendly International, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving dental health, supported by dental associations from all over the world.

Dr. Albert Bär, Director Toothfriendly International: "We only give the Happy Tooth seal of approval to products that are guaranteed safe for teeth. All sweets that carry this logo have been scientifically tested by recognized and independent academic institutes for dental health. Their tests demonstrate that the product does not cause dental caries or tooth decay. The Happy Tooth logo helps consumers in their choice for toothfriendly products.”

The Happy Tooth logo helps consumers distinguish toothfriendly sweets from non-toothfriendly varieties. All products bearing the Happy Tooth logo, including the chocolate products by Chocolaterie Smet and Daskalidès, are guaranteed to be friendly to teeth and are recognized by the Toothfriendly International organization.

The secret of Barry Callebaut’s delicious, toothfriendly chocolate lies in its special production process and composition. Milk powder, for instance, is replaced by milk proteins and sugar by isomaltulose, a natural sugar which can be found in small concentrations in honey and sugar cane. Isomaltulose belongs to the sugar group and, just like refined sugar (sucrose), is composed of glucose and fructose. Isomaltulose differs, however, in its resistance to decomposition by oral bacteria and therefore does not cause an increase in acidity in the mouth, thus protecting the teeth from decay. It is only when acidity levels are high and the corresponding pH level drops below the critical value of 5.7 that there is a risk of forming dental caries. The pH level in the mouth remains above this level during and after consumption of Barry Callebaut’s toothfriendly chocolate. Isomaltulose tastes almost as sweet as sugar, is easily digested and, contrary to sweeteners such as polyols, there is no accompanying laxative effect.

Toothfriendly chocolate: kids are crazy about it, mothers approve it. Research amongst mothers and children between 6 and 12 years demonstrates a lot of enthusiasm for the taste of Barry Callebaut’s toothfriendly chocolate. 82% of the children rated the toothfriendly chocolate figurines as delicious to very delicious. And the chocolate scores well with Mums, too: 73% of mothers felt the purchase of this chocolate to be justified.

Klaus Lauwerens, Senior Back Office Manager Chocolaterie Smet: “This is a fantastic opportunity to bring dental health and chocolate together. And there is no better figure than Hopla to give a face to this new combination. Children love Hopla and even more so in the form of a delicious chocolate figurine. Best of all, Mums can rest assured that their little darlings can soon enjoy chocolate in a responsible way.”

Edward Geldof, General Manager Daskalidès: “Daskalidès always aims to strike the perfect balance between tradition and progress. The house is dedicated to building a solid brand image and harbours a strong belief in innovation. This new product represents the ideal marriage between enjoyment and health. More and more of our customers actively search for products which combine these two properties seamlessly.”