Latest News

News Releases:
  1. May 19, 2008 - Dog to receive DNA test to decide therapy future - Northeastern Pennsylvania Times-Leader

Industry News:
  1. May 30, 2007 - Cocoa compound boosts memory, scientists say, CBC News

Research Studies:
  1. Liwei Gu1, Aaron C. Hager1, Rebecca J. Robbins2, Ronald L. Prior1 Analyses of procyanidins in foods using Diol phase HPLC 1Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center, 1212 Marshall Street, Little Rock, Arkansas, 72202; 2Analytical and Applied Sciences Group, Mars Snack Food US, 800 High Street, Hackettstown, New Jersey, 07840.

News Releases

  1. May 19, 2008 - Dog to receive DNA test to decide therapy future - Northeastern Pennsylvania Times-Leader
  2. May 13, 2008 - Who Let The Dogs Out - CBS4.com
  3. May 12, 2008 - Cocoa, but not tea may help lower blood pressure, German experts say - Earthtimes.org
  4. May 10, 2008 - DNA testing reveals mutt's mystery makeup - Saint Paul Pioneer Press
  5. May 5, 2008 - Think You Have A Purebred? You Could Be Wrong - WBALTV News
  6. May 2, 2008 - "National Pet Week" Radio Spot - Tan Talk Radio Network
  7. May 1, 2008 - Doggie DNA - NBC Fresno
  8. April 30, 2008 - Study: Pregnant Women Should Eat Dark Chocolate Daily - FOX News
  9. April 28, 2008 - Purebred or Pure Mutt? Test Your Dog's DNA - Grand Rapids Press
  10. April 28, 2008 - Wanted: Women to eat chocolate for a year - CNN.com
  11. April 28, 2008 - Tough job: Volunteers needed for chocolate study - Reuters
  12. April 23, 2008 - Tracking Down What's In The Mix - Mankato Free Press
  13. April 20, 2008 - The Allan Handelman Radio Show: Dr. Becker Interview - WZTK FMTalk 101.1
  14. April 18, 2008 - The Best Foods For Runners - Fitness Mamas Blog
  15. April 18, 2008 - Flavanol Content of Cocoa Cut During Manufacturing - Food Navigator Europe
  16. April 17, 2008 - DNA Testing Goes To The Dogs - Rocky Mountain News
  17. April 16, 2008 - The DNA of Antioxidants (from Cooking Light) - CNN.com/health
  18. April 6, 2008 - Science is in the kitchen, and the results are good for our taste buds - Science News
  19. April 6, 2008 - Mars chocolate company sets up 'best practices' farm centre for cocoa in Philippines - African Agriculture Blog
  20. April 1, 2008 - Apple gaining functional ingredient makeover - Nutraingredients
  21. March 29, 2008 - Sterol chocolate reduces cholesterol levels - Nutraingredients
  22. March 24, 2008 - A breed apart
  23. March 24, 2008 - DNA test allows dog owners to find out their mutt's makeup
  24. March 23, 2008 - Dogs and DNA
  25. March 21, 2008 - Test can tell ancestry of any dog
  26. March 17, 2008 - Who's your daddy?
  27. February 27, 2008 - DNA dog test reveals parentage
  28. February 13, 2008 - Dr. Carol On Pets - Canine : DNA Revealed!
  29. February 11, 2008 - Figuring out Fido's family tree
  30. February 8, 2008 - Martha Stewart Enlists Wisdom Panel™ MX to Help Her Viewers Answer: "What Breeds are in my Dog"
  31. October 3, 2007 - New Doggie DNA Test Answers "What's My Dog?"
  32. April 5, 2007 - "Science" article reviews Mars canine genetic research. Scientists First to Isolate a Single Gene Common to All Small Dogs
  33. March 6, 2007 - New Study Suggests Special Cocoa May Lead to Sustained Improvement in Blood Vessel Function
  34. February 18, 2007 - Flavanols in Cocoa May Offer Benefits to the Brain
  35. November 6, 2006 - New Study Suggests Plant Sterol-Enriched Chocolate Snack Bars Support Heart Health
  36. July 31, 2006 - Flavanol-Rich Cocoa Improves Blood Vessel Function in Aging Baby Boomer Study Participants
  37. July 25, 2006 - Groundbreaking Research Highlights Myriad Health Benefits of Flavanol-Rich Cocoa
  38. June 2006 - New Study Reveals Components of Cocoa May Enhance the Appearance of the Skin
  39. March 28, 2006 - New Method Discovered to Isolate Flavanols in Cocoa
  40. January 16, 2006 - New Cocoa Flavanol Study Provides Important Evidence on why Plant Foods are Beneficial to Cardiovascular Health

Industry News

  1. May 25, 2007 - DNA Testing is for the Dogs, USA Today
  2. May 20, 2007 - Doggie DNA Reveals Mutt's Identity: Wisdom Panel Used to Help Detect Illnesses in Certain Breeds, ABC News
  3. May 3, 2007 - Scientists Propose New Process for High-Flavonoid Cocoa, Food Navigator
  4. May 1, 2007 - New Test Determines Breeds of Mixed Dogs, Critterology.com
  5. April 30, 2007 - His find Could be a Chocolate Lover's Dream, Boston Globe
  6. April 20-26, 2007 - Doggy DNA puts Mars on Trail to Breed-Tailored Bites, Washington Business Journal
  7. April 6, 2007 - Hutch-Developed DNA Sscan to be Sold by Mars, Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle)
  8. March 12, 2007 - Should Cocoa Flavanol be Classed as a 'Vitamin'?, Nutra-ingredients.com
  9. March 12, 2007 - Cocoa Compound Should Be Vitamin, Study Says, Internet Broadcasting
  10. March 7, 2007 - Cocoa May Reverse Blood Vessel Damage, Study, Nutra USA Ingredients
  11. March 07, 2007 - A Daily Cup of Special Cocoa Drink May Improve Blood Vessel Function, Sawfs News
  12. February 20, 2007 - Don't Forget Chocolate, The San Francisco Chronicle
  13. February 19, 2007 - Special Flavanol-Rich Cocoa May Help Brain, United Press International
  14. February 19, 2007 - Boosting Brain Power - with Chocolate, University of Nottingham
  15. February 18, 2007 - Some Cocoa May Improve Brain Blood Flow, The Boston Globe
  16. February 2007 - Is Chocolate Really Good For You?, Runner's World
  17. January 22, 2007 - Owning a Dog is Good for Your Health, Medical News Today
  18. January 22, 2007 - How a Dog's Life Can Make You Happier, The Independent (UK)
  19. January 18, 2007 - Pets Boost Mental Health, Health24.com
  20. December 11, 2006 - Shedding Light on Dark Chocolate, Confectionerynews.com
  21. December 2, 2006 - Dark Chocolate; A Tasty Way to Cleaner Arteries, The Columbus Dispatch
  22. November 6, 2006 - Sustainable Tree Crops Program Boosts Africa's Cocoa Crop, Voice of America
  23. August 15, 2006 - Circulation: Blood Flow Improves with New Mix of Cocoa, New York Times
  24. August 7, 2006 - Mars Battles Against Cocoa Pest, BBC News
  25. August 6, 2006 - Mars Fights off Cocoa-Addicted Moth, Financial Times
    Note: SUBSCRIBER ONLY
  26. August 1, 2006 - Flavanol-Rich Cocoa Improves Blood Vessel Function, Food Consumer.org
  27. July 2006 - Raw materials, raw issues and progress, Ethical Corporation Magazine
    Note: SUBSCRIBER ONLY
  28. June 26, 2006 - In Fight to Protect Cocoa Crops, Good Fungi Battle Bad Fungi, The Wall Street Journal
    Note: SUBSCRIBER ONLY
  29. March 8, 2006 - Baby-boomers May Benefit Most From Flavanol-Rich Cocoa, Food Navigator

Research Studies

  1. Liwei Gu1, Aaron C. Hager1, Rebecca J. Robbins2, Ronald L. Prior1 Analyses of procyanidins in foods using Diol phase HPLC 1Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center, 1212 Marshall Street, Little Rock, Arkansas, 72202; 2Analytical and Applied Sciences Group, Mars Snack Food US, 800 High Street, Hackettstown, New Jersey, 07840.
  2. REBECCA J. ROBBINS*, JADWIGA LEONCZAK, J. CHRISTOPHER JOHNSON, CATHERINE KWIK-URIBE, RONALD L. PRIOR§, AND LIWEI GU# Development of a robust, quantitative normal-phase HPLC method for flavan-3-ols and procyanidin oligomers in chocolate and cocoa-containing samples *Analytical and Applied Sciences, Mars, Incorporated, 800 High Street Hackettstown, NJ 07840
    USDA, ARS Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center 1120 Marshall Street Little Rock, AR 72202
    #Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205
  3. Sutter N, Bustamante C, Chase K, Gray M, Zhao K, Zhu L, Padhukasahasram B, Karlins E, Davis S, Jones P, Quignon P, Johnson G, Parker H, Fretwell N, Mosher D, Lawler D, Satyaraj E, Nordborg M, Lark K, Wayne R, Ostrander E. A Single IGF1 Allele Is a Major Determinant of Small Size in Dogs. Science 6 April 2007: Vol. 316. no. 5821, pp. 112 - 115
  4. Kenny TP, Keen CL, Schmitz HH, Gershwin ME. Immune effects of cocoa procyanidin oligomers on peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Experimental Biology and Medicine 2007;232:293-300.
  5. Heiss C, Finis D, Kleinbongard P, Hoffmann A, Rassaf T, Kelm M, Sies H. Sustained increase in flow-mediated dilation after daily intake of high flavanol cocoa drink over one week. Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology. 2007;49:74-80.
  6. Heinrich U, Neukam K, Tronnier H, Sies H, Wilhelm S. Long-term ingestion of high flavanol cocoa provides photoprotection against UV-induced erythema and improves skin condition in women. Journal of Nutrition. 2006;136:1-5.
  7. Fisher NDL, Hollenberg NK. Aging and vascular responses to flavanol-rich cocoa. Journal of Hypertension. 2006; 24(8):1575-1580.
  8. Polagruto JA, Wang-Polagruto JF, Braunn MM, Lee L, Kwik-Uribe C, Keen CL. Cocoa flavanol-enriched snack bars containing phytosterols effectively lower total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 2006; 106:1804-1813.
  9. Kelm MA, Johnson JC, Robbins RJ, Hammerstone JF, Schmitz HH. High-performance liquid chromatography separation and purification of cacao (theobroma cacao l.) procyanidins according to degree of polymerization using a diol stationary phase. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 2006;54:1571-1576.
  10. Schroeter H, Heiss C, Balzer J, Kleinbongard P, Keen CL, Hollenberg NK, Sies H, Kwik-Uribe C., Schmitz HH, Kelm M. Epicatechin mediates beneficial effects of flavanol-rich cocoa on vascular function in humans. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 9 2006;108:1024-1029.
  11. Heptinstall S, May J, Fox S, Kwik-Uribe C, Zhao L. Cocoa flavanols and platelet and leukocyte function: recent in vitro and ex vivo studies in healthy adults. Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology. 2006;47 Suppl 2:S197-205.
  12. Grassi, Davide; Necozione, Stefano; Lippi, Cristina; Croce, Giuseppe; Valeri, Letizia; Pasqualetti, Paolo; Desideri, Giovambattista; Blumberg, Jeffrey B.; Ferri, Claudio. Cocoa Reduces Blood Pressure and Insulin Resistance and Improves Endothelium-Dependent Vasodilation in Hypertensives. Hypertension. 2005;46:398.
  13. Heiss C et al. Acute consumption of flavanol-rich cocoa and the reversal of endothelial dysfunction in smokers. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2005;46(7):1276-1283
  14. Fisher ND, Hollenberg NK. Flavanols for cardiovascular health: the science behind the sweetness . Journal of Hypertension. 2005 Aug;23(8):1453-9. Review.
  15. Grassi D, Lippi C, Necozione S, Desideri G, Ferri C. Short-term administration of dark chocolate is followed by a significant increase in insulin sensitivity and a decrease in blood pressure in healthy persons. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2005 Mar;81(3):611-4.
  16. Flavanol-rich cocoa induces nitric-oxide-dependent vasodilation in healthy humans. Journal of Hypertension. 2003 Dec;21(12):2281-6.
  17. Heiss, Christian; Dejam, André; Kleinbongard, Petra; Schewe, Tankred; Sies, Helmut; Kelm, Malte. Vascular Effects of Cocoa Rich in Flavan-3-ols. Journal of the American Medical Association, Aug 2003;290: 1030 - 1031.
  18. Taubert, Dirk; Berkels, Reinhard; Roesen, Renate; Klaus, Wolfgang. Chocolate and Blood Pressure in Elderly Individuals With Isolated Systolic Hypertension. Journal of the American Medical Association. Aug 2003;290: 1029 - 1030.
  19. Holt RR, Schramm DD, Keen CL, Lazarus SA, Schmitz HH. Chocolate consumption and platelet function. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2002 May 1;287(17):2212-3.