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Short Wave

Inside the lab taste-testing the world's chocolate

15 Jun 2026

Transcription

Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.

Chapter 1: What challenges do small-scale farmers face in the chocolate industry?

0.031 - 10.282 Ira Glass

This is Ira Glass. On This American Life, one thing we like is a good mystery. Sometimes about really big things, but most times, the little mysteries are the best.

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10.582 - 15.608 Daniel Green

Our lost and found is currently filled with pants. I don't know, I've never seen this happen.

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16.028 - 23.637 Ira Glass

Wait, this is true? This is true. Mysteries of every size, each week. This American Life, wherever you get your podcasts.

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24.878 - 35.225 Regina Barber

You're listening to Shortwave from NPR. Hey, Shore Wavers, it's Regina Barber, and today we're talking chocolate? Do I have that right?

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35.465 - 36.669 Ari Daniel

You sure do, Regina.

37.03 - 40.519 Regina Barber

Awesome. Okay, this is science reporter Ari Daniel. Hey, Ari.

40.759 - 41.441 Ari Daniel

Hi, Regina.

41.882 - 44.349 Regina Barber

I love chocolate, dark chocolate specifically.

44.429 - 45.512 Ari Daniel

Me too, but milk.

Chapter 2: How does the Cacao of Excellence program evaluate cacao quality?

450.451 - 451.513 Ari Daniel

So he unwraps it.

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452.934 - 455.717 Julien Simonis

You let it cover well your palate and your tongue.

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456.038 - 465.781 Regina Barber

He's like... Like whispering to you. He's great. What is that? What is that sound? Is he breathing?

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465.961 - 476.794 Ari Daniel

Yes, he's using this breathing technique that he tried to teach me to heighten his perception of the chocolate's aroma and taste where he breathes in through the mouth and then out through his nose.

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477.394 - 478.035 Regina Barber

It's like wine.

478.175 - 487.012 Ari Daniel

Yeah, very much so. So it's extremely creamy. He describes a splash of sultanas that gives way to a nuttiness.

487.293 - 488.134 Regina Barber

What is a sultana?

488.254 - 490.056 Ari Daniel

Like a small raisin.

491.298 - 494.743 Regina Barber

Oh, okay. I want to try these, like, today.

Chapter 3: What role does standardization play in the chocolate market?

649.296 - 675.861 Regina Barber

And if you like this episode, give us a follow on the NPR app or wherever else you may be listening from. This episode was produced by Noor Gill. It was edited by our showrunner, Rebecca Ramirez, and Tyler Jones checked the facts. The audio engineer was Robert Rodriguez. I'm Regina Barber. Thank you so much for listening to Short Wave from NPR.

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679.064 - 701.663 Katie Hood

Each story you hear on Planet Money starts with a question. What happens if we refund tariffs? Why are groceries so expensive? At NPR, we stand for your right to be curious because the forces shaping our world can be hard to see. Follow NPR's Planet Money wherever you get your podcasts and start seeing how the economy really works.

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