The Chocoholics Diary.com: 2008-03-23

Trailer found, no chocolate

With a stolen semitrailer now recovered, police in Indiana and nearby states are on the lookout for the missing cargo, a whopping 20 tons of chocolate.

The trailer, recovered in Gary, was empty. The truck driver was fired.

Police notified authorities in Illinois, Michigan and Ohio to be on alert for any usual amounts of chocolate they might run into.

The trailer was parked at a truckstop outside Michigan City. When the driver returned to his rig early the next day to deliver the Hershey's products to Wisconsin, the trailer had vanished.

The driver violated company policy by leaving the trailer unattended. He has landed another truck-driving job.

"I just pray for people who steal like that. Maybe God will deal with them," The driver said.

Police located the trailer in a field at the Indiana Toll Road and Interstate 65 interchange.

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Trailer with 20 tons of chocolate stolen

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New Study Looks At Chocolate & Heart Health

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Latest Chocolate Trends

Almost one in two living in Britain, 46 percent, Switzerland, 45 percent, and Belgium, 43 percent, eat chocolate several times a week, according to a survey conducted by Swiss chocolate manufacturer Barry Callebaut.

For many, simple milk chocolate is no longer good enough.One in five Swiss are eating such premium chocolate at least a few times a month.

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Choclate Statistics

The average American eats 10-12 pounds (4.5 kg) of chocolate a year.

If you hold your nose while eating chocolate, for example, you will have trouble identifying the chocolate flavor—even though you can distinguish the food's sweetness or bitterness. That is because the distinguishing characteristic of chocolate (what differentiates it from caramel, for example) is sensed largely by its odor.

Chocolate is the food most commonly craved by women.

995- Number of locations that produce chocolate and cocoa products. These locations employed 43,234 people.

600-Number of locations that produce nonchocolate confectionery products. These locations employed 24,800 people.

Studies show that eating chocolate in moderation can actually prolong your life by reducing risk of blood clots and fighting bad cholesterol.

107- Number of establishments in Pennsylvania and California that churn out chocolate and cocoa products. These two states are the national coleaders in chocolate-making. California, with 74, leads the United States in the number of locations that produce nonchocolate confectionery products.

Chocolate is not physically addictive and does not cause acne, as shown in several medical studies. Chocolate is not high in caffeine. A 1oz bar of milk chocolate contains only 5-6mg of caffeine, significantly less than in coffee, tea, and soft drinks.

Manufacturers in the U.S. use 3.5 million pounds of whole milk every day to make chocolate.

24 lbs.-Per capita consumption of candy by Americans in 2001; it is believed a large portion is consumed around Valentine's Day. Candy consumption has actually declined the last few years: four years earlier, each American ate more than 27 pounds a year.

$418 million - Value of U.S. imports of chocolate from Canada, the leading country of origin for such imports, during a recent 10-month period. Similarly, Canada was the leading foreign source of nonchocolate candy in the United States ($232 million worth in shipments).

Top chocolate sales in the U.S. in millions