Bringing back the given-up 'deliciousness of chocolate' — 'Hazumu Chocolat' and 'Torokeru Chocolat', which overturn the common sense of dysphagia diets, win the Chairman's Award [Industry First* / Care Food & Smile Care Food Concours]
Nissin Kako's chocolate powder for dysphagia diets, 'Hazumu Chocolat' and 'Torokeru Chocolat', won the Chairman's Award at the 11th Care Food & Smile Care Food Concours. It achieves authentic deliciousness and reduces cooking burdens.
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- 📰 Published: April 14, 2026 at 19:10
- 🔍 Collected: April 14, 2026 at 10:31
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Nissin Kako Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President: Hiroaki Naoi), a manufacturer of confectionery ingredients centered on chocolate, announced that its chocolate powder processed foods for people with dysphagia, 'Hazumu Chocolat' and 'Torokeru Chocolat,' won the Judging Committee Chairman's Award at the '11th Care Food / Smile Care Food Concours' sponsored by the Japan Food Journal. The award ceremony was held on March 30, 2026. This product is a universal design chocolate ingredient for dysphagia diets that allows for the creation of authentic chocolate desserts with a simple preparation of just mixing and dissolving in hot water or milk.
At the end of 2025, it also won the '55th Food Industry Newspaper Technical Achievement Award (Product / Technology Category)', and this current award indicates that it has received high praise from both the food technology and care/welfare perspectives. Dr. Setsuko Kanaya (Director of Kanaya Nutrition Institute), a leading expert in the field of dysphagia diets, served as the chairman of the judging committee. She praised this product intended for 'people who have problems swallowing' as not just a means of nutritional supplementation, but as something that embodies the 'richness of heart' and 'joy of eating' directly linked to the user's QOL (Quality of Life).
*Self-researched. As a powdered chocolate commercial material that creates a dessert with swallowing suitability using chocolate ingredients and manufacturing methods. See TOPICS 2 for details.
TOPICS
1: The growing 'supplementary food' market in care settings and the challenges faced by dysphagia diet desserts
2: [Industry First] Developing chocolate, considered an 'unsuitable ingredient', for application in dysphagia diets
3: Product introduction 'Hazumu Chocolat' and 'Torokeru Chocolat'
4: Origin of development: The desire to 'let them eat what they want to eat'
1: The growing 'supplementary food' market in care settings and the challenges faced by dysphagia diet desserts
The domestic care food market continues to expand. It is estimated to be worth approximately 200 billion yen based on manufacturer shipment value in the processed food market for nursing care food, elderly food, and patient food, and is expected to reach approximately 220 billion yen in 2028. Conventional care foods have prioritized safety to prevent aspiration (accidental swallowing) and nutritional supplementation, but in recent years, the quality of 'universal food (communal eating)' that everyone can enjoy regardless of age or physical limitations has been questioned.
In particular, the growth of the supplementary food (snacks/desserts) category is remarkable, and the demand for supplementary foods and desserts in elderly care facilities is expected to continue to expand. However, many of the conventional dysphagia diet desserts have prioritized functionality such as physical properties, and have continuously faced the challenge of putting 'deliciousness on the back burner'.
In addition, serious labor shortages continue in the nursing care field. According to estimates based on the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's 9th Care Insurance Business Plan, there will be a shortage of approximately 570,000 nursing care personnel in 2040, making it an urgent task to respond to the earnest needs of the workplace to 'provide delicious desserts while reducing cooking effort'.
'Hazumu Chocolat' and 'Torokeru Chocolat' were developed to meet these two challenges: 'There are no desserts that people with swallowing difficulties find truly delicious' and 'The burden of cooking at facilities is heavy'.
Case Study
Wanting to deliver the 'same dessert' to all patients - Ome Keiyu Hospital 'Hazumu Chocolat' utilization case -
On Valentine's Day, approximately 300 desserts were served to all inpatients. There was almost no leftover food.
2: [Industry First] Developing chocolate, considered an 'unsuitable ingredient', for application in dysphagia diets
1. Utilizing the manufacturing process that only specialized manufacturers have
Since this product is a powder that has gone through the same process as chocolate manufacturing, the 'powder itself is chocolate'. Using unique technology cultivated through chocolate making up to now, we have achieved the original 'smoothness' and deep flavor of chocolate in a powder state, which is difficult to produce with mixed powder containing cocoa powder and sugar. It is distinct from typical chocolate-flavored dysphagia diet desserts.
2. 'Real chocolate', not 'chocolate flavor'
Because chocolate becomes viscous when it melts in the mouth, it has traditionally been considered an 'unsuitable ingredient' in care settings due to the risk of aspiration. This product overcomes such difficulties of chocolate. It maintains the original flavor of chocolate while paying attention to adhesiveness and emphasizing cohesiveness, making it a product considerate of swallowing.
At the end of 2025, it also won the '55th Food Industry Newspaper Technical Achievement Award (Product / Technology Category)', and this current award indicates that it has received high praise from both the food technology and care/welfare perspectives. Dr. Setsuko Kanaya (Director of Kanaya Nutrition Institute), a leading expert in the field of dysphagia diets, served as the chairman of the judging committee. She praised this product intended for 'people who have problems swallowing' as not just a means of nutritional supplementation, but as something that embodies the 'richness of heart' and 'joy of eating' directly linked to the user's QOL (Quality of Life).
*Self-researched. As a powdered chocolate commercial material that creates a dessert with swallowing suitability using chocolate ingredients and manufacturing methods. See TOPICS 2 for details.
TOPICS
1: The growing 'supplementary food' market in care settings and the challenges faced by dysphagia diet desserts
2: [Industry First] Developing chocolate, considered an 'unsuitable ingredient', for application in dysphagia diets
3: Product introduction 'Hazumu Chocolat' and 'Torokeru Chocolat'
4: Origin of development: The desire to 'let them eat what they want to eat'
1: The growing 'supplementary food' market in care settings and the challenges faced by dysphagia diet desserts
The domestic care food market continues to expand. It is estimated to be worth approximately 200 billion yen based on manufacturer shipment value in the processed food market for nursing care food, elderly food, and patient food, and is expected to reach approximately 220 billion yen in 2028. Conventional care foods have prioritized safety to prevent aspiration (accidental swallowing) and nutritional supplementation, but in recent years, the quality of 'universal food (communal eating)' that everyone can enjoy regardless of age or physical limitations has been questioned.
In particular, the growth of the supplementary food (snacks/desserts) category is remarkable, and the demand for supplementary foods and desserts in elderly care facilities is expected to continue to expand. However, many of the conventional dysphagia diet desserts have prioritized functionality such as physical properties, and have continuously faced the challenge of putting 'deliciousness on the back burner'.
In addition, serious labor shortages continue in the nursing care field. According to estimates based on the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's 9th Care Insurance Business Plan, there will be a shortage of approximately 570,000 nursing care personnel in 2040, making it an urgent task to respond to the earnest needs of the workplace to 'provide delicious desserts while reducing cooking effort'.
'Hazumu Chocolat' and 'Torokeru Chocolat' were developed to meet these two challenges: 'There are no desserts that people with swallowing difficulties find truly delicious' and 'The burden of cooking at facilities is heavy'.
Case Study
Wanting to deliver the 'same dessert' to all patients - Ome Keiyu Hospital 'Hazumu Chocolat' utilization case -
On Valentine's Day, approximately 300 desserts were served to all inpatients. There was almost no leftover food.
2: [Industry First] Developing chocolate, considered an 'unsuitable ingredient', for application in dysphagia diets
1. Utilizing the manufacturing process that only specialized manufacturers have
Since this product is a powder that has gone through the same process as chocolate manufacturing, the 'powder itself is chocolate'. Using unique technology cultivated through chocolate making up to now, we have achieved the original 'smoothness' and deep flavor of chocolate in a powder state, which is difficult to produce with mixed powder containing cocoa powder and sugar. It is distinct from typical chocolate-flavored dysphagia diet desserts.
2. 'Real chocolate', not 'chocolate flavor'
Because chocolate becomes viscous when it melts in the mouth, it has traditionally been considered an 'unsuitable ingredient' in care settings due to the risk of aspiration. This product overcomes such difficulties of chocolate. It maintains the original flavor of chocolate while paying attention to adhesiveness and emphasizing cohesiveness, making it a product considerate of swallowing.