The presence of crystalline sugar limits the influence of emulsifiers on cocoa butter crystallization

Abstract

The effects of 2 wt% emulsifier and crystalline sugar on the isothermal solidification and polymorphic behavior of cocoa butter were evaluated. The emulsifiers investigated were commercial soy lecithin, polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR), citric acid esters of mono- and diacylglycerols (CITREM) and ammonium phosphatides (AP). All emulsifiers accelerated cocoa butter nucleation and growth from the melt, with PGPR showing the smallest enhancement. Lecithin and AP minimally affected the polymorphic form IV-to-V transition contrary to PGPR and CITREM, whichboth promoted the formation of form V crystals. The presence of sugar alone accelerated cocoa butter solidification while limiting the ability of the emulsifiers to do so. Sugar alone, and in the presence of emulsifier, hindered the polymorphic form IV-to-V transition. This study shows that the effects of emulsifiers on the isothermal crystallization of cocoa butter can be muted in the presence of crystalline sugar, suggesting a complex interplay dependent on emulsifier molecular structure.