Chocolate Formulations Research Articles

Design and Optimization of Novel Taste-Masked Medicated Chocolates of Dextromethorphan with In vitro and In vivo Taste Evaluation

Dextromethorphan (DXM) is exceptionally bitter, yet the most widely used antitussive agents worldwide. It belongs to BCS class-II of pharmaceutical agents because of its poor water solubility; this is why it is only available in its hydrobromide salt form either in liquid or in solid formulations in the market. This water-soluble salt of the drug releases its content to a greater extent in salivary pH, which increases bitterness perception. This study aimed at designing a more palatable chocolate formulation of DXM, which releases the minimum drug in salivary pH. DXM nano-emulsion prepared using lecithin and Tween-80 was dried and incorporated in placebo chocolates, poured into silicon molds, and refrigerated to have medicated chocolates. Medicated chocolates had an average weight of 1.757 ± 0.006 g, a thickness of 7.606 ± 0.0175 mm, and hardness of 2.007 ± 0.0102 Kp. The average drug content was 98.707 ± 0.012%. The average particle size of optimized nano-emulsion was 101.145 ± 2.906 nm with an encapsulation efficiency of 75.866 ± 0.543%. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed the spherical structure of nanoparticles. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) thermograms showed no drug-excipient interaction, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the amorphous form of the drug in nano-emulsion. The minimal drug was released at salivary pH from chocolate formulation compared to the standard. The Human Panel taste evaluation confirmed better palatability of chocolate than marketed syrup and tablet formulations of DXM. The novel medicated chocolate of DXM was proven to have a better palatability profile than its marketed formulations.

Buttermilk as milk powder and whey substitute in compound milk chocolate: Comparative study and optimisation

The aim of this study was to investigate the optimal concentration of milk, whey and buttermilk powder by using mixture design for the formulation of compound milk chocolate. The influence of buttermilk as a milk and whey substitute on the main physicochemical parameters of compound milk chocolate was investigated. The optimisation of the variables indicated that using 35.660% milk powder, 27.957% whey powder and 36.383% buttermilk produced the optimum milk chocolate with the highest desirability without undesirable changes in the quality properties. Chocolates containing equal amounts of buttermilk and milk powder and also equal amounts of whey powder and buttermilk powder demonstrated high consumer acceptability.

Optimization of prebiotic sucrose-free milk chocolate formulation by mixture design.

The purpose of the current research was to determine optimal situation by applying Simplex lattice mixture design for the formulation of prebiotic sucrose-free milk chocolate. Chocolate samples were prepared using two different sugar alcohols containing xylitol and maltitol along with galactooligosaccharide as prebiotic substance. The effects of sugar alcohols and prebiotic blends on rheological attributes and some physical characteristics were assessed. The outcomes represented the high coefficient of determination (≥ 90%) of fitted models. The optimization of the variables indicated that using 20.857g maltitol, 7.131g xylitol and 5.012g galactooligosaccharide generated the optimized chocolate with the highest desirability (1.00) without undesirable changes in the rheological and physical properties. Furthermore, the optimum formulation was prepared to validate the optimum model. The sensory evaluation of the optimized formulation of chocolate pleased the consumer needs.

Solid Dosage Forms of Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate Intended for Pediatric Use: Formulation and Stability Studies.

Undesirable taste has always been a key issue for oral dosage forms. The aim of the present study was to co-formulate dexamethasone sodium phosphate (DSP), in common pediatric oral forms, using sweet preserves and/or different types of chocolate as excipients. An array of different kinds of chocolate were co-formulated with DSP and were further characterized by means of dynamic light scattering (DLS), x-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. For the assay of active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), the chocolate samples were pre-treated by means of liquid extraction and analyzed using an high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method with a strong anion exchange column and a phosphate buffer (17 mM, pH = 3)/acetonitrile, 50:50 v/v as mobile phase. The developed chromatographic method was validated based on the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) guidelines (%Mean Recovery = 99.4% and %Relative Standard Deviation, RSD = 0.43%). Furthermore, dissolution and in vitro digestion tests of chocolate formulations were evaluated. The DSP was found to be stable for at least 1 year in prepared preparations.

Changes in microstructures of rambutan seed and the quality of its fat during drying

The application of pre-treatment on oilseeds prior to extraction process may exert undesirable impact towards the quality of oils as well as microstructures of seed. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of three drying methods on the microstructures of rambutan seeds and its effects on physicochemical properties of rambutan seed fat (RSF). The fats that being pre-treated with three different drying methods showed shrinkage or alteration of porous structure in terms of size, shape, and diameter. The differences between the RSF pre-treated with oven-, freeze-, and cabinet drying RSF were in fatty acids (oleic and arachidic acids), and free fatty acid (1.56–1.80 mg KOH/g fat). From the results obtained, the useful information regarding to the effects of pre-treatment on RSF, which is a potent ingredient to be used as a cocoa butter substitute in the formulation of chocolate in the confectionery industries. Moreover, the outcomes of this work able to provide information for better grasp about the correlation of drying methods and quality of RSFs, as well as its applications in other food industries.

Spinach leaf and chloroplast lipid: A natural rheology modifier for chocolate?

In this study the possibility of replacing current surfactants in chocolate formulations with natural lipids extracted from spinach leaf (SPLIP) or spinach chloroplast (CH.SPLIP) was evaluated. SPLIP and CH.SPLIP were extracted with chloroform/methanol following enzyme deactivation with hot isopropanol. Results showed a higher extraction yield for SPLIP while glycolipids were more concentrated in CH.SPLIP. Sugar/oil suspensions with dispersed volume fractions of 0.28, 0.33 and 0.37 containing 0.1% to 0.7% (w/w) surfactant (SPLIP, CH.SPLIP, lecithin and PGPR as commercial references) based on oil phase were prepared and analyzed in shear rheology. Apparent viscosity at 40 s−1 was significantly lower for the natural surfactants compared to lecithin at 0.5–0.7% (w/w) addition. With regard to yield stress, taken as the shear stress at 5 s−1, both natural surfactants showed comparable performance to PGPR at 0.3% to 0.7% addition. As SPLIP and CH.SPLIP behaved similar (p > 0.05), SPLIP, due to higher extraction yield, would be the preferred choice for application in chocolate matrices.

Development of processing technology for formulation of chocolate coated legume bar and its sensory evaluation

The present investigation was aimed to development of chocolate coated legume bar with incorporation of different proportions of mothbean flour to date paste. To standardize the processing technology and analyze the characteristics of legume bar viz., sensory characteristics of legume bar. The formulation was carried out using germinated mothbean flour, date paste, chocolate in Preparation of legume bar. Different formulation were made with variation in germinated mothbean flour level from 0 to 30% for T0, T1, T2, and T3 respectively. Prepared legume bar then evaluated for organoleptic properties with respects to colour and appearance, flavour, texture, taste and overall acceptability using 9 point hedonic scale. The results revealed that legume bar prepared with supplementation of 20% germinated mothbean flour with 80% date paste (T2) secured highest score (i.e. 8.25) was superior as compared to rest of samples. It was seen that chocolate coating attracted all aged consumers. And was found that Legume bar prepared with mothbean and date paste was rich source of nutrients. Thus, mothbean can be well utilized as a functional ingredient for preparation of legume bar with good nutritional and date with medicinal value.

Properties of dark chocolate enriched with free and encapsulated chlorogenic acids extracted from green coffee

Abstract To increase the functionality of dark chocolate, chlorogenic acids extracted from green coffee were added in free or encapsulated forms at different concentration (10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 mg/5 kg of free chlorogenic acids and equal quantity of encapsulated form). The extraction of chlorogenic acids was carried out by maceration of ground green coffee beans in distilled water (30 min at 80 °C), then, cooling, filtration and adsorption by active carbon were done. The final step was filtration and desorption from active carbon and rotary drying (at 60 °C and 120 rpm). Encapsulation of chlorogenic acids was done by coacervation of pectin and gelatin. For quality assessment, several analysis on chocolate samples were performed included color index and melting behavior by Differential Scanning Calorimeter. Flow behavior of the chocolate samples melted at 40 °C was determined using stress or strain controlled rheometer. The microstructure of the chocolate samples was analyzed by Scanning Electron Microscope technique at 500-1000x magnification. Particle size distribution and sensory evaluation was also performed. Results showed addition of free and encapsulated forms of chlorogenic acids decreased Tonset, Tpeak and ΔH of dark chocolate. Casson viscosity increased in the case of addition chlorogenic acids. Color indexes of chocolate samples were influenced by addition of chlorogenic acids. Particle size distribution decreased with addition of free form and increased when encapsulated form was added. Sensory characteristics were also influenced by chocolate formulation and samples included encapsulated chlorogenic acids exhibit better sensory properties than samples enriched with free form.

Optimización de la formulación de chocolate oscuro a partir de la mezcla de granos de cacao y contenido de cacao aplicando método de superficie de respuesta

En esta investigación se buscó optimizar la formulación de chocolate oscuro a partir de la mezcla de granos de cacao peruano y el contenido de cacao en ella, teniendo como criterio de optimización la mejora de las propiedades físicas del chocolate: color, tamaño de partícula, propiedades reológicas y textura, aplicando la metodología de superficie de respuesta. Se encontró que la formulación óptima presentó una mezcla de granos de cacao de 10 partes de CCN 51 más 90 partes de ICS 6, chocolate oscuro al 70 % de contenido de cacao, 29.6 % de azúcar y 0.4 % de lecitina. Finalmente, la validación de las propiedades físicas alcanzó el 91.6 % como promedio.

Application of simplex lattice mixture design for optimization of sucrose-free milk chocolate produced in a ball mill

The aim of this study was to define optimal conditions by using Simplex lattice mixture design for the formulation of sucrose-free chocolate produced in a ball mill. Milk chocolate mass were made using three different polyols including maltitol, xylitol and isomalt along with Stevia as high potency sweetener. The influences of polyols mixtures as sucrose substitutes on rheological properties and main physical quality parameters were investigated. According to the results, the fitted models demonstrated a high coefficient of determination (≥93%). The optimization of the variables illustrated that utilizing 11.16% w/w maltitol, 8.9% w/w xylitol and 12.93% w/w isomalt produced the optimum milk chocolate with the highest desirability (1.00) without unwanted variations in the rheological and quality characteristics. Also the optimum formulation was produced to validate the optimum model. The sensory analysis of the optimized formulation satisfied the consumer demand.

Ingestion of Lycosome L-tug Formulation of Dark Chocolate Ameliorates Postprandial Hyperlipidemia and Hyperglycemia in Healthy Volunteers.

Twenty-eight healthy middle-aged volunteers (40-60 years old) with equal gender representation were randomized into 3 study groups to investigate the changes in postprandial glucose and lipids after ingestion of different formulations of dark chocolate (DC). The volunteers from the first group were requested to ingest 100 g of regular DC whereas the individuals from the third group were given 100 g of highly bioavailable lycosome formulated L-tug formulation of DC containing 23.3 mg of lycopene. A second group received a 23.3 mg lycopene capsule, a tomato-derived antioxidant carotenoid as a matching control. Serum specimens were obtained following 30 minutes as well as 1, 2, and 3 hours after study products intake. Ingestion of L-tug DC was accompanied by the reduced postprandial hyperglycemia with maximum difference seen at 3rd hour of the study and reduction of average AUCGluc values by 20% (P<0.05) as compared to regular DC. Moreover, ingestion of L-tug DC was accompanied by a statistically significantly reduced median concentration for postprandial triglycerides (to 390.7 mg⁎hr/dL; 5/95%% CIs: 363.2/405.7 versus regular DC value of 439.5mg⁎hr/dL and a lower range of confidence intervals - 5/95%CIs: 394.0/475.1). A similar tendency was observed in changes of total cholesterol concentration. Ingestion of L-tug DC completely abolished total cholesterol increase seen in volunteers at 3rd hour of postprandial period following intake of the control DC. Ingestion of lycopene alone did not cause any changes in postprandial changes of glucose or serum lipids. The observed postprandial changes can be related to the 56.2 % increase in serum lycopene level which was observed after ingestion of L-tug DC only. Higher serum lycopene levels following the ingestion of L-tug DC resulted in a corresponding increase in serum antioxidant capacity and reduction of oxidized LDL as well as a decline in malonic dialdehyde concentration in the serum of volunteers.

Influence of Geographic Region on Fatty Acid and Physical Properties of Indonesian Cocoa Butter from Smallholder Estate

&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; Cocoa butter is the most essensial component in chocolate formulation and represent the biggest characteristic of this product. Indonesia is the third cocoa producers with cocoa producing area spread out in different geographic region and may affect in cocoa butter profiles. The aim of this experiment was to evaluate the fatty acid characteristic and physical properties of cocoa butter from smallholder estate relate to geographic region and climate. This experiment was conducted using unfermented cocoa bean from smallholder estate in eight provinces of Indonesian most growing areas. Fatty acid composition evaluated through the different region and physical properties evaluated in melting profiles and solid fat content. The result explain the fatty acid characteristic of Indonesian cocoa butter consist of palmitic acid (C16:0) 26.28–29.20%, stearic acid (C18:0) 32,14–37.29% and oleic acid (C18:1) 32,14–37,29%. Growing temperature signifi- cantly affects the increase of palmitic acid composition contribute to cocoa butter hardness. Cocoa butter completely melt in temperature of 36.65–39.20OC and solid fat content ranged 7.288–16.82% in 33OC and ranged 0.02–0.29% in 38OC. This Indonesian cocoa butter comply to the classification of hard cocoa butter.&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D;

Okra pectin as lecithin substitute in chocolate

The effect of okra (Abelmoschus spp.) pectin as an emulsifier on the yield, textural properties, sensory and consumer acceptability of different chocolate formulations was investigated. Pectin was isolated from okra pods and incorporated into milk chocolate as lecithin substitute (emulsifier) at different levels (10–100%). Texture profile analysis and sensory evaluation (5-point hedonic scale) was performed on the different chocolate formulations. It was found that with increasing pectin content viscosity of the mixed system increased during milling and conching, which resulted in slower flow rate during draining from the ball mill and decreased yield. Substitution at 25:0 (%) (pectin: lecithin) yielded 84 bars of 9 g of chocolate per 1500 g of formulation after draining for 30 min compared to formulations containing lecithin. Chocolate samples 25:75 (%) (pectin:lecithin) had the highest overall acceptability (4.37 ± 0.30) which was not significantly different (p> 0.05) from sample 25:0 with overall acceptability of 4.23 ± 0.30. All the chocolate samples from the various formulations studied had similar sensory properties as well as textural parameters (hardness, cohesiveness, adhesiveness, springiness and chewiness). The present findings suggest that it is possible to use okra pectin as emulsifier to produce milk chocolate which is acceptable to consumers.

Utilization of grape powder in the development of chocolate and caramel coated designer chhana delights

PurposeThe purpose of this paper was to evaluate the effect of grape powder on the proximate, physicochemical and sensory quality of chocolate- and caramel-coated chhana (traditional dairy product obtained by acid coagulation of hot milk) delights.Design/methodology/approachThe study was designed to evaluate the effect of grape powder on the quality characteristics of chocolate- and caramel-coated chhana delights. The product was developed by incorporating different levels of grape powder (2, 4 and 6 per cent), and further, the product was analysed for proximate, physicochemical and sensory parameters.FindingsIn chocolate-coated chhana delights, moisture (p = 0.01), ash (p = 0.03) and water activity (p = 0.02) increased significantly at 6 per cent level of grape powder incorporation, whereas pH (p > 0.01) showed a significant decreasing trend at 4 and 6 per cent level of grape powder incorporation. Chocolate coating loss (p = 0.02) was found to be significantly higher at 6 per cent level of addition. Cooking yield (p > 0.01) of chocolate-coated chhana delights increased significantly at 4 and 6 per cent level of grape powder incorporation. In caramel-coated chhana delights, moisture (p > 0.01) and ash (p = 0.02) content increased significantly at 6 per cent level of grape powder addition, and pH (p > 0.01) value decreased significantly at 6 per cent level of grape powder addition, whereas results were found to be vice versa in case of water activity (p = 0.01) and titratable acidity (p = 0.03) at 6 per cent level of grape powder addition.Originality/valueDesigner confection could be developed for school going children by incorporating grape powder in the formulation of chocolate- and caramel-coated chhana delights.

Current context on chocolate flavor development — a review

Currently several factors/trends contribute to the approaches focused on flavor development in chocolate. In the current restructuring of the global cacao source chain, where more focus is on direct and transparent trade, sustainability, single origin and high quality cacao beans, more attention has been directed to activities performed at the country of origin. Thus, there is increasing understanding of the effect of genetics and growing conditions and post-harvest processes, performed at the country of origin, on flavor development of cacao beans and the potential application of the terroir concept on the chocolate industry. More attention has thus been paid to optimization of crop genetics, agricultural practices, and post-harvest processes. Once the cacao beans are ready for processing, other factors related to optimization of chocolate formulation and processing become important. The use of novel processing techniques in chocolate formulation and production requires optimization of processing to develop desired chocolate characteristics and potential industrial scale. The use of cocoa butter equivalents (CBE) to contrast the high price of cocoa butter, or to develop chocolate with desired melting characteristics, has increased utilization of several types of CBE with increased interest in flavor development or textural changes. Lastly, the increase in health conscious consumers, related to food behaviors, has increased the interest in sugar reduction in chocolate, requiring modification of the chocolate matrix with potential changes in flavor development.

Oil migration in hazelnut paste/chocolate systems using magnetic resonance imaging

Oil migration in confectionery products results in undesired quality changes of confections such as fat bloom. Oil migration and the resulting bloom formation in chocolate could be an important quality defect in a confectionery product. This study addressed to evaluate mass transfer of liquid oil on two-layer chocolate model systems prepared from hazelnut paste over different dark chocolate formulations by utilizing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Through the use of MRI, it becomes easier to predict the rate of migration and the effect of different ingredients on bloom formation. For five chocolate formulations stored at 30 °C over a time frame of 22 days, experimental data acquired through MRI were modeled using a Fickian-based mathematical model to calculate diffusion coefficient (D). Using two different equations for boundary condition at upper chocolate surface, two models were evaluated and logistic type boundary model was shown to fit exhibit a better fit. In addition, associated constants (C0, β, t0) for time dependent upper boundary conditions were determined. Average diffusivities of all samples varied in the order of 10−11 m2/s. This study addressed the potential use of MRI for visualization and quantification of migration for different chocolate formulations.

Sensory preference and bloom stability of chocolate containing cocoa butter substitute from coconut oil

Coconut oil (CNO) is a main source of cocoa butter substitute (CBS). CBS is proposed to improve the appearance, taste of chocolate and increase the stability of chocolate against bloom formation. Therefore, the objective of the research was to determine the effects of CNO substituted at different levels (0%, 1.5%, 3.0% and 4.5%) on physicochemical, sensory acceptance and bloom stability of the chocolate. The TAG composition differed among the chocolate produced. Substitution of CNO in chocolate formulations reduced the melting profile, Tonset (30.72–28.98 °C), Tpeak (36.64–34.39 °C), and Tendset (40.31–36.36 °C). The rheological behavior, Casson yield and Casson viscosity of the chocolate also decreased. The Casson yield and Casson viscosity decreased as amount of CNO substituted increased. In sensory profiling, the scores for the color of chocolate did not differ significantly with control chocolate. However, the glossiness, taste and overall acceptability of chocolate C was more preferred by consumers with the highest amount of CNO (4.5%) substitution. The chocolate containing CNO shows slower rate of bloom formation during storage compared to control chocolate. Chocolate C had the highest stability against bloom formation. This study suggested that CNO substitution at 4.5% has the potential to improve appearance and taste of the chocolate with less effects on the melting profile and rheological behavior. In addition, application of CNO as CBS able to increase the stability of chocolate against bloom formation.

Formulation of dark chocolate as a carrier to deliver eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids: Effects on product quality

In this study, dark chocolate enriched with EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) was developed using various forms and origins. Quality characteristics such as physical, thermo-gravimetric, rheological, textural and sensory properties of chocolates were investigated. The highest EPA/DHA stability was determined in samples prepared by free-flowing powder and microencapsulated forms of omega-3 fatty acids (FA). The L∗ and C∗ values varied from 32.16–33.37 and 7.45–8.09, respectively for the all samples. Hardness values ranged between 6422 and 8367 N and the use of EPA/DHA in the triglyceride form caused softer chocolate whereas control sample was the hardest sample. Melting and rheological properties were not significantly affected by the studied EPA/DHA sources (P < 0.05). Microencapsulated EPA/DHA added chocolate was the most preferred source whereas sample with algae oil showed the lowest acceptability. According to the results, dark chocolate can be used for delivering omega-3 FA by considering their origin and physical form.

Friction Measurements with Molten Chocolate

A novel test is reported which allows the measurement of the friction of molten chocolate in a model tongue–palate rubbing contact. Friction was measured over a rubbing period of 150 s for a range of commercial samples with different cocoa content (85–5% w/w). Most of the friction curves had a characteristic pattern: initially a rapid increase occurs as the high-viscosity chocolate melt is sheared in the contact region followed by friction drop as the film breaks down. The exceptions were the very high (85%) and very low (~ 5%) cocoa content samples which gave fairly constant friction traces over the test time. Differences were observed in the initial maximum and final friction coefficients depending on chocolate composition. Generally, the initial maximum friction increased with increasing cocoa content. At the end of the test, the rubbed films on the lower slide were examined by optical microscopy and infrared micro-reflection spectroscopy. In the rubbed track, the chocolate structure was severely degraded and predominately composed of lipid droplets, which was confirmed by the IR spectra. The new test provides a method to distinguish between the friction behaviour of different chocolate formulations in a rubbing low-pressure contact. It also allows us to identify changes in the degraded chocolate film that can be linked to the friction profile. Further development of the test method is required to improve simulation of the tongue–palate contact including the effect of saliva and this will be the next stage of the research.

Study of Maoto Extract-containing Chocolate Formulations for Use in Hospitals:

Study of Maoto Extract-containing Chocolate Formulations for Use in Hospitals: