Commercial Chocolate Research Articles

Effect of cocoa butter equivalent on cocoa butter crystallization behavior and on dark chocolate

The aim of this work was to evaluate the crystallization behavior of commercial cocoa butter (CB) and cocoa butter equivalents (CBE) and their mixtures to assess the best proportions that do not compromises the crystallization process in chocolates. Blends were prepared using CBE concentrations of 5%, 10%, 15%, 20% and 37.5% and were evaluated by: fatty acids composition, triacylglycerols (TAG) composition, solid fat content, isothermal analysis, polarized light microscopy, thermal behavior, X-ray diffraction and consistency. The higher amount of CBE in a blend without compromising the CB crystallization were further applied in a dark chocolate. CBE presented a similar fatty acids composition as CB in the same proportions, but the TAGs of the CBE presented more TAG StOSt, imparting fast crystallization, a higher SFC content and a higher hardness. Even with full compatibility between CB and CBE, the CBE proportion in ratios of CB/CBE must be restricted because higher concentrations of this fat are not allowed by the regulations of many countries and can lead to a final product with a waxy feel due to the higher melting point of CBE TAGs. The dark chocolate with CBE/CB (20/80) did not present any physical (snap, microestructure and polymorphism) difference from the regular chocolate pure in CB.

Raising the bar: a story of bean-to-bar chocolate production in New Zealand

Chocolate is considered one of the most gratifying confections there is, and this holds as true in New Zealand as elsewhere in the world.
 Evidence of this high interest in chocolate in New Zealand is demonstrated in the arrival of small artisanal bean-to-bar chocolate makers in the early 2000s; the voting of Whittaker’s as New Zealand’s single most trusted brand for eight years running (Reader’s Digest New Zealand’s Most Trusted Brand) [1]; the reporting on the economic, social and cultural impacts of the closure of the Cadbury chocolate factory in Dunedin [2]; and the opening of the first fair trade chocolate factory, Sweet Justice Chocolate Factory, in Christchurch by Trade Aid New Zealand [3].
 These examples also demonstrate a clear transformation within New Zealand’s commercial chocolate production, reflecting worldwide changes in multinational confectionery companies but also the emergence of artisanal production that directly addresses issues of sustainability and transparency [4, 5].
 While broader culinary traditions in New Zealand have been well-documented, the food history of chocolate production has not yet been explored. Consequently, this study explored the history of chocolate production in New Zealand, with a specific focus on bean-to-bar products [6].
 The study, based on a narrative history and interviews with current bean-to-bar chocolate makers in New Zealand, traced the history of bean-to-bar chocolate production in New Zealand. This process allowed for a multi-faceted reconstruction and interpretation of historical data to help understand various transformations within New Zealand’s chocolate industry, an industry long dominated by multinational companies such as Cadbury and Nestlé. This domination by overseas companies has recently been challenged by the emergence of small artisanal bean-to-bar chocolate makers and the rise of local chocolate company, Whittaker’s.
 Among the key findings was evidence of the maturing of the local chocolate industry to the point where it is clear that New Zealand-made chocolate is now widely viewed and trusted by local consumers as a high-quality product. This trust extends to both the current strong player in the market, Whittaker’s, and equally to smaller artisanal bean-to-bar chocolate makers, a confidence in product comparable to the New Zealand craft beer industry and the more well-established wine industry.
 The research also finds that the emergence of more artisanal bean-to-bar chocolate makers, and their focus on more transparency around the production of chocolate, reflects similar trends overseas. The findings highlight the fragile structure surrounding growth and sustainability in the chocolate production industry, with the view that closer ties should be formed with New Zealand’s Pacific cacao-growing neighbours.
 The findings point to the need for additional research around the history of food in New Zealand, an area of study often undervalued in academia [7]. The findings of the research are timely as they highlight opportunities for the industry to place current worldwide sustainability concerns in perspective with a view to the future – a future that New Zealand chocolate manufacturers cannot avoid.
 The historical archival data captured together with the contemporary voices of New Zealand’s new generation of chocolate makers combine to tell a story of creativity and competition.
 The original research this article is based on can be accessed here: https://openrepository.aut.ac.nz/bitstream/handle/10292/12970/SturnyA.pdf?sequence=3&isAllowed=y
 Corresponding author
 Arno Sturny can be contacted at: arno.sturny@aut.ac.nz
 References
 (1) Trusted Brands New Zealand 2019. Most Trusted. http://www.trustedbrands.co.nz/default.asp#mostTrusted (accessed Jun 1, 2019).
 (2) Cadbury’s Dunedin Factory Faces Closure, 350 Jobs on the Line. The New Zealand Herald, Feb 16, 2017. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11801779 (accessed Jun 2, 2019).
 (3) Trade Aid. The Sweet Justice Chocolate Factory. https://www.tradeaid.org.nz/trade/the-sweet-justice-chocolate-factory/ (accessed Mar 24, 2019).
 (4) Fountain, A.; Huetz-Adams, F. 2018 Cocoa Barometer; 2018. http://www.cocoabarometer.org/cocoa_barometer/Download_files/2018%20Cocoa%20Barometer%20180420.pdf (accessed Oct 13, 2018).
 (5) Squicciarini, M. P.; Swinnen, J. F. M. The Economics of Chocolate; Oxford University Press: Oxford, U.K., 2016.
 (6) Sturny, A. Raising the Bar: A Story of Bean-to-Bar Chocolate Production in New Zealand; Master’s Thesis, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand, 2018. https://openrepository.aut.ac.nz/bitstream/handle/10292/12970/SturnyA.pdf?sequence=3&isAllowed=y (accessed Nov 25, 2019).
 (7) Belasco, W. G. Food Matters: Perspectives on an Emerging Field. In Food Nations: Selling Taste in Consumer Societies; Belasco, W., Scranton, P., Eds.; Taylor & Francis: London, 2002, pp 1–22. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/239586863 (accessed Jun 15, 2019).

Texture-modified 3D printed dark chocolate: Sensory evaluation and consumer perception study.

This study aimed to assess the preferences and perceptions of texture-modified three-dimensional (3D) printed chocolate through three measures: two tasting tests and one survey. In the first test, 30 semitrained panelists ranked their overall preference from among the three samples of chocolate printed in a honeycomb pattern with infill percentages (IPs) of 25, 50, and 100%. The panelists ranked the samples based on appearance and hardness. In the second test, the same panelists nominated one preference between a 3D printed sample (100% IP) and a cast commercial chocolate sample. Friedman test indicated that there was no significant difference in overall preferences for hardness although the panelists significantly preferred the appearance of samples with 25 and 50% over the 100% infill. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in preference between the cast and 100% infill samples. The texture data of the chocolate samples showed that a higher force was required to break the chocolate samples as the IP increased from 25% (20.4 ± 1.1 N) to 100% (54.4 ± 1.5 N). Also, the 3D printed chocolate (printed in 100% IP) was found to be less hard than that of casted chocolate. In the survey of consumer perceptions, a total of 244 participated and assessed the samples for their intricate design and novel technology concept through a questionnaire. While there was a general awareness of 3D printing technology among these participants, many were impressed with the application of 3D printing to chocolate, as this was the first time they had seen this. The results obtained from the sensory tests and consumer survey provided a useful insight into consumers' perception of 3D food printing and the 3D products design. This awareness will be beneficial to promote this technology in the food industry.

Development of fat-reduced chocolate by using water-in-cocoa butter emulsions

The production of low-fat chocolate represents a challenge in the food industry as fat provides the chocolate main characteristics. In this work, water-in-cocoa butter emulsions were used to partially replace fat. First, the emulsion was optimised in terms of formulation and process parameters to achieve the maximum fat replacement and the required properties in terms of droplet size, free water and thermal behaviour. Afterwards, the emulsion was mixed with cocoa powder, icing sugar and milk powder to make the full chocolate. The effects of the mixing temperature and stirring rate were investigated. Samples were analysed in terms of sample hardness, thermal behaviour and water activity, and compared with a commercial chocolate bar. It was demonstrated that with this approach it is possible to develop a low-calories chocolate, characterised by 40% fat less, with properties close to the full fat equivalent.

Crystallization of Cocoa Butter in Cocoa Powder

AbstractCocoa powder quality is determined by its color, flavor, dispersion, and flow properties, which can be controlled via tempering. Design of a cocoa powder tempering profile, however, requires that the mechanism of cocoa butter crystallization in cocoa powder be fully understood. Low‐fat (8–12%) and high‐fat (20–24%) cocoas were sourced from two commercial manufacturers at varying degrees of alkalization and compared with two commercial cocoa butters. Unrefined paired cocoa powders and cocoa butters sampled from the hydraulic press were also evaluated. Isothermal crystallization kinetics and polymorphism of cocoa powders and cocoa butters were compared at 18, 21, and 24 °C using a direct time‐domain nuclear magnetic resonance method, differential scanning calorimetry, and x‐ray diffraction. Crystallization was also studied under dynamic tumbling conditions. It was found that cocoa butter in cocoa powder was nucleated by the cocoa powder matrix and transitioned to higher‐stability polymorphs more rapidly than bulk cocoa butters. High‐fat cocoas also exhibited enhanced crystallization kinetics relative to low‐fat cocoas, showing that differences in the cocoa microstructure may influence crystallization behavior. Notably, alkalization did not significantly affect the crystallization behavior of most cocoa powders. Finally, it was found that tumbling conditions led to crystallization of βV and that caking, especially of high‐fat cocoas, could be reduced by a static low‐temperature hold step prior to tumbling. Overall, these results demonstrated that crystallization of cocoa butter in cocoa powder is influenced both by the intrinsic attributes of the cocoa powder as well as the conditions of the tempering process.

Survival of probiotic bacteria in the presence of food grade nanoparticles from chocolates: an in vitro and in vivo study.

The use of probiotics to treat gastrointestinal diseases such as diarrhea especially in children is becoming increasingly popular. Besides, the use of nanomaterials in food products is increasing rapidly especially in candies and chocolates. How these nanomaterials influence probiotic bacteria and their activity remains unexplored. Therefore, nanomaterials from commercial chocolate were purified and characterized by using SEM-EDS and XRD. The tested chocolate contained nano-TiO2 with an average size of ~ 40 nm. The influence of the extracted TiO2 on a commercial probiotic formulation usually used to treat diarrhea in children was studied. The probiotic formulation contained Bacillus coagulans, Enterococcus faecalis, and Enterococcus faecium as evident from 16S rRNA gene sequences and polyphasic characterization. Isolated bacteria exhibited known probiotic activities like biofilm formation, acid production, growth at 6% salt, and antibiotic resistance. TiO2 from chocolates inhibited the growth and activity of the probiotic formulation over a concentration range of 125-500μg/ml in vitro. Based on results, it is estimated that 20 g of such chocolate contains enough TiO2 to disturb the gut microbial community of children aged 2-8 years with a stomach capacity of ~ 0.5-0.9 l. The in vivo study on white albino mice shows the same response but with a higher dose. The results obtained by plate counts, MTT assay, live/dead staining, and qPCR suggest that TiO2 from chocolates inhibits the growth and viability of probiotic bacteria in mice gut even at a concentration of 50-100 μg/day/mice. Therefore, TiO2 in chocolate discourages survival of probiotic bacteria in the human gut.

The effect of composition on the rheological behavior of commercial chocolates

A detailed rheological study was performed on four commercial chocolate samples containing similar solids particle sizes. Two dark chocolates with different cocoa content, a sugar free chocolate and a milk chocolate were studied. Samples were characterized by proximal composition, Differential Scanning Calorimetry, Scanning Electron Microscopy, continuous and oscillatory shear rheometry at different temperatures. The complex shear thinning behavior displayed by the samples was described by several rheological models. The Carreau model provided the best fits in the widest shear rate range. The cocoa content and total fat were the most important parameters of the sample formulation, since the degree of chocolate structuring is a function of the solids content and most rheological properties significantly depended on them. Milk chocolate samples showed a very small frequency dependency resembling the behavior of a strong gel. This type of strong gel character has not been previously reported for milk chocolate. We believe that milk proteins can act as surfactants and stabilizers, that are able to induce the formation of spherical micellar aggregates within the chocolate structure (as evidenced by SEM). At low frequencies, they play an important role in chocolate solid particle packing, helping the suspension structure to become more stable under oscillatory deformation.

Oral somatosensatory acuity is related to particle size perception in chocolate

Texture affects liking or rejection of many foods for clinically relevant populations and the general public. Phenotypic differences in chemosensation are well documented and influence food choices, but oral touch perception is less understood. Here, we used chocolate as a model food to explore texture perception, specifically grittiness perception. In Experiment 1, the Just Noticeable Difference (JND) for particle size in melted chocolate was ~5 μm in a particle size range commonly found in commercial chocolates; as expected, the JND increased with particle size, with a Weber Fraction of ~0.17. In Experiment 2, individual differences in touch perception were explored: detection and discrimination thresholds for oral point pressure were determined with Von Frey Hairs. Discrimination thresholds varied across individuals, allowing us to separate participants into high and low sensitivity groups. Across all participants, two solid commercial chocolates (with particle sizes of 19 and 26 μm; i.e., just above the JND) were successfully discriminated in a forced-choice task. However, this was driven entirely by individuals with better oral acuity: 17 of 20 of more acute individuals correctly identified the grittier chocolate versus 12 of 24 less acute individuals. This suggests phenotypic differences in oral somatosensation can influence texture perception of foods.

Consumer behaviour of young generation in slovakia towards cocoa-enriched honey

The new trend of healthy lifestyle increases consumers´ attention towards superfoods or functional food. Due to this fact, honey enriched with various healthy foods such as cocoa, cinnamon, ginger or dried fruits has started to appear on the European market. The aim of this research paper was to investigate consumer´s perception and preferences for cocoa-enriched honey. Consumer research was based on questionnaire survey extended by product testing. This survey was conducted in 2018 (February and March) and in total 257 young Slovak consumers between 18 - 30 years participated. Each respondent tested and evaluated sensory attributes of the product (taste, aroma, colour and texture) using a 5-point scale. Statistical analyses included Friedman test, Mann-Whitney U test, Fisher's Exact Test, Pearson Chi-square test and Cramer'V coefficient. Results showed that the cocoa-enriched honey was evaluated as tasty, aromatic, gently, delicious, special, with ideal sweetness and amount of cocoa. All sensory attributes were evaluated positively (2 - good). Females were more interested in the purchase of this product. Moreover, the product would be purchased mostly by respondents who consider it a healthier alternative to commercial chocolate spreads or by those who consider their eating habits healthy. Laboratory tests revealed that the antioxidant activity of the product was higher in comparison to normal honey. In conclusion, the obtained information could be used in product positioning, promotion and designing appropriate marketing strategy.

Pod storage with roasting: A tool to diversifying the flavor profiles of dark chocolates produced from ‘bulk’ cocoa beans? (part I: aroma profiling of chocolates)

The impact of pod storage (PS) and roasting temperature (RT) on the aroma profiles of dark chocolates were evaluated. Cocoa liquor samples comprised of ten different combinations of PS and RT, whilst keeping the roasting time fixed at 35 min. Additionally, commercial cocoa liquors from renowned origins (Ecuador, Madagascar, Venezuela, Vietnam, Ivory Coast and Ghana) were acquired for comparison. From these, 70% dark chocolates were produced under the same conditions after which they were subjected to headspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC–MS) analysis. Although both PS and RT were found to influence the aroma volatile concentrations, the impact of RT over PS seemed to be greater. An agglomerative hierarchical clustering (AHC) of all chocolates on the basis of their aroma profiles revealed a similar impact as earlier observed, where major clustering of the chocolates was in accordance with the intensity of the roasting process applied. However, within each group, the dissimilarities owing to PS among the chocolates was clearly depicted. Comparatively, chocolates with low (100–120 °C), instead of moderate to high (135–160 °C) RT's, rather showed a low dissimilarity with those from the commercial cocoa liquors of the different origins. Although from the same beans, the diversity of aroma profiles of these chocolates as well as the similitude of some treatments to some chocolates from commercial grade cocoa liquors, unequivocally underscores the possibility for steering diverse distinct flavors from ‘bulk’ cocoa through PS and roasting, with beneficial implications, both from an application and an economic point of view.

Optimization of Flavored Toned Milk from Carabao (Bubalus bubalis carabanesis)

The study aimed to optimize the formulation of flavored toned milk beverage using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). A 7-variable 8-run 3 Plackett-Burman (PB) design and a 3 fractional factorial experiment following Central Composite Design (CCD) were used for the variable screening experiment and the optimization study, respectively. Sensory attributes like color, aroma, mouthfeel, taste, sweetness, and general acceptability were the response parameters considered. Variable screening revealed that sugar, mango, and vanilla flavors were the three factors that significantly affected the sensory attributes of the product. These selected variables were then used in the optimization study. The levels of the independent variables significantly affected the color, sweetness, and general acceptability of the product. The levels satisfying the optimum region were: p < 0.05. 0-14.8 %w/v sugar, 0-0.8%w/v mango, and 0-0.4 %w/v vanilla. The sugar level of 13.6% (w/v), vanilla level of 0.12% (w/v), and 0% (w/v) mango level was verified as the optimum combination for flavored toned milk. Results revealed that among the responses, only the values of the actual and predicted aroma acceptability of the product were not significantly different. This implies that the proposed model equation was only fit for predicting the aroma acceptability of the product. Observed acceptability had a higher rating than the predicted value, indicating that the panelists may have improved their evaluation with less confusion when there were only two samples presented. The optimum formulation of flavored toned milk and the commercial chocolate milk were subjected to consumer evaluation to assess the acceptability of the beverage and to evaluate the preference of consumers between the newly developed and the existing milk product in the local market. The optimum formulation was accepted among 88% of the respondents while 90% liked the commercial sample. Chi-square test results showed no significant difference between the two. This implies that the optimum formulation can compete with the existing commercial product in terms of sensory acceptability. A liter of commercial milk costs Php 80 while the optimum formulation (sugar level of 13.6% w/v, vanilla level of 0.12% w/v, and mango level of 0% w/v) only costs Php 76 per liter.

Accurate methodology to determine slip velocity, yield stress and the constitutive relation for molten chocolate

Concentrated soft materials like molten chocolate often has the ambiguity of behaving like a solid or a liquid depending on the external constraints. Determination of the constitutive relation is often unreliable and consequently the yield stress value too. This difficulty of determining yield stress, particularly when using a standards protocol such as the IOCCC for chocolate, is a consequence of the presence of wall slip. Assessment of slip velocity using Yoshimura and Prud'homme's method most often leads to erroneous results. We propose to tackle this problem by using an easy and reliable methodology applied to a commercial chocolate in a melted state with, as equipment, a plate-plate rotational rheometer.This method allows precise determination of the yield stress value, the constitutive relation and the slip velocity versus the shear stress. Furthermore, it provides an explanation to the apparent Newtonian plateau and thickening behavior of the raw flow curve.

O/W Pickering emulsions stabilized by cocoa powder: Role of the emulsification process and of composition parameters

We fabricated oil-in-water emulsions stabilized by delipidated commercial cocoa powder. The emulsions were characterized in terms of droplets and particles size distribution and interfacial coverage by cocoa powder by developing methods to separate droplets from adsorbed and unadsorbed cocoa particles. Three different processes were compared for their ability to produce fine and stable emulsions: rotor/stator turbulent mixing, sonication and microfluidization. Among those techniques, microfluidization was the most performing one. In this case, micron-sized emulsions with narrow size distributions could be obtained with >90 wt% of the powder insoluble material anchored to the interfaces, and they were still stable after 90 days. It was demonstrated that the mixing process did not generate finer cocoa particles but provoked disentanglement of the large primary particles, providing them an open, expanded structure that facilitated emulsification. It was also shown that the finer insoluble fraction of the powder and the soluble fraction had no significant impact on emulsification and on kinetic stability. In the poor particles regime, the oil-water interfacial area varied linearly with the amount of adsorbed powder, suggesting that the final droplet size was controlled by the so-called limited coalescence process, as already observed in conventional Pickering emulsions stabilized by spherical solid particles.

Cocoa bean shell waste valorisation; extraction from lab to pilot-scale cavitational reactors

The use of zero-waste processes to integrate food-waste valorisation into the circular economy equation is currently one of the hottest topics in sustainability research. This goal is still far from being fully achieved despite the release of a number of patents and papers that deal with the topic.The present work aims to valorise cocoa shells, one of the main by-product of the roasting process, in order to enhance the effective extraction of high added value compounds by means of green protocols. The high potential added value of the residual waste has been demonstrated via a direct analytical comparison of extracts and bean composition.A range of raw matrix extraction procedures have been investigated in order to define the best solvent and technology; ultrasound (US) and hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) were compared with conventional methods. The high-energy microenvironments generated by cavitation substantially promote fast biomass deconstruction with low energy consumption. The optimized protocol couples a HC reactor with a ternary water/ethanol/hexane mixture, simultaneously providing a hydrophilic product, which is rich in methylxanthines and polyphenols, and a lipid layer.Sequential milling and sieving pretreatment provided an enriched shell fraction via the partial removal of husk fibres (54.45 vs. 81.36 w/w % total fibres). The disposal of the latter reduces mass balance, but is rerouted into animal feedstock components and crop mulching.The protocols herein reported produce valuable extracts, which are rich in antioxidant flavanols (catechins and epicatechins), theobromine (32.7 ± 0.12 mg/g shells), caffeine (1.76 ± 0.08 mg/g shells) and cocoa butter, in a simple and easy manner. This new valorisation process afforded 20.5 w/w % and 15.8 w/w % hydrophilic and lipophilic fractions, respectively, when scaled up to function in a pilot flow reactor. The fatty acids, obtained in remarkable yield (forming the 96.4 w/w % of the total light part) well match the commercial cocoa butter profile. The antioxidant extract shows an impressive total phenolic content of 197.4 mg/g extract (gallic acid eq.), with a radical scavenging activity of 62.0 ± 3.1 μg/mL (expressed in DPPH EC50). This work should facilitate industrial design for the convenient recovery of cocoa by-products as part of a zero-waste strategy.

Quality Control of Commercial Cocoa Beans (Theobroma cacao L.) by Near-infrared Spectroscopy

This work presents the use of near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy as a fast and eco-friendly alternative to the conventional methods currently used for the quality control of cocoa beans. A key feature of this study was that the multivariate calibration models were built from the spectra of 81 samples of commercial cocoa beans from different producing regions and sampled over the period of 1 year. This aspect is crucial to demonstrate the feasibility of NIR for predicting chemical parameters of cocoa beans, since it provides a realistic variability in the calibration models. PLS regression models were constructed from the near-infrared diffuse reflectance spectra, allowing the prediction of moisture, pH, acidity, fat, shell content, protein, total phenolic compounds, caffeine, and theobromine through direct analysis of samples milled and sieved without any additional preparation. All of these parameters were predicted with adequate coefficient of determination values (R2), which ranged from 0.67 to 0.89 and relative errors smaller than 10.2%, which is quite suitable when compared to the coefficients of variation of the reference methods. Thus, the results demonstrated that the use of NIR combined with chemometrics is effective and recommended for the quality control of commercial cocoa beans.

A fast semi-quantitative screening for cocoa content in chocolates using MALDI-MSI

Chocolate is a popular food bearing a number of different classifications that are differentiated by proportions of cocoa solids, milk and cocoa butter. Literature brings evidence that chocolates with a high percentage of cocoa solids contribute to good health maintenance due to the presence of phenolic compounds. On the other hand, it is known that the productive process, including pre-processing, may influence the level of these substances in the finished product. Thus, accurate strategies to measure the levels of this class of molecules that can be highly adaptable throughout the manufacturing process are important to ensure high-quality products. Mass spectrometry is an analytical tool of high sensitivity and specificity that is leading the research in food analysis towards new directions. By using mass spectrometry imaging in direct food analysis, this contribution developed an effective methodology for comparatively establishing the levels of catechin/epicatechin as phenolics content markers for cocoa content in a series of commercial chocolates from a single manufacturer, rendering a versatile tool that can be applied in fast screening of cocoa content in finished products and during manufacturing.

Synthesis of 1,3-distearoyl-2-oleoylglycerol by enzymatic acidolysis in a solvent-free system.

1,3-Distearoyl-2-oleoylglycerol (SOS) is widely used as a cocoa butter improver and an anti-blooming agent in the chocolate industry. In this study, an effective process was developed to prepare SOS by enzymatic acidolysis. Under optimal reaction conditions (substrate molar ratio of 12, NS40086 loading of 10%, a solvent-free system, 75°C for 4h), a SOS yield of 70.2% was obtained. Subsequently, two-step purification was applied to purify the crude SOS product. Free fatty acids were completely removed after molecular distillation. After acetone fractionation, the purity of SOS reached 92.2% with an 85.1% recovery. Comparison of various physicochemical properties of purified SOS and a commercial cocoa butter improver showed their properties to be similar. This study provides an effective and sustainable process for the synthesis of SOS product, which is expected to be used as a high-quality cocoa butter improver or an anti-blooming agent in the chocolate industry.

Development and Characterization of Carob Flour Based Functional Spread for Increasing Use as Nutritious Snack for Children

Carob flour enriched functional spread was developed and textural, sensory, colour, and some nutritional properties of the product were investigated. Spread samples were prepared with major ingredients for optimisation and minor ingredients for improving texture and aroma. Major ingredients were carob flour and hydrogenated palm oil (HPO) and minor ingredients were commercial skim milk powder, soya flour, lecithin, and hazelnut puree. The ratio of major ingredients was optimised using sensory scores and instrumental texture values to produce a carob spread that most closely resembles commercial chocolate spread (control), in both spreadability and overall acceptability. The amounts of minor ingredients (milk powder, 10%; soybean flour, 5%; lecithin, 1%; hazelnut puree, 4%) were kept in constant ratio (20%). Addition of hydrogenated palm oil (HPO) decreased the hardness and hardness work done (HWD) values in contrast to carob flour. Higher rates of carob flour were linked to lower lightness, greenness, and yellowness values. Spread was optimised at 38 g carob flour/100 g spread and 42 g hydrogenated palm oil/100 g spread level and the formulation tended to receive the highest sensory scores compared to other spreads and presented closer instrumental spreadability values to control samples. This indicates a strong market potential for optimised carob spreads.

Production of High‐Melting Symmetrical Monounsaturated Triacylglycerol‐Rich Fats from Mango Kernel Fat by Acetone Fractionation

Abstract1,3‐Distearoyl‐2‐oleoyl‐glycerol, 1‐palmitoyl‐2‐oleoyl‐3‐stearoyl‐glycerol and 1‐stearoyl‐2‐oleoyl‐3‐arachidoyl‐glycerol are typical high‐melting symmetrical monounsaturated triacylglycerols (Hm‐SMT) found in cocoa butter improver (CBI). These triacylglycerols help to increase the hardness of chocolate products in tropical climates. In the present study, natural CBI products were produced from mango (Mangifera indica, Linn) kernel fat (MKF) by selective three‐stage fractionation using acetone. The second stearin (fraction I) from the first precipitate of MKF by fractionation for 180 min at 15 °C contained 86.9% of Hm‐SMT, and the third stearin (fraction II) obtained from fraction I by further fractionation for 180 min at 18 °C was enriched with 94.4% Hm‐SMT. High percentages of such triacylglycerols in these products contributed to higher slip melting points (36.5–37.7 °C) than commercial cocoa butter and cocoa butter equivalent (26.7 and 27.9 °C). Also, their differential scanning calorimetry properties and solid fat content values were superior to those in traditional confectionery fats, indicating that the tailored stearins could be used as ideal CBI. In particular, the hard fat blends consisting of 55–70% cocoa butter (CB) and 30–45% fraction II were considered as the preferred heat‐resistant chocolate ingredients. In addition, the mixture of the oleins (fraction III) was rich in diunsaturated and triunsaturated triacylglycerols and showed similar thermal properties to super palm oil, thus making it more suitable as special fat ingredients and modified fat sources.

Aseptic artificial fermentation of cocoa beans can be fashioned to replicate the peptide profile of commercial cocoa bean fermentations

The fermentation of cocoa beans is essential for the generation of flavour precursors that are required later on to form the flavour components of chocolate. From the many different precursors that are generated, oligopeptides and free amino acids comprise a significant proportion as some of them form Maillard reaction products during the roasting process. Therefore, the diversity of peptides is an important contributing factor to the quality of a fermentation which is in turn controlled by proteolytic activity within the cocoa bean, and is driven by changes in the presence of fermentation by-products as a result of microbial activity outside the bean. Being able to control proteolytic activity within the bean using only the presence of fermentation by-products would prove a valuable tool in the study of these proteases and the processing of cocoa storage proteins. Thus, this tool would help elucidate key mechanisms that generate the components responsible for flavour. In this study, we describe an artificial fermentation system, free from microbial activity, which is able to replicate proteolytic degradation of protein as well as to generate similar peptide fragments as seen during a commercial fermentation. It was also found that acidification is a main contributor to protein degradation.