Chocolate composition

A. T. Borchers, C. L. Keen, S. M. Hannum, M. E. Gershwin. Cocoa and chocolate composition, bioavailability, and health implications. Journal of Medicinal Food 3 (2000) 77-106. 

There are three main types of eating chocolate, all of which consist of small solid particles dispersed in cocoa butter. It is important that the particles are the correct size (10-25pm) if they are too small, the chocolate is slimy if they are large, the chocolate is gritty. Table 3.5 shows a typical plain (dark) chocolate composition for use in ice cream (this is not the same as a normal dark chocolate because it is eaten at a lower temperature - see Chapter 5). 

The boric and sulfuric acids are recycled to a HBF solution by reaction with CaF2. As a strong acid, fluoroboric acid is frequently used as an acid catalyst, eg, in synthesizing mixed polyol esters (29). This process provides an inexpensive route to confectioner s hard-butter compositions which are substitutes for cocoa butter in chocolate candies (see Chocolate and cocoa). Epichlorohydrin is polymerized in the presence of HBF for eventual conversion to polyglycidyl ethers (30) (see Chlorohydrins). A more concentrated solution, 61—71% HBF, catalyzes the addition of CO and water to olefins under pressure to form neo acids (31) (see Carboxylic acids). 

Composition and Properties. Cocoa butter is a unique fat with specific melting characteristics. It is a soHd at room temperature (20°C), starts to soften around 30°C, and melts completely just below body temperature. Its distinct melting characteristic makes cocoa butter the preferred fat for chocolate products. 

The most popular chocolate in the United States is milk chocolate. The U.S. Chocolate Standards state that milk chocolate shall contain no less than 3.66 wt % of milk fat and not less than 12 wt % of milk soHds. In addition, the ratio of nonfat milk soHds to milk fat must not exceed 2.43 1 and the chocolate Hquor content must not be less than 10% by weight. Some typical formulations of milk chocolate and some compositional values are shown in Table 7 (5). 

Methylxanthine Composition and Consumption Patterns of Cocoa and Chocolate Products... 

This chapter defines the methylxanthine composition of raw and processed cocoa, as well as various chocolate foods and beverages. Patterns of consumption for cocoa and chocolate products are discussed and dietary intakes of caffeine from chocolate products are reported. 

This chapter has compiled and evaluated information on the methylxanthine composition of cocoa and various chocolate foods and beverages, as well as the consumption pattern for these commodities. Cacao is the major natural source of the xanthine base theobromine. Small amounts of caffeine are present in the bean along with trace amounts of theophylline. Numerous factors, including varietal type and fermentation process, influence the methylxanthine content of beans. 

Chocolate flavored syrup, theobromine and caffeine content, 6 367t Chocolate liquor, 6 355-358 amino acid content, 6 368t composition, 6 369t... 

Dutch chocolate liquor composition, 6 369t tocopherols, 6 370t Dutch cocoa butter... 

Shively CA, Tarka SM Jr. (1984). Methyixanthine composition and consumption patterns of cocoa and chocolate products. Prog Clin Biol Res. 158 149-78. 

The basic chromates are crystals having colors that vary from yellow to chocolate-brown to lilac, depending on their compositions and chromate to hydroxide molar ratios. They lose water when heated at 260°C, are insoluble in water, and are soluble in nitric acid. 

Ethylvanillin is used in the chocolate and confectionery industry. It gives a sweet, balsamic note to flowery and fruity perfume compositions. 

The mechanism of the scaling of iron is so complex as to require special mention. Above 570 °C, wiistite (Fei xO) is thermodynamically stable and forms the relatively thick basal layer in the oxide film. This is followed by a magnetite (FesCU) layer which is followed by a final layer of Fe2C>3. Magnetite itself tends to become nonstoichiometric under oxidizing conditions, with excess Fe3+, so that its composition and color can vary from Fe3.oooC>4 (black) toward cubic Fe2.667 04 (i.e., 7-Fe203, chocolate brown). Thus, as outlined in Section 4.6, the oxidation of iron above 570 °C involves mainly... 

Where chestnut flour has been added its composition may be taken as moisture, 7-11% (in torrefied flour, 5-6%), saccharose, 23-31% (mean about 28%), reducing sugars, 1-2% starch, 36-41% (mean about 39%) 1 When a sample of the chestnut flour actually used is not available, a mean content of 39% of starch may be assumed, so that the extent of the addition is calculable from the proportion of starch found in the chocolate The amount of saccharose corresponding with such amount of chestnut fioui is then calculated and this value subtracted from the total saccharose found in the chocolate, the remainder represents the saccharose actually added in the preparation... 

Stearic acid is a long chain SFA present, to varying degrees, in virtually all edible fats and oils. Table IV provides the fatty acid composition of fats and oils commonly consumed by humans. The most abundant food sources of stearic acid in the American diet are beef fat and cocoa butter (chocolate). Cocoa butter is valued by chocolate manufacturers because it remains solid at room temperature but dissolves quickly at body temperature, a unique characteristic of chocolate that is due largely to stearic acid. During the last few decades as cocoa butter prices and supplies have fluctuated, food companies began looking for alternative oils that could provide equivalent amounts of stearic acid in order to retain the desirable physical characteristics. Several... 

Miquel, M.E., Carli, S., Couzens, P.J., Wille, H.J., and Hall, L.D. 2001. Kinetics of the migration of lipids in composite chocolate measured by magnetic resonance imaging. Food Res. Int. 34,773-781. Morris, V.J. 2004. Probing molecular interactions in foods. Trends Food Sci. Technol. 15, 291-297. Morris, V.J., Kirby, A.J., and Gunning, A.P. 1999. Atomic Force Microscopy for Biologists . Imperial College Press, London. 

M. Lipp, E. Anklam, Review of cocoa butter and alternative fats for use in chocolate. Part A. Compositional data, Food chem. 62 (1998) 73-97. 

Wollgast J and Anklam E, Review on polyphenols in Theobmma cacao Changes in composition during the manufacture of chocolate and methodology for identification and quantification. Food Res Int 33 423-447 (2000). 

Besides their general flavor forming potential peptides are also reported to be unique precursors of composite food aromas. Peptides formed in the fermentative stage of cacao processing have been linked to roast generated chocolate aroma (5). Also, a methionine rich polypeptide has been associated vith roasted peanut volatiles (15). 

The composition of chocolate is subject to a number of international laws that have relevance to the composition and authenticity of the cocoa butter... 

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