Butter, cocoa

There are physical—chemical differences between fats of the same fatty acid composition, depending on the placement of the fatty acids. For example, cocoa butter and mutton tallow share the same fatty acid composition, but fatty acid placement on the glycerin backbone yields products of very different physical properties. 

In chocolate, cocoa butter is the continuous phase. The characteristic meltabiUty of cocoa butter constitutes a puzzle in chemical stmcture and poses difficulty in replacement cocoa butter has a sharp melting point at body temperature. 

Sohd fats may show drastically different melting behavior. Animal fats such as tallow have fatty acids distributed almost randomly over all positions on the glycerol chain. These fats melt over a fairly broad temperature range. Conversely, cocoa has unsaturated fatty acids predominantly in the 2 position and saturated acids in the 1 and 3 positions. Cocoa butter is a brittle sohd at ambient temperature but melts rapidly just below body temperature. 

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). 

Chocolate (0.3—0.5% lecithin) lecithin is a wetting agent and emulsifier. It facihtates mixing, saves processiag time and power, saves cocoa butter, stabilizes viscosity, iacreases shelf life, counteracts moisture thickening, and aids release of molded goods (see Chocolate and cocoa). 

White Chocolate. There is at present no standard of identity in the United States for white chocolate. Virtually all current uses of the term white chocolate do not meet the standards for chocolate, which prescribes the presence of ground cacao nibs. This restrictive requirement has acted as a practical deterrent to companies developing and marketing white chocolate-type products in the United States. When such products have been introduced and marketed in the United States, companies have had to label them with fanciful names to avoid the standardized labeling issues. In other countries where a standard of identity for white chocolate exists and where a minimum amount of cocoa butter is required by law, consumers have available to them a variety of easily recognizable products. 

White chocolate has been defined by the European Economic Community (EEC) Directive 75/155/EEC as free of coloring matter and consisting of cocoa butter (not less than 20%) sucrose (not more than 55%) milk or soHds obtained by partially or totally dehydrated whole milk, skimmed milk, or cream (not less than 14%) and butter or butter fat (not less than 3.5%). 

The cocoa bean is the basic raw ingredient in the manufacture of all cocoa products. The beans are converted to chocolate Hquor, the primary ingredient from which all chocolate and cocoa products are made. Eigure 1 depicts the conversion of cocoa beans to chocolate Hquor, and in turn to the chief chocolate and cocoa products manufactured in the United States, ie, cocoa powder, cocoa butter, and sweet and milk chocolate. 

Grinding. The final step in chocolate Hquor production is the grinding of the kernel or nib of the cocoa bean. The nib is a cellular mass containing about 50 to 56% cocoa fat (cocoa butter). Grinding Hberates the fat locked within the cell wall while producing temperatures as high as 110°C. 

Cocoa powder (cocoa) is prepared by pulverizing the remaining material after part of the fat (cocoa butter) is removed from chocolate Hquor. The U.S. chocolate standards define three types of cocoas based on their fat content. These are breakfast, or high fat cocoa, containing not less than 22% fat cocoa, or medium fat cocoa, containing less than 22% fat but more than 10% and low fat cocoa, containing less than 10% fat. 

Cocoa Powder Manufacture. When chocolate Hquor is exposed to pressures of 34—41 MPa (5000—6000 psig) in a hydrauHc press, and part of the fat (cocoa butter) is removed, cocoa cake (compressed powder) is produced. The original pot presses used in cocoa production had a series of pots mounted vertically one above the other. These have been supplanted by horizontal presses that have four to twenty-four pots mounted in a horizontal frame. The newer presses are capable of complete automation, and by careflil selection of pressure, temperature, and time of pressing, cocoa cake of a specified fat content can be produced. 

Cocoa butter is the common name given to the fat obtained by subjecting chocolate Hquor to hydrauHc pressure. It is the main carrier and suspending medium for cocoa particles in chocolate Hquor and for sugar and other ingredients in sweet and milk chocolate. 

The FDA has not legally defined cocoa butter, and no standard exists for this product under the U.S. Chocolate Standards. For the purpose of enforcement, the FDA defines cocoa butter as the edible fat obtained from cocoa beans either before or after roasting. Cocoa butter as defined in the US. Pharmacopeia is the fat obtained from the roasted seed of Theohroma cacao Uinne. 

The Codex Committee on Cocoa and Chocolate Products defines cocoa butter as the fat produced from one or more of the following cocoa beans, cocoa nibs, cocoa mass (chocolate Hquor), cocoa cake, expeUer cake, or cocoa dust (fines) by a mechanical process and/or with the aid of permissible solvents (10). It further states that cocoa butter shall not contain sheU fat or germ fat ia excess of the proportion ia which they occur ia the whole bean. 

Codex has also defined the various types of cocoa butter ia commercial trade (10). Press cocoa butter is defined as fat obtained by pressure from cocoa nib or chocolate Hquor. In the United States, this is often referred to as prime pure cocoa butter. ExpeUer cocoa butter is defined as the fat prepared by the expeUer process. In this process, cocoa butter is obtained direcdy from whole beans by pressing ia a cage press. ExpeUer butter usuaUy has a stronger flavor and darker color than prime cocoa butter and is filtered with carbon or otherwise treated prior to use. Solvent extracted cocoa butter is cocoa butter obtained from beans, nibs, Hquor, cake, or fines by solvent extraction (qv), usuaUy with hexane. Refined cocoa butter is any of the above cocoa butters that has been treated to remove impurities or undesirable odors and flavors. 

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. 

Cocoa butter is composed mainly of glycerides of stearic, palmitic, and oleic fatty acids (see Eats AND FATTY oils). The triglyceride stmcture of cocoa butter has been determined (11,12) and is as foUows ... 

Siace cocoa butter is a natural fat, derived from different varieties of cocoa beans, no single set of specifications or chemical characteristics can apply. Codex has attempted to define the physical and chemical parameters of the various types of cocoa butter (14) (Table 5). 

Characteristic Press cocoabutter ExpeUer cocoa butter Refined cocoa butter... 

Substitutes and Equivalents. In the past 25 years, many fats have been developed to replace part or all of the added cocoa butter ia chocolate-flavored products. These fats fall into two basic categories commonly known as cocoa butter substitutes and cocoa butter equivalents. Neither can be used ia the United States ia standardized chocolate products, but they are used ia small amounts, usually up to 5% of the total weight of the product, ia some European countries. 

Cocoa butter substitutes of all types enjoy widespread use ia the United States chiefly as ingredients ia chocolate-flavored products. Cocoa butter equivalents are not widely used because of their higher price and limited supply. 

Cocoa butter substitutes do not chemically resemble cocoa butter and are compatible with cocoa butter only within specified limits. Cocoa butter equivalents are chemically similar to cocoa butter and can replace cocoa butter ia any proportion without deleterious physical effects (15,16). 

Cocoa butter substitutes and equivalents differ greatly with respect to their method of manufacture, source of fats, and functionaHty they are produced by several physical and chemical processes (17,18). Cocoa butter substitutes are produced from lauric acid fats such as coconut, palm, and palm kernel oils by fractionation and hydrogenation from domestic fats such as soy, com, and cotton seed oils by selective hydrogenation or from palm kernel stearines by fractionation. Cocoa butter equivalents can be produced from palm kernel oil and other specialty fats such as shea and ilHpe by fractional crystallization from glycerol and selected fatty acids by direct chemical synthesis or from edible beef tallow by acetone crystallization. 

In the eady 1990s, the most frequently used cocoa butter equivalent in the United States was derived from palm kernel oil but a synthesized product was expected to be available in the near future. 

Most chocolate consumed in the United States is consumed in the form of milk chocolate and sweet chocolate. Sweet chocolate is chocolate Hquor to which sugar and cocoa butter have been added. Milk chocolate contains these same ingredients and milk or milk soHds (Eig. 2). 

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