Cocoa powder

The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) jointiy sponsor the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which conducts a program for developing worldwide food standards. The Codex Committee for Cocoa Products and Chocolate has developed standards for chocolate (Codex Standard 87-1981), and cocoa powders and dry cocoa—sugar mixtures (Codex Standard 105-1981). As a member of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, the United States is obligated to consider all Codex standards for acceptance. 

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. 

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 production today is an important part of the cocoa and chocolate industry because of increased consumption of chocolate-flavored products. Cocoa powder is the basic flavoring ingredient in most chocolate-flavored cookies, biscuits, symps, cakes, and ice cream. It is also used extensively in the production of confectionery coatings for candy bars. 

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 powder is produced by grinding cocoa cake. Cocoa cake warm from the press breaks easily into large chunks but is difficult to grind into a fine powder. Cold, dry air removes the heat generated during most grinding operations. Because the finished cocoa powder stiU contains fat, great care must be taken to prevent the absorption of undesirable odors and flavors. 

Commercial cocoa powders are produced for various specific uses and many cocoas are alkaH treated, or Dutched, to produce distinctive colors and flavors. The alkaH process can involve the treatment of nibs, chocolate Hquor, or cocoa with a wide variety of alkalizing agents (9). 

Cocoa powders not treated with alkaH are known as cocoa or natural cocoa. Natural cocoa has a pH of about 4.8 to 5.8 depending on the type of... 

Fig. 2. Process flow diagram for milk chocolate, chocolate symp, and cocoa powder.

Propylene Oxide. Propylene oxide [75-56-9] (qv), C H O, is a higher homologue of ethylene oxide that boils at 35°C. Propylene oxide is not as germicidaHy active as ethylene oxide (291), but has one distinct advantage it hydrolyzes to produce nontoxic propylene glycol (292), allowing use for treating foods. Three hours at 37°C reduced the microbial count of cocoa powder by 50—70% and molds by 90—99% (293). Powdered cosmetics and toiletries are treated with 1—2% of Hquid propylene oxide in sealed containers, and the temperature is raised to cause vaporization and increased activity (294). 

Kakao, m. cacao cocoa, -baum, m. cacao, cacao tree, -bohne, /. cacao bean, cocoa bean, -butter, /. cacao butter, cocoa butter, -masse,/, cocoa i aste. -ol, n. cocoa (cacao) oil or butter, -pulver, n. cocoa powder. 

YING W, VINSON J A, ETHERTON T D, PROCH I, LAZARUS S A and KRIS-ETHERTON P M (2002) Effect of cocoa powder and dark chocolate on LDL oxidative susceptihihty and prostataglandin concentration in hiunans, Am J Clin Nutr, 74, 596-602. 

Theobromine was determined by GC in various foods (bitter chocolate, milk chocolate, chocolate cake, cocoa powder, chocolate milk), and results are given in graphs and tables.27 Homogenized samples were boiled in alkaline aqueous media, then fat was extracted with n-hexane. The aqueous layer was acidified with diluted HC1 and NaCl was added. Theobromine was extracted from this treated aqueous solution with dichloromethane and the extract was evaporated to dryness. The residue was redissolved in dichloromethane containing an internal standard. GC analysis was performed on a column packed with 1% cyclohexane dimethanol succinate on Gaschrom Q, with FID. Average recoveries were 99 to 101%, coefficient of variation was less than 3% and the limit of detection for theobromine in foods was about 0.005%. 

The first important technical development in the chocolate manufacturing process occurred when water-powered mills superseded the use of manual labor to grind cocoa beans. This led to the establishment of many chocolate factories from 1804 to 1840. Early production consisted entirely of a type of chocolate beverage that was somewhat indigestible since none of the cocoa butter was removed during processing. In 1828, the Dutch firm of Van Houten invented the cocoa press, which facilitated the production of cocoa powder by partial removal of the cocoa butter from beans. 

According to Schutz, it is well known that cocoa contains about 2.5% by weight of theobromine and caffeine.29 Although the presence of theophylline has been demonstrated, its concentration is so low that it is generally ignored. In a summary of the literature values for 27 commercial cocoa powders and cocoa masses, Hadorn found that the mean total alkaloid content was 3.36 0.48%.23 Theobromine and caffeine content of several cocoa powders is shown in Table 6. HPLC analyses by DeVries et... 

The combination of ground cocoa beans and sugar produces a very hard substance with an unpleasant mouthfeel. However, the addition of extra cocoa butter results in a product that melts easily in the mouth. Additionally, the production of cocoa butter results in a lower fat cocoa powder which can be used more readily in both beverages and foods. As the amounts of cocoa butter and other fats, milk solids, sugar, and other ingredients increase, the amount of theobromine and caffeine in the final product decreases. 

Chocolate milk samples prepared from sweetened cocoa powders averaged 58 mg per serving of theobromine and 5 mg per serving of caffeine.28 Analysis of a "home-style" recipe resulted in higher methylxanthine values — 94 mg theobromine and 10 mg caffeine per serving. However, the authors noted that this recipe also had a stronger chocolate flavor. The lower values reported by Zoumas et al. and Blauch and Tarka compared to others was attributed to the inability of older methods to separate theobromine and caffeine, and the lack of precision and accuracy of the older methods. A compendium of theobromine and caffeine values reported for chocolate beverages from both published and unpublished studies has been compiled in Table 8. 

Chocolate liquor is a semifinished product commonly called "baking" or unsweetened chocolate. The average theobromine and caffeine content of liquors has been reported at 1.2% and 0.21%, respectively. Cocoa powder, which is prepared after partial removal of the cocoa butter, contains about 1.9 to 2.7% theobromine and 0.16 to 0.26% caffeine. Milk chocolate averages 0.168% theobromine and 0.022% caffeine, thus providing about 65 mg of theobromine and less than 10 mg of caffeine in a 40-g serving. The methylxanthine content of chocolate foods has received only slight attention in the literature, yet is necessary in order to obtain an accurate assessment of the total amount of theobromine and caffeine that is ingested via the diet. 

In 1990, 74% of all cocoa produced was exported.21 This figure does not include semi-processed cocoa products, including cocoa paste, cocoa butter, cocoa powder, and chocolate. However, it demonstrates that cocoa is not a crop of domestic consumption within the major producing nations. Similarly to coffee, cocoa contributes to the economy of several large producing nations. 

Hello, Una. It was Lionel. Missed you earlier—how are you Fine, thanks. You know, working hard. The kettle boiled. I switched it off and poured it onto the cocoa powder in my mug. Did you get very wet coming up from the station ... 

Andres-Lacueva C, Monagas M, Khan N, Izquierdo-Pulido M, Urpi-Sarda M, Permanyer J and Lamuela-Raventos RM. 2008. Flavanol and flavonol contents of cocoa powder products influence of the manufacturing process. J Agric Food Chem 56(9) 3111—3117. 

Roura E, Andres-Lacueva C, Estruch R, Mata-Bilbao ML, Izquierdo-Pulido M, Waterhouse AL and Lamuela-Raventos RM. 2007. Milk does not affect the bioavailability of cocoa powder flavonoid in healthy human. Ann Nutr Metab 51(6)493-498. 

In a study by Mueller and Cooney (21) rats fed a diet containing 0.45% calcium and 16% cocoa powder showecf a lower growth rate and body calcium than those on a control diet. However, oxalic acid did not account for the total decrease in body calcium. Rats 25-27 days old were pair-fed the basal ration for 5 weeks. The only variable in the ration was cocoa. The decreased growth rate occurred in the cocoa-fed rats in spite of the fact that they received more calories, protein, calcium and phosphorus than controls. 

In the same way theobromine can be isolated from cocoa powder which has previously been freed from fat with ether or petrol ether in an extractor. Prepare caffeine from the theobromine by methy-lation according to the method of H. Biltz.2... 

Copper Liver and organ meats grains, legumes, nuts, seeds (esp. cocoa powder) Component of many enzymes, especially oxidases Amine oxidases Lysyl oxidases Cytochrome oxidase... 

Early versions of slow burning, sulfurless powders were brown in colour and known as Cocoa powder , the colour originating from an incompletely carbonised charcoal with a carbon level of about 50%. 

Brown or Cocoa Powder was manufd at Okhta Plant, near StPetersburgh, Russia (Vol 2 of Encycl, p B173-R)... 

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