Desenvolvimento de chocolate amargo (60% cacau) bean to bar probiótico sem adição de sacarose e isento de lactose

Abstract

Bean-to-bar chocolates represent a growing trend in the value-added product market, enabling quality control from the bean to the final product. As an alternative to conventional dairy vehicles, the incorporation of probiotic microorganisms into highcocoa chocolates is emerging as a promising functional innovation. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the probiotic strains Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus gasseri on the quality of bean-to-bar chocolates with 60% cocoa. Cocoa beans were processed using the bean-to-bar method and used to prepare three highcocoa (60%) formulations, supplemented with aqueous coconut powder extract, and with zero added sugar and lactose: control (FC), without probiotics; with L. acidophilus (FLA); and with L. gasseri (FLG). These formulations were subjected to chemical composition and physicochemical properties analyses, color, texture, thermal stability, probiotic viability during storage and passage through the digestive tract in an in vitro system, and sensory acceptability. Adding probiotics did not impact the centesimal composition, physicochemical properties, color, or texture. In turn, FLG showed greater thermal stability than FC and FLA. All formulations maintained probiotic viability for the first 30 days of storage; however, at the end (90 days), only FLA presented counts of around 6 log CFU/g. FLA showed greater viability during passage through the digestive tract in vitro than FLG. Sensory analysis emonstrated that the probiotics did not interfere with the attributes of color, flavor, odor, texture, or overall evaluation, with values ranging from "moderately liked" to "very liked," and with good purchase intention. The study reinforces the potential of chocolate as a matrix for the incorporation of probiotics, such as L. acidophilus; however, for L. gasseri, further studies should be conducted to try to increase its viability.