Análise de chocolates comerciais por perfil flash e difração de raio-x

Abstract

Chocolate is the main product obtained from cocoa, defined as a suspension of solid particles (sugar, cocoa solids, and milk solids), containing a rich in fat phase, contributing to aroma, flavor, final product’s color. The chocolate’s fat is the cocoa butter, consisting of two saturated fatty acids, palmitic and stearic acids, and monounsaturated oleic acid. Due to commercial reasons and distribution and storage conditions of chocolate like products, the cocoa butter can be replaced, partially or totally, for vegetable fats. Depending on the substituted amount, we have a new product called chocolate flavor topping. Fat is an essential ingredient in the chocolate formulation. Composed of 75% triacylglycerols, it can crystallize in distinct forms, being this crystallization dependent on its composition, process condition, and temperature to maintain the chocolate quality during storage. Sensory and instrumental analysis techniques can assess possible changes. The main objective of this work was to apply a Flash Profile sensory technique to evaluate eight samples of chocolate and commercial toppings. Four samples of milk chocolate (C1, C2, C3, and C4) and four samples of dark chocolate (C5, C6, C7, and C8) were compared. The relation between common dimensions and the assessors' attributes were used to the sensory discrimination of the samples. The milk category was presented characteristics of cocoa and chocolate flavor and smell, fat, hardness, and sweet flavor. A higher proportion of vegetable fat intensified the fatty aspect, while samples that have cocoa butter in their composition has characteristics of chocolate flavor. For the dark category, when analyzing CD1, the samples presented characteristics of brown color, cocoa flavor, brightness, greasy, sweet and hardness. X-ray diffraction analysis was used to verify the crystalline character of the samples and small differences in the crystallization angle that indicates that the samples have different lipid composition.