TOWARDS A HEALTHIER CHOCOLATE FORMULA WHICH IS RICH IN POLYPHENOLS AND LOW IN FAT

• Main Author: Galaniha, Lakmani Tharaka
• Format: Others
• Published: UKnowledge 2018
• Subjects: Cocoa-polyphenols; Healthy Chocolates; Sensory Evaluation; Chocolate processing; Paired Preference Test; Attribute Diagnostic Test; Food Processing; Food Science; Nutrition
• Online Access: https://uknowledge.uky.edu/foodsci_etds/62; https://uknowledge.uky.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1067&context=foodsci_etds

Chocolate is a food that is craved by many in the world and healthy chocolates have become a current topic in the healthy eating trend. The healthiness of a chocolate depends mainly on the polyphenol, fat and sugar contents. Although the literature serves several interventions to reduce the fat content and total calorie content of chocolates, it does not provide many interventions that consider both improving the polyphenol and reducing the fat content simultaneously. Considering this gap in the literature, this research project sought to develop a chocolate that is both low in fat and high in polyphenol content, without sacrificing the taste that consumers would expect in a good dark chocolate. The research resulted in three chocolate formulas that consists of 60% cocoa and 30% fat (formula A, formula B and formula C). They differed from each other in the polyphenol content due to the changes in the cocoa powder type and the presence or absence of freeze-dried blueberry powder. Formula A and formula B mainly differed in the percentage of each type of cocoa powder, both alkalized and non- alkalized. Formula C differed from the other two formulas because there was no freeze-dried blueberry powder. The resulted chocolates were evaluated for the sensory characteristics using paired preference tests and consumer-oriented attribute diagnostic tests (color, flavor, melting properties, overall preference, likelihood to buy). They were analyzed for polyphenol content using Folin-Ciocalteu assay. The chocolates were compared with a well-established commercial chocolate (formula D) of a 60% cocoa. Sensory evaluation tests revealed that formula C was superior and comparable to the commercial chocolate D in all the tested attributes except for color. Polyphenol analysis confirmed that all three developed formulas had a higher polyphenol estimate than formula D. Consumers preferred to buy each chocolate type regardless of the differences in their preference for the other attributes, if the chocolates were known to be healthier. Formula C was found to be the best prototype formula among the developed formulas and it can further be developed to enhance the color and other attributes in future work.