engleski

The association of cocoa parts content of chocolate with their textural, bioactive and sensory properties

The quality of chocolate is influenced by numerous factors, but the main characteristics that determine its consumer acceptability comprise chocolate’s rheological behaviour, textural properties, melting characteristics, sensory perception and lately the content of bioactive compounds, attributed for the numerous evidenced health benefits of chocolate. With the increase of dark chocolate and speciality niche products in the modern chocolate confectionery industry, a better understanding of these factors could have significant commercial implications. In the present study the effect of cocoa parts content (29, 38, 60, 72 and 85%) on the textural, bioactive and sensory properties of chocolate was evaluated. The content of polyphenolic compounds, as well as the antioxidant capacity were determined spectrophotometrically, while the textural analysis was conducted by employing probes that simulate the processes taking place in the mouth during mastication and chewing, and included penetration probe ; three point bending test and Kramer shear cell. Consumer evaluation of sensory properties was conducted using hedonic scale preference analysis. The cocoa parts content affected the polyphenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity, as well as textural properties, in the same way. Higher cocoa parts content is accounted for a higher polpyhenolic content and consequently higher antioxidant capacity, amounting to 11.5 mg GAE/g of total polyphenols in dark chocolate (85% cocoa parts). Similarly, higher cocoa parts content results with higher initial hardness during penetration, bending of chocolates and simulated mastication. The force required for penetration ranged from 22-26N (29% cocoa parts) up to maximal values of 42-45N (85% cocoa parts), which was confirmed during bending test that required higher force to break the chocolate bar with higher cocoa parts content. An inverse relation between the cocoa parts content and the sensory properties of chocolates was established. Chocolates containing lower cocoa parts content (29% and 38%) were preferred over the ones with a higher cocoa parts content, which might be attributed to higher sugar content of milk chocolate (29% cocoa parts) and pronounced bitterness and astringency attributes of dark chocolates (72% and 85% cocoa parts).

Bioactive compounds; Chocolate. Cocoa content; Sensory properties; Texture

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