Variation of flavor quality of chocolate with conching conditions and composition of raw materials

The present study was carried out to develop aromatic chocolates with spices (ginger, cinnamon, and aniseed), lemon peel powder and pistachio nut paste without causing a major modification in their traditional structures. The spices were added as fine powders before conching consisting of three phases: dry, pasty, and liquid phases. The consequences of their interaction with cocoa mass were studied as far as the whole chocolate flavor is concerned. Qualitative and quantitative identification of volatiles were carried out by GC/MS/SPME and GC/MS/O before and in the course of conching, while texture analyses were accomplished by a texture analyzer. Variation in the quantities of total polyphenols, theobromine and caffeine was also carried out using HPLC, and UV-visible spectrophotometry. 13, 23, 25, and 35 principal compounds were identified and quantified for aniseed cinnamon, ginger and lemon peel powder chocolates respectively. Ginger and lemon peel powder chocolates were evaluated as the most aromatic both sensorily and instrumentally. Except pistachio nut chocolate, ginger, aniseed, cinnamon and lemon peel chocolates were observed to have all acceptable textures and aroma profiles. The conching time was optimized according to the most acceptable aroma profile of volatiles using Design Expert software. The results showed that- except the acetate esters- the quantities of the initial volatile components increased up to 270 minutes and decreased after that time.