An Experimental study on the feasibility of vegan dubai chocolate

This study aims to investigate whether Dubai chocolate can be formulated in accordance with vegan nutrition diet principles, with which alternative sources vegan chocolate can be produced and the effects of sensory quality attributes on consumer appreciation level. The research was designed using a quantitative research model and conducted as an experimental study. This study focused on the use of plant-based alternatives instead of animal-based ingredients in traditional chocolate. The conceptual framework of the thesis examines the concepts of veganism and vegetarianism in a detailed way and explains the basic principles of these nutrition diet types. In addition, detailed information is provided about the history of cocoa and chocolate, the production processes and different types of chocolate. In this context, the theoretical background of the study prepares a ground for innovative approaches towards vegan chocolate production. In the study, the possibility of finding best/optimum formulation of Dubai chocolate in accordance with vegan diet principles and with which other sources it can be made from were questioned. 6 different vegan Dubai chocolate formulations were developed using plant-based alternatives of ingredients such as coconut milk and almond milk. In the first stage, a quality scoring test was applied with the participation of 11 trained panelists in the field of gastronomy and culinary arts in order to evaluate the sensory attributes of the chocolate samples. The results showed that sensorial characteristics of all chocolate formulations were acceptable. As a result of these evaluations of vegan Dubai chocolate, two formulations containing coconut milk (25%) and almond milk (15%) were selected for further evaluations. In the second stage of the study, acceptability of consumer preference was by hedonic tests with the participation of 90 untrained panelists. The analyses revealed that chocolate containing coconut milk received a higher result evaluation than almond milk product in terms of overall preference. The research findings showed that Dubai chocolate can be formulated by vegan diet principles, multiple formulations can be created using different plant-based sources, and these products can meet consumer demands in terms of sensorial quality attributes. However, the difficulties encountered in cost, supply chain, and production processes while replacing animal based dairy products with plant alternatives were remarkable. It was seen that the need for industrial kitchen equipment played an important factor during production. In conclusion, this study reveals that vegan Dubai chocolate can be considered as a commercial product and offers an important option for vegan consumers. In addition, this research offers an innovative approach in the field of gastronomy regarding vegan chocolate production and provides a valuable scientific and commercial contribution to the development of plant-based products. Keywords: Chocolate, Dubai Chocolate, Gastronomy, Vegan.