Dry cocoa solids are the components of cocoa beans remaining after cocoa butter, the fatty component of the bean, is extracted from chocolate liquor, roasted cocoa beans that have been ground into a liquid state. Cocoa butter is 46% to 57% of the weight of cocoa beans and gives chocolate its characteristic melting properties. Cocoa powder is the powdered form of the dry solids with a small remaining amount of cocoa butter. Untreated cocoa powder is bitter and acidic. Dutch process cocoa has been treated with an alkali to neutralize the acid.
Cocoa powder contains flavanols, amounts of which are reduced if the cocoa is subjected to acid-reducing alkalization. [1]
Other definitions of cocoa solids, especially legal ones, include all cocoa ingredients (cocoa mass, cocoa powder and cocoa butter). In this case, cocoa solids without cocoa butter are specified as non-fat cocoa solids. [2]
Natural cocoa powder is extracted with the Broma process where after the cocoa fats have been removed from the chocolate nibs the remaining dry cocoa beans are ground into cocoa powder, which is sold to consumers. Natural cocoa powder has a light-brown color and an extractable pH of 5.3 to 5.8. [1] [3]
Because of its acidity, natural cocoa is often paired in recipes with baking soda. This neutralizes the acidity and creates carbon dioxide which in cakes helps them rise.
Dutch process cocoa or Dutched cocoa [4] is cocoa powder that has been treated with an alkalizing agent to modify its color, neutralize its pH and give it a milder taste compared to natural cocoa. [4] It forms the basis for much of modern chocolate, and is used in ice cream, hot chocolate, and baking.
The alkalization process reduces bitterness and improves solubility, which is important for beverage product applications. [3] Alkalizing agents employed vary, but include potassium carbonate and sodium carbonate.
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Energy | 954 kJ (228 kcal) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
57.90 g of which fibre approx. 33 g | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
13.70 g | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
19.60 g | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other constituents | Quantity | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Water | 3.00 g | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Caffeine | 230 mg | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Theobromine | 2060 mg | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
†Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults, [5] except for potassium, which is estimated based on expert recommendation from the National Academies. [6] |
Cocoa powder is 58% carbohydrates, 14% fat, 20% protein, and 3% water (table). It contains several minerals in rich content (having a Daily Value of 20% or higher), including manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, and zinc, while calcium levels are moderate (table). [7]
Cocoa powder is rich in flavonoids (especially flavan-3-ols), [8] a subset of polyphenols. The amount of flavonoids depends on the amount of processing and manufacturing the cocoa powder undergoes. Alkalization, also known as Dutch processing, causes its content of flavonoids to be substantially reduced. [1] [9] [10]
Cocoa powders may contain cadmium, a toxic heavy metal and probable carcinogen, found naturally in high levels in the soil of some regions of cocoa-producing countries. The European Union has imposed a limit (as of 1 January 2019) for cadmium in cocoa powder of 0.6 μg per gram of cocoa powder and 0.8 μg per gram for chocolate with ≥ 50% total dry cocoa solids. [11] In Canada, a daily serving of a natural health product must contain no more than 6 μg of cadmium for an individual weighing 150 pounds (68 kg) and 3 μg for a 75 lb (34 kg) individual. [12] While the US government has not set a limit for cadmium in foods or health products, the state of California has established a maximum allowable daily level of oral cadmium exposure of 4.1 μg and requires products containing more than this amount per daily serving to bear a warning on the label. [13] One investigation by an independent consumer testing laboratory found that seven of nine commercially available in the US cocoa powders and nibs selected for testing contained more than 0.3 μg of cadmium per serving gram; five of these products exceeded the EU limit of 0.6 μg per gram. [9]
Chocolate is a food made from roasted and ground cocoa beans that can be a liquid, solid, or paste, either on its own or as a flavoring in other foods. The cacao tree has been used as a source of food for at least 5,300 years, starting with the Mayo-Chinchipe culture in what is present-day Ecuador. Later, Mesoamerican civilizations consumed cacao beverages, of which one, chocolate, was introduced to Europe in the 16th century.
Nutella is a brand of brown, sweetened hazelnut cocoa spread. Nutella is manufactured by the Italian company Ferrero and was introduced in 1964, although its first iteration dates to 1963.
The cocoa bean, also known simply as cocoa or cacao, is the dried and fully fermented seed of Theobroma cacao, the cacao tree, from which cocoa solids and cocoa butter can be extracted. Cacao trees are native to the Amazon rainforest. They are the basis of chocolate and Mesoamerican foods including tejate, an indigenous Mexican drink.
Potassium carbonate is the inorganic compound with the formula K2CO3. It is a white salt, which is soluble in water and forms a strongly alkaline solution. It is deliquescent, often appearing as a damp or wet solid. Potassium carbonate is mainly used in the production of soap and glass. Commonly, it can be found as the result of leakage of alkaline batteries. Potassium carbonate is a potassium salt of carbonic acid. This salt consists of potassium cations K+ and carbonate anions CO2−3, and is therefore an alkali metal carbonate.
Milk chocolate is a form of solid chocolate containing cocoa, sugar and milk. It is the most consumed type of chocolate, and is used in a wide diversity of bars, tablets and other confectionery products. Milk chocolate contains smaller amounts of cocoa solids than dark chocolates do, and contains milk solids. While its taste has been key to its popularity, milk chocolate was historically promoted as a healthy food, particularly for children.
Dutch processed cocoa, Dutch cocoa, or alkalized cocoa, is cocoa solids that have been treated with an alkalizing agent to reduce the natural acidity of cocoa, giving it a less bitter taste compared to "natural cocoa" extracted with the Broma process. It forms the basis for much of modern chocolate, and is used in ice cream, hot chocolate, and baking.
Powdered milk, also called milk powder, dried milk, or dry milk, is a manufactured dairy product made by evaporating milk to dryness. One purpose of drying milk is to preserve it; milk powder has a far longer shelf life than liquid milk and does not need to be refrigerated, due to its low moisture content. Another purpose is to reduce its bulk for the economy of transportation. Powdered milk and dairy products include such items as dry whole milk, nonfat (skimmed) dry milk, dry buttermilk, dry whey products and dry dairy blends. Many exported dairy products conform to standards laid out in Codex Alimentarius.
Chocolate addiction is a compulsive desire to eat chocolate despite negative consequences.
Cocoa butter, also called theobroma oil, is a pale-yellow, edible fat extracted from the cocoa bean. It is used to make chocolate, as well as some ointments, toiletries, and pharmaceuticals. Cocoa butter has a cocoa flavor and aroma. Its melting point is slightly below human body temperature. It is an essential ingredient of chocolate and related confectionary products. Cocoa butter does not contain butter or other animal products; it is vegan.
Chocolate liquor, also called cocoa liquor, is pure cocoa in liquid or semi-solid form. It is produced from cocoa bean nibs that have been fermented, dried, roasted, and separated from their skins. The nibs are ground into a paste which is melted to become the liquor, and the liquor is either separated into cocoa solids and cocoa butter, or cooled and molded into blocks of raw chocolate. Like the nibs from which it is produced, it contains both cocoa solids and cocoa butter in roughly equal proportion. Its main use is in making chocolate.
Coenraad Johannes van Houten was a Dutch chemist and chocolate maker known for the treatment of cocoa mass with alkaline salts to remove the bitter taste and make cocoa solids more water-soluble; the resulting product is still called "Dutch process chocolate". He is also credited with introducing a method for pressing the fat from roasted cocoa beans, though this was in fact his father, Casparus van Houten's invention.
White chocolate is a form of chocolate made of cocoa butter, sugar and milk. Unlike milk and dark chocolate, it does not contain cocoa solids, which darken the chocolate. White chocolate has an ivory color, and can smell of biscuit, vanilla or caramel, although it can also easily pick up smells from the environment and become rancid with its relatively short shelf life. Like milk and dark chocolate, white chocolate is used to make chocolate bars and as a coating in confectionery.
Cocoa may refer to:
Maltesers are a British confectionery product manufactured by Mars Inc. First sold in the UK in 1937, they were originally aimed at women. They have since been sold in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, United States and Middle East. The slogan is "The lighter way to enjoy chocolate".
CocoaVia is a brand name for a daily cocoa extract supplement. The name CocoaVia is a registered trademark of Mars Inc..
Chocolate is a food made from roasted and ground cocoa beans mixed with fat and powdered sugar to produce a solid confectionery. There are several types of chocolate, classified primarily according to the proportion of cocoa and fat content used in a particular formulation.
Breakaway was a brand of chocolate-covered digestive biscuit from Nestlé, which started production in 1970 in the United Kingdom, manufactured by Rowntree Mackintosh Confectionery. Nestlé acquired the brand in 1988. It was discontinued in February 2024 after 54 years due to falling sales.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to chocolate:
Dark chocolate is a form of chocolate made of cocoa solids, cocoa butter and sugar. Without added sweetener, dark chocolate is known as bitter chocolate or unsweetened chocolate. Dark chocolate, above white and milk chocolate, is valued for claimed, albeit unsupported health benefits and for being a sophisticated choice of chocolate. Like milk and white chocolate, dark chocolate is used to make chocolate bars and as a coating for confectionery.
The chocolate industry in the Philippines developed after the introduction of the cocoa tree to Philippine agriculture. The growing of cacao or cocoa boasts a long history stretching from the colonial times. Originating from Mesoamerican forests, cacao was first introduced by the Spanish colonizers four centuries ago. Since then the Philippine cocoa industry has been the primary producer of cocoa beans in Southeast Asia. There are many areas of production of cacao in the Philippines, owing to soil and climate. The chocolate industry is currently on a small to medium scale.
Cocoa solids are calculated on a dry basis (after the deduction of moisture) and include cocoa mass, cocoa powder and cocoa butter. The total dry cocoa solids are the sum of the dry non-fat cocoa solids (NFCS) and cocoa butter...