Developing a ‘healthier’ chocolate using prebiotics, goji berries
A study published in the Journal of Food Science proposes that prebiotics and antioxidants may be added to chocolate and still be acceptable to consumers.
A study published in the Journal of Food Science proposes that prebiotics and antioxidants may be added to chocolate and still be acceptable to consumers. The researchers set out to evaluate the descriptive sensory profile and consumers’ acceptance of prebiotic white chocolates with and without the addition of an antioxidant source (goji berry) and sucrose replacement.
They determined the descriptive sensory profile by quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) with 12 trained assessors, and the acceptance test was performed with 120 consumers. The correlation of descriptive and hedonic data was determined by partial least squares (PLS). The results of QDA indicated that goji berry reduces the perception of most aroma and flavor attributes, and enhances the bitter taste, bitter aftertaste, astringency, and most of the texture attributes.
The researchers found that the consumers’ acceptance of the chocolates was positive for all sensory characteristics, with acceptance scores above six on a nine-point scale. According to the PLS regression analysis, the descriptors cream color and cocoa butter flavor contributed positively to the acceptance of functional white chocolates. Therefore, the researchers concluded that “prebiotic white chocolate with or without the addition of goji berry is innovative and can attract consumers, due to its functional properties, being a promising alternative for the food industry.”