Development of sugar-free white chocolate and compound chocolate. Use of Stevia and sucralose as sweeteners, hydrogenated oil as cocoa butter replacers and inulin as stabilizing agent

Abstract

The development of sugar-free chocolates and compound chocolates represents a challenge for food technology. In effect, the fully replacement of sugar affects physical quality characteristics like rheological properties and texture, melting behaviors, bloom formation and other characteristics that influence the final stability of chocolate, requiring strategy for their formulation. In addition, the replacement of cocoa butter by hydrogenated oils, which present a different triglyceride composition, affects the polymorphic crystallization forms of chocolates determining its chemical and physical properties. Combination of sweeteners (Stevia and Sucralose) with a stabilizing agent (inulin) was needed to provide an integral solution for sugar and cocoa butter replacement. Samples were stored at 7, 15 and 30°C during 100 days and the influence of sweetener combination and inulin on rheological properties, shelf-life time, and physical properties such as melting, crystallization and blooming were analyzed. Our studies allowed to develop a free sugar compound chocolate sensorially acceptable and with improved physicochemical properties.