Indian scientists make low-fat chocolates

In what may benefit the confectionery industry in future, Indian scientists have come up with a novel formula to manufacture chocolates that are low in fat content and don’t require refrigeration for storing.

The technology — reported by researchers from Vellore Institute of Technology — would allow keeping chocolates in room temperature, but they would melt as soon as they are put into the mouth.

It’s still early days as the technology has not yet been transferred to any commercial entity and the viability of the process under industrial conditions needs to be examined. But the success in the laboratory is promising to say the least.

In the tropics, chocolates melt at temperature above 34 degrees Celsius. A heat-resistant chocolate can resist deformation beyond that temperature range and scientists in the past experimented with a chemical named ethyl cellulose for heat resistant.

But use of ethyl cellulose only prevents melting of the coco butter — the main ingredient of the chocolate — without making them healthier. But since chocolates are high-fat food, experiments are being conducted all over the world to find out ways to reduce the fat content without compromising on the taste.

Dual challenge

Ramalingam Chidambaram and Florentina Priyangini Francis from VIT started with a dual challenge — lowering the fat content of the chocolates and making them heat-resistant.

The technology they suggest is based on a novel hydrogel made from three plant-based chemicals — sodium alginate, pectin and citric acid.

“Unlike the commercial chocolates, we used only 50% coco butter and 50% hydrogel. The pectin (a commonly used gelling agent in food industry) also comes from left over coco husk. The texture of the chocolate remains smooth,” Florentina told DH.

When a 50% solution of the hydrogel is used in confection, the chocolate is found to resist melting at temperature up to 80 degrees Celsius.

“This chocolate is unique. Despite being heat-resistant, it melts in the mouth and there is no difference in the taste,” added Chidambaram, who spent nearly 14 years in the confectionery industry before joining the VIT.

“This approach would not only help produce heat resistant chocolate, but also enhance the chocolate confections with the hybrid hydrogel particles, thereby meeting consumer preference towards low fat chocolates,” the duo reported in the Journal of Food Engineering.

The plan is now to take the project forward with industrial support. As the first step, the researchers applied for patent on their technology.