Rheological properties of sugarfree milk chocolate: Comparative study and optimisation

Abstract

The effects of sugar substitutes on rheological characteristics of compound milk chocolate using a simplex-lattice mixture design were evaluated. For this purpose, two bulking agents (maltitol and xylitol) at different levels (0-100%) were used and ten formulations were examined in order to find the optimum levels. All chocolate samples showed shear thinning behaviour. It was found that compound milk chocolate behaved as a Casson fluid. Chocolate formulations containing the highest maltitol substitution resulted in similar flow properties compared to those of the control and hence can be a good alternative. The results demonstrated that chocolate combinations containing 87.8% maltitol and 12.2% xylitol were found as the optimum concentrations producing the most acceptable rheological properties.

Keywords

• chocolate
• maltitol
• flow properties
• simplex-lattice mixture design
• xylitol