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Chocolate Bloom

Chocolate Bloom a thing of the past?

Geoff Talbot, The Fat Consultant, Kevin Smith, Unilever Research, Loek Favre, Loders Croklaan, Imro t Zand, Loders Croklaan

erhaps its too much to claim that fat bloom on chocolate is completely a thing of the past but the Prestine range of filling fats from Loders Croklaan should ensure that fat bloom caused by migration of centre fats into chocolate is history. Much has been written (for example, Lonchampt and Hartel, 2004) about the mechanism of fat bloom formation in chocolate and the consensus is that it is linked to a change in polymorphic form in the cocoa butter from the V form produced during tempering to the more stable VI form. When this happens there is a crystallisation or, some would say, a recrystallisation of cocoa butter on the surface of the chocolate this is fat bloom. It is by no means the case that every chocolate product will bloom so what makes some more susceptible than others? There are a number of factors which come into play but three are perhaps of greatest importance. Firstly, the composition of the chocolate can affect its propensity to bloom. Milk fat has been observed (Pajin and Jovanovic, 2005) to have an inhibiting effect on bloom and so milk chocolate will be less likely to bloom than dark chocolate under the same conditions. Secondly, storage temperature plays a role. The higher the temperature at which the chocolate is stored, the more likely it is to bloom and the quicker that bloom will form. Of course, if the chocolate is stored at a very high temperature it will melt and effectively de-temper. Subsequent cooling will very quickly result in bloom but this is not the kind of bloom we are discussing here. Thirdly, the structure of the product can play a big part in whether or not the chocolate will bloom. If it is a chocolate-coated product with softer fats in the centre then, on storage, these fats can start to migrate into the chocolate coating. As they do so, they increase the amount of liquid oil in the chocolate. This increases the mobility of triglycerides and increases the rate at which the chocolate will bloom. We have studied migration in a two-phase product (filling and coating) and have shown that there is an exponential decrease in filling fat in the chocolate coating the farther Figure 1: away from the filling-chocolate interface you go (Talbot et al, 2007). We have also looked at the degree of polymorphic change at various points within the chocolate coating and have found a direct correlation between the

meant that many of these additives were no longer permitted. This has meant that to inhibit bloom caused by migration then something needs to be added to the migrating fat phase. As a result, Loders Croklaan developed a range of Prestine filling fats. These are fats that can be used either as the complete fat phase in fillings or as part of the fat phase (with the remainder being, for example, hazelnut paste). They are all based on vegetable oils and contain triglycerides of a very specific structure which possess the ability to greatly retard the transformation of V cocoa butter into VI cocoa butter. These triglycerides are referred to here as AB (anti-bloom) triglycerides. To show the effect of these AB triglycerides we made three different filling compositions. Each filling contained 60% icing sugar and 25% hazelnut oil. The remaining 15% was a blend of AB with a Couva type of cocoa butter replacer. Levels of AB in the three fillings were 0%, 5% and 15%. Each of these fillings were deposited into small steel washers 2.5mm deep. On top of this five thinner washers (0.5mm each) were filled with tempered cocoa butter. This arrangement, known as the washer test has become a standard method of studying migration in confectionery products (Talbot, 1996). Samples were stored at 20C, 25C and 28C. At intervals, the amount of filling fat appearing in the cocoa butter layer was analysed by both GC (to determine actual degrees of migration) and X-ray diffraction (to determine the polymorphic form of the cocoa butter). By having the cocoa butter within five thin washers it was possible to analyse the cocoa butter at each of the five depths. As we had found in previous studies the concentration of filling fat in the cocoa butter layer decreased from the interface towards the surface. Although the actual concentrations of filling fat at any particular depth of the cocoa butter layer increased with both storage time and temperature the general profile of higher concentrations at the interface than at the surface was maintained. Previously, we had found that higher levels of liquid oil migrating into the cocoa butter produced a greater degree of transformation from V into VI. This was also seen in the sample Formation of VI in cocoa butter for a filling containing no containing no AB (Figure 1a) where the anti-bloom fat sample closest to the interface (depth (a) at 25C and various distances from the filling 0.0-0.5mm) contained the highest (b) for the layer at 0-0.5mm from the filling at 20C, 25C amount of VI. The effect of storage and 28C temperature is seen in Figure 1b transformation to VI is almost

amount of filling fat present and the ratio of V to VI at that point. We have also shown that even very low levels (1%) of liquid oil in the filling can have a significant effect on the rate of this polymorphic change. The question then arises how can we use this knowledge to reduce the tendency for chocolate to bloom under these conditions? We either need to add something to the chocolate to make it more stable in the V form or we need to add something to the filling to prevent migration or minimise its effects in terms of bloom formation. Various materials have been added in the past to chocolate to improve its stability and these function to varying extents. The introduction of the 2003 EU Chocolate Regulations, however,

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but it would have prevented us from complete after 6 weeks at 28C but making fundamental measurements has not yet reached equilibrium even of the degree of transformation from after twice that time at 20C. one form into the other. This is The effect of adding AB triglybecause the presence of non-fat cerides is, however, marked. Figure 2 components in chocolate, especially shows the amount of VI in the layer sugar, interfere with the X-ray of cocoa butter immediately adjacent diffraction pattern in the area we are to the interface with the filling when interested in. different levels of AB are used at a However, despite these comstorage temperature of 25C. With no ments the results do show that antiAB present, transformation is 90% bloom fats in a migrating filling reduce complete after 5 weeks; with 5% AB in the rate of transformation of V cocoa the filling, only 50% transformation has occurred in this time; with 15% butter into VI cocoa butter and, by AB in the filling only 30% transformaimplication, reduce the rate of bloom tion has taken place. Indeed, the filling formation on the surface of a chococontaining 5% AB showed a similar late containing that cocoa butter. degree of transformation at 25C as Furthermore the types of triglyceride did one containing no AB at 20C which have been studied here form suggesting that even low levels of AB the functional base of the Prestine can improve the heat tolerance of the range of anti-bloom fats from Loders Figure 2: Formation of VI in cocoa butter in the layer 0-0.5mm from system with regard to polymorphic Croklaan demonstrating the scientific the filling at 25C for levels of anti-bloom fat in the filling of transformation. foundations upon which this range of 0%, 5% and 15% So, what does this mean for fats is built. inhibiting bloom formation in filled chocolates? Firstly it should be noted that these butter instead of a chocolate as the coating we References were model studies in which migration took place were unable to make any observations about Lonchampt P , Hartel RW (2004) Fat bloom in into cocoa butter itself, not into chocolate. In a real whether or not surface bloom was formed. All we chocolate and compound coatings Eur. J. Lipid Sci. Technol. 106 241-274 situation the amount of cocoa butter present could do was to measure the degree of formation Pajin B, Jovanovic O (2005) Influence of highwould be about one-third that present in these of VI and make the link that previous researchers melting milk fat fraction on quality and fat bloom studies. That, in itself, would mean that migration have made between VI formation and bloom stability of chocolate Eur. Food Res. Technol. 220 would be slower. When combined with the effects formation and say that because the presence of an (3-4), 389-394 Talbot G (1996) The Washer Test A Method of tortuosity provided by the non-fat components anti-bloom fat in the filling reduces the degree of for Monitoring Fat Migration Manufacturing in the chocolate the result should be to slow down transformation from V to VI then it is also likely Confectioner, 76(9) 87-90 migration and thus slow down polymorphic to reduce the degree of bloom formation. Using Talbot G, Smith K, t Zand I (2007) Effect of liquid change making the results described here a worst- chocolate in place of cocoa butter would have oil in chocolate on polymorphic changes Innovations in Food Technology, August 2007, 20-21 case scenario. allowed us to see whether or not bloom formation Secondly, because we were using cocoa was inhibited by the presence of an anti-bloom fat

Geoff Talbot is The Fat Consultant, based in Bedford, United Kingdom Email: thefatconsultant@btinternet.com Kevin Smith is Lead Lipid Scientist at Unilever Research, Sharnbrook, United Kingdom Email: kevin.w.smith@unilever.com Loek Favre is Director of Product Management, Palm at Loders Croklaan Email: loek.favre@croklaan.com Imro t Zand is Product Development Manager at Loders Croklaan, Pasir Gudang, Malaysia Email: Imro-'t.Zand@croklaan.com) Geoff Talbot and Kevin Smith both act as consultants to Loders Croklaan, The Netherlands

Not all Trans fatty acids are equal!

he effects of natural and industriallyproduced sources of trans fatty acids on cardiovascular disease markers in healthy men and women were examined by a multidisciplinary research team from worldwide research institutes (TRANSFACT project). This study shows that trans fatty acids derived from natural sources versus industrially-produced sources yield different effects on cardiovascular disease (CVD) factors. Furthermore, results revealed that women are more sensitive than men to the effects of certain TFA. The TRANSFACT study, a collaboration between the French National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA), Clermont-Ferrand, France, the Nestl Research Center (NRC), Lausanne, Switzerland and the French Dairy Council (CNIEL), Paris, France, found that natural TFA - from milk, do not have the same impact on CVD risk factors as industrially-produced TFA. Results suggest that the deleterious HDL-C lowering property of TFA is specific to industriallyproduced sources. Additionally, the biological responses to TFA were more significant in women than in men; the mechanism underlying these effects warrants further investigation. Research on trans fatty acids (TFA) and their potential effects on human health is of widespread interest to scientists and public health officials. Restrictions on the use of TFA are based on significant scientific evidence that industriallyproduced TFA are detrimental to human health. Consumption of these TFA results in decreased levels of good cholesterol (HDL-C) and increased levels of bad cholesterol (LDL-C), markedly enhancing the risk of CVD. Interestingly, a similar study was recently performed by researchers at Laval University, Canada, evaluating the consequences of naturally-occurring vs. industrially-produced TFA on LDL and HDL cholesterol levels. Results revealed that consumption of moderate amounts of natural TFA do not alter CVD risk, whereas TFA from industrial sources did elevate LDL-C levels. These new findings suggest that consumption of TFA from natural sources, even at levels well above current human consumption, does not impact CVD risk. As indicated in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition editorial by WC. Willett and D. Mozaffarian, the critical public health question remains - to find healthful ways to reduce intake of industrially-produced TFA. This comes as no surprise to Nestl, who has had a policy since 2003 to reduce the industrially produced TFA content in Nestls products. Nestl, CNIEL and INRA are independently performing more in-depth studies to better understand the differential effects of trans fatty acids and their underlying biological mechanisms, to assist food safety agencies and regulatory authorities in providing recommendations for optimal CVD health. Web version of the paper available at: http://www.nutrition.org/media/publications/ajcn March6.pdf
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, vol 87, Number 3, Mach 2008, pp 558-566 J.-M. Chardigny, F. Destaillats, C. Malpuech-Brugre, J. Moulin, D. E. Bauman, A. L. Lock, D. M. Barbano, R. P . Mensink, J.-B. Bezelgues, P . Chaumont, N. Combe, I. Cristiani, F. Joffre, J. B. German, F. Dionisi, Y . Boirie and Jean-Louis Sbdio.

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