Chip-DSC 10 – foods on DSC – chocolate
Food DSC – chocolate melting behavior
Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) proves to be a fascinating tool in the analysis of food, a critical aspect of food chemistry aimed at ensuring quality and purity. Virtually every industrial food product undergoes rigorous quality and purity assessments, with calorimetry being one of the methods employed.
In a specific application, various types of chocolates were subjected to comparison using DSC. These studies offer insights into the melting behavior, melting temperature, and fat content of different chocolate formulations, playing a pivotal role in crafting a delicious and creamy end product.
The provided figure illustrates DSC profiles of five distinct chocolate samples. Each sample underwent precooling with a liquid nitrogen quench cooler to -40°C before measurement using the Chip DSC 10 under consistent conditions and similar sample masses.
The results reveal a commonality among most tested chocolates—an intriguing double peak attributed to the presence of low-melting milk fats and higher-melting vegetable plant fats. This information becomes invaluable for comparing the quality of emulsifiers and melting temperatures, serving as a basis for Quality Control (QC) and product design.
In the presented example, the DSC analysis indicates that handmade chocolate (depicted by the red curve) exhibits a more uniform melting behavior compared to economically priced industrial milk chocolate (illustrated by the brown curves). Particularly noteworthy are the distinct double melting peaks observed in black and white cream chocolates (represented by the orange and black curves), signifying highly heterogeneous melting behavior. This distinct melting pattern can be actively utilized to create a unique taste profile, showcasing the versatility of DSC in not only ensuring quality but also contributing to the creative design of food products.
Related instruments
Chip-DSC 10
- Perfect DSC for Quality control and Education
- the mid-range DSC with interchangeable sensor
- -180 up to 600°C (LN2 Quench cooling)