Development of chocolate spread added of phytosterols with lipidic exudation resistance and saturated fatty acid reduction

• Grant number: 15/14233-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2015
• End date: July 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Technology
• Principal Investigator: Theo Guenter Kieckbusch
• Grantee: Isabela Gava de Souza
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia Química (FEQ). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Chocolate spread is a spreadable cream, consisting essentially of vegetable oil, cocoa powder, sugar, and lecithin powder. However, the vegetable oil commonly utilized is palm oil that has approximately 50% of saturated fatty acids. It is evident that the reduction of saturated fatty acid has become a necessity for food industries once its consumption is associated with negatives effects for our organism, like the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases. The reduction of saturated fatty acids in this product can be done by the substitution of palm oil by other oils that have less content of saturated fatty acids, as canola oil. Although, the substitution of saturated fatty acids by unsaturated ones can cause exudation problems due to the hindering of lipid crystalline network structuring. In this context, techniques for oils and fat modification as the use of structuring modifiers of lipid systems present huge importance. The phytosterols, minority components of vegetable oils and which have hypocholesterolemic action, can be an important lipid structure agent. This project proposes the base lipid modification of chocolate spreads by the addition of phytosterols and the reduction of saturated fatty acids, ensuring the desirable sensorial characteristics in the product. The lipid matrix will be partial and totally substituted by the addition of canola oil and to guarantee the product structuring, phytosterols will be added to the formulation.