Plant-based chocolates: physicochemical and sensorial characterization and evaluation of the bioaccessibility of nutrients and bioactive compounds in commercial products developed with plant ingredients as milk substitutes

• Grant number: 23/17747-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: October 01, 2024
• End date: April 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Pharmacy - Food Science
• Principal Investigator: Juliana Azevedo Lima Pallone
• Grantee: Gisele Marcondes Luz
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia de Alimentos (FEA). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 24/18829-6 - Evaluation of the protein digestibility of chocolates formulated with vegetable proteins, BE.EP.DR

Abstract

Chocolates are products formulated with cocoa liquor, cocoa butter and sugar, and may also contain milk powder and food additives. To offer new product options to the market, as well as meet the main current trends and the demands of consumers in general, especially those allergic or intolerant to milk and its nutrients, the food industry is investing in the production of chocolates formulated with plant-based ingredients as substitutes. of milk. These plant ingredients are pastes or powdered extracts derived from cereals, legumes, fruits, nuts, among other plant sources. Chocolates formulated with plant-based ingredients as milk substitutes generally do not contain other ingredients of animal origin and are commercially known as plant-based chocolates, with the term translated into English as plant-based or plant-based milk chocolates. Due to the diversity of plant ingredients used as raw materials in the formulation of these chocolates, the supply of essential nutrients and bioactive compounds is still unclear. Therefore, the general objective of the study is to evaluate the physicochemical and sensory parameters and the bioaccessibility of nutrients and bioactive compounds in commercial plant-based chocolates developed with vegetable ingredients as milk substitutes. Commercial plant-based chocolates formulated with different types of plant-based powder and milk ingredients (for comparison), developed chocolates formulated with 4 types of plant-based proteins (pea, lentil, bean and sunflower) and 1 milk chocolate (for comparison) as well as the commercially obtained vegetable proteins themselves, will be evaluated for the content of macro and micronutrients, soluble protein, bioactive peptides, amino acids, phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity, fatty acids, antinutritional compounds and inorganic contaminants, in addition to sensory evaluation. In vitro tests will also be carried out to simulate gastrointestinal digestion to evaluate the bioaccessibility of nutrients and bioactive compounds. In this way, the study intends to contribute to scientific advances in current and new topics in the area of food science and nutrition, in addition to developments in the area of chocolate technology, with the possibility of offering new products formulated based on plants to the market, with known nutritional potential.