Rheological properties and physical quality characteristics of sugar-free chocolates using inulin and D-tagatose

Chocolate is a popular and widely used product in different age groups, but its consumption is limited because of its high calorie and sucrose content for people with obesity and diabetes. Therefore, replacing sucrose with low-digestible carbohydrates can prevent tooth decay by reducing calorie and glycemic index. In this study, the combination of two alternatives to sugars with favorable nutritional properties was investigated in the production of dark chocolate. In this study, inulin, a dietary fiber, and D-tagatose, a natural sweetener and sweetener similar to sucrose, were selected as sucrose substitutes with 100: 0, 75: 25, 50: 50, 25:75 % mixing percentages. Physical, chemical, rheological and sensory properties of the samples were studied. Results showed that by decreasing the level of inulin and increasing the amount of tagatose, the percentage of moisture decreased, but the water activity (aw) was increased. The hardness of the samples increased with increasing tagatose and the highest hardness was observed in the sample containing 100% tagatose which was similar to the control sample. As inulin decreased, the apparent viscosity and plastic decreased, while values of τ 0 and τ1 increased. Thus, it was found that the sample containing 100% inulin had the lowest actual and linear yield stress. The lowest apparent viscosity was observed in the sample of 25% inulin - 75% tagatose and the lowest plastic viscosity was observed in 100% tagatose sample which was not significantly different from the control sample. As the amount of tagatose increased, overall acceptability of the samples increased.

کلیدواژه ها:

Dark chocolate ، Inulin ، Tagatose ، Stevia ، Rheology