Cocoa powder is obtained from cocoa paste. It is prepared with fermented, dried, toasted, grinded and pressed beans (to separate cocoa butter). It can be used to produce chocolate powders, which contains cocoa powder, sugar, chocolate flavor and other ingredients. In the major producing countries, the price of cocoa by-product is affected by the climate, plagues and political factors. Cocoa substitutes are substances that can total or partially substitute cocoa powder in the formulation of different products with the purpose of reducing the final price, guaranteeing the quality in the off season or even during a possible short availability of cocoa powder in the market. The substitutes chosen for evaluation include toasted carob powder, cupuaçu powder, cocoa seed compounds and aroma. The objectives of this study were evaluate chemical parameters (centesimal composition and methylxanthines) of the cocoa powder substitutes and carry out a sensorial evaluation of chocolate drink powders formulated with the substitutes. As results, the substitutes showed different chemical properties from those of cocoa, and the sensorial tests showed preference to the aroma.
cocoa; cocoa substitute; chocolate powder
