Understanding plant based fat crystalization for the design of vegan and low carbon footprint chocolate

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Finding sustainable sources of edible fats has recently become a major goal for the food industry and for the chocolate sector in particular. Meeting consumer demands for vegan products and finding low carbon alternatives for cocoa and palm oil are only few of the reasons for this industrial need. However, identifying new materials replicating exactly the functionality of traditional fats, in terms of taste, texture, mouthfeel and processing, is challenging. In fact, the crystal structure of chocolate has a strong effect on the organoleptic properties of this food product, and the type and nature of the fats used for its formulation might dramatically alter its crystallization behaviour. In this project, we will focus on understanding the crystallization behaviour of relevant plant-based fats for the production of vegan/low carbon footprint chocolate, and specifically how the removal of milk fat from a recipe can occur without losing any of the unique crystallisation behaviour it is responsible for. The role of milk fat in chocolate is of particular interest, with several hypotheses around the impact of milk triglycerides on polymorphic transition rates in cocoa butter (and cocoa butter equivalents). However, there is a need to understand. which of these hypotheses are most relevant when developing an effective milk fat system replacement. The opportunities to build on recent advances in methods to measure the crystallisation of cocoa butter-based fats are analysed under shear, alongside milk fat, could also further elucidate how milk fat functionality is mimicked by other systems. The projects aims to develop a deeper understanding of the role of specific triglycerides present in milk impact the crystallisation of binary and ternary blends of fats, where the other fats in the system alongside milk fat are cocoa butter and/or cocoa butter equivalents. This research would then instruct whether such behaviour is completely dependent on the triglycerides, or if the behaviour can be replicated using other targeted triglycerides. The goal of this research is to enable milk fat in chocolate to be replaced by a triglyceride system which still delivers the same benefits in crystallisation behaviour. This is strongly believed to be the role the shorter chain fatty acid triglycerides play in interrupting and delaying polymorphic transitions which is otherwise seen as a delay in the time taken for fat bloom to appear on the surface of the chocolate. It is expected that the role of processing (tempering and cooling) in a system where milk fat is replaced will also need to be considered.