Chemistry Of Chocolate Research Paper

Chemistry is everywhere. Everything from the air we breath to the food we eat has chemistry in it. Chocolate is a food used in many desserts and comes in many different forms and flavors. It is derived from the cocoa bean and many people have chocolate in some form daily. Chemistry is what gives people the flavors and texture of chocolate that they love. Different Amounts of chocolate liquor and cocoa butter are used in different chocolate products. The various flavors of chocolate are gotten by using different amounts of ingredients. This is similar to making a mixture in chemistry class. If more of one ingredient is added to the mixture, the properties will change slightly. One quote that describes how ingredient ratios change chocolate …show more content…
Emulsifiers are food additives that stabilize processed foods. One quote describing how emulsifiers are used in chocolate is “Lecithin, an emulsifier derived from the soybean, is also added; this establishes the precise viscosity necessary for proper flow in molding and coating” (Musser). Viscosity means that something is thick and has a semifluid consistency. The quote is describing how one emulsifier is used to make chocolate semifluid so that it will mold easily. Another quote describing the use of emulsifiers is “Chocolate may also contain natural or artificial flavors, emulsifiers, and - in the case of milk chocolate - milk solids” (Musser). This quote means that emulsifiers are often added to chocolate to give it different properties. Emulsifiers are related to chemistry because they affect how the chocolate tastes and the viscosity of the …show more content…
One chemical in chocolate is caffeine. A quote that talks about chemicals in chocolate is “Chocolate contains more than 300 chemicals. Caffeine, a stimulant, is the most well known, but is present only in small amounts” (Haines). A stimulant is a substance that raises levels nervous or psychological activity in a person’s body. This means that caffeine can make a person happier and more hyper. Although it is the most well known, caffeine is not the only stimulant in chocolate. A quote describing another chemical in chocolate is “Another stimulant is theobromine, found in amounts slightly higher than caffeine. The two molecules are identical except for one methyl group...but it is not yet clear how they act together in chocolate” (Haines). This quote means that theobromine and caffeine are very similar because they both are stimulants and have almost identical molecular structures. Their molecular structures differ only by one methyl group. Stimulants relate to chemistry because they are chemicals made up of different elements that bonded