Journal Highlight: Study of the porous structure of white chocolate by confocal Raman microscopy

Study of the porous structure of white chocolate by confocal Raman microscopy

European Journal of Lipid Science and Technology, 2012, 114, 919-926
Hanna Dahlenborg, Anna Millqvist-Fureby, Birgit D. Brandner, Bjorn Bergenstahl

Abstract: Confocal Raman microscopy has been shown to be a useful technique for investigation of white chocolate surfaces. The appearance of protrusions and pores, and the distribution of fat, sucrose, and milk powder at and below the surface of white chocolate pralines were investigated using confocal Raman microscopy. Raman horizontal and depth scans showed that the protrusions and pores continue at least 10 µm into the chocolate shell and that some protrusions and channels mainly consist of fat, while some consisted of a fat layer, leaving a hollow space underneath. Further, the pores and their continuing channels consisted of nothing but air. These findings indicate that the protrusions might be connected to channels where we suggest a pressure driven convective flow of liquid fat from within the chocolate matrix that, depending on temperature, moves up to the surface or goes back into the matrix, leaving an empty pore with a shell of fat at the surface, which in some cases collapse and leaves a hollow pore and channel. Therefore, these findings support that the protrusions could be connected to oil migration in chocolate and, thus, further to fat bloom development.

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