Using differential scanning calorimetry to explore the phase behavior of chocolate

Abstract

Chocolate is certainly one of the most familiar and commercially successful products made from plant resources. This success has been built on many decades of careful optimization and innovation in the procedures used to transform the complex mixture of chemical substances extracted from cocoa beans into commercial products. The favorable public image of chocolate has led to it being used both as a captivating aid to teaching chemistry and a convenient source of “real-world” samples for analytical chemistry classes. The objective of this experiment is to explore the melting behavior of different types of chocolate using differential scanning calorimetry. Students change the distribution of cocoa butter polymorphs by subjecting samples to specific thermal treatments. Interpretation of the thermograms of these samples helps students to understand the complexity and importance that low-melting phases have in real-world applications in cosmetics, pharmaceutics, and the food industry.