The way it melts in your mouth is the factor that makes chocolate irresistible: study

Photo: Matt Cardy/Getty Images

The Chocolate is one of the most popular sweets of the world and its world market is estimated at billions of dollars, therefore a group of Scientists set out to find out why we like this product so much.

Recently, Researchers have deciphered the physical process that takes place in the mouth when a piece of chocolate is eatenas it goes from being a solid to a smooth emulsion that many people find irresistible.

An interdisciplinary research team from the University of Leeds, England, found that during times when it is in the mouth, the sensation of the chocolate arises from the way in which it is lubricatedeither by the ingredients of the chocolate itself, by saliva, or by a combination of both.

According to the analysis results, outer fat plays a key role almost immediately when a piece of chocolate comes into contact with the tongue. Afterwards, the solid cocoa particles are released and become important in terms of tactile sensation, so the fat inside the chocolate plays a rather limited role.

When chocolate comes into contact with the tongue, the study highlights, releases a greasy film that coats the tongue and other surfaces of the mouth. It is this fatty film that makes the chocolate feel smooth the entire time it is in the mouth.

“We show that the layer of fat has to be on the outer layer of the chocolateThis is the most important thing, followed by effective coating of the cocoa particles by the fat, this helps make the chocolate so palatable,” said Anwesha Sarkar, Professor of Colloids and Surfaces in the School of Food Sciences and Leeds Nutrition.

The study -published in the scientific journal ACS Applied Materials and Interface- did not investigate the question of taste of chocolate, but its touch and texture.

Testing was performed with a luxury dark chocolate brand on an artificial 3D surface similar to a tongue which was designed at the University of Leeds. The researchers used analytical techniques from an engineering field called tribology to conduct the study, which included in situ imaging.

Less presence of fat does not impact the sensation that the chocolate produces

The scientists discovered that, although it has an important function in achieving a sensation of pleasure when the chocolate is in the mouth, fat does not need to be present in large amounts inside the product.

“If a chocolate is 5% or 50% fat, it will still form droplets in your mouth, which produces the sensation of chocolate. However, what matters at each stage of lubrication is the location of the fat in the composition of the chocolate, something that has hardly been investigated,” explained Sarkar.

The authors of the study hope that it will lead to the development of a new generation of chocolates luxury that have the same touch and texture, but whose consumption is healthier.

“By understanding the physical mechanisms that occur when eating chocolate, we believe that a new generation of chocolate can be developed that offers the touch and feel of high-fat chocolate, but make it a healthier option”said Dr Siavash Soltanahmadi, from the Leeds School of Food Sciences and Nutrition and lead researcher on the study. “Our research opens up the possibility that manufacturers can smartly design dark chocolate to reduce the total fat content,” he added.

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