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The secret of chocolate has been decoded by scientists, and they claim that texture is one of the most important factors in the irresistibility of the cocoa treat. According to a new paper published in the scientific journal ACS Applied Materials and Interface, the taste of chocolate may not be the most important factor in making the sugary snack so irresistible.
As scientists explain, fat plays a very important role for chocolate, especially when it is put in the mouth. As soon as saliva and chocolate mix, a creamy emulsion explodes from the mouth and causes that delicious sensation, with a texture that transitions between solid and creamy.
The study, conducted by scientists at the University of Leeds in the UK, points out that the lubrication that chocolate causes in the mouth is responsible for the sensation of pleasure. The researchers state that the result of the research may lead to the development of foods with better texture and flavor.
“If a chocolate has 5% fat or 50% fat it will still form droplets in the mouth and that gives the feeling of chocolate. However, it is the location of the fat in the composition of the chocolate that matters at each stage of lubrication, and this has rarely been researched,” said Anwesha Sarkar, professor at Leeds School of Food Science and Nutrition.
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Chocolate and its creamy explosion
To conduct the studies, the scientists used analytical techniques from tribology, an engineering field that studies the interaction between surfaces.
Upon contact with the tongue, chocolate releases a film of fat that spreads to all areas of the mouth, and it is precisely this fat that makes chocolate stay creamy after being placed in the mouth. From the study, the scientists say they can apply the techniques to study other foods that change state when you put them in your mouth, such as ice cream, cheese, and butter.
“We believe that dark chocolate can be produced in a gradient layer architecture with fat covering the surface of chocolates to offer the sought-after experience without adding too much fat within the body of the chocolate,” Soltanahmadi added.
