Changing the functionality of cocoa butter

Cocoa butter is an essential ingredient in chocolate as it forms the continuous phase of chocolate. It’s therefore responsible for the gloss, texture and typical melting behaviour of ‘irresistible’ chocolate. The aim of this research was to change the functionality of cocoa butter by two different methods. In the first part, cocoa butter was modified by physical refining by using packed column steam refining with or without silica pretreatment. The physicochemical properties of the refined cocoa butters were determined and in the next step they were applied in a milk chocolate formulation. The produced milk chocolates were then evaluated for different quality characteristics. It was clear that the free fatty acids played a predominant role but the exact mechanism remained unclear. In the second part of this research, cocoa butter was changed more drastically as it was submitted to an enzymatic modification process, aiming to produce diacylglycerols. Diacylglycerols have distinct physicochemical properties compared to triacylglycerols due to the presence of a free hydroxyl group. An enzymatic glycerolysis reaction was optimized and a highly purified diacylglycerol fraction was obtained by short path distillation. The produced diacylglycerols were physicochemically characterized and blended with cocoa butter to screen their applicability in confectionary products. A multi-methodological approach was used to study the isothermal crystallization of cocoa butter at 20°C. In the last part of the research, the cocoa butter based diacylglycerols were applied in a dark chocolate formulation and the functional properties were derived by determining the melting and rheological behaviour and texture. As migration fat bloom remains one of the major quality issues in composed chocolate products, it was investigated whether cocoa butter based diacylglycerols could delay or prevent this phenomenon

Fat and lean tissue accretion in relation to reward motivation in children

‘Reward sensitivity’ explains inter-individual differences in the motivation to obtain rewards when reward cues are perceived. This psychobiological trait has been linked to higher consumption of palatable food when exposed to palatable food cues. The current study aims to examine if reward sensitivity explains differences in patterns of fat and lean tissue accretion over time in children. A longitudinal observational study with measurement waves in 2011 (baseline), 2012, 2013, and 2015 was conducted. The sample was a population-based Flemish cohort of children (n = 446, 50% boys and 5.5–12 years at baseline; 38.8% of the baseline sample also participated in 2015). Baseline reward sensitivity of the children was assessed by parent ratings on the Drive subscale of the Behavioral Inhibition System/Behavioral Approach System scales. Age- and sex-independent Fat and Lean Mass Index z-scores (zFMI and zLMI respectively) were computed for each study wave based on air-displacement plethysmography. In girls, but not boys, reward sensitivity was positively associated with the baseline zFMI and zLMI (95% confidence intervals of unstandardized estimates: 0.01 to 0.11 and 0.01 to 0.10 respectively, P values 0.01 and 0.02 respectively). Further, reward sensitivity explained 14.8% and 11.6% of the change in girls' zFMI and zLMI respectively over four years: the zFMI and zLMI increased and decreased respectively in high reward sensitive girls (95% confidence intervals of unstandardized estimates: 0.01 to 0.11 and −0.12 to −0.01 respectively, P values 0.01 and 0.02 respectively). Hence, girls high in reward sensitivity had significantly higher adiposity gain over four years parallel with lower increase in lean mass than was expected on the basis of their age and height. These results may help to identify appropriate targets for interventions for obesity prevention

Socioeconomic disparities in diet vary according to migration status among adolescents in Belgium

Little information concerning social disparities in adolescent dietary habits is currently available, especially regarding migration status. The aim of the present study was to estimate socioeconomic disparities in dietary habits of school adolescents from different migration backgrounds. In the 2014 cross-sectional Health Behavior in School-Aged Children survey in Belgium, food consumption was estimated using a self-administrated short food frequency questionnaire. In total, 19,172 school adolescents aged 10-19 years were included in analyses. Multilevel multiple binary and multinomial logistic regressions were performed, stratified by migration status (natives, 2nd- and 1st-generation immigrants). Overall, immigrants more frequently consumed both healthy and unhealthy foods. Indeed, 32.4% of 1st-generation immigrants, 26.5% of 2nd-generation immigrants, and 16.7% of natives consumed fish two days a week. Compared to those having a high family affluence scale (FAS), adolescents with a low FAS were more likely to consume chips and fries once a day (vs. <once a day: Natives aRRR = 1.39 (95%CI: 1.12-1.73); NS in immigrants). Immigrants at schools in Flanders were less likely than those in Brussels to consume sugar-sweetened beverages 2-6 days a week (vs. once a week: Natives aRRR = 1.86 (95%CI: 1.32-2.62); 2nd-generation immigrants aRRR = 1.52 (1.11-2.09); NS in 1st-generation immigrants). The migration gradient observed here underlines a process of acculturation. Narrower socioeconomic disparities in immigrant dietary habits compared with natives suggest that such habits are primarily defined by culture of origin. Nutrition interventions should thus include cultural components of dietary habits

Quality evaluation of fresh and bloomed filled chocolates in House of Quality

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