Cocoa butter

Cocoa butter is an edible fat extracted from cocoa beans (Theobroma cacao). It is widely used in the food industry, especially in chocolate manufacturing, but it is also found in various personal care products due to its moisturizing properties.

Characteristics of Cocoa Butter:

• Extraction: Cocoa butter is obtained by pressing cocoa beans. The beans are fermented, dried, roasted, and then pressed to extract the fat.
• Composition: Primarily composed of fats, cocoa butter also contains aromatic compounds that give it its characteristic aroma.
• Physical Properties:
• Texture: Solid at room temperature but melts at body heat.

Food Use:

• Chocolate: Used as an essential ingredient in chocolate production, providing a smooth texture and distinctive flavor.
• Baking: Can be used in baking to add richness and flavor to products.
• Moisturizing Properties: Due to its high content of non-saponifiable fats, cocoa butter is also used in skincare products for its moisturizing properties.
• Aroma: Cocoa butter has a distinctive cocoa aroma, which can influence the taste of the food products in which it is used.
• Stability: It has good stability and a long shelf life when stored properly.
• Adaptation: Some cocoa butters may be deodorized to remove the characteristic aroma, adapting their use in certain applications.
• Regulation: The use of cocoa butter in the food industry is regulated to ensure product quality and safety.