Effects of Sorbitan Monostearate and Monooleate on the Crystallization and Consistency Behaviors of Cocoa Butter

The crystallization behavior of cocoa butter (CB) is the essential structuration issue in the development of chocolate products. An alternative to modify and control the crystallization patterns of CB in chocolate production is the incorporation of specific emulsifiers in their formulations. In this work, the effects of sorbitan monostearate (SMS) and sorbitan monooleate (SMO) in the crystallization and consistency behaviors as well as on the microstructure of CB were evaluated. CB samples at three different concentrations (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 % w/w) of SMS and SMO were prepared and their main physical–chemical attributes determined. CB added with 1.5 % of SMS showed the largest effects with a sharp increase in the onset of the crystallization temperature (from 19.3 to 23.8 °C) and doubling the yield value (consistency) of pure cocoa butter. The classic two-step isothermal crystallization behavior and morphology of CB were also modified with the addition of SMS. A possible explanation based on the solubility of SMS in an organic medium and its ability of self-assembling was suggested as a mechanism for SMS performance in CB. SMS was considered as a potential crystal modifier for CB by changing its crystal structure and enhancing its thermal resistance—factors that favor the use of this emulsifier in the production of improved thermally stable chocolates.