Assessment of physical and physicochemical quality of main chocolates traded in Peru

The quality of main chocolates traded in Peru was measurement in different aspects. Physical: color (C*, H*, WI), hardness and particle size; and physico-chemical: water activity (wa), moisture, fat and ash, according to the information in labeling. The thirty-experimental unit of chocolate (imported, local market, dark and milk chocolate) by experimental methods, were randomly purchased out from different stores holding business. Because of the milk content the different in color and hardness by origin, darkness had low values in color components (8.75 ± 0.94 C*, 7.60 ± 4.71 H* and 28.46 ± 0.86 WI) than milky ones (15.04 ± 2.78 C*, 34.59 ± 7.46 H*, 34.55 ± 2.87 WI) and the hardness reached a major value (914 ± 176 g at 20 ± 2 ºC) than the milky ones (788 ± 220 g at 20 ± 2 ºC). The particle size values, had no significance in the differences (p 0.05) between selected imported (19.1 ± 3.5 microns) and local ones (20.2 ± 1.5 microns). The 37% of the evaluated chocolate had a major water activity (wa), more than 0.50 (high risk) and had no significance in the differences (p 0.05) between imported (0.44 ± 0.10) and local ones (0.47 ± 0.07). Had higher moisture content, however fat and ash content are according to the Peruvian Cocoa and Chocolate Standards, the darky ones had major content of fat (36.12 ± 4.84 %) and also more content of ash (1.87 ± 0.41 %) than the others. The continue quality control in each step of chocolate process and stores are important for the customer