?V SEEDING AS AN ALTERNATIVE PRE-CRYSTALLIZATION TECHNIQUE IN SYNBIOTIC MILK CHOCOLATE PRODUCTION

Abstract

In the present study, synbiotic milk chocolate including Lactobacillus acidophilus and inulin was prepared using?v seeds as an alternative to conventional tempering method. For this aim, different concentrations of ?vseeds (0.5-1.5%) were used in the chocolate production. The effect of ?v seed concentration on water activity,moisture content, hardness value, color and rheological properties of the chocolate was examined andcompared with those of the sample produced by conventional tempering method. Water activity andmoisture content values of the samples were found to be very close to each other. Hardness value wassignificantly affected by ?v seed concentration. Yield stress and plastic viscosity values decreased withincreasing seed concentration. All of the quality parameters highlighted that ?v seed can be used as a precrystallization technique without negatively affecting quality characteristics, providing economic gain andfast production when compared with classical one.