Description

Cocoa is the dried and fully fermented fatty seed of the cacao tree, from which chocolate is made. The word “cocoa” is derivative of “cacao”.
Cocoa powder can range from a light brown to a deep reddish brown colour The varying colour corresponds to the pH value of the cocoa. There are two main types of cocoa powder. Natural cocoa powder is very strong, slightly acidic, and light coloured. Dutched cocoa powder or Alkaized cocoa is produced by adding an alkali to the press cake to mellow the flavour and make the colour more intense. Dutch cocoa is alkalized to remove the natural acidity..
Cocoa powder is rich in flavonoids. It has been suggested that the flavanols have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiplatelet effects which have found to be beneficial for cardiovascular health.
Cocoa powder is essentially used as flavour in chocolates, biscuits, ice cream, dairy drinks and cakes. Apart its use as flavour it is also used in the manufacture of coatings for confectioners or frozen desserts. Cocoa powder is also consumed by the beverage industry for example for the preparation of chocolate milk