ABSTRACT
The application of near-infrared (NIR) in the confectionery space has included the entire variety of available technologies, including filter-based instruments, monochromator or dispersive instruments, acousto-optic tunable filter systems, and Fourier transform-NIR (FT-NIR). In an early research report, NIR spectroscopy was described as a general method for measuring a variety of food types based on the absorption of electromagnetic radiation in the wavelength range of 780–2500 nm. NIR when applied to chocolate liquor or ground cocoa beans or cocoa powder provides a rapid analysis quality tool for the chocolate industry. Calibration equations for analysis of sucrose, lactose, fat, and moisture in chocolate were computed using FT-NIR spectra. These spectra were also used for estimating rheological properties as viscosity and yield of chocolate. Near-infrared spectra were compared to data from a trained sensory panel for a large set of raw and roasted cocoa beans, chocolate mass, and finished chocolate.
