Can anyone clarify the alkaloid that’s used in chocolate processing for “Dutch chocolate” or is that classified info for each manufacturer?
I understand that it counters the natural acidity of cocoa beans, but what IS it?
Per Wikipedia:
“Dutch process chocolate or Dutched chocolate is chocolate that has been treated with an alkalizing agent to modify its color and give it a milder taste compared to “natural cocoa” extracted with the Broma process. It forms the basis for much of modern chocolate…”
Before anyone gets confused, there is a big difference between alkaloid and alkalizing agent. Alkaloids are class of organic compounds containing nitrogen atoms. Many alkaloids act as a stimulant when ingested. Several of them, such as theobromine, are naturally occurring in chocolate. The alkalizing agents used in the process of making cocoa are salts of alkali or alkaline-earth metals (See Remember | me’s post above).