Bitter dark chocolate is a tasty and healthy product that gives sweets what they want and at the same time does not so quickly put off those extra pounds. In addition, it contains a large amount of antioxidants that are valuable for the human body. Unfortunately, there is a lot of low-quality chocolate on the modern market. So which product meets the requirements of GOST R52821-2007, which regulates the percentage of grated and cocoa butter?
How to determine the quality of dark chocolate
In order not to be mistaken when choosing a dark variety of this product, you need to know a number of rules described in the corresponding GOST. First of all, the main thing is the so-called "strength", which determines the rate of content of cocoa liquor.
According to the requirements described in Р52821-2007, its minimum percentage in dark bitter chocolate is 55%. This information must be indicated on the packaging of the product, according to which the consumer can be guided - what "strength" to buy. Some people prefer the "light" version of 55-60%, others like the bitter version (from 60 to 65%), and still others choose chocolate with a percentage of cocoa liquor from 65%.
The maximum share of cocoa liquor in dark chocolate sold in all countries is 95%.
If you do not find information on the percentage of this ingredient on the packaging with chocolate, feel free to put it back on the shelf.
Cocoa butter availability rate regulated by GOST is not less than 33%. However, there is one nuance here, with the help of which some manufacturers strive to minimize costs - the replacement of this ingredient with vegetable oils. Such a product will always lose in quality and benefits to the traditional recipe.
33% is the ideal minimum, nevertheless, the norms adopted in Russia allow for the market a product with a cocoa butter fraction of 5% of the total mass. Of course, this factor affects the price and taste of the product, but the choice always remains with the consumer and the amount he is willing to pay for the product.
Professional connoisseurs of dark chocolate approach the product selection procedure even more carefully, dividing also the countries in which the cocoa beans were grown.
Chocolate brands
According to a test study carried out in 2013 by specialists of the Interregional Public Organization "Society for the Protection of Consumer Rights", the following brands of chocolate are the highest quality products on the Russian market:
80% good bitter chocolate from the Krasny Oktyabr company, produced in Kolomna, near Moscow. This product actually contains 77.5% cocoa liquor, 37.5% butter, and less than 3% replacement products.
75% chocolate, positioned by the manufacturer "Confectionery Concern Babaevsky" as "elite". The product contains 73.6% cocoa, 36.6% cocoa butter and less than 3% other equivalents.
70% chocolate "Kremlin" from TM "Vernissage" from LLC "Confectionery factory named after Krupskaya "from the northern capital - 69.8% cocoa, 37.6% butter and less than 3% other ingredients.
