Cocoa powder is an integral part of many favorite sweets, both factory and homemade. First of all, these are chocolate and a variety of drinks. And even the latest discoveries in cosmetology speak of the huge benefits of cocoa as a component of a face mask.
The history of cocoa is old enough. Columbus first brought this product to Europe from America 500 years ago. Initially, the bitter drink was not to the taste of the spoiled European nobility. With the development of the sugar industry, the situation has changed. Refined bitterness became fashionable, and the scent of cocoa became the scent of high society.
Cocoa powder is made from cocoa cake. It is finely crushed, various flavors and aromas are added.
Cocoa types
There is a classification of cocoa powder depending on its direction for consumption. The first type is industrial, it is from it that sweets and other confectionery products are made, the second is commercial, the one that housewives use to create their confectionery masterpieces, in turn, can be prepared (treated with alkalis) and not prepared. Due to the neutralization of acids and oxidation of tannins, the taste and aroma of cocoa become more intense, the color is dark brown.
A distinction should be made between cocoa powder and cocoa drink. The second is a mixture of cocoa powder and powdered sugar with soy phosphatide concentrate, to which dry milk products and flavorings and aromas are added. This dry drink dissolves easily in warm milk or water.
Storage features
The product is very sensitive to storage conditions and needs to be strictly adhered to. If the requirements are not met, defects such as loss of taste and aroma can be observed. It is recommended to store the product separately from other strong-smelling substances, otherwise foreign odors and tastes will be present in the cocoa itself.
An important factor for storing cocoa is humidity. It should be no more than 75%, otherwise you can observe the mold of the product and its caking into lumps. The best container for storing cocoa powder is a metal can.
Store cocoa in dry, clean places with good ventilation. The presence of foreign odors is not allowed. Optimum indicators for storage: temperature - 16-21 ° C, humidity no more than 75%. The shelf life of cocoa powder varies from 6 months to one year. Moreover, it depends on the container in which the product is packed.
Cocoa is stored in cans for 1 year, packed in other types of containers for half a year. The container with the powder must in any case be hermetically sealed.
