EFFECTS OF ALKALIZED COCOA POWDER AND SOY LECITHIN ON PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF CHOCOLATE BEVERAGE POWDERS

Chocolate beverage powders (CBPs) were produced from alkalized cocoa p owder (ACP) at 10-30% and soy lecithin (SL) at 0-4%. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to determine the optimum level of ACP and S L on sedimentation, wettability, bulk density, despersibility, moistur e content and flavor acceptability. SL was effective on wettability, a nd it also showed an optimum level for sedimentation and bulk density, while ACP was found to be significant for all physical properties. Fo r sensory evaluation, flavor was acceptable at 20% ACP level soy taste was detected by panelists in CBPs with high SL and low ACP contents. It was found that as the ACP content was increased the soy taste of CB Ps decreased. For over all physical characteristics, the optimum level s of 20% of ACP and 2-4% of SL were selected.