Chocolate physics: How modeling could improve 'mouthfeel'
lecithin plays a vital role in the production of chocolate and many other foods. It's never been clear how this ingredient works on a molecular level, and confectioners have relied on observational methods to perfect their recipes.
Now, scientists have shown how the field of molecular dynamics could be a valuable tool in understanding chocolate conching - the part of the chocolate-making process where aromatic sensation, texture and 'mouthfeel' are developed.
Researchers, based at Technische Universität München, report that they were able to use molecular dynamics to gain new insights into the molecular interactions during chocolate conching.
"There are many hypotheses on how lecithins work during the manufacturing of chocolate," explains Heiko Briesen, a lead author on the paper. "But we've been able to shed some light on the mechanism of this process."
Asking the right question was the important first step according to Briesen. "Molecular dynamics only allows us to model scales of nanoseconds or nanometres - and this process happens in minutes or hours in reality."
"But when we ask a specific enough question - like how does the lecithin molecule attach to the sugar surface - it can become incredibly powerful."
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