Dutch processed cocoa, Dutch cocoa, or alkalized cocoa, is cocoa solids that have been treated with an

alkali In chemistry, an alkali (; from ar, القلوي, al-qaly, lit=ashes of the saltwort) is a basic, ionic salt of an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal. An alkali can also be defined as a base that dissolves in water. A solution of ...

zing agent to reduce the natural acidity of cocoa, giving it a less bitter taste (and darker colour) compared to "natural cocoa" extracted with the

Broma process In chocolate making, the Broma process is a method of extracting cocoa butter from roasted cocoa beans, credited to the chocolatier Domingo Ghirardelli. The Broma process involves hanging bags of roasted cocoa beans in a very warm room, above the ...

. It forms the basis for much of modern

chocolate Chocolate is a food made from roasted and ground cacao seed kernels that is available as a liquid, solid, or paste, either on its own or as a flavoring agent in other foods. Cacao has been consumed in some form since at least the Olmec civi ...

, and is used in ice cream, hot chocolate, and baking. Alkalizing agents employed vary, but include

potassium carbonate Potassium carbonate is the inorganic compound with the formula K2 CO3. It is a white salt, which is soluble in water. It is deliquescent, often appearing as a damp or wet solid. Potassium carbonate is mainly used in the production of soap and ...

(E501), sodium carbonate (E500), and/or sodium hydroxide (E525). Dutching greatly reduces the levels of certain phytochemicals in cocoa.

Nutrition

History

The Dutch process was developed in the early 19th century by Dutch chocolate maker

Coenraad Johannes van Houten Coenraad Johannes van Houten (15 March 1801 – 27 May 1887) was a Dutch chemist and chocolate maker known for the treatment of cocoa mass with alkaline salts to remove the bitter taste and make cocoa solids more water-soluble; the resulting pro ...

, whose father Casparus was responsible for the development of the method of removing

fat In nutrition, biology, and chemistry, fat usually means any ester of fatty acids, or a mixture of such compounds, most commonly those that occur in living beings or in food. The term often refers specifically to triglycerides (triple est ...

from cocoa beans by hydraulic press around 1828, forming the basis for

cocoa powder Cocoa may refer to: Chocolate * Chocolate * ''Theobroma cacao'', the cocoa tree * Cocoa bean, seed of ''Theobroma cacao'' * Chocolate liquor, or cocoa liquor, pure, liquid chocolate extracted from the cocoa bean, including both cocoa butter an ...

. These developments greatly expanded the use of cocoa, which had been mostly used as a beverage in Europe until that time.

Color

The quantity of alkalizing agent is not specified on the ingredients on cocoa powder. However, this may be figured out by comparing the brown shades between different products. Higher quantities of alkalizing agents will produce cocoa that is darker than cocoa with lower quantities.

Taste and cooking properties

Dutch processed cocoa has a neutral pH, and is not acidic like natural cocoa, so in recipes that use sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) as the

leavening agent In cooking, a leavening agent () or raising agent, also called a leaven () or leavener, is any one of a number of substances used in doughs and batters that cause a foaming action (gas bubbles) that lightens and softens the mixture. An altern ...

(which relies on the acidity of the cocoa to activate it), an acid must be added to the recipe, such as

cream of tartar Potassium bitartrate, also known as potassium hydrogen tartrate, with formula K C4 H5 O6, is a byproduct of winemaking. In cooking, it is known as cream of tartar. It is processed from the potassium acid salt of tartaric acid (a carboxylic ac ...

or the use of

buttermilk Buttermilk is a fermented dairy drink. Traditionally, it was the liquid left behind after churning butter out of cultured cream. As most modern butter in western countries is not made with cultured cream but uncultured sweet cream, most mod ...

instead of fresh milk. There is no need to add acidity when natural cocoa is used in recipes that use

baking powder Baking powder is a dry chemical leavening agent, a mixture of a carbonate or bicarbonate and a weak acid. The base and acid are prevented from reacting prematurely by the inclusion of a buffer such as cornstarch. Baking powder is used to increas ...

instead of soda for leavening.

Reduction of phytochemicals

Caffeine

Dutch cocoa contains 3 times less caffeine: * 100 grams unsweetened cocoa powder processed with alkali contains 78 mg. * 100 grams unsweetened cocoa powder without alkali contains 230 mg.

Antioxidants and flavonols

Compared to other processes, Dutch process cocoa contains lower amounts of flavonols (

antioxidants Antioxidants are compounds that inhibit oxidation, a chemical reaction that can produce free radicals. This can lead to polymerization and other chain reactions. They are frequently added to industrial products, such as fuels and lubricants, ...

). The effect this has on nutritional value is disputed. Professor Irmgard Bitsch of the Institut für Ernährungswissenschaft, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen claims that the reduction of antioxidants due to the process is not significant and enough polyphenols and

procyanidin Procyanidins are members of the proanthocyanidin (or condensed tannins) class of flavonoids. They are oligomeric compounds, formed from catechin and epicatechin molecules. They yield cyanidin when depolymerized under oxidative conditions. See th ...

s remain in the cocoa. One study determined that 60% of natural cocoa's original antioxidants were destroyed by light dutching and 90% were destroyed by heavy dutching. Natural cocoa has such high levels of antioxidants that even a 60% reduction leaves it high on the list of antioxidant-rich foods.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dutch Process Chocolate Dutch chocolate Chocolate industry Dutch cuisine Dutch inventions Industrial history of the Netherlands Food powders