# Evaluating the Quality of Raw Chocolate as an Alternative to Commercial Products
## 1 Introduction
Not all of those substances, however, are contained in amounts sufficient to produce a health-promoting effect, e.g., acylethanolamines, phenylethylamine, and serotonin [10]. Other substances, in turn, may have low bioavailability in the human organism or may undergo rapid degradation [11]. Cocoa and chocolate operate like functional foods, as they contain a number of substances that have a beneficial effect on human health. Chocolate combines certain sensory features with aphrodisiac and antidepressant properties, which expands its effects beyond the cardiovascular system, metabolic diseases, neurological disorders, and psychological profiles [12]. Over the last 15 years, there has been an increase in interest in the potential health benefits of antioxidants and other compounds included in the phytochemical composition of dark chocolate and cocoa [13]. Over 200 studies concerning the bioactive components, chemical composition, and health benefits of cocoa trees and cocoa products have been reported [2]. Cocoa tree seeds (beans) have an extremely rich history of medicinal and ritual applications. It started with cocoa seeds being used initially by the Olmecs and then by the Mayas and the Aztecs [14]. Chocolate's history began with the Mayas, who were most likely the first people in South America to cultivate the cocoa tree. For the Mayas, chocolate was a cocoa drink prepared with hot water and often aromatised with cinnamon and pepper. It was called the food of the Gods, and it was served on the table of Emperor [PERSON] by the Aztecs [6; 12]. The term \"chocolate\" was coined by the early Olmecs, was adopted by the Mayas, and was later adopted by the Mexica (Aztecs) [15]. The word \"chocolate\" probably originates from the word \"Xococalit\" from the Aztec \"xocolatl\" denoting bitter water, and was a drink prepared by the Pre-Olmecs from cocoa seeds as far back as about 2000 BC [16]. According to EU Directive 2000/36/EC of the European Parliament, \"chocolate designates the product obtained from cocoa products and sugars that, subject to (b), contains not less than 35% total dry cocoa solids, including not less than 18% cocoa butter and not less than 14% of dry non-fat cocoa solids\" (excluding certain kinds of chocolate such as \"vermicelli\", \"giantuja\", or \"couverture\") [17]. The concept of raw chocolate is still not defined, but it assumes that raw chocolate retains the traits, parameters, and standards of chocolate, but at every stage of the production of such chocolate, the temperature cannot exceed 42 \({}^{\circ}\)C [18], the cocoa beans cannot be subjected to roasting, and the chocolate should be composed solely of three components: cocoa mass, cocoa butter, and sugar (of all kinds of chocolate, raw chocolate is the best for human health; therefore, in its production, alternative sugars are most frequently used, such as, e.g., coconut palm sugar, sugar from coconut palm flowers, xylitol, or stevia). There are concerns that not blasting them with heat of up to about 150 \({}^{\circ}\)C could mean an increase in bacteria such as salmonella. However, producers insist that, as no animal products are involved, there is no greater risk than when dealing with vegetables, such as carrots or lettuce [19]. In view of the present interest of consumers in products with the lowest degree of processing and that are characterised by a chemical composition rich in health-promoting components, we undertook a study aimed at the estimation of the quality of raw chocolate obtained with a simple craftsman method. The following research hypothesis was put forward: raw chocolate may constitute a more favourable alternative (in terms of chemical composition) to the highly processed commercial products. In order to prove the hypothesis, an analysis was conducted of the nutritional composition of the chocolate and the estimation of its content of health-promoting components, e.g., total phenolic content and total flavonoid content, as compared to classic commercial chocolates available in the consumer market.