# Characterization of Thermal Properties of Ruby Chocolate Using DSC, PDSC and TGA Methods
## 3 Results
### Thermogravimetric Characterization
With reference to the mass loss related to sugar and fat fractions, the RC showed a decomposition pattern that was the most similar to milk chocolate. When the milk, dark and goat milk chocolate decompositions were studied using TGA in the oxygen flow, many differences were found between the different types of chocolate [7,44]. A minimum of three mass-loss events, sharper than in the case of the nitrogen flow, were detected on the TGA/DTG curves for all the types of chocolate except goat milk chocolate, which was characterized by two thermal events ranging within 184.67 to 230.49 \({}^{\circ}\)C (sugars) and 243.73 to 313.42 \({}^{\circ}\)C (cocoa liquor). The decomposition of goat milk chocolate finished very rapidly, below 350 \({}^{\circ}\)C, and this suggests a smaller oxidative stability of the fat fraction. The most distinct peak on the DTG curve of milk chocolate, with a maximum range of 211-214 \({}^{\circ}\)C, was sugar melting and decomposition. On the other hand, \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c} \hline \hline
**Temperature Range (\({}^{\circ}\)C)** & **Mass Loss (\%)** & **Fat Component Being Decomposed** \\ \hline
191–408 & 80.74 \(\pm\) 1.65 & PUFA, MUFA and short chain SFA \\
408–454 & 6.31 \(\pm\) 1.20 & MUFA, SFA \\
454–575 & 11.61 \(\pm\) 0.64 & Long chain SFA \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular} Values represent means \(\pm\) standard deviations.  
\end{table} 
Table 5: Temperature ranges of major transitions and mass loss [%] of components in the fat extracted from RC, as recorded in oxygen flow (25 mL/min), based on TGA/DTG curve [42]. the most characteristic peak on the DTG curve of dark chocolate, representing cocoa liquor, reached a maximum within the range of 291-294 \({}^{\circ}\)C. The peaks characterizing fat and cocoa liquor in milk chocolate were either not present or were characterized by less intensity. Therefore, it is evident that the different processing stages required in the preparation of each type of chocolate and the different contributions of the basic ingredients affect significantly the thermal parameters of the final product. The RC DTG curve in the oxygen purging flow showed three thermal events. The first mass loss (24.68 \(\pm\) 0.58%) was observed within the range 173-240 \({}^{\circ}\)C and was related to the decomposition of small molecular mass polysaccharides, the most popular sugars added to chocolate. The second stage of decomposition, which ranged from 240-370 \({}^{\circ}\)C, was related the release of the cocoa butter (the first section of the peak with a maximum at 290 \({}^{\circ}\)C) and milk fat together with the fatty part of the cocoa liquor (the second section of the peak with a maximum at 330 \({}^{\circ}\)C). The mass loss in the second stage of decomposition was broad due to the milk fat and cocoa butter contribution (42.22 \(\pm\) 0.07% to the mass of the sample) which form a eutectic mixture in the production process. The transition within this temperature range is much sharper and narrow-ranged for dark chocolate. The third thermal event, equal to 13.33 \(\pm\) 1.57% of mass loss, took place within the temperature range 455-482 \({}^{\circ}\)C. It was characterized by a very sharp and distinct peak and was related to the decomposition of cocoa liquor fractions and sugars. This thermal characteristic was more in agreement with milk chocolate rather than with dark chocolate.