# Evaluating the Quality of Raw Chocolate as an Alternative to Commercial Products
## 1 Introduction  
Confectionery is a category of snacks that is among the most popular, both among adults and children. In 2014, 91% of Poles declared that they purchased confectionery, and for the majority of them, confections were an indispensable element of the diet. Among all the respondents, 40% declared consuming something sweet at least five times a week [1]. Chocolate is a product that is commonly consumed by all generations and age groups [2]. Data from the year 2020 confirms consumer interest in confectionery, with 21% of the respondents indicating that they choose products of the highest quality [3]. 33% of the consumers of confectionery choose chocolate products, with the dominant preferences being focused on milk chocolate (52%), followed by dark chocolate (33%), and white chocolate (13%). The volume of the Polish confectionery market is estimated at close to 3000 million EUR [3]. The consumption of confectionery in large amounts can be harmful, due to the presence of simple sugars, purified wheat flour, fat, unsaturated fatty acids, and trans isomers of fatty acids in their composition, which, in consequence, may lead to disturbances in the functioning of the organism and the development of diet-related diseases, such as diabetes, obesity, or disorders of the circulatory system [4]. Chocolate is rich in fats, proteins, carbohydrates, polyphenols, and other bioactive compounds [2]. Chocolate products with a high calorific value are increasingly being replaced by chocolate with a lower calorific value that retains taste quality and visual appeal. The trend in modern chocolate products is to eliminate unnecessary components with a negative effect on one's health, such as sugar, preservatives, synthetic flavours, and emulsifiers. This is inseparably related to the current demand for products of the types described as \"fit\" and \"eco\" and for products with the least possible degree of processing. This situation is due to the growing awareness of consumers as to the current fashion and trends driven by celebrities from the worlds of sports and social media [5]. Chocolate is a unique food product, as it is characterised by a solid consistency at room temperature, but it melts easily in the mouth [6]. These properties of chocolate are a result of the properties of cocoa butter, which is a solid at temperatures below 25 \({}^{\circ}\)C and holds the particles of sugar and cocoa mass together. At the temperature of the human body, cocoa butter, however, is almost completely liquid, thus allowing the movement of particles due to which chocolate becomes a smooth liquid. Chocolate also has a specific sweetness that is attractive to a majority of people, so it appears strange that the history of chocolate started from a liquid, greasy, and bitter liquor with no resemblance to the product as we know it as today [7]. Its flavour is undoubtedly the most important attribute of chocolate in terms of consumer perceptions. In this respect, the quality of the initial raw material used in chocolate production is of immense importance. The successive stages of chocolate production also have a significant effect on the quality of the end product [8]. The production process of classic chocolate comprises fermentation, drying, roasting, grinding of the cocoa seed, the mixing of all ingredients (cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, emulsifiers, flavours and, if required, milk components), caching, and tempering. The main chemical reactions take place during the fermentation, drying, cocoa seed roasting, and conching of the chocolate mass. These reactions are of the greatest importance for the final taste and flavour [2]. However, those stages also cause certain chemical modifications, which result in changes in the composition and biological properties of the cocoa seeds [9]. Cocoa tree seeds (beans) and chocolate itself contain over 200 substances that can improve health and well-being.