# Evaluating the Quality of Raw Chocolate as an Alternative to Commercial Products
## 3 Results and Discussion
### Sensory Evaluation
The taste preferences of consumers are shaped by their being accustomed to products offered by commercial producers in the consumer market. [PERSON] et al. [58] analysed the sensory parameters of nine milk chocolate products that differed in their content of saccharose (400, 475, or 550 g/kg) and cocoa butter (280, 320 or 360 g/kg). The cited authors demonstrated that samples with a low content of sugar had a more bitter taste, while samples with a higher sugar content were characterised by a more intense milky/vanilla/caramel taste and a harder consistency, and they obtained higher ranks in the sensory evaluation. According to [PERSON] et al. [59], a high sugar addition results in higher consumer acceptance of chocolates. However, in recent years, efforts have been made to reduce the content of sugar in various food products, including chocolate. The excessive intake of free sugars increases the total consumption of energy and may reduce the consumption of foods richer in nutrients, which involves numerous unfavourable health effects [60]. The excessive intake of sugar is related to an increased risk of the development of non-contagious diseases, such as excessive body mass, cardiometabolic diseases, elevated blood pressure, certain kinds of cancer, and tooth decay [61]. On the basis of evidence linking sugar intake with unfavourable health effects, the WHO [62] recommended a limitation of free sugar intake to less than 10% (at best, below 5%) of the daily total consumption of energy, which corresponds to 50 g a day per average adult. Although a number of countries have implemented a set of strategies and means aimed at reducing sugar intake [63], the available data show that the objective has not yet been attained [61]. In view of the above, the raw chocolate presented in this report can be an alternative to commercial products that are characterised by a higher content of carbohydrates. In spite of the lower ranks in the sensory analysis, it is worth promoting such a product that complies with WHO recommendations concerning the reduction of sugar intake. Fat is another component that should be mentioned among the basic nutritional components of chocolate. The raw chocolate MAN had the highest content of fat (33.4%), while the commercial chocolate COM 50% was characterised by the lowest level of that component (28%). [PERSON] et al. [64] demonstrated that various levels of fat and sugar in chocolate resulted in very big differences in the sensory properties of milk chocolate. The cited authors demonstrated that samples with a high fat content were ranked lower than samples with a low content of fat. The raw chocolate MAN was obtained from non-roasted cocoa beans, as opposed to the commercial chocolates, which were produced from roasted cocoa beans. In addition, the composition of the raw chocolate was limited solely to three basic components: non-roasted cocoa beans, cane sugar, and cocoa butter. According to the producer's statement, the commercial chocolates contained additional components, such as emulsifiers (soy lecithin, polyglycerol polyricinoleate), flavour additives, and milk fat (in the case of the chocolate COM 50%). The raw chocolate had a higher content of total phenolic compounds and a higher total flavonoid content. As those components produce a more intense bitter taste, this resulted in reduced ranks in the evaluation of the trait \"taste\". [PERSON] et al. [65] demonstrated that phenolic compounds are the key inducers of bitterness and sourness, which potentially reduces the acceptance of such chocolates by consumers.