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Three basic types of chocolate (dark, milk and white) can be produced from cocoa beans, which differ in the ratio of basic ingredients. In order to improve the technological and nutri-tional properties, certain emulsifiers, fibers and natural substitutes for sugar are also used in production. The variability of nutrition declarations of dark chocolates on the Croatian market was investigated based on 69 products recorded in five shopping centers and through three commercial websites from January to March 2021. Online survey of students habits, attitudes and knowledge about chocolate and chocolate products was conducted using Google forms in May 2021, in which 328 students participated. It was found that dark chocolates on the Croa-tian market most frequently contain 70 to 75 % of cocoa parts, while students perceptions of this range is around 30 % to 50 % of cocoa parts. Dark chocolates with a higher proportion of cocoa parts generally have a higher fat content, higher energy value, more favorable Nutri-Score values, lower carbohydrate content and generally contain less fat different from cocoa butter and emulsifiers. The group of dark chocolates does not have a statistically significant different energy value compared to other types of chocolates, but it has a statistically signifi-cant lower sugar content. Frequent and occasional consumers generally have an accurate idea of these two characteristics of dark chocolates. The addition of emulsifiers, of which soy and sunflower lecithin predominate, was noted in 55 % of dark chocolates. Most frequent and occasional consumers recognize the function of lecithin. Fiber supplementation was recorded in 6 % of dark chocolates, most of the surveyed students almost never pay attention to it when buying, and in the list of ingredients they generally do not recognize what belongs to this group of nutrients. Natural sugar substitutes (maltitol, erythritol, coconut sugar and stevia glycosides) were recorded in 23 % of dark chocolates, students interest in this information when buying was relatively small, and most of them did not know that maltitol and erythritol are natural sweeteners. Students from the "bio" and natural science professions, regardless of the frequency of consumption of dark chocolates, more often understand the function and affiliation of a particular ingredient to a particular group of nutrients than students of other professions. That dark chocolates are generally more beneficial to health than other types of chocolate is considered by most frequent and occasional consumers, and very rare consumers are statistically significantly less convinced of this. |
