The production of clusters in milk chocolate

Abstract Cluster production during conching of milk chocolate leads to defects in chocolate quality. Various conditions of conching, using two types of milk chocolate were examined. Temperature and relative humidity were the parameters that were controlled. The contents of moisture, fat, sucrose and lactose and also cluster development in milk chocolate during conching were evaluated. Representative samples in the conching tests were subjected to particle size analysis (using laser diffraction and sieve methods), X-ray diffraction analysis, polarizing microscopy and sensory evaluation.