Innovative approaches in functional chocolate production

Chocolate; It is a foodstuff obtained by using cocoa products, sugars and/or sweeteners, milk or dairy products and additives and/or flavorings permitted in the Turkish Food Codex Regulation. Cocoa (Theobroma cocoa), the raw material of chocolate, positively affects heart health, due to the minerals, polyphenols, and high antioxidant activity. Functional foods are foods that do not contain synthetic components and have health and well-being promoting properties as well as nutritious effects. For a food to be functional, it must contain factors such as bioactive components, probiotic microorganisms and prebiotic substances. Today, consumers to be healthier to their nutrition and turn to products with reduced fat and calorie content. Since chocolate is a high-calorie food with its high fat and sucrose ratio, its consumption is at a low rate. To positively affect human health, functional chocolate is produced by using probiotic microorganisms, adding ingredients such as inulin, polydextrose, sweeteners, different fat substitutes to it, reducing the amount of sugar and fat, and increasing the antioxidant capacity. In this review, the developments in chocolate production from year to year, what is functional chocolate, studies on functional chocolate and the health aspect of chocolate composition are examined.