ASSESSMENT OF ZINC BIOACCESSIBILITY IN CHOCOLATES FORMULATED WITH VEGETABLE PROTEINS

Traditionally, milk chocolate is formulated with cocoa liquor and butter, sugar, emulsifiers, flavourings and milk. However, with the growth of the plant-based market, the inclusion of vegetable ingredients in chocolates is gaining acceptance among vegans, vegetarians and people with allergies or intolerances to milk components. Traditional chocolates are already rich in energy, essential nutrients and bioactive compounds, making it important to investigate the zinc (Zn) content of these new products. Zn is an essential mineral for human metabolism that also acts as an antioxidant, protecting cells against oxidative damage induced by free radicals. Thus, the study aimed to assess the Zn bioaccessibility in chocolates formulated with concentrated pea (A) and fava bean (B) proteins and traditional milk chocolate (C) for comparison. Chocolates A and B have 44.5% cocoa solids and 15% vegetable proteins, while chocolate C was developed with 40% cocoa solids and 20% milk. For this, in vitro digestion assays were carried out using the INFOGEST 2.0 protocol, and the Zn in the samples and the bioaccessible fractions were quantified by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) after acid mineralization in an analytical microwave. The total Zn content (mg/100g) was 2.62, 2.29 and 1.87 for chocolates B, A and C, respectively, with significant statistical differences (p < 0.05) between all the samples. Chocolate B also showed the highest percentage of Zn bioaccessibility (49%), followed by chocolate A (47%) and chocolate C (10%). The data showed that chocolates formulated with vegetable proteins stood out with a higher content of total Zn and Zn bioaccessible compared to milk chocolate, highlighting the nutritional and bioactive potential of these innovative products.