Text Box: 10:30 AM Text Box: SENSORY Text Box: Effects of ingredients and conching time on quality of milk chocolate Text Box: Michelle Prawira and Dr. Barringer Text Box: Key attributes in chocolate are smooth texture and good chocolate flavor. The factors that affect the quality of milk chocolate are lecithin, cocoa butter, non-fat milk powder, sugar, and conching time. The objective is to determine how these variables affect the texture and flavor of milk chocolate. Lecithin is added to reduce the viscosity of chocolate liquor for easier mixing during conching and decrease the formation of fat bloom, which is a main concern in chocolate manufacturing. Cocoa butter is costly and therefore lecithin is added to achieve the desired texture with less cocoa butter. Cocoa butter is added for smooth texture. Cocoa butter is solid at room temperature and melts quickly at mouth temperature which causes maximum release of chocolate flavor during consumption. Proper tempering is critical to induce crystallization of cocoa butter into stable form (V or β2) that gives the snap and gloss characteristic of chocolate, and slowing the formation of fat bloom. Non-fat milk powder is added for milky flavor in chocolate. Sugar is added for sweetness that is desired in chocolate. Conching is a process of mixing chocolate liquor with heat to allow moisture and volatile components to escape and achieve chocolate flavor properties, while covering solid particles with fat for mouth-feel properties of chocolate. Sensory evaluation of 40 panelists will be used to determine the relationship of the ingredient levels and conching time to chocolate preference