Chocolate modules – live online tutor-led training course (3 mornings)

Chocolate product trends are continuously evolving, influenced by changing consumer preferences, health consciousness, sustainability concerns, and innovation in flavours and formats.

In recent years, cocoa prices have experienced fluctuations, influenced by both increased production and rising demand. Long-term trends indicate increased investment in sustainable and ethical cocoa production practices.

These online half day modules are designed to provide an in-depth understanding of the key ingredients in chocolate, including cocoa butter alternatives; key processes that transform raw materials into a chocolate; chocolate in different product applications (such as drinks, bakery products, snacks, etc); key quality parameters, shelf-life specifics, and ensuring safe production practices; product design of vegetarian and vegan chocolate.

Who should attend this course?

Plant Managers, Line Workers, Engineering Teams, Quality Assurance/Control and NPD roles.

Each module will be delivered live online over the course of a morning (0930 - 1300 hours), participants will be sent log in details for a Microsoft Teams session.

When you add this course to your basket the price will be calculated as if you wish to attend all three modules. You will be asked to select which modules each delegate will attend when you check out, the prices will be adjusted accordingly.

Module 1 – Ingredient technology

Understanding the ingredients used in your product and the impact they have on product quality is often the key to achieve reduced costs, resolving quality issues and developing new and innovative products. This ingredient technology module will cover:

• Cocoa agriculture, chocolate history
• Chocolate varieties, taste profiles, regulatory framework
• Cocoa butter – chemical composition, process, issues, impact on products
• Alternatives to cocoa butter
• Cocoa powder
• Other ingredients: skimmed milk powder, whey protein, sugar, lecithin – their role in processing and product quality
• Vegetarian and vegan chocolate

Module 2 – Key processes and product quality parameters

Understanding and optimising your process is essential to prevent quality faults, reduce waste and ultimately reduce costs, this module will cover:

• Conching
• Bull mill (refining)
• Tempering and crystallisation
• Product quality parameters of chocolate- descriptors, sensory, analytical measurements
• Food safety aspects
• Quiz

Module 3 – Applications, shelf life and troubleshooting

Product quality faults are a common source of wastage and/or customer complaint when chocolate is used. Using a systematic approach to identify and effectively resolve faults can save time and offers an opportunity to build up in-house knowledge that can be utilised to respond to recurring issues. 

Whether your aim is to reduce costs, improve product quality, reduce wastage or increase consumer acceptance,  this module will cover: 

• Chocolate in baking
• Choco bakery (enrobing)
• Snacking bars (drizzling, inclusions)
• Shelf life
• Packaging
• Troubleshooting

Module 3 requires a good understand of raw materials and processes used for the production of chocolate. If you are new to the use of chocolate we recommend attending Modules 1 & 2 first.

Book now

When you add this course to your basket the price will be calculated as if you wish to attend all three modules. You will be asked to select which modules each delegate will attend when you check out, the prices will be adjusted accordingly.

Member / Non-member prices:
One module £410 / £535
Two modules £599 / £780
Three modules £799 / £999