THE ANTIOXIDATIVE POTENTIAL AND OXIDATION STABILITY OF DARK, MILK AND RUBY CHOCOLATE

This study compares the antioxidant potential of dark, milk, and ruby chocolates from the same manufacturer. Milk and ruby chocolates contain 36% of total fat, while dark chocolate has 39%. Totoal cocoa part content varies: 33% in milk, 47% in ruby, and 70% in dark chocolate. Dark chocolate exhibited the highest polyphenol content, while ruby chocolate contained the most theobromine. Antioxidant potential, measured by DPPH radical scavenging activity (IC50), was highest in dark chocolate, followed by ruby, and lowest in milk chocolate. The superior antioxidant potential of ruby chocolate over milk chocolate is attributed to its higher theobromine content, which results from the shorter fermentation of cocoa beans compared to other chocolate types.