Developing a healthier chocolate spread: Using persimmons to reduce sugar content

This article presents research results about the obtention of an extract from persimmon fruit and its application in a chocolate spread recipe. The physicochemical properties of persimmon fruit were determined, and a technology for obtaining sweet-tasting aqueous extracts was developed. The study established the effectiveness of a three-stage extraction process and determined the optimal conditions for each stage. Chocolate spread recipes were developed using concentrated aqueous extract and spread obtained from persimmon fruit, resulting in a reduction of sugar content from 32.2% to 15.2% (a two-fold decrease). The article presents and explains the physicochemical, organoleptic, and microbiological parameters of the resulting chocolate spread.