Straightforward Chocolate-Flavor Essence, free of many or even any nuances in over & undertones, generated primarily from 2 volatile chemical groups — aldehydes & pyrazines — that are manufactured during the roast as a result of Maillard Reactions.
3 of the biggest contributors to high CQ (Chocolate Quotient or classic ‘chocolarity’ aroma/flavor) are aldehydes, namely: a) 2-methylpropanal; b) 3-methyl butanal; & c) 2-methyl butanal. Also contributing are dimethylpyrazines. Additionally, the Botanisches Institut in Germany isolated a seed-storage protein – 7S Vicilin – associated with baseline chocolate flavor. 7S’s oligopeptides & free amino acids are flavor precursors of cocoa-specific aroma, formed via proteolysis during fermentation.
