White chocolate is a confectionery derivative of chocolate. It most commonly consists of cocoa butter, sugar, milk solids, and is characterized by a pale yellow or ivory appearance. The melting point of cocoa butter, its primary cacao bean component, is high enough to keep white chocolate solid at room temperature, yet low enough to allow white chocolate to melt in the mouth.
Composition and regulations
Despite its moniker, white chocolate is, by definition, not chocolate as it does not contain cocoa solids, the primary nutritional constituent of chocolate liquor. During the manufacturing process, the dark-colored solids of the cacao bean are separated from its fatty content, but unlike conventional chocolates such as milk, semi-sweet, and dark chocolate, the cocoa solids are not later recombined. As a result, white chocolate does not contain the antioxidative properties or many characterizing ingredients of chocolate, such as thiamine, riboflavin, theobromine, phenylethylamine, and serotonin. Often times, the cocoa butter is deodorized to remove its strong and undesirable taste that would negatively affect the flavor of the finished product.Regulations also govern what may be marketed as "white chocolate": In the United States, since 2004, white chocolate must be (by weight) at least 20% cocoa butter, 14% total milk solids, and 3.5% milk fat, and no more than 55% sugar or other sweeteners. Before this date, U.S. firms required temporary marketing permits to sell white chocolate. The European Union has adopted the same standards, except that there is no limit on sugar or sweeteners.Although white chocolate is made the same way as milk chocolate and dark chocolate, it lacks cocoa paste, liquor or powder. Some preparations that may be confused with white chocolate (known as confectioner's coating, summer coating, or Almond bark) are made from inexpensive solid or hydrogenated vegetable and animal fats, and as such, are not at all derived from cocoa. These preparations may actually be white (in contrast to white chocolate's ivory shade) and will lack cocoa butter's flavor.
Psychoactive properties
Dark chocolate contains more theobromine than white chocolate because it contains the largest amount of cocoa solids.
White chocolate contains only trace amounts of caffeine that is present in cocoa solids.
White chocolate contains only trace amounts of caffeine that is present in cocoa solids.
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