Should the water activity of chocolate be tested during production?

Hi All,

I am an experienced Technical Manager and HACCP Team Leader but I have recently taken up a new role in a category in which i have no experience - chocolate.  The HACCP study was completed by a consultant and I am trying to review it.

The current HACCP terms of reference talks a lot around the low aW giving assurance against growth of pathogens but this is not then considered later on in the HACCP study.  In my own eyes water activity (or rather protection from the growth of pathogens) most certainly should be considered, especially in the case of truffles where the aW of the ganache tends to be higher.

Anyone with chocolate experience able to tell me whether a chocolate producer would typically have aW testing as part of the process and therefore sitting as a prerequisite or CCP within the HACCP study?  

I'm not familiar with chocolate, but CFIA has a generic dark chocolate HACCP model that may assist. 

It states the following

http://www.inspectio...18?chap=0#s13c2

"Chocolate, because of its low water activity, prevents the growth of microbial hazards and prevents microbial spoilage problems. However, there is potential for Salmonella contamination from added ingredients such as cocoa, coconut, milk powder, and egg albumen, all of which may contain Salmonella. "

This link may also help

http://www.mondelezi...ty_controls.pdf

https://www.icco.org...es - edited.pdf

From my quick reading and the link between salmonella and chocolate, it would appear that the aw should be tested regularly as it would appear to be your last line of defense

Low water activity between X and Y

Hi,

water activity is due to my experience not the method of choice to control risk of salmonella. Of cource low water content (-> Karl-Fischer) is important.

In chocolate water is dispersed as droplets (-> where micros may be located and still living) which is not homogeneuously distributed (-> sampling).

Salmonella risk is dependend on the overall process. In low water no growth is possible, but the target is "salmonella free"

We have included magnetic valve sampling (60 x 25g (or higher) per single delivery, where 30 samples (or higher) are for salmonella testing and the other as retained sample). (+ 200-500 ml for other parameters)

Our result: salmonella n.d. in 25 g (n=30 or 60  and c=0)

(i.e. result based on 750g (30 x 25g) or in some case on 1500 g (60 x 25) i.e. "micro testing in buckets"

Rgds

moskito