T.C.
GIDA, TARIM ve HAYVANCILIK BAKANLIĞI
Gıda ve Kontrol Genel Müdürlüğü
Communiqué on Chocolate and Chocolate Products
Authorization Law: Turkish Food Codex
The Official Gazette: 17.07.2003 - 25171
Communication No : 2003/23
Objective
Article 1- The objective of this Communiqué is to determine the specifications of chocolate and chocolate products in order to provide their production, preparation, processing, storage, transportation and marketing in complince with technique and hygienically.
Scope
Article 2- This Communiqué covers chocolate and chocolate products.
Legal Basis
Article 3- This Communiqué has been prepared in accordance with the “Turkish Food Codex Regulation” published in the Official Gazette dated 16.11.1997 and reiterated no. 23172.
Definitions
Article 4- In this Communiqué:
Powdered chocolate; means the product derived by mixing cocoa powder with sugar containing at least 32% of cocoa powder in terms of mass of the dry matter.
Drinking chocolate; means a mixture of cocoa powder and sugar containing at least 25 % of cocoa powder which in turn includes a minimum of 20 % of cocoa butter in dry matter.
Fat reduced drinking chocolate: means a mixture of cocoa powder and sugar containing at least 25 % of cocoa powder which in turn includes a maximum of 20 % of cocoa butter in dry matter.
Chocolate; means the product prepared in compliance with tecnique by adding cocoa products and sugar and/or sweeteners; if necessary; by other food ingredients excluding animal fats other than milk fat, milk and/or dairy products and additives and/or flavourings permitted by Turkish Food Codex Regulation.
a) Bitter Chocolate: means chocolate containing at least 35% of total dry cocoa solids provided that there will be at least 18% of cocoa butter and at least 14% of dry non-fat cocoasolids.
- Granules or flake bitter chocolate: means chocolate containing at least 32% of total dry cocoa solids provided that there will be at least 12% of cocoa butter and at least 14% of dry non-fat cocoa solids.
- Couverture bitter chocolate: means chocolate containing at least 35% of total dry cocoa solids provided that there will be at least 31% of cocoa butter and at least 2,5 % of total dry cocoa solids in its composition.
- Bitter chocolate with hazelnut paste (mashed hazelnut): means chocolate obtained by adding, finely ground hazelnut or hazelnut pasta with 20 – 40 % fining range to chocolate containing at least 32% of total dry cocoa solids provided that there will be at least 8% dry non-fat cocoa solids in its composition.
b) Milk chocolate: means chocolate containing at least 25% of total dry cocoa solids provided that there will be at least 2,5% of dry non-fat cocoa solids in its composition, and further obtained from at least 14% of dry milk solids and at least 3,5% of milk fat. Total cocoa butter and milk fat content of which is at least 25 %.
- Granules or flakes milk chocolate: means chocolate containing at least 20% of total dry cocoa solids and at least 12% of dry milk solids in its composition, total cocoa butter and milk fat content of which is at least 12 %.
- Couverture milk chocolate: means chocolate containing at least 25% of total dry cocoa solids provided that there will be at least 2,5% of dry non-fat cocoa solids in its composition. Total cocoa butter and milk fat content of which is at least 31 %.
- Milk chocolate with hazelnut paste: means chocolate obtained by adding, finely ground hazelnut or hazelnut paste with 15-40 % fining range to chocolate containing at least 10% of dry milk solid in its composition.
- Milk rich chocolate with abundant milk content: means chocolate containing at least 20% of total dry cocoa solids, at least 2,5% of dry non-fat cocoa solids, at least 20% of dry milk solids and at least 5% of milk fat in its composition and total coca butter and milk fat content of which is at least 25 %.
- Cream chocolate (chocolate with cream): means milk chocolate containing at least 5,5% of milk fat in its composition.
- Non-fat milk chocolate: means chocolate containing at most 1% milk fat in its composition.
c) White chocolate: means chocolate containing at least 20% of cocoa butter and at least 14% of dry milk solids in its composition and at least 35% of which is comprised of milk fat.
d) Filled chocolate: means filled chocolate made up of bitter chocolate, milk chocolate, milk-rich chocolate or white chocolate, the outer part of which contains at least 25 % total weight of product.
e) Praline: means chocolate in size of a morsel, at least 25% of total weight of product is comprised. Combination, mixture or any of bitter chocolate, milk chocolate, milk rich chocolate, white chocolate or filled chocolate.
Sugar: Sugar mentioned in this Communiqué shall comply with Communique of Sugar of Turkish Food Codex Regulation.
Dry milk solids: means the ingredients of milk, other than water, which are derived from whooly dehydrating whole milk, semi or full skimmed milk or milk powder, cream, wholly dehydrated cream, cream powder, butter or milk fat.
Dry cocoa solids: means the cocoa ingredients, other than shell and water, derived from cocoa beans.
Edible matter: means foodstuff that can directly be offered for human consumption.
Product Specifications
Article 5 – The specifications of the products covered by this Communiqué are given below:
a) Dry milk solids derived by evaporation may be added to the bitter chocolate with hazelnut paste in order to its content in the final product does not exceed 5%.
b) Almonds and all other nut varieties, either, either whole or broken, may be added to the milk chocolate with hazelnut paste and the bitter chocolate with hazelnut paste. The rate of hard-shelled nuts added containing finely ground hazelnut and hazelnut purée must not exceed 60 percent of the total weight of the product. The name of the added nuts added may be mentioned together with the product name.
c) Filled chocolate is named with the name of the filling stuffs and the type of the chocolate. Bakery products, cake, biscuits and edible ice can not be used as filling stuffs.
d) The list of the vegetable oils, other than cocoa butter, which may be added to the chocolate products, is given in Annex-1. These oils may be added to bitter, milk, milk-rich or white chocolates. Provided that the minimum amount of cocoa butter or dry cocoa solid does nt degrease, the added quantity of the vegetal oil shall not, after having determined the total weight of the other edible stuffs, exceed 5 % in the final product.
e) The vegetable oils which is permited to addition into chocalates are individually and in mixture equivalent to the cocoa butter and they must have the following specifications:
- These oils must be, rich in symmetrical mono unsaturated triglicerids like Palmitic acid-Oleic acid-Palmitic acid, Palmitic acid-Oleic acid-Stearic acid and Stearic acid-Oleic acid-Stearic acid that belong to non-lauric acid group.
- They should be capable of mixing with cocoa butter in any ratio and be compatible with cocoa butter with respect to physical specifications such as melting point, temperature of crystallization, melting rate, tempering phase requirement.
- They should be derived by refining and/or fractionation methods and enzymatic methods should be applied in production to modify their triglicerid structure.
f) Coconut oil may be used in chocolates that are used in the production of ice cream and similar frozen products.
g) It is forbidden to use animal fats which are not derived from milk and their mixtures.
h) With the flovouring purpose, edible stuffs may be added to the chocolates defined in this Communiqué. The quantity of the edible stuffs added cannot exceed 40 % of the total weight of the final product. Flour and starch (amylum) in the form of granules or powder cannot be added to the chocolates.
ı) The minimum contents of bitter chocolate, milk chocolate, milk-rich chocolate white chocolates are calculated after deduction the weights of the added edible stuffs allowed. The minimum contents in filled chocolates and in pralines are calculated after deduction the weight of the edible substances allowed and the weight of the filling.
i) Chocolate content in filled chocolate and pralines are calculated in terms of the weight of the final product inclusive of fillings.
j) The compositions of chocolates that are calculated in terms of % of dry matter are given in Annex – 2.
Additives
Article 6 – The additives that are permitted by 2nd section of the Turkish Food Codex Regulation, may be used in chocolates and chocolate products.
Flavor Substances
Article 7 – The flavors other than the ones imitating the flavor of chocolate and milk fat may be added to chocolate powder, drinkable (liquid) chocolate, bitter chocolate, milk chocolate, milk rich chocolate and white chocolates.
Contaminants
Article 8 – Chocolates and chocolate products must not be excessive of the limits specified in Section 4 of the Turkish Food Codex Regulation.
Hygiene
Article 9 - Chocolates and chocolate products must be prepared in compliance with the general rules provided in 7th section of the Turkish Food Codex Regulation.
Packaging and Labeling-Marking
Article 10 – Besides having package and labeling done pursuant to 9th section of the Turkish Food Codex Regulation, the following rules must also be complied with in package and labeling of chocolates and chocolate products.
a) For chocolate products that contain vegetable oils other than cocoa butter, this information must be indicated on the label. The explanation shall be phrased as “includes vegetable oil in addition to cocoa butter” printed in bold color and in size comparable to the sales name which can be seen easily on the same area with the ingrediet list, and noticed separately in the list. However, independent of this obligation, the product name may also take place somewhere else on the label.
b) In order to avoid product getting mixed up with other products, the sales name shall be used together with the product name given in the definitions.
c) Bitter chocolate, milk chocolate, milk rich chocolate, white chocolate, pralines may be sold together in varieties. In such case, the sales names may be changed to “chocolate sorts or varieties” or “various filled chocolates” or other similar names. Under these circumstances only one list of ingredients shall be indicated.
d) The total dry cocoa solids content in chocolate powder, drinkable (liquid) chocolate, bitter chocolate, milk chocolate and milk rich chocolate content which are defined in Article 4 shall be indicated on the label. The indication shall be phrased as “....% of dry cocoa”.
e) The quantity of cocoa butter in in fat-reduced drinking chocolates in Article 4 shall be indicated on its label.
f) Information and wordings regarding quality criteria may be added to the product names of bitter chocolate, milk chocolate and couverture chocolates which are defined in Article 4. In this case;
- Bitter chocolate shall contain cocoa butter not less than 26 % and total dry cocoa solids not less than 43 %.
- Milk chocolate shall contain dry cocoa solids not less than 30 % and at least 18 % of dry milk solids which has at least 4,5 % of milk fat derived from partially dehydrated milk or milk powder; partially skimmed milk or skimmed milk; cream or partially dehydrated cream or cream powder; butter or milk fat.
- Couverture chocolate shall contains dry non-fat cocoa solids not less than 16 %.
Transportation and Storage
Article 11 – Chocolates and chocolate products must be transported and stored in compliance with the general rules in 10th section of the Turkish Food Codex Regulation.
Methods of Sampling and Analysis
Article 12 – The rules in 11th section of the Turkish Food Codex Regulation regarding the sampling of chocolates and chocolate products on production line and in storehouse must be complied with. The samples must be analyzed in conformity with internationally accepted methods.
Registration and Inspection
Article 13 – The establishments producing and selling chocolates and chocolate products are pbliged to obey the provisions of this Communiqué during the process of registration and authorization, importation, control and inspection. The establishments which do not obey these provisions are subject to legal procedure according to Decree Law No. 560, dated 24.06.1995 on Production, Consumption and Inspection of Foodstuffs.
Inspection
Article 14 – The implementation of the provisions of this Communiqué shall be inspected by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs an the Ministry of Health, according to provisions of Decree Law No. 560
Repealed Legislation
Article 15 – “The Communiqué of Chocolate and Chocalate Products of Turkish Food Codex” published in the Official Gazette dated 03.09.2001 and no. 24512, is repealed by this Communiqué.
Provisional Article 1 – Presently active establishments producing and selling the products covered by this Communiqué are obliged to obey the provisions of this Communiqué within 1 year. The establishments that do not make the necessary modifications during this period are not allowed to continue their activities.These establishments are subject to legal procedure according to the provisions of the Decree Law No:560.
Enforcement
Article 16 – This Communiqué enters into force on the date of publication.
Execution
Article 17 – The provisions of this Communiqué are executed by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the Minister of Health
ANNEX 1
The plants from which oil is derived and the vegetable oils are listed below.
| General names of the solid vegetable oils | The scientific names of the plants from which vegetable oil is derived |
| Illipe, Borneo tallow or | . |
| Tengkawang | Shorea spp |
| Palm oil | Elais guineensis, Elais olifera |
| Sal | Shorea robusta |
| Shea | Butyrospermum parkii |
| Kokum gurgi | Garcinia indica |
| Mango kernel | Mangifera indica |
ANNEX 2
Compositions of Chocolates Calculated in terms of Dry Matter %
| Total dry Cocoa solids | Dry Non-fat Cocoa Solid | Cocoa butter | Total fat | Dry milk solid | Milk fat | Finely ground hazelnut or paste hazelnut | |
| Bitter chocolate | > 35 | > 14 | > 18 | ||||
| Granules or flakes bitter chocolate | > 32 | > 14 | > 12 | ||||
| Couverture bitter chocolate | > 35 | > 2,5 | > 31 | ||||
| Bitter chocolate with hazelnut paste | > 32 | > 8 | > 20 – 40< | ||||
| Milk chocolate | > 25 | > 2,5 | > 25 | > 14 | > 3,5 | ||
| Granules or flakes milk chocolate | > 20 | > 12 | > 12 | ||||
| Couverture milk chocolate | > 25 | > 2,5 | > 31 | ||||
| Milk chocolate with hazelnut paste | > 10 | > 15 -< 40 | |||||
| Milk-rich chocolate | > 20 | > 2,5 | > 25 | > 20 | > 5 | ||
| White chocolate | > 20 | > 14 | > 3,5 |