The new product, D11BK from the company’s premium cocoa brand deZaan, was recently unveiled at Food Ingredients Europe (FIE) 2017 in Germany.
Olam Cocoa said it provides “both intense cocoa flavor and very dark color.
“Dark cocoa powder is typically alkalized with sodium during processing, but D11BK uses potassium instead,” said Krista Evers, European head of product development and innovation at Olam Cocoa.
She noted excessive sodium intake can cause health concerns among consumers, with food manufacturers trying to lower the amount of salt in their products, especially in baked goods such as biscuits, cakes and muffins.
Compared to traditional black cocoa powder, which typically contains a sodium content of 2,500mg per 100g, D11BK only has 30mg. She added: "Potassium is a mineral that is often deficient in the human diet, so this is an extra benefit."
In terms of labeling, Evers said deZaan’s cocoa products “always live up to the expectations” of customers.
“If you are a biscuits producer, you may have other sources of sodium in the formula such as baking salt and salt… but switching to D11BK may result in as much as a third reduction of sodium content overall, depending on the producer’s final formulation,” she said.
Olam Cocoa currently manufactures products for biscuits and bakery customers in several locations around the world, including UK, Brazil, Ghana and Singapore. deZaan’s premium cocoa powders are produced in factories in the Netherlands, Germany and Singapore.