Beyond cocoa butter: How partial substitution with cocoa butter extenders reshapes temporal dominance of sensations and aroma release in chocolate.

The partial substitution of cocoa butter (CB) with cocoa butter alternatives (CBAs), including cocoa butter extenders (CBExs), is increasingly considered to mitigate supply constraints and rising production costs in the chocolate industry. While CBEx incorporation is known to affect rheological and static sensory properties, its impact on the temporal dynamics of sensory perception during consumption remains poorly understood. This study investigated the combined effects of CB partial substitution with palm oil (PO) and shea butter (SB), and oral processing behaviour, on aroma release behaviour and dynamic sensory perception. Chocolate samples were characterised by their thermal behaviour, rheological properties, and particle size distribution, while the aroma release was monitored in vitro using dynamic headspace-GC-MS. Temporal sensory perception was assessed using the temporal dominance of sensations (TDS) method under mastication and passive melting conditions. While no significant differences in melting parameters were detected under the present experimental conditions, CB partial substitution modified the rheological behaviour and release profiles of several aroma compounds. SB-containing chocolate exhibited a slower release of key volatiles, including 3-methylbutanal. TDS revealed that the formulation had a selective effect, which was strongly modulated by oral processing. SB was associated with sandiness and delayed cocoa dominance under melting conditions. Using TDS Markov graphs improved the interpretation of the temporal chronology of dominant sensations. Overall, fat composition and tasting protocol jointly influenced the temporal trajectory of texture and flavour perception, with implications for the development of economically viable chocolate formulations while preserving sensory quality.