Chocolate production at Liege Chocolates in Campos do Jordão (SP) Disclosure Have you ever imagined working while eating chocolate? For many people, this is their dream job. But, in addition to tasting the delicacy, the profession requires technique to guarantee the quality of the product. g1 heard from professionals in the field, who say they don't get sick of the sweet, celebrated this Tuesday (7), on World Chocolate Day. At a chocolate factory in Caçapava (SP), tasters undergo aptitude tests and specific training. The role requires a keen sense of taste, good smell and visual perception. "It's not just about eating the chocolate. We evaluate it from the packaging, to see if it is well closed and correctly identified. Then we do a visual inspection of the color and appearance of the product. Tasting the chocolate is the last step", said Nathalia Costa, quality manager and responsible for tasting at the factory.
Chocolate every day and without getting sick of it: what the 'dream profession' is like for tasters in the interior of SP
Chocolate production at Liege Chocolates in Campos do Jordão (SP) Disclosure Have you ever imagined working while eating chocolate? For many people, this is their dream job. But, in addition to tasting the delicacy, the...
According to Nathalia, professionals learn to identify characteristics such as aroma, flavor of chocolate, milk, cocoa and bitterness. Quality control begins even before the chocolates are manufactured. "All batches of raw materials that arrive at the factory undergo tasting. Cocoa, sugar and milk are also evaluated before being released for production", he says. Chocolate production at Liege Chocolates in Campos do Jordão (SP) Disclosure Artisanal production In artisanal production, chocolate tasting is also part of the routine. Cezar Bithencurt, owner of a chocolate brand in Campos do Jordão, says he tries all the products. "We didn't know anything about chocolate. Then we went to study and even traveled to Switzerland to learn about the entire production process. Today, just by looking at chocolate, we can identify characteristics such as color and texture." In addition to the analysis carried out by owners and employees, new products also undergo blind testing. "We test it first, then pass it on to our employees and also do blind tests with other people. If someone makes an observation, we try to improve it before putting the product in the store", explains Cezar. According to him, aspects such as aroma, brightness and the so-called "snap", the characteristic crack produced when breaking a chocolate bar, are also evaluated. Chocolate production at the Nestle factory in Caçapava (SP) Disclosure Does chocolate get boring every day? They both guarantee that it is not. This is because tastings take place at specific times and in small quantities. "We have tasting sessions. There are right times and quantities to taste. It's not like people are tasting chocolate all the time. But it's clear that chocolate is a product that you can't get sick of," says Nathalia. Cezar agrees. "We don't eat in quantity, we try the chocolate. But at home, we take little chocolate. It's more when that craving hits at night. It's so good that you can't even get sick of it" *Intern under the supervision of Sarah Brito. See more news from Vale do Paraíba and the Bragantina region
