Developing Chemical Engineering Acumen through Optimization of the Chocolate Process

Abstract

The United States Military Academy’s Chemical Engineering Chocolate Club increases the interest in the sciences by combining chemical engineering knowledge with the production of a consumable product, chocolate. Cadets design the chocolate process by identifying the product (such as 70% dark chocolate), ingredients, and specific process details such as mixing standards and refinement time. They extend their design to include the use of rheology and a range of rheological models for quality control and assurance.