Vol. 9, Special Issue 12, Part S (2025)

Dark compound chocolate is widely consumed due to its desirable sensory attributes and enhanced processing robustness resulting from the partial or complete replacement of cocoa butter with vegetable fats. However, conventional chocolate products remain energy-dense and provide limited dietary fibre and high-quality plant protein. In this study, a functional dark compound chocolate enriched with sunflower (Helianthus annuus) and lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) seed powders was developed using a ratio-based formulation strategy, wherein the total seed solids were held constant to isolate the effect of ingredient balance. Sunflower and lotus seeds were roasted (120-130 °C, 8-10 min), milled, and sieved (100 µm) prior to incorporation into molten dark compound chocolate. Three formulations (T₁, T₂ and T₃) were prepared by varying the sunflower-to-lotus seed ratio while maintaining a fixed total seed addition of 24 g per 100 g product and a constant chocolate base of 76 g. Sensory evaluation was conducted using a 9-point hedonic scale (n = 45 panellists, three sessions). Proximate and micronutrient composition of the optimised formulation was analysed in triplicate, along with microbiological quality and production cost estimation. Among the formulations, T₂ (12 g sunflower: 12 g lotus per 100 g) achieved significantly higher scores (p<0.05) for appearance, aroma, taste, texture, and overall acceptability. The optimised chocolate exhibited enhanced nutritional value (per 100 g): moisture 3.31%, protein 5.97 g, carbohydrates 65.00 g (sugars 21.19 g), fat 25.17 g, dietary fibre 3.96 g, potassium 385.45 mg, calcium 90.25 mg, and vitamin E 3.70 mg. Microbiological analysis confirmed acceptable hygienic quality (TPC 780 cfu/g; yeast and mould not detected). The estimated production cost was ₹ 32.22 per 100 g, dominated by raw material costs. Overall, maintaining constant total seed solids demonstrated that optimisation of ingredient ratio, rather than increased enrichment level, is critical for improving nutritional quality while preserving sensory acceptability and processing feasibility in seed-enriched dark compound chocolate systems.