DEFINITION
Last update: 03/06/2026
The category of Chocolate, Cocoa, and Derived Products comprises high-fat, low-moisture matrices. Within the scope of the WHO, FAO/Codex Alimentarius, EU, and US FDA frameworks, these products are defined as follows:
- Chocolate: A homogeneous product obtained from cocoa materials and sugars, with or without the addition of milk products and other ingredients (fats other than cocoa butter are strictly regulated, e.g., max 5% in the EU) [1], [2].
- Cocoa Products: Derived from the seeds of the Theobroma cacao tree, including cocoa nibs, cocoa liquor (mass), cocoa butter, and cocoa powder [1], [2].
Cocoa products are defined as items made exclusively from cocoa beans, such as cocoa paste (or liquor), cocoa butter, unsweetened cocoa powder, cocoa cake, and cocoa nibs. According to Directive 2000/36/EC [1], specific cocoa products include:
| Product | Definition/ Description | Minimum Composition Requirements | Source |
| Cocoa Butter (EU) | Fat obtained from cocoa beans or parts of cocoa beans, meeting specific quality standards. | The EU allows up to 5% of specific vegetable fats (Cocoa Butter Equivalents or CBEs, such as shea, palm, or sal) to be added to chocolate without losing the “Chocolate” name. However, it must be labeled: “contains vegetable fats in addition to cocoa butter.” | Directive 2000/36/EC [1] |
| Cocoa Butter (US) | Fat obtained from cocoa beans or parts of cocoa beans, meeting specific quality standards. | In the US, only cacao fat (cocoa butter) is allowed in “Chocolate”. If any vegetable fat is added as a substitute, the product must be labeled as “milk / sweet chocolate and vegetable fat coating” | CFR 21 Part 163B [60] |
| Cocoa Powder (EU) | Powder made from cocoa beans that have been cleaned, shelled, and roasted. | ≥ 20% cocoa butter(dry matter weight); ≤ 9% water | Directive 2000/36/EC [1] |
| Chocolate (EU) | Product made from cocoa products and sugars, produced via a suitable manufacturing process. May include milk products, sweeteners, and other additives. | ≥ 35% total dry cocoa solids, including: ≥ 18% cocoa butter ≥ 14% dry non-fat cocoa solids | [1], [2] |
| Sweet Chocolate (US) | Chocolate prepared by intimately mixing and grinding chocolate liquor with one or more optional nutritive carbohydrate sweeteners, and may contain one or more of other approved ingredients | Sweet chocolate ≥ 15% bw of chocolate liquor Semisweet chocolate or bittersweet chocolate ≥ 35% bw of chocolate liquor Finished Sweet chocolate contains less than 12% bw of total milk solids | CFR 21 Part 163B [60] |
| Milk Chocolate (EU) | Chocolate made from cocoa products, sugars, and milk or milk-derived ingredients. | ≥ 25% total dry cocoa solids ≥ 14% dry milk solids ≥ 2.5% dry non-fat cocoa solids ≥ 3.5% milk fat ≥ 25% total fat (cocoa butter + milk fat) | Directive 2000/36/EC [1] |
| Milk Chocolate (US) | Chocolate prepared by intimately mixing and grinding chocolate liquor with one or more of the optional dairy ingredients and one or more optional nutritive carbohydrate sweeteners, and may contain one or more of other approved ingredients | Milk chocolate ≥ 10% bw of chocolate liquor | CFR 21 Part 163B [60] |
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