The study included determination and multivariate analysis of seven essential elements in dark chocolate, raw cocoa, and masses with difference in their levels resulting from the various steps of the chocolate manufacturing process obtained from three different producers. Depending on the origin of the chocolate, elemental content falls within the ranges 18.3–472 (Na), 36.5–339 (Fe), 18.5–31.9 (Zn) mg/kg and 5.66–9.37 (K), 1.54–2.23 (Mg), 0.604–0.761 (Ca), 1.85–3.08 (P) g/kg. The principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA) allowed observation of the differences between mineral profiles of the material samples collected from production lines of two manufacturers. However, it did not give satisfactory differential results in the case of samples from the third producer. Data showed that dark chocolate can be an important dietary source of Fe, and a good supplement of Mg, P, and Zn, but irrelevant in dietary intake of Na, K, and Ca.

该研究包括对黑巧克力，可可豆和黑巧克力中7种基本元素的测定和多变量分析，其含量水平的差异是由三个不同生产商获得的巧克力制造过程的各个步骤所致。根据巧克力的来源，元素含量在18.3–472（Na），36.5–339（Fe），18.5–31.9（Zn）mg / kg和5.66–9.37（K），1.54–2.23（Mg）范围内），0.604–0.761（Ca），1.85–3.08（P）g / kg。主成分分析（PCA）和聚类分析（CA）允许观察从两个制造商的生产线收集的材料样品的矿物剖面之间的差异。但是，对于来自第三生产商的样品，它没有给出令人满意的差异结果。