Home / Cocoa Products / Alkalized Cocoa Powder
Alkalized cocoa powder supplier
Alkalized cocoa powder, also called Dutch-process cocoa, is cocoa powder treated with an alkali to neutralise its natural acidity, which darkens the colour, mellows the flavour and helps it dissolve. Radad International supplies it in light and dark brown, with 10 to 12% fat, to bakers, beverage makers, ice cream producers and food manufacturers in the UAE and worldwide.
Alkalized cocoa powder
pH across shades
Fat content (10/12)
Moisture content
Shelf life
Overview
Alkalized cocoa powder, also called Dutch-process or Dutched cocoa, is cocoa powder treated with an alkali, commonly potassium carbonate, to neutralise its natural acidity. The treatment raises the pH to around neutral, darkens the colour, mellows the flavour and helps the powder disperse in liquids. Radad alkalized cocoa powder contains 10 to 12% cocoa butter (the 10/12 grade), no more than 5.0% moisture and no more than 12% ash on fat-free dry matter, with a pH of 6.7 to 7.2 in a 10% solution and a fineness of at least 98.0% through a wet sieve.
The rest of the powder is non-fat cocoa solids, which carry the colour and chocolate flavour and are a source of protein, dietary fibre and minerals such as magnesium, iron and potassium, together with the natural cocoa stimulants theobromine and caffeine. It is unsweetened, with no added sugar. Alkalization lowers the level of cocoa flavanols, so natural cocoa powder keeps more of them. Like all cocoa powder, it is made from roasted cocoa beans that are ground into cocoa liquor and pressed to remove most of the cocoa butter.
Alkalized cocoa powder at a glance
Also called
Dutch-process cocoa, Dutched cocoa
Made from
Roasted cocoa beans, ground, pressed and treated with an alkali
Cocoa butter
10 to 12% (10/12 grade)
Moisture
Maximum 5.0%
pH
6.7 to 7.2 in a 10% solution; up to 8.5 for darker shades
Colour and flavour
Light to dark brown, smooth and mellow
Solubility
High, disperses easily in hot and cold liquids
Leavening partner
Baking powder
Shelf life
24 months
Radad International supplies light brown and dark brown alkalized cocoa powder, retail and wholesale, to bakeries, beverage makers, ice cream producers, confectioners, importers and distributors in the UAE and around the world. If you are looking for a bulk alkalized cocoa powder supplier in Dubai, or an exporter who can serve your own market, send us your requirements and we will quote.
Alkalized cocoa does not supply the acid that baking soda needs to rise, so it is normally paired with baking powder.
Colour variants
The colour of alkalized cocoa depends on how far the alkalization is taken. Choose the shade that matches the finished colour and taste of your product, and tell us which one you need when you request a quote.
Lighter alkalization
A lighter level of alkalization gives a warm, light brown tone and keeps more of the natural cocoa character, while still delivering the smoothness and high solubility of Dutch-process cocoa. It suits products where you want a clear chocolate colour without a very dark result.
Suited to: marble and sponge cakes, milk-style chocolate drinks, ice cream bases, creams, fillings and biscuits.
Deeper alkalization
A deeper level of alkalization produces a rich, dark brown powder with a smoother, milder flavour and strong colouring power. It suits products where a deep chocolate colour is part of the appeal.
Suited to: chocolate cakes, brownies, cookies, hot chocolate, glazes, sauces and desserts.
Natural vs alkalized
Natural cocoa powder is acidic, with a sharper, fruitier flavour and a lighter reddish-brown colour. Alkalized cocoa powder has been neutralised, so it has a higher pH, a darker colour, a smoother flavour and dissolves more easily in liquids. Both start as roasted cocoa beans that are pressed and ground.
Feature
Natural cocoa powder
Radad alkalized cocoa powder
Processing
Roasted, pressed and ground with no alkali treatment
Treated with an alkali to neutralise the natural acidity of the cocoa
pH
Acidic, 5.4 to 6.6
6.7 to 8.5 across our shades
Colour
Lighter, reddish brown
Light brown to dark brown, depending on the level of alkalization
Flavour
Sharper, fruitier, more acidic and more bitter
Smoother, mellower, rounded chocolate flavour
Solubility
Lower, tends to settle in liquids
High, disperses easily in hot and cold liquids
Leavening
Reacts with baking soda to help cakes rise
Does not supply acid, so it is usually used with baking powder
Flavanols
Generally higher
Generally lower, as alkali treatment reduces flavanols
Best suited to
Recipes built around baking soda and a bold, tangy cocoa taste
Drinks, ice cream, coatings, fillings and bakes that need deep colour and a smooth taste
You want a sharper, fruitier cocoa taste, or your recipe relies on baking soda for its rise.
You want a deeper colour, a smooth and mellow flavour, easy dissolving in drinks, or a recipe that uses baking powder. It is the usual choice for hot chocolate, ice cream, chocolate coatings and dark cakes.
Swapping one for the other changes both flavour and rise, so test a small batch first and adjust the leavening if needed. For more on the non-alkalized option, read our guide to natural cocoa powder.
Production
Alkalized cocoa powder is made from roasted cocoa beans that are ground and pressed to remove part of the cocoa butter, then treated with an alkali, commonly potassium carbonate, before drying and pulverising. The stronger the treatment, the darker the powder.
Fermented, dried beans are roasted, then cracked and winnowed to remove the shell.
The nibs are ground to cocoa liquor and pressed to remove part of the cocoa butter, leaving a cocoa cake.
The cocoa is treated with an alkali to neutralise its acidity. The step can be applied to the nibs, the liquor or the pressed cake.
The cocoa is dried and milled to a fine, free-flowing powder with a particle size below 75 microns.
The method takes its name from the Netherlands. Dutch chemist Coenraad van Houten patented his cocoa-alkalizing process in 1828, which is why the product is called Dutch-process or Dutched cocoa.
Specification sheet
Alkalized cocoa powder made in Nigeria by roasting, grinding, pressing, kibbling and pulverizing. Choose a tab to see each group of limits, or download the full sheet.
pH, 10% solution (IOCCC 15)
Total fat (IOCCC 37)
Moisture (IOCCC 1)
Fineness passing, wet sieve (IOCCC 11)
Product
Alkalized (Dutch-process) cocoa powder
Process
Roasting, grinding, pressing, kibbling, pulverizing
Country of origin
Africa, Nigeria
HS code
1805.00 (cocoa powder, not containing added sugar)
Manufacturer
Radad International Company Limited
Shades available
Light brown and dark brown
Supply
Retail and bulk quantities, FOB and CIF
Appearance
Free flowing, without lumps and foreign matter
Colour
Different shades of reddish brown
Taste
No off flavour
Odour
No off odour
Total fat
10 to 12% (IOCCC 37, 1990)
Moisture content
Maximum 5.0% (IOCCC 1, 1990)
pH
6.7 to 7.2, in a maximum 10% solution (IOCCC 15, 1972)
Ash content
Maximum 12%, on fat-free dry matter (IOCCC 16, 1973)
Fineness
Minimum 98.0% passing, wet sieve (IOCCC 11, 1970)
Shell content
Maximum 1.75%, on alkali-free nibs (AOAC 970.23)
Total plate count
Maximum 10,000 CFU/g (IOCCC 39, 1990 no. 2)
Moulds and yeast count
Maximum 100 CFU/g (IOCCC 39, 1990 no. 7)
Coliforms
Negative per g (IOCCC 39, 1990 no. 5)
Escherichia coli
Negative per g (IOCCC 39, 1990 no. 4)
Salmonella
Negative per 50 g (IOCCC 39, 1990 no. 8)
Shelf life
24 months, stored in a cool, odourless area
Relative humidity
Maximum 65%, in a ventilated storage area
Storage temperature
22 to 25 °C
Transport temperature
Maximum 26 °C
Retail packaging
1 kg packs
Bulk packaging
25 kg sacks
Allergens
None of the listed allergens is present by nature, added, or at risk of cross-contact
Covered
Celery; cereals containing gluten (barley, rye, oat, wheat); crustaceans; eggs; fish; lupin; milk and lactose; molluscs; mustard; peanuts; sesame; soybean; tree nuts (almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia, pecans, pistachio, walnuts); sulphur dioxide and sulphites
GMO
No genetically modified organisms or transgenic raw cocoa beans are used
Applications
Alkalized cocoa powder is used in baking, hot chocolate and cold drinks, ice cream, confectionery coatings, fillings and dry mixes, wherever a deep colour, a smooth flavour and easy dispersion are needed.
Cakes, brownies, cookies and pastry fillings gain a deeper colour and a mellow taste. Pair it with baking powder.
Creams, truffle centres, glazes and coatings where a uniform colour and a fine texture matter.
Dissolves readily in hot milk and water for rich, smooth drinking chocolate.
Mousses, tarts, cookies and layered desserts that depend on a deep, even chocolate colour.
Disperses well in cold liquids for milkshakes, smoothies, iced mochas and chilled chocolate drinks.
Gives ice cream, gelato and frozen yoghurt a clear chocolate colour and a smooth finish.
Chocolate milk, puddings, mousses and yoghurts with an even colour and a mellow taste.
Chocolate spreads, sandwich-biscuit creams and bakery fillings with a fine, smooth texture.
Dissolves easily into chocolate sauces, syrups and dessert toppings.
Chocolate cereals, granola, snack bars and coated snacks, plus cake, brownie, pancake and instant beverage mixes.
Retail and wholesale supply
Send Radad your preferred shade, pack size, quantity and destination. We reply with a quote, and once you confirm, we arrange supply on FOB or CIF terms to importers, distributors, bakeries, beverage producers and food manufacturers in the UAE and worldwide.
Retail packs
Wholesale sacks
Shades
Shipping terms
For shops, cafes, bakeries and resellers, and for trial orders before you scale up.
Built for factories, large bakeries, distributors and importers who buy in volume.
Send your enquiryTell us the shade, pack size, quantity and delivery destination.
Receive your quoteThe Radad team replies with a quote for your order.
Confirm and arrange supplyAgree the details with us and we take it from there.
FAQs
Select a question to read the answer.
About alkalized cocoa
Alkalized cocoa powder, also known as Dutch-process cocoa, is cocoa powder treated with an alkali to reduce its natural acidity. This darkens the colour, softens the flavour and improves solubility. Radad alkalized cocoa powder has 10 to 12% fat and a pH of 6.7 to 8.5 across its shades.
Yes. Alkalized cocoa powder, Dutch-process cocoa and Dutched cocoa are different names for the same product: cocoa powder that has been treated with an alkali to neutralise its natural acidity.
Natural cocoa powder is acidic, with a sharper, fruitier flavour and a lighter colour. Alkalized cocoa powder has a higher pH, a smoother and mellower flavour, a darker colour and dissolves more easily in liquids. It is usually used with baking powder, whereas natural cocoa reacts with baking soda.
It is the cocoa butter left in the powder after pressing. Cocoa powder with 10 to 12% fat is classed as low-fat or reduced-fat, while ordinary cocoa powder has about 20 to 22%. Radad alkalized cocoa powder has 10 to 12% fat, the grade often called 10/12.
Yes, with a small adjustment. Natural cocoa supplies the acid that baking soda needs to work, while alkalized cocoa does not. If a recipe relies on baking soda alone, use baking powder instead or add an acidic ingredient, and test a small batch first.
Shades, specifications and quality
We supply light brown and dark brown alkalized cocoa powder. The shade depends on the level of alkalization: a lighter level gives a light brown powder, and a deeper level gives a dark brown powder with a milder flavour. Tell us the shade you need when you request a quote.
Radad alkalized cocoa powder has 10 to 12% total fat, a maximum of 5.0% moisture, a pH of 6.7 to 7.2 in a 10% solution, a maximum of 12% ash on fat-free dry matter, at least 98.0% passing a wet sieve and a maximum of 1.75% shell. It has a 24-month shelf life.
Radad alkalized cocoa powder has a shelf life of 24 months. Store it in a cool, odourless and well-ventilated area, with relative humidity at or below 65% and a storage temperature of 22 to 25 °C.
No genetically modified or transgenic raw cocoa beans are used in production. Microbiological limits are a total plate count of no more than 10,000 CFU/g and moulds and yeast of no more than 100 CFU/g, with coliforms, Escherichia coli and Salmonella (per 50 g) negative.
Buying and shipping
Yes, we supply both. Retail customers buy 1 kg packs, and wholesale and bulk customers buy 25 kg sacks.
Yes. Alkalized cocoa powder is available in our online shop in 1, 5, 10 and 25 kg packs. For larger volumes, request a quote.
Yes. Radad International supplies buyers in Dubai, the wider UAE and around the world. Tell us your destination, shade and quantity, and we will reply with a quote.
We supply on FOB and CIF terms. Tell us your destination when you request a quote and we will price accordingly.
Use the Request a Quote button on this page, or message us on WhatsApp at +971 522 501 039. Tell us the shade, pack size, quantity and destination, and we will reply with a quote.
More from Radad
Alkalized cocoa powder pairs with the rest of the Radad range.
Key specifications
pH
5.4 to 6.6
Fat
10 to 12%
Moisture
Max 5.0%
Shelf life
24 months
Key specifications
Fat on dry matter
52 to 56%
Moisture
Max 1.5%
Fineness (75 µ)
Min 99.6%
Packing
25 kg cartons
Key specifications
Moisture
Max 7.5%
Well-fermented
At least 80%
Bean count
70 to 100 per 100 g
Packing
62.5 kg jute bags
Key specifications
Fat
50 to 57%
Moisture
Max 3.5%
Shell
Max 1.75%
Shelf life
24 months
Key specifications
Type
Natural, undeodorized
Colour
Ivory to pale yellow
Free fatty acids
Below 1.75%
Shelf life
24 months
Key specifications
Grade
Type 1
Free fatty acids
Max 1.0%
Moisture
Max 0.05%
Melting point
32 to 40 °C