Cocoa Saturation
Of course, before you start measuring the color of your chocolate chips, you need to know what kind of chocolate you're measuring. For example, dark chocolate bars typically have at least 70% cocoa, while white chocolate bars have little to no cocoa. Plus, there are a few types of cocoa, and each one can bring about different hues of brown and red that affect the overall color.
When you measure the color of your chocolate chips for consistency, make sure you're measuring them against only other chocolate that's meant to be the same version.
Chocolate Chip Shape and Size
Every aspect of chocolate creation and the environment it's in can affect how consumers see color and decide on which chocolate type to purchase. Shape may not be the first thought that comes to mind when considering color, but there's evidence that the shape of chocolate can affect one's experience in choosing and tasting.
The classic chocolate chip has many curves and parts of it, and each of those parts can be affected by lighting and background. You should consider whether the shape of your chocolate chips helps or hinders the color perception you expect from your products.
Chocolate Age
While chocolate doesn't actually “go bad” as it ages, it does change in color, smell, taste, and texture the longer it's stored. Most notable for color measurement reasons is the appearance of fat blooms. These whiteish, grayish markings appear when the liquid fat content in chocolate separates and moves to the top of the chocolate. This affects color cohesiveness and can, therefore, indicate your chocolate chips are past their prime.
