Described are Pichia kluyveri yeast strains with advantageous properties useful in cacao fermentation processes, and related methods and products, including fermented cocoa beans having a ratio of isobutyl acetate/isobutanol higher than 1 and/or a ratio of isoamyl acetate/isoamyl alcohol higher than 0.005, and cocoa-based products prepared therefrom, as well as methods for the fermentation of cocoa beans comprising using at least one Pichia kluyveri yeast strain, fermented cocoa beans obtainable thereby, and cocoa-based products prepared therefrom and obtainable thereby.

Systems for dispensing chocolate, in one aspect including an exterior housing with first volume; a vertical support member; a base support member; a dispenser guiding member within the first volume; an extruder connection member extending through the housing and having a first end within the housing and a second end outside of the housing, defining a pivot axis; an extruder member connected to the first end; a lever connected to the second end; at least one extruder guide member within the first volume and connected to the extruder member; and at least one extruder guide rail connected to the housing within the first volume and capable of receiving the at least one extruder guide member; and where manual actuation of the lever pivots the extruder member in cooperation with the at least one extruder guide member.

The invention relates to a chocolate confection having improved flavor attributes. The chocolate confection comprises a white confectionery ingredient, a cocoa extract, and a food acid.

Methods, systems, and apparatus for winnowing. In one aspect, a method includes loading an initial material into a winnowing system via a feed member; feeding the material into a fluidically accelerated winnowing cavity, where the initial material impacts at least one plate member to yield chaff material and processed material, and where the processed material and the chaff material circulate in the winnowing cavity; and separating the chaff material and the processed from the winnowing cavity based on density. Other aspects include yielding intermediate material, where the intermediate material reimpacts the at least one plate member until yielding chaff material and processed material, preprocessing the initial material, controlling the flow of initial material into the winnowing cavity with a feed gate, where the chaff material egresses the winnowing cavity via a chaff chute, where the chaff material collects in a collection cavity, and/or more.

The present invention is directed colloidal microcrystalline compositions, particularly for suspending particles in low viscosity fluids, produced by co-attrition of a mixture of microcrystalline cellulose and at least a polysaccharide in the presence of acidic attrition aid; their preparation; and, products made therewith.

The present invention is directed colloidal microcrystalline compositions, particularly for suspending particles in low viscosity fluids, produced by co-attrition of a mixture of microcrystalline cellulose and at least a polysaccharide in the presence of acidic attrition aid; their preparation; and, products made therewith.

The present invention provides a water-containing foam-containing chocolate containing 16 wt % or more and 55 wt % or less of water, the water-containing foam-containing chocolate having new texture that is smooth, fluffy, and soft even in a freezing temperature range and having processability at room temperature and an excellent shape retention property at room temperature and in the freezing temperature range.

Systems for dispensing chocolate, in one aspect including a generally fluid-tight exterior housing with first volume; a vertical support member; a base support member; a dispenser guiding member within the first volume; an extruder connection member extending through the housing and having a first end within the housing and a second end outside of the housing, defining a pivot axis; an extruder member connected to the first end; a lever connected to the second end; at least one extruder guide member within the first volume and connected to the extruder member; and at least one extruder guide rail connected to the housing within the first volume and capable of receiving the at least one extruder guide member; and where manual actuation of the lever pivots the extruder member in cooperation with the at least one extruder guide member.

The present invention provides an apparatus for coating an edible receptacle the apparatus comprising a nozzle for applying a fat-based coating material to the internal surface of the edible receptacle and a gas-dosing element with an external surface shape corresponding to the internal shape of the edible receptacle wherein the gas dosing element has at least one aperture suitable for the introduction of cooled gas into the edible receptacle. The invention also provides a process for manufacturing a coated edible receptacle for a frozen confection comprising the steps of: providing an edible receptacle; at least partially coating the internal surface of the edible receptacle by spraying a fat-based coating onto the internal surface of the edible receptacle; and introducing a gas-dosing element into the edible receptacle, wherein the gas-dosing element has an external surface shape corresponding to the internal shape of the edible receptacle and wherein cooled gas is introduced into the edible receptacle through the gas-dosing element and wherein the gas dosing element does not come into contact with the fat-based coating.

The invention relates to a method for producing a bloom-retarding component for chocolate and chocolate-like products, the method comprising the step of: Deodorizing a triglyceride composition, said triglyceride composition comprising at least 40% by weight of mono unsaturated symmetric triglycerides selected from the group consisting of POP, StOSt and POSt, where P equals palmityl, St equals stearyl and O equals oleyl, the deodorizing taking place for at least 60 minutes at a temperature of at least 220° C.