A food sweetener is a powder having an average particle size of, at most, 1,500 μm and including pulverized dried fruit, vegetables or both fruit and vegetables. The powder, on a dry basis, has at least 30% wt and at most 70% wt of total sugars, and has a moisture content of from 1 to 6% by weight. Chocolate products may incorporate the powder and a method for producing the power is taught.

The present invention provides the use of a composition obtainable from the pulp of a plant in the theobroma genus or an extract of said pulp, as an ingredient in a chocolate product.

The present invention provides the use of a composition obtainable from the pulp of a plant in the theobroma genus or an extract of said pulp, as an ingredient in a chocolate product.

Methods and systems for providing processed cocoa nibs are provided. The methods involve coarse grinding cocoa nibs to form a slurry and subjecting less than all of the cocoa slurry to refining. The refined and unrefined volumes or portions of cocoa slurry are then recombined to provide a recombined cocoa product. The cocoa nibs produced by the method may be further processed to provide cocoa liquor or chocolate.

An apparatus (1) for dosing a confectionery mass includes a plurality of confectionery mass dosing units (2) being arranged side-by-side. Each of the confectionery mass dosing units (2) includes a locking valve (18), a dosing valve (22) and an outlet opening (26). The outlet opening (26) serves to dispense a dosing quantity of confectionery mass from the confectionery mass dosing unit (2). The dosing valve (22) serves to adjust the dosing quantity. The locking valve (18) being an addition to the dosing valve (22) serves for alternate opening and closing, wherein no confectionery mass exits from the outlet opening (26) when the locking valve (18) is closed.

A water-containing chocolate-like confectionery, which comprises an oil-in-water type emulsified mixture, wherein the mixture has a water content of 20% by weight or less, and a water activity of 0.7 or less.

Systems and methods for processing food products. One aspect is a system for processing food products including a base member, a vessel member defining a vessel volume, an opening formed through the vessel member, a vessel lip surrounding the opening; a vessel lid connected to the vessel member to substantially seal the opening; a motor shaft, at least one mixing member connected to the motor shaft and within the vessel volume; a motor connected to the motor shaft; and grinding media within the vessel volume for grinding and mixing food products, where energizing the motor urges the motor shaft and the at least one mixing member to rotate within the vessel volume to agitate the grinding media; and where the grinding media includes first grinding media and second grinding media.

The invention provides a device (1) for processing and treating chocolate, with a container (2) and stirring means (3) arranged therein, wherein the container (2) has a processing interior (2a) with a cylindrical wall (4) and an outwardly curved bottom (5) and is set up obliquely, i.e., the center axis (ZA) of the cylindrical wall (4) is inclined with respect to the vertical, and wherein the stirring means (3) comprises at least one stirring arm (7), which is rotatable about this center axis (ZA), while projecting from the center axis (ZA) of the cylindrical container (4) at least also in the radial direction, and a conching tool (6), which is rotatably arranged at or near the bottom (5) or the lowest vertical point of the container (2) about a an axis of rotation (DA), and wherein the conching tool (6) rotates faster than the stirring arm (7) during operation. In a method according to the invention for processing and treating chocolate, it is provided that a starting mass or an intermediate product of chocolate is filled in an inclined cylindrical container (2) and rotating therein along with at least one stirring arm (7), which rotates about this center axis (ZA), while projecting from the center axis (ZA) of the cylindrical container (2) at least also in the radial direction, as well as processed simultaneously by means of a rotatable conching tool (6), which rotates faster than the at least one stirring arm (7) about an axis of rotation (DA), which is inclined relative to the center axis (ZA) of the cylindrical container (2). Furthermore, the invention provides for the use of a universal machine for processing and treating nutritional and food products, processing and treating chocolate, wherein the universal machine comprises a container (2) and stirring means (3) arranged therein, and wherein the container (2) has a processing interior (2a) with a cylindrical wall (4) and an outwardly curved bottom (5), and arranged obliquely, i.e. the center axis (ZA) of the cylindrical wall (4) is inclined with respect to the vertical, and wherein the stirring means (3) comprise at least one stirring arm (7), which is rotatable about the center axis (ZA) of the cylindrical wall (4), while projecting from the center axis (ZA) of the cylindrical container (2) at least also in the radial direction, and wherein it is further provided that the stirring means (3) comprise a conching tool (6) rotatably arranged at or

Content containers and vessels, one aspect including a deformable fluid-tight container shell defining an internal volume and separating the internal volume from an external environment; a room-temperature semi-solid content contained within the internal volume; and a valve operationally connected to and disposed at least partially without the deformable container shell; where the semi-solid content is a hydrophobic matrix with at least partially emulsified hydrophilic components; where the container shell is substantially fluid-tight; where the valve has open state(s) and a closed state; where the valve may be actuated between the open state(s) and the closed state; where the valve is self-cleaning; where during the open state(s), the internal volume is in fluidic communication with the external environment; where during the closed state, the internal volume content cannot fluidically communicate with the external environment; and where the content remains moisture-stable while the valve is in the closed state.

Methods and systems for providing processed cocoa nibs are provided. The methods involve coarse grinding cocoa nibs to form a slurry and subjecting less than all of the cocoa slurry to refining. The refined and unrefined volumes or portions of cocoa slurry are then recombined to provide a recombined cocoa product. The cocoa nibs produced by the method may be further processed to provide cocoa liquor or chocolate.