The present invention provides a method for the preparation of a myceliated cacao bean or other agricultural product. This method includes providing cacao beans or other agricultural substrate, optionally hydrating the cacao beans or other agricultural product, and optionally pasteurizing or sterilizing the cacao beans or other agricultural substrate to provide prepared cacao beans or other agricultural substrate, and a step of inoculating the prepared cacao beans or other agricultural substrate with a prepared fungal component and culturing the inoculated cacao beans or other agricultural substrate to prepare the myceliated product. The methods of the instant invention result in prepared cacao beans or other agricultural substrate having reduced levels of undesirable taste components, such as theobromine, catechin, epicatechin, gallic acid equivalents, and/or 2-methoxy-3-isopropylpyrazine, and increased levels of myceliation products, such as fungal ?-glucans, chitin, proteins, glycoproteins, pyrazines and polysaccharides, relative to starting cacao beans or other agricultural substrate.

The present invention provides a method for the preparation of a myceliated cacao bean or other agricultural product. This method includes providing cacao beans or other agricultural substrate, optionally hydrating the cacao beans or other agricultural product, and optionally pasteurizing or sterilizing the cacao beans or other agricultural substrate to provide prepared cacao beans or other agricultural substrate, and a step of inoculating the prepared cacao beans or other agricultural substrate with a prepared fungal component and culturing the inoculated cacao beans or other agricultural substrate to prepare the myceliated product. The methods of the instant invention result in prepared cacao beans or other agricultural substrate having reduced levels of undesirable taste components, such as theobromine, catechin, epicatechin, gallic acid equivalents, and/or 2-methoxy-3-isopropylpyrazine, and increased levels of myceliation products, such as fungal ?-glucans, chitin, proteins, glycoproteins, pyrazines and polysaccharides, relative to starting cacao beans or other agricultural substrate.

This invention relates to the processing and tracing of harvested seeds of fruit. More specifically, this invention relates to a seed processing system 100 comprising a seed processing container 10, 10.1 which includes a housing 12 defining a cavity 14 and an opening 15 that is in communication with the cavity 14; a closure 16 displaceable between an open position wherein the opening 15 is open and the seeds of fruit can be placed in or removed from the cavity 14, and a closed position wherein the opening 15 is closed to form a closed cavity 14 and the seeds of fruit cannot be placed in or removed from the cavity 14; and a closure sensor 17 for sensing when the closure 16 is displaced to its closed position, and generating closure position data in response to sensing displacement of the closure 16 to its closed position.

This invention relates to the processing and tracing of harvested seeds of fruit. More specifically, this invention relates to a seed processing system 100 comprising a seed processing container 10, 10.1 which includes a housing 12 defining a cavity 14 and an opening 15 that is in communication with the cavity 14; a closure 16 displaceable between an open position wherein the opening 15 is open and the seeds of fruit can be placed in or removed from the cavity 14, and a closed position wherein the opening 15 is closed to form a closed cavity 14 and the seeds of fruit cannot be placed in or removed from the cavity 14; and a closure sensor 17 for sensing when the closure 16 is displaced to its closed position, and generating closure position data in response to sensing displacement of the closure 16 to its closed position.

Provided is cacao extract with better flavor and in which miscellaneous flavor is reduced, and a method for producing such cacao extract. The cacao-derived water extract of the present invention contains polyphenol. In this cacao water extract, the ratio of a total mass of dimeric to tetrameric proanthocyanidins to a total mass of monomeric to octameric proanthocyanidins is 40% or more. Also, in this method for producing cacao extract, an active ingredient such as polyphenol is extracted from a cacao raw material such as cacao powder using water adjusted to a temperature within a range from 50 C. to 90 C. inclusive and to a pH within a range from 2.0 to 5.0 inclusive.

Provided is cacao extract with better flavor and in which miscellaneous flavor is reduced, and a method for producing such cacao extract. The cacao-derived water extract of the present invention contains polyphenol. In this cacao water extract, the ratio of a total mass of dimeric to tetrameric proanthocyanidins to a total mass of monomeric to octameric proanthocyanidins is 40% or more. Also, in this method for producing cacao extract, an active ingredient such as polyphenol is extracted from a cacao raw material such as cacao powder using water adjusted to a temperature within a range from 50 C. to 90 C. inclusive and to a pH within a range from 2.0 to 5.0 inclusive.

Disclosed is a method for processing unfermented cocoa beans, comprising the steps of: (a) adding water to said unfermented cocoa beans to form a suspension; (b) wet grinding said suspension; (c) subjecting said suspension to a heat treatment at a temperature of 70? C. or less; (d) separating the suspension into a water phase (heavy phase), a fat phase (light phase) and a solid phase, said fat phase comprising cocoa butter as a major component and solids and/or water as minor components and said solid phase comprising cocoa powder and water; and (e) separately processing the three phases, which optionally comprises: separating cocoa butter from the fat phase, separating cocoa powder from the solid phase, and separating cocoa aroma and a polyphenolic powder from at least the water phase. Further disclosed are methods of manufacturing of a cocoa product construction kit and chocolate or chocolate-like products comprising high amounts of nutritionally beneficial and useful components of the cocoa fruit, such as e.g. polyphenols, antioxidants, vitamins and/or sugars, making use of the above technique.

Disclosed is a method for processing unfermented cocoa beans, comprising the steps of: (a) adding water to said unfermented cocoa beans to form a suspension; (b) wet grinding said suspension; (c) subjecting said suspension to a heat treatment at a temperature of 70? C. or less; (d) separating the suspension into a water phase (heavy phase), a fat phase (light phase) and a solid phase, said fat phase comprising cocoa butter as a major component and solids and/or water as minor components and said solid phase comprising cocoa powder and water; and (e) separately processing the three phases, which optionally comprises: separating cocoa butter from the fat phase, separating cocoa powder from the solid phase, and separating cocoa aroma and a polyphenolic powder from at least the water phase. Further disclosed are methods of manufacturing of a cocoa product construction kit and chocolate or chocolate-like products comprising high amounts of nutritionally beneficial and useful components of the cocoa fruit, such as e.g. polyphenols, antioxidants, vitamins and/or sugars, making use of the above technique.

The method for processing fermented or incubated cocoa beans comprises the steps of: adding water to fermented or incubated cocoa beans or nibs to form a suspension; wet grinding said suspension; subjecting said suspension to a heat treatment at a temperature of 70? C. or less; separating the suspension into a water phase (heavy phase), a fat phase (light phase) and a solid phase, said fat phase comprising cocoa butter as a major component and solids and/or water as minor components and said solid phase comprising cocoa powder and water; and separately processing the three phases, which comprises: neutralizing and/or removing acetic acid formed during fermentation or formed or added prior to or during an incubation of the cocoa beans via the water phase, and optionally separating cocoa butter from the fat phase, separating cocoa powder from the solid phase, and separating cocoa aroma and a polyphenolic powder from at least the water phase.

The method for processing fermented or incubated cocoa beans comprises the steps of: adding water to fermented or incubated cocoa beans or nibs to form a suspension; wet grinding said suspension; subjecting said suspension to a heat treatment at a temperature of 70? C. or less; separating the suspension into a water phase (heavy phase), a fat phase (light phase) and a solid phase, said fat phase comprising cocoa butter as a major component and solids and/or water as minor components and said solid phase comprising cocoa powder and water; and separately processing the three phases, which comprises: neutralizing and/or removing acetic acid formed during fermentation or formed or added prior to or during an incubation of the cocoa beans via the water phase, and optionally separating cocoa butter from the fat phase, separating cocoa powder from the solid phase, and separating cocoa aroma and a polyphenolic powder from at least the water phase.