The invention relates to a reduced dairy chocolate product, preferably a vegan chocolate product composition comprising a dried emulsion of a plant protein.

The invention relates to a reduced dairy chocolate product, preferably a vegan chocolate product composition comprising a dried plant protein.

A method of providing a comestible plant material taken orally by coating a micronized plant material with a first layer of polysaccharides or proteins, then a second layer of polysaccharides or proteins is disclosed. A bi-encapsulated plant material produced by this process is also disclosed.

Consumable products and food ingredients made with cacao waste materials (e.g., cocoa shells and cocoa pods) are provided herein, as are methods and materials for processing the cacao waste materials.

Some aspects of the disclosure relate to multi-stage processes for preparing an alkalized cocoa material. In some examples, the process includes mixing cocoa and alkalization agents together, and mixing/heating until reaching an elevated mixing temperature. The process may include mixing these components together at the elevated mixing temperature for at least one hold period to provide a mixture, then aerating the mixture. The process may include an additional treatment or treatments at a held elevated temperature. The process may then include drying the mixture to provide an alkalized cocoa material.

The current invention relates to a free-flowing cacao pulp powder obtainable from cacao pulp material, wherein said cacao pulp material is fresh cacao pulp, cacao pulp juice, cacao pulp concentrate or any mixture thereof, characterized by a moisture content less than 8 wt %, preferably less than 5 wt %, most preferably less than 3 wt %. The invention relates to a cacao pulp juice, obtainable from fresh cacao pulp substantially devoid from cacao pod husks and cacao beans, characterized by a Brix value of 10-35. The invention relates to a method for producing cacao pulp juice, from fresh cacao pulp substantially devoid from cacao pod husks and cacao beans. In another aspect, the invention relates to a method for obtaining a free-flowing cacao pulp derived powder from cacao pulp material.

The invention provides cocoa pod husk powder having a concentration of insoluble dietary fibre of at least 55 wt. % of the total weight of the cocoa pod husk and/or having a concentration of total fibre of at least 68 wt. % of the total weight of the cocoa pod husk, and wherein the total ash content of the powder is no more than 6.0 wt. %. The invention further provides methods of making cocoa pod husk powders of the invention comprising the steps of: reducing cocoa pod husk in a wet-milling process to a paste; and drying the paste at a temperature of at least 80 C., or at least 85 C.