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.

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.

A method for producing a chocolate composition having dry cocoa solids content of 55% or less by weight. The method includes a first step of providing a first mixture comprising dry non-fat cocoa solids component and plant-based component, a second step of grinding the first mixture and a third step of adding a fat component and a sweetener component to the first mixture for providing the chocolate composition.

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.

A method for printing a three-dimensional crystalline structure such as a chocolate layer wherein, after printing, the material has a desired crystal structure and a plurality of non-random cavities. An embodiment can include printing a liquid first layer of material with a printer onto a second layer of material having a crystal structure. Subsequently, the printed liquid first layer is processed to solidify the first layer. During the processing of the printed liquid first layer, the second layer functions as a crystal seed layer through physical contact with the printed liquid first layer and the second layer crystallizes with the crystal structure. In some embodiments, confections may be formed from high-quality chocolate, where the confection has a reduced caloric content with acceptable mouthfeel. In other embodiments, a confection may have a previously unrealized mouthfeel and taste.

The invention relates to products for the production of chocolate products and chocolate-like products, whereby sweetening and/or mass-providing filling substances obtained from the cocoa fruit pulp or also from the placenta and/or the cocoa fruit shell replace, either wholly or in part, the conventional sweetening and mass-providing filling components, in particular sugar, in such products. The invention relates not only to a suitable process for the production of such products, but also to the use of such products.

In an embodiment, a bloom engine is created that can detect the formation of both fat bloom and sugar bloom in a chocolate product. A Raman spectrometer is used to generate a first or reference spectrum of a chocolate product. Based on peaks of the spectrum known to be associated with sugar and peaks of the spectrum known to be associated with fat, a ratio of sugar to fat for the chocolate product is determined based on the reference spectrum. Later, a second spectrum is generated from the chocolate product, and a ratio of sugar to fat is similarly determined for the second spectrum. Changes in the ratios between the two samples are used to detect fat or sugar bloom. Other features of the bloom engine including removing or reducing bloom from the chocolate product using a laser associated with the spectrometer and applying a design to the chocolate product in bloom using the laser.

A system for heating an object includes an electromagnetic radiation source emitting electromagnetic radiation, a first stage, a second stage, and a third stage. The object is placed into the first stage where it is struck by electromagnetic radiation to thereby heat the object. The object is then transported to the second stage which has a cooling fluid flowing therein. The object moves through the second stage to cool down subsequent to being struck by the electromagnetic radiation. Air and any particulate matter produced by the electromagnetic radiation striking the object in the first stage is transported to the third stage. In the third stage, electromagnetic radiation is used to incinerate some of the particulate matter. The air in the third stage is vented out of the third stage through a filter.

The present invention relates to a method of producing compositions with enhanced color properties and to compositions obtainable by such a method, especially cocoa-based compositions with enhanced color properties. The method comprises the steps of providing an initial composition comprising a polyphenol, adding an aqueous base to the initial composition to produce an aqueous mixture, heating the aqueous mixture to a temperature of 50 to 100° C. during a time period of 120 to 300 minutes, cooling the aqueous mixture, and optionally adjusting the pH of the aqueous mixture to between 6 and 9. The method further comprises oxygenising the aqueous base and/or the aqueous mixture, wherein the produced food product comprises chromophores having an absorption maximum between 505 to 515 nm and/or 428 to 438 nm.

The present invention relates to a cocoa product containing elevated amounts of antioxidant molecules. Further aspects of the invention relate to the use of this product for making a beverage and into a capsule and to the process of making this product.