In the present application, alkalization of cocoa natural products may be carried out by using a stable alkaline water (pH levels of up to 10.5 or more) with the aim to produce alkalized chocolate products with pleasant organoleptic, less sugar content, less acidity, high antioxidants contents, and addition of novel soluble ingredients to chocolate. This can be achieved by using the stable alkaline water produced by a Natralysis Process in alkalizing cocoa nibspre, during and post grinding, alkalizing the cocoa liquor and alkalizing the natural cocoa powder. The present application discloses a method or apparatus (3, 9, 15) in which a cocoa natural product and/or one or more of its derivatives is alkalized by using stable alkaline water.

Method and apparatus for temperature controlled processes in a vessel to provide improved process control, in particular to enable controlled temperatures to be applied to a substance in different process zones of a vessel, has a series of tubular members arranged and operatively connected in a flow system, and each process zone has temperature regulating means juxtaposed thereto for effecting temperature control therein.

A process for producing powdered cocoa shells as a food ingredient, as replacer for cocoa powder, to impart colouration in food products, and as fat bloom inhibitor in cocoa-based products.

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 concerns fresh cacao pod husk derived pectin, preferably characterized in a luminosity parameter L of at least 40; a water holding capacity of at least 20.0 g water/g; a molecular weight >200 kDa for at least 40 wt % of the dry extract; a storage modulus of 70 to 120 Pa measured in an emulsion at a strain amplitude of 1%; and a viscosity of 4000 to 7000 cP at 20? C. in a 5% mixture with water at a shear rate of 1/s.

The invention also concerns a method for preparing said pectin, comprising a hot water extraction from fresh cacao husks, and the use of said pectin fiber in food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical products.

The present invention relates to a method of preventing, inhibiting or mitigating bloom in a filled chocolate product, said method comprising: a) An inline heating step comprising at least one of heating the chocolate shell at a heating temperature of at least 25 C., heating the center-filled chocolate shell at a heating temperature of at least 25 C. and heating the filled chocolate product at a heating temperature of at least 25 C. and said method comprising at least one of b) A shell cooling step comprising cooling said chocolate shell at a cooling temperature below 20 C., c) A filling cooling step comprising cooling said center-filled chocolate shell at a cooling temperature below 20 C., d) A final cooling step comprising cooling said filled chocolate product at a cooling temperature below 20 C., said in line heating step being comprised in at least one of step b)-d) or being arranged between step b) and c) or between steps c) and d). The invention further relates to products obtained by said method, and a system for obtaining such product.

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.

The invention provides a chocolate product comprising >18 wt. % natural lipid, >10 wt. % sugar and/or sugar replacer, and >5 wt. % of at least one cocoa ingredient selected from the group comprising: cocoa butter, cocoa liquor, cocoa powder, cocoa pulp, and combinations thereof, wherein at least one of the following conditions is satisfied: a. The product comprises more than 8 wt. % and no more than 9 wt. % saturated fat and 2.5 wt. % sugar; b. The product comprises more than 6 wt. % and no more than 8 wt. % saturated fat and 4.5 wt. % sugar; c. The product comprises more than 5 wt. % and no more than 6 wt. % saturated fat and 9 wt. % sugar; d. The product comprises more than 4 wt. % and no more than 5 wt. % saturated fat and 13.5 wt. % sugar; e. The product comprises more than 3 wt. % and no more than 4 wt. % saturated fat and 18 wt. % sugar; f. The product comprises more than 2 wt. % and no more than 3 wt. % saturated fat and 22.5 wt. % sugar; or g. The product comprises less than or equal to 2 wt. % saturated fat and 27 wt. % sugar; and wherein when the product satisfying any of conditions a-g comprises 10 wt. % sugar, the remainder of the total combined sugar and sugar replacer content is made up to >10 wt % with sugar replacer.

A process for the complete fractionation of cocoa beans with zero waste into various value-added ingredients, a composition having cocoa polyphones/procyanidins and soluble dietary fiber, and a water dispersible and sustained release formulation of cocoa polyphones with cocoa soluble dietary fiber capable of forming a colloidal dispersion of bioactive cocoa polyphones in gastric fluid.

Described herein are processes and methods of producing a new food confection or ingredient, the food confection or ingredient including a caramelized white chocolate food product. The methods encompass variations in the conditions for a Maillard reaction in order to advantageously select a predetermined combination of flavors and colors of a finished food confection product or food ingredient.