A food product includes a shell containing multiple ingredients. The shell includes first and second shell portions attached to each other. The shell is configured to be dissolved or melted into a heated liquid to release the multiple ingredients in order to form a heated beverage. The multiple ingredients include cocoa mix configured to be dissolved into the heated liquid and multiple marshmallows configured to float on a top surface of the heated beverage.

A food product includes a shell containing multiple ingredients. The shell includes first and second shell portions attached to each other. The shell is configured to be dissolved or melted into a heated liquid to release the multiple ingredients in order to form a heated beverage. The multiple ingredients include cocoa mix configured to be dissolved into the heated liquid and multiple marshmallows configured to float on a top surface of the heated beverage.

A food product includes a shell containing multiple ingredients. The shell includes first and second shell portions attached to each other. The shell is configured to be dissolved or melted into a heated liquid to release the multiple ingredients in order to form a heated beverage. The multiple ingredients include cocoa mix configured to be dissolved into the heated liquid and multiple marshmallows configured to float on a top surface of the heated beverage.

The invention relates to a continuous process for producing a dark cocoa powder, comprising: mixing a cocoa product with water in an amount of up to 50% by weight, based on the total weight of the mixture; heating the cocoa product and the water to a temperature of 90-160° C. until a moisture content of 5% by weight, based on the total weight of the mixture, or less is achieved; and recovering a cocoa powder; wherein the cocoa powder recovered in step (d) has an L value which is lower than that of the cocoa product of step (a). The invention further relates to cocoa powders produced by this method and to their use in food or beverage compositions.

A low sugar content sweet food spread is provided said food spread comprising at least one of a cocoa product and a nut product, at least one vegetable oil and at least one sweetener. The at least one vegetable oil is substantially free or free of palm oil and the sugar content of the spread is less than about 20% by weight of the total spread. The food spread possesses excellent properties and is advantageously spreadable at low temperature.

A method for reducing the content of nitrosamines in a tobacco material is provided herein, the method involving the steps of contacting a tobacco material with a treatment solution so as to form a treatment composition containing, in addition to the tobacco material, an acid, a complexing agent, a solvent, and, optionally, a salt, at a pH of about 5.5 or less, to obtain a tobacco material having a tobacco-specific nitrosamine content that is lower than the initial tobacco-specific nitrosamine content. The method can optionally include further processing of the tobacco material. Smoking articles and other tobacco products incorporating such treated tobacco materials are also provided.

A method for reducing the content of nitrosamines in a tobacco material is provided herein, the method involving the steps of contacting a tobacco material with a treatment solution so as to form a treatment composition containing, in addition to the tobacco material, an acid, a complexing agent, a solvent, and, optionally, a salt, at a pH of about 5.5 or less, to obtain a tobacco material having a tobacco-specific nitrosamine content that is lower than the initial tobacco-specific nitrosamine content. The method can optionally include further processing of the tobacco material. Smoking articles and other tobacco products incorporating such treated tobacco materials are also provided.

A method for reducing the content of nitrosamines in a tobacco material is provided herein, the method involving the steps of contacting a tobacco material with a treatment solution so as to form a treatment composition containing, in addition to the tobacco material, an acid, a complexing agent, a solvent, and, optionally, a salt, at a pH of about 5.5 or less, to obtain a tobacco material having a tobacco-specific nitrosamine content that is lower than the initial tobacco-specific nitrosamine content. The method can optionally include further processing of the tobacco material. Smoking articles and other tobacco products incorporating such treated tobacco materials are also provided.

A flavor composition containing at least one, two, or more potassium salt(s) that can be used to enhance an alkalized cocoa flavor profile of edible compositions including sweet goods, such as fat-based confections comprising chocolate or chocolate liquor.

The invention relates to a method of producing a food or beverage product, comprising the steps of: providing an ingredient composition comprising, micellar caseins and whey proteins and having a pH of 6.1-7.1 and a concentration of 1-15 wt. % of proteins, and wherein the ingredient composition has a casein to whey protein ratio of 90/10-60/40, adding 3-25 mM divalent cations to provide a concentration of 3-8 mM free divalent cations in the ingredient composition, homogenising the ingredient composition; and subsequently pasteurising and stirring the ingredient composition at a temperature of 80°-100° C. for a period of 0.5-3 min to form agglomerated proteins comprising caseins and beta-lactoglobulin from the whey proteins, the agglomerates having a size of 5-50 microns as measured by D.sub.(4, 3) mean diameter. The invention relates also to a food or beverage product comprising aggregated proteins comprising micellar casein and whey protein aggregates, wherein the product has a pH of 6.1-7.1, a concentration of 6-40 wt. % milk solids, a casein to whey protein ratio of 90/10-60/40, and a concentration of 3-8 mM free divalent cations, and wherein the agglomerates having a size of 5-50 microns mean diameter D.sub.(4, 3) as measured by laser diffraction.