Disclosed is a method for processing cocoa beans or nibs comprising the steps of: (a) adding water to cocoa beans or nibs 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) comprising cocoa butter, and a solid phase comprising cocoa powder and fluid components; (e) continuously separating the fluid components from the solid phase obtained in step (d) to obtain cocoa aroma and cocoa powder by supplying a flow of said solid phase to a mixing device; wherein the mixing device comprises: a cylindrical, tubular body with a horizontal axis having an inlet opening for the solid phase, an outlet opening for the dried solid phase and an optional outlet opening for a vapor phase comprising cocoa aroma; end plates closing the tubular body at its opposite ends; a coaxial jacket heating or cooling the internal wall of the tubular body to a temperature of from 55° C. to 150° C.; and a bladed rotor, which is supported for rotation in the tubular body, its blades being arranged as a helix and oriented for centrifuging the solid phase and simultaneously transporting it towards the outlet opening.

The invention relates to an oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions that can be aerated to produce foamed emulsions. The O/W emulsions of the present invention consist of: 20-45 wt. % water; 4-40 wt. % oil; 3-12 wt. % of cyclodextrin selected from alpha-cyclodextrin, beta-cyclodextrin and combinations thereof; 20-60 wt. % of saccharides selected from monosaccharides, disaccharides, non-cyclic oligosaccharides, sugar alcohols and combinations thereof; 0-30 wt. % of other edible ingredients; wherein the emulsion contains at least 80% of the saccharides by weight of water. The O/W emulsions of the present invention are capable of forming foamed emulsions with high firmness and excellent shape retaining properties. These foamed emulsions further offer the advantage that they exhibit excellent stability.

The invention relates to an oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions that can be aerated to produce foamed emulsions. The O/W emulsions of the present invention consist of: 20-45 wt. % water; 4-40 wt. % oil; 3-12 wt. % of cyclodextrin selected from alpha-cyclodextrin, beta-cyclodextrin and combinations thereof; 20-60 wt. % of saccharides selected from monosaccharides, disaccharides, non-cyclic oligosaccharides, sugar alcohols and combinations thereof; 0-30 wt. % of other edible ingredients; wherein the emulsion contains at least 80% of the saccharides by weight of water. The O/W emulsions of the present invention are capable of forming foamed emulsions with high firmness and excellent shape retaining properties. These foamed emulsions further offer the advantage that they exhibit excellent stability.

The invention relates to an oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions that can be aerated to produce foamed emulsions. The O/W emulsions of the present invention consist of: 20-45 wt. % water; 4-40 wt. % oil; 3-12 wt. % of cyclodextrin selected from alpha-cyclodextrin, beta-cyclodextrin and combinations thereof; 20-60 wt. % of saccharides selected from monosaccharides, disaccharides, non-cyclic oligosaccharides, sugar alcohols and combinations thereof; 0-30 wt. % of other edible ingredients; wherein the emulsion contains at least 80% of the saccharides by weight of water. The O/W emulsions of the present invention are capable of forming foamed emulsions with high firmness and excellent shape retaining properties. These foamed emulsions further offer the advantage that they exhibit excellent stability.

The present invention relates to a process for preparing a cocoa biomass with a modified fat phase by mixing a cocoa biomass having a fat phase I with a vegetable fat having fat phase 2, thereby forming fat phase 3 in the cocoa biomass, followed by separating fat phase 3 from the cocoa biomass to a desired fat level of the cocoa biomass. The present invention also relates to fat compositions comprising said cocoa biomass with a modified fat phase and edible products comprising said cocoa biomass with a modified fat profile, and uses of the process.

The present invention relates to a process for preparing a cocoa biomass with a modified fat phase by mixing a cocoa biomass having a fat phase I with a vegetable fat having fat phase 2, thereby forming fat phase 3 in the cocoa biomass, followed by separating fat phase 3 from the cocoa biomass to a desired fat level of the cocoa biomass. The present invention also relates to fat compositions comprising said cocoa biomass with a modified fat phase and edible products comprising said cocoa biomass with a modified fat profile, and uses of the process.

A food product includes first and second shells containing multiple ingredients. The first and second shells are attached to each other by an edible bonding agent. The shells are configured to be dissolved or melted into a heated liquid to release the multiple ingredients and the edible bonding agent is configured to be dissolved or melted into the heated liquid in order to form a heated beverage. The multiple ingredients include a first ingredient that dissolves into the heated liquid and a second ingredient.

A food product includes first and second shells containing multiple ingredients. The first and second shells are attached to each other by an edible bonding agent. The shells are configured to be dissolved or melted into a heated liquid to release the multiple ingredients and the edible bonding agent is configured to be dissolved or melted into the heated liquid in order to form a heated beverage. The multiple ingredients include a first ingredient that dissolves into the heated liquid and a second ingredient.

A food product includes first and second shells containing multiple ingredients. The first and second shells are attached to each other by an edible bonding agent. The shells are configured to be dissolved or melted into a heated liquid to release the multiple ingredients and the edible bonding agent is configured to be dissolved or melted into the heated liquid in order to form a heated beverage. The multiple ingredients include a first ingredient that dissolves into the heated liquid and a second ingredient.

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, at least one polysaccharide, at least one flour 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.