A method for the production of a product mass, in particular a chocolate mass, as a basic mass for foodstuffs, with a plurality of ingredients and a recipe total fat content, using a conching device with a conching container, which can be opened and closed hermetically sealed. The method includes filling of the conching container with a low-fat partial mass, which includes at least a part of the plurality of ingredients and has a fat content which is smaller than the recipe total fat content. Furthermore, the method includes a first conching of the low-fat partial mass with a closed conching container and second conching of the low-fat partial mass with an opened conching container with simultaneous active drying of the low-fat partial mass. Before the second conching, the method includes an addition of a further part of the plurality of ingredients to the low-fat partial mass until a fat content is reached in the range from approximately 11% to approximately 17%. The method also includes liquefaction of the partial mass while adding the rest of the plurality of ingredients and mixing the latter with the low-fat partial mass to form a total mass representing the product mass, which at least essentially includes the recipe total fat content.

A conching apparatus having: a container, which forms an accommodating space for a product mass, a shaft, which is accommodated, at least in part, in the container and is designed to rotate about its longitudinal axis, and at least one conching tool, which is coupled to the shaft for joint rotation therewith, the conching tool therefore, during conching operation of the conching apparatus, moving in a first direction of circulation along a circulatory path. The conching tool here includes an operative surface, which is directed towards the inner wall of the container and is designed such that a radial gap between the inner wall of the container and the operative surface decreases, at least in part, counter to the first direction of circulation. The invention also relates to a method for conching a product mass.

Proposed is a self-optimizing, adaptive industrial chocolate production system (1), and method thereof. The system comprising a chocolate mass processing line (11) with at least dosing means (2), one or more mixers (3), one or more refiners (4), one or more conches (5), and liquefying and tempering means (6). Appropriate inter-dependent operational parameters of the various devices (2/3/4/5/6) are measured by real-time measuring devices and transmitted to a controller device 12. The measured inter-dependent operational parameters are mutually optimized and dynamically adjusted providing an optimal operation at least in terms of the characteristics of the end chocolate mass 7 and/or throughputs of the chocolate production line 11 and/or other operation conditions as energy consumption.

The invention relates to a rotary shaft for processing foodstuffs, the rotary shaft has a rotation axis and the rotary shaft comprises at least one tool which extends along the rotation axis. The tool has an airfoil profile such that the tool comprises a leading edge, a trailing edge, an upper surface and a lower surface. Further, the tool comprises at least one fluid channel between the mean camber line of the airfoil profile and the upper surface of the tool.

The invention provides a device (1) for processing and treating chocolate, with a container (2) and stirring means (3) arranged therein, wherein the container (2) has a processing interior (2a) with a cylindrical wall (4) and an outwardly curved bottom (5) and is set up obliquely, i.e., the center axis (ZA) of the cylindrical wall (4) is inclined with respect to the vertical, and wherein the stirring means (3) comprises at least one stirring arm (7), which is rotatable about this center axis (ZA), while projecting from the center axis (ZA) of the cylindrical container (4) at least also in the radial direction, and a conching tool (6), which is rotatably arranged at or near the bottom (5) or the lowest vertical point of the container (2) about a an axis of rotation (DA), and wherein the conching tool (6) rotates faster than the stirring arm (7) during operation. In a method according to the invention for processing and treating chocolate, it is provided that a starting mass or an intermediate product of chocolate is filled in an inclined cylindrical container (2) and rotating therein along with at least one stirring arm (7), which rotates about this center axis (ZA), while projecting from the center axis (ZA) of the cylindrical container (2) at least also in the radial direction, as well as processed simultaneously by means of a rotatable conching tool (6), which rotates faster than the at least one stirring arm (7) about an axis of rotation (DA), which is inclined relative to the center axis (ZA) of the cylindrical container (2). Furthermore, the invention provides for the use of a universal machine for processing and treating nutritional and food products, processing and treating chocolate, wherein the universal machine comprises a container (2) and stirring means (3) arranged therein, and wherein the container (2) has a processing interior (2a) with a cylindrical wall (4) and an outwardly curved bottom (5), and arranged obliquely, i.e. the center axis (ZA) of the cylindrical wall (4) is inclined with respect to the vertical, and wherein the stirring means (3) comprise at least one stirring arm (7), which is rotatable about the center axis (ZA) of the cylindrical wall (4), while projecting from the center axis (ZA) of the cylindrical container (2) at least also in the radial direction, and wherein it is further provided that the stirring means (3) comprise a conching tool (6) rotatably arranged at or

Proposed is a self-optimizing, adaptive industrial chocolate production system (1), and method thereof. The system comprising a chocolate mass processing line (11) with at least dosing means (2), one or more mixers (3), one or more refiners (4), one or more conches (5), and liquefying and tempering means (6). Appropriate inter-dependent operational parameters of the various devices (2/3/4/5/6) are measured by real-time measuring devices and transmitted to a controller device 12. The measured inter-dependent operational parameters are mutually optimized and dynamically adjusted providing an optimal operation at least in terms of the characteristics of the end chocolate mass 7 and/or throughputs of the chocolate production line 11 and/or other operation conditions as energy consumption.

The process can include mixing ingredients into a cocoa mass, conching the cocoa mass, and, subsequently to conching, measuring viscosity of the conched cocoa mass, contingent upon said viscosity being higher than a target viscosity value, calculating, based on the measured viscosity and reference data representing a reference model of viscosity vs. viscosity-reducing substance content for the chocolate to be produced, a quantity of cocoa butter to be added to the cocoa mass, and adding the quantity of cocoa butter to be added to the cocoa mass.

A method for the production of a product mass, in particular a chocolate mass, as a basic mass for foodstuffs, with a plurality of ingredients and a recipe total fat content, using a conching device with a conching container, which can be opened and closed hermetically sealed. The method includes filling of the conching container with a low-fat partial mass, which includes at least a part of the plurality of ingredients and has a fat content which is smaller than the recipe total fat content. Furthermore, the method includes a first conching of the low-fat partial mass with a closed conching container and second conching of the low-fat partial mass with an opened conching container with simultaneous active drying of the low-fat partial mass. Before the second conching, the method includes an addition of a further part of the plurality of ingredients to the low-fat partial mass until a fat content is reached in the range from approximately 11% to approximately 17%. The method also includes liquefaction of the partial mass while adding the rest of the plurality of ingredients and mixing the latter with the low-fat partial mass to form a total mass representing the product mass, which at least essentially includes the recipe total fat content.

A conching apparatus having: a container, which forms an accommodating space for a product mass, a shaft, which is accommodated, at least in part, in the container and is designed to rotate about its longitudinal axis, and at least one conching tool, which is coupled to the shaft for joint rotation therewith, the conching tool therefore, during conching operation of the conching apparatus, moving in a first direction of circulation along a circulatory path. The conching tool here includes an operative surface, which is directed towards the inner wall of the container and is designed such that a radial gap between the inner wall of the container and the operative surface decreases, at least in part, counter to the first direction of circulation. The invention also relates to a method for conching a product mass.

The invention relates to a rotary shaft for processing foodstuffs, the rotary shaft has a rotation axis and the rotary shaft comprises at least one tool which extends along the rotation axis. The tool has an airfoil profile such that the tool comprises a leading edge, a trailing edge, an upper surface and a lower surface. Further, the tool comprises at least one fluid channel between the mean camber line of the airfoil profile and the upper surface of the tool.