For coloring foods, nutritional supplements, cosmetic or pharmaceutical products, the invention provides a dye, which contains at least one pigment in the form of a water-insoluble sulfate, carbonate, or phosphate of at least one alkaline earth metal, which is selected from the group consisting of calcium sulfate, magnesium phosphate, calcium phosphate, and magnesium carbonate.

A reduced calorie filling composition may include a chocolate component and an aqueous component. The chocolate component may be present in an amount from about 30% to about 70% by weight of the reduced calorie filling composition. The aqueous component may include water in an amount from about 9% to about 20% by weight of the reduced calorie filling composition. In addition, the aqueous component may include a sweetener component in an amount from about 5% to about 30% by weight of the reduced calorie filling composition. The aqueous component may also includes a humectant in an amount from about 2% to about 10% by weight of the reduced calorie filling composition. A confectionery product may be a finished reduced calorie confectionery product having a reduced calorie coating composition on the reduced calorie filling composition. The finished reduced calorie confectionery product may be a reduced calorie truffle.

The invention provides cocoa pod husk powder having a concentration of insoluble dietary fibre of at least 55 wt. % of the total weight of the cocoa pod husk and/or having a concentration of total fibre of at least 68 wt. % of the total weight of the cocoa pod husk, and wherein the total ash content of the powder is no more than 6.0 wt. %. The invention further provides methods of making cocoa pod husk powders of the invention comprising the steps of: reducing cocoa pod husk in a wet-milling process to a paste; and drying the paste at a temperature of at least 80° C., or at least 85° C.

Disclosed herein is a composition for forming an aerated ready-to-eat food product quiescently and in ambient environmental conditions. The composition comprises a matrix forming system which is capable of forming a matrix defining a structure of the food product at ambient environmental conditions upon exposure to a liquid. The composition also comprises an aerating system comprising an acidulant which is capable of acidulating at ambient environmental conditions at a rate that is similar to a rate at which the matrix is formed upon exposure to a liquid, and an alkali which is capable of reacting with the acidulant to form an aerating gas.

Edible coatings comprising scalenohedral calcium carbonate particles are provided. The scalenohedral calcium carbonate particles can act as a white pigment to impart white color properties to the edible coatings, or to opacify edible coatings to act as a substrate to subsequent layers containing colors.

A composition for degradation of mycotoxin includes Aspergillus culture filtrate as an effective component and uses thereof, and it is expected that, in the field of food products and animal feeds for which biodegradation of mycotoxin (in particular, aflatoxin) is required, and the composition can be advantageously used as a novel material that can maintain the activity of degrading mycotoxin even at high temperatures.

A food product made with simple ingredients, including fruit paste and cocoa butter-based particles, is disclosed. The food product is shelf stable and provides an eating experience resembling a chocolate truffle. Methods of making a food product are also described.

Method for coating a piece of chocolate that includes a placement step for placing an edible metal foil having a thickness less than 20 micrometers on at least one part of the outer surface of a surface layer of said piece of chocolate, said layer comprising cocoa butter, a heating step in which the piece of chocolate is exposed to a temperature equal to or greater than the melting temperature of the cocoa butter such that the cocoa butter of said layer melts and attaches said foil to the layer, and a solidification step wherein the melted butter solidifies, the foil being adhered to the surface layer of said piece of chocolate. The invention also relates to a piece of chocolate made according to the methods disclosed herein.

This invention provides edible compositions comprising pharmaceutically or nutraceutically active agents in particulate form homogeneously dispersed in a fat matrix, such as chocolate or chocolate compound coating.

The invention relates to a method for preparing a chocolate product, the process comprising: (a) providing a mixture, said mixture comprising: (i) one or more cocoa components; (ii) a non-reducing sugar; (iii) one or more reducing sugars; and (iv) water; and (b) mechanically agitating the mixture at a temperature at which the mixture is in a liquid state. The invention further relates to a chocolate product comprising: (I) one or more cocoa components; (II) a non-reducing sugar; (III) one or more reducing sugars; and (IV) water wherein said chocolate product comprises between 4 and 20 wt. % of water with respect to the weight of the chocolate product, preferably between 6 and 15 wt. % of water with respect to the weight of the chocolate product.