FOOD COMPOSITIONS CONTAINING REDUCED-FLAVOR COCOA PRODUCT AS BULK FILLER

Abstract

A method of forming a food product includes substituting a pre-determined amount of added sugar of the food product with a bulk filler including a reduced-flavor cocoa product. The formed food product includes the bulk filler. A method of forming a milk chocolate composition includes mixing and grinding a cocoa composition including sugar, a milk powder, and a reduced-flavor cocoa product and conching the cocoa composition with a fat composition including cocoa butter to form the milk chocolate composition. A confectionery composition includes sugar, at least one fat source, and a bulk filler including a reduced-flavor cocoa product.

Claims

1. A method of forming a food product, the method comprising: substituting a pre-determined amount of added sugar of the food product with a bulk filler comprising a reduced-flavor cocoa product; wherein the formed food product comprises the bulk filler.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the reduced-flavor cocoa product comprises a reduced-flavor cocoa powder.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the reduced-flavor cocoa product comprises a de-flavored cocoa powder.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the reduced-flavor cocoa product comprises a reduced-flavor non-fat cocoa.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the reduced-flavor cocoa product comprises a de-flavored non-fat cocoa.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the bulk filler substitutes for at least 20%, by weight, of the added sugar.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the reduced-flavor cocoa product includes less than 0.5% theobromine and less than 0.1% caffeine, by weight.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the food product is a reduced-sugar milk chocolate.

9. A food product formed by the method of claim 1.

10. A process of forming a milk chocolate composition, the process comprising: mixing and grinding a cocoa composition comprising sugar, a milk powder, and a reduced-flavor cocoa product; and conching the cocoa composition with a fat composition comprising cocoa butter to form the milk chocolate composition.

11. The process of claim 10, wherein the reduced-flavor cocoa product is selected from the group consisting of a reduced-flavor cocoa powder, a de-flavored cocoa powder, a reduced-flavor non-fat cocoa, a de-flavored non-fat cocoa, and combinations thereof.

12. The process of claim 10, wherein the reduced-flavor cocoa product includes less than 0.5% theobromine and less than 0.1% caffeine, by weight.

13. The process of claim 10, wherein the bulk filler is at least 20%, by weight, of a total weight of the bulk filler and the added sugar.

14. A confectionery composition of a formulation comprising: sugar; at least one fat source; and a bulk filler comprising a reduced-flavor cocoa product.

15. The confectionery composition of claim 14, wherein the reduced-flavor cocoa product is selected from the group consisting of a reduced-flavor cocoa powder, a de-flavored cocoa powder, a reduced-flavor non-fat cocoa, a de-flavored non-fat cocoa, and combinations thereof.

16. The confectionery composition of claim 14, wherein the reduced-flavor cocoa product includes less than 0.5% theobromine and less than 0.1% caffeine, by weight.

17. The confectionery composition of claim 14, wherein the bulk filler is at least 20%, by weight, of a total weight of the bulk filler and the sugar.

18. The confectionery composition of claim 14, wherein the at least one fat source comprises cocoa butter.

19. The confectionery composition of claim 14, wherein the formulation further comprises a milk powder.

20. The confectionery composition of claim 14, wherein the confectionery composition is a reduced-sugar milk chocolate composition.

Description

EXAMPLES

[0023] The invention is further described in the context of the following examples which are presented by way of illustration, not of limitation.

Comparative Example 1

[0024] A typical milk chocolate was formulated according to Table 1. The chocolate liquor included the equivalent of about 6.6% of non-fat cocoa, by weight, of the milk chocolate formulation. The sugar in the whole milk powder was lactose.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Comparative Example Ingredients Sugar Non-fat cocoa Ingredient wt % wt % wt % Sugar (sucrose) 50.0 50.0 Cocoa butter 16.0 Chocolate liquor 14.0 6.6 Whole milk powder 16.0 5.6 Milk fat, Emulsifier, Flavoring, Lactose 4.0 1.7

Inventive Example 1

[0025] A milk chocolate in accordance with an exemplary embodiment had the formula shown in Table 2, in which about 20% by weight of the added sugar (and 10% of the total composition) of Comparative Example 1 was replaced by de-flavored, non-fat cocoa. The total wt % of non-fat cocoa in the composition was about 16.6% by weight when considering the percentage of non-fat cocoa present in its natural combined form as part of the chocolate liquor.

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Milk Chocolate composition Sugar Non-fat cocoa Ingredient wt % wt % wt % Sugar (sucrose) 40.0 40.0 Cocoa butter 16.0 Chocolate liquor 14.0 6.6 Whole milk powder 16.0 5.6 Milk fat, Emulsifier, Flavoring, Lactose 4.0 1.7 De-flavored, non-fat cocoa 10.0 10.0

[0026] Inventive Example 1 had a total methylxanthine level that was not significantly higher than the total methylxanthine level of Comparative Example 1 and was found to have substantially the same bitterness level as Comparative Example 1 in a descriptive sensory analysis.

Inventive Example 2

[0027] A milk chocolate in accordance with another exemplary embodiment had the formula shown in Table 3. Again, the formula provided for about a 20% reduction in the amount of added sugar relative to Comparative Example 1, with the resulting bulk loss accounted for by the introduction of de-flavored, non-fat cocoa.

TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Milk Chocolate composition Sugar Non-fat cocoa Ingredient wt % wt % wt % Sugar (sucrose) 40.0 40.0 Cocoa butter 18.0 Chocolate liquor 10.0 4.7 Whole milk powder 16.0 5.6 Milk Fat, Emulsifier, Flavoring, Lactose 4.0 1.7 De-flavored, non-fat cocoa 12.0 12.0

[0028] It will be appreciated that other formulations could be successfully executed depending on the desired amount of sugar reduction, as well as the relative amounts of cocoa butter and chocolate liquor in addition to the amount of reduced-flavor cocoa powder, reduced-flavor non-fat cocoa, de-flavored cocoa powder, and/or de-flavored non-fat cocoa.

[0029] The chocolates made in accordance with exemplary embodiments could be used in any application for which a traditional chocolate might be employed and may be particularly suitable for coating or enrobing applications.

[0030] While primarily described herein with respect to chocolate and other confections, it will be appreciated that the principles are not so limited and that reduced-flavor cocoa powder and/or reduced-flavor non-fat cocoa could be used to replace some or all of the added sugar in any food product.

[0031] While the foregoing specification illustrates and describes exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.