METHOD OF PRODUCING A CHOCOLATE MASS FOR PRODUCING CHOCOLATE WITH A REDUCED ENERGY VALUE

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a chocolate mass suitable for producing reduced-calorie chocolate food products. The method includes the following steps. A cocoa butter emulsion is prepared. Separately, a cocoa liquor/erythritol crumb is prepared. The crumb is then added to cocoa liquor or cocoa butter, and dietary fibre, to prepare a chocolate composition intended to produce dark chocolate or milk chocolate final products, depending on additional ingredients. The chocolate composition is mixed with the emulsion to produce a chocolate mass suitable for molding, forming, or other processing into final products. The process provides improvement in organoleptic indicators, such the intensity of the chocolate flavour, absence of off-flavours and aftertaste, natural sweetness and chocolate texture, with reduced energy value or calorie count, and also improvement in such physical properties as viscosity, yield stress, contraction degree upon crystallization, and hardness of a final product.

Claims

1. A method for producing a chocolate mass for producing chocolate with a reduced energy value, comprising preparation of a water-in-oil emulsion, preparation of a chocolate composition and mixing of a melted chocolate composition with said emulsion, wherein, in order to prepare said chocolate composition, an aqueous solution of erythritol is prepared, said solution is mixed with a cocoa liquor, a produced mixture is thickened and crystallized for producing a crumb comprising, wt. %: erythritol74-84, the cocoa liquor15-25, waternot more than 1.5; the produced crumb is mixed with dietary fibers, cocoa products in the form of the cocoa liquor or a cocoa butter and, optionally, a milk powder in the following ingredient ratio, wt. %: the crumb30-60, the dietary fibers5-30, the cocoa liquor 30-40 and/or the cocoa butter12-15, a melted chocolate composition being mixed with said emulsion in the following ingredient ratio, wt. %: the chocolate composition80-95, the emulsion5-20.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, in order to produce the water-in-oil emulsion: an aqueous phase is prepared by mixing water and a water-soluble substance in the following ingredient ratio, wt. %: water50-90, the water-soluble substance10-50; an emulsifier is dissolved into the cocoa butter, and the prepared aqueous phase is introduced into the produced mixture in the following ingredient ratio, wt. % the cocoa butter20-80, the aqueous phase18-78, the emulsifier1-3; said mixture is subjected to high-shear stirring for producing the emulsion with an aqueous phase drop size in the range from 0.1 to 1000 microns.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein at least one ingredient selected from the group comprising polyols, carbohydrates and soluble dietary fibers is used as the water-soluble substance.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein glycerol or sorbitol is used as the polyols, sucrose or dextrose is used as the carbohydrates, and pectin or cellulose is used as the soluble dietary fibers.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein at least one ingredient selected from the group comprising lecithin, polyglycerol ester, mono- or diglyceride, sucrose ester, sorbitan ester is used as the emulsifier.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein in the step of preparing the chocolate composition the aqueous solution of erythritol comprises 20-30 wt. % of water.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein in the step of preparing the chocolate composition the aqueous solution of erythritol is heated to a temperature in the range from 100 to 120 C. before mixing thereof with the cocoa liquor.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the mixture is thickened in a heat exchanger in the step of preparing the chocolate composition.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the chocolate composition is refined to a particle size ranging from 15 to 25 microns before mixing it with the emulsion.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the chocolate composition and the emulsion are mixed at a temperature of the chocolate composition ranging from 40 to 50 C.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one ingredient selected from the group comprising oligofructose, polydextrose, pectin, maltodextrin, inulin, agar, alginate, carrageenan, cellulose, guar gum, xanthan gum and locust bean gum is used as the dietary fibers for the chocolate composition.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the chocolate mass is produced that comprises a solid residue of cocoa products in an amount of 40-44 wt. %; a solid residue of total fat in an amount of 22-27 wt. %, and moisture in an amount of 1-11 wt. %.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the chocolate mass is produced that comprises a solid residue of total fat in an amount of 21-25 wt. %, a solid residue of butterfat in an amount of 2-2.5 wt. %, and moisture in an amount of 0.5-11 wt. %.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the chocolate mass is produced that has an energy value of not more than 330 kcal/100 g.

Description

BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0061] The claimed method can be implemented as follows.

[0062] The first step is production of an aqueous phase for an emulsion. For this purpose, water is mixed with a water-soluble substance (s), preferably in the following ratio, wt. %: [0063] water50-90, [0064] the water-soluble substance10-50.

[0065] Then, in the second step, a mixture is prepared from the produced aqueous phase, a cocoa butter and an emulsifier. For this purpose, the emulsifier is dissolved in the cocoa butter at a temperature of 60 C. for 15 minutes under moderate stirring with the use of any suitable equipment. The aqueous phase is added to the prepared mixture at a temperature ranging from 50 to 60 C. under moderate stirring with the use of a magnetic or mechanical mixer. The addition is performed batchwise, as a continuous stream or by drops. The produced mixture is stirred for 1 minute. As a result, a triple mixture is produced that comprises, wt. %: [0066] the cocoa butter20-80, [0067] the aqueous phase18-78, [0068] the emulsifier1-3.

[0069] The third step comprises preparation of a water-in-oil emulsion with an aqueous phase drop size ranging from 0.1 to 1,000 microns from the triple mixture, as produced in the second step, with the use of any apparatus suitable for this purpose, e.g. a high-shear bottom mixer operating at high rotation speeds. The emulsification process is continued until aqueous phase drops of a required size are achieved (approx. 10 minutes). The emulsion thus produced should be stable for a time period required for its further processing.

[0070] The fourth step may be conducted in parallel with the first and the second ones and consists in preparing a crumb based on a sweetener (erythritol) and a cocoa liquor. For this purpose, an aqueous solution (syrup) of erythritol is prepared by heating thereof, the water content being preferably in the range of 20 to 30 wt. %. The solution is heated to 100-120 C. and mixed with the cocoa liquor. The prepared mass is passed through a heat exchanger for thickening, after which dry matter content of the mixture is increased to approx. 99 wt. %. At the same time, taste-and-flavor properties are formed. The concentrated mass produced by thickening is loaded into a crystallizer wherein an amorphous mass is quickly transformed into the crumb comprising erythritol small crystals with a size from 0.5 to 2 mm The mass is held in the heat exchanger for 2-10 minutes. The crumb thus produced comprises, wt. % %: [0071] erythritol74-84, [0072] the cocoa liquor15-25, [0073] water-not more than 1.5,

[0074] The crumb based on erythritol and the cocoa liquor is used for producing a chocolate composition at the stage of mixing the ingredients. The use of said crumb in the final chocolate mass enables to further reduce cooling effect of erythritol during dissolving.

[0075] The chocolate composition is prepared in the fifth step. In order to produce dark chocolate, the crumb, the cocoa liquor and dietary fibers are mixed in the following ratio, wt. %: [0076] the crumb30-60, [0077] the dietary fibers5-30, [0078] the cocoa liquor30-40.

[0079] In order to produce milk chocolate, the crumb, the cocoa butter, the dietary fibers and a milk powder are mixed in the following ratio, wt. %: [0080] the crumb30-60, [0081] the cocoa butter12-15, [0082] the dietary fibers5-30, [0083] the milk powder-up to 25.

[0084] Mixing is performed, e.g. in a screw-type mixer. Then, the produced mixture is refined to a particle size ranging from 15 to 25 microns with the use of a refiner for a required time period.

[0085] The sixth step consists in mixing the water-in-oil emulsion, as produced in the third step, with the chocolate composition heated to 40-50 C., under stirring. The mixing process is performed, e.g. in a collecting tank equipped with a screw-type mixer. A duration of the mixing process is determined by mass homogeneity and may last from 1 minute to 1 hour (30 minutes on the average).

[0086] The last step comprises tempering of the produced mass for forming cocoa butter crystals of the required crystalline modification, subsequent molding and forming of chocolate.

EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0087] Chocolate masses were prepared according to the claimed invention for producing dark (Examples 1-3) and milk (Examples 4-6) chocolate, which compositions and properties are shown in Tables 1-12 below.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Chocolate mass composition Ingredient Functional property Content, wt. % 1. Aqueous phase for emulsion Water 70.0 Glycerol Water-soluble substance 15.0 Sorbitol Water-soluble substance 15.0 2. Aqueous emulsion based on cocoa butter Cocoa butter Fat phase 20.0 Aqueous phase (1) 78.0 Soy lecithin Emulsifier 2.0 3. Crumb based on erythritol and cocoa liquor Erythritol Sweetener 82.5 Cocoa liquor Cocoa product 16.5 Water 1.0 4. Chocolate composition Cocoa liquor Cocoa product 35.0 Crumb (from Table 3) Sweetener 60.0 Oligofructose Dietary fibers 5.0 5. Chocolate mass Chocolate composition (4) 80.0 Aqueous emulsion based on 20.0 cocoa butter (2)

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Chocolate properties Parameter Value Dry residue of cocoa products, % 40.0 Dry residue of total fat, % 23.4 Moisture, % 10.9 Energy value, kcal/100 g 280

Example 2

Dark Chocolate

[0088]

TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Chocolate mass composition Ingredient Functional property Content, wt. % 1. Aqueous phase for emulsion Water 50.0 Sucrose Water-soluble substance 25.0 Dextrose Water-soluble substance 25.0 2. Aqueous emulsion based on cocoa butter Cocoa butter Fat phase 80.0 Aqueous phase (1) 18.0 PGPR Emulsifier 2.0 3. Crumb based on erythritol and cocoa liquor Erythritol Sweetener 74.5 Cocoa liquor Cocoa product 24.5 Water 1.0 4. Chocolate composition Cocoa liquor Cocoa product 40.0 Crumb (from Table 3) Sweetener 30.0 Inulin Dietary fibers 10.0 Oligofractose Dietary fibers 20.0 5. Chocolate mass Chocolate composition (4) 93.0 Aqueous emulsion based on 7.0 cocoa butter (2)

TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Chocolate properties Parameter Value Dry residue of cocoa products, % 42.8 Dry residue of total fat, % 25.7 Moisture, % 1.0 Energy value, kcal/100 g 330

Example 3

Dark Chocolate

[0089]

TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 5 Chocolate mass composition Ingredient Functional property Content, wt. % 1. Aqueous phase for emulsion Water 90.0 Pectin Water-soluble substance 5.0 Microcrystalline cellulose Water-soluble substance 5.0 2. Aqueous emulsion based on cocoa butter Cocoa butter Fat phase 50.0 Aqueous phase (1) 48.0 Sorbitan stearate Emulsifier 2.0 3. Crumb based on erythritol and cocoa liquor Erythritol Sweetener 77.5 Cocoa liquor Cocoa product 21.5 Water 1.0 4. Chocolate composition Cocoa liquor Cocoa product 30.0 Crumb (from Table 3) Sweetener 60.0 Oligofractose Dietary fibers 8.0 Pectin Dietary fibers 2.0 5. Chocolate mass Chocolate composition (4) 88.0 Aqueous emulsion based on 12.0 cocoa butter (2)

TABLE-US-00006 TABLE 6 Chocolate properties Parameter Value Dry residue of cocoa products, % 43.8 Dry residue of total fat, % 26.4 Moisture, % 5.2 Energy value, kcal/100 g 302

Example 4

Milk Chocolate

[0090]

TABLE-US-00007 TABLE 7 Chocolate mass composition Ingredient Functional property Content, wt. % 1. Aqueous phase for emulsion Water 70.0 Glycerol Water-soluble substance 15.0 Sorbitol Water-soluble substance 15.0 2. Aqueous emulsion based on cocoa butter Cocoa butter Fat phase 20.0 Aqueous phase (1) 78.0 Soy lecithin Emulsifier 2.0 3. Crumb based on erythritol and cocoa liquor Erythritol Sweetener 83.5 Cocoa liquor Cocoa product 16.5 Water 1.0 4. Chocolate composition Cocoa butter Cocoa product 14.0 Dried whole milk Milk product 10.0 Dried skimmed milk Milk product 8.0 Crumb (3) Sweetener 59.0 Oligofractose Dietary fibers 5.0 5. Chocolate mass Chocolate composition (4) 80.0 Aqueous emulsion based on 20.0 cocoa butter (2)

TABLE-US-00008 TABLE 8 Chocolate properties Parameter Value Dry residue of cocoa products, % 23.2 Dry residue of total fat, % 21.9 Moisture, % 10.9 Energy value, kcal/100 g 280

Example 5

Milk Chocolate

[0091]

TABLE-US-00009 TABLE 9 Chocolate mass composition Ingredient Functional property Content, wt. % 1. Aqueous phase for emulsion Water 50.0 Sucrose Water-soluble substance 25.0 Dextrose Water-soluble substance 25.0 2. Aqueous emulsion based on cocoa butter Cocoa butter Fat phase 80.0 Aqueous phase (1) 18.0 PGPR Emulsifier 2.0 3. Crumb based on erythritol and cocoa liquor Erythritol Sweetener 74.5 Cocoa liquor Cocoa product 24.5 Water 1.0 4. Chocolate composition Cocoa butter Cocoa product 12.0 Dried whole milk Milk product 10.0 Dried skimmed milk Milk product 8.0 Crumb (3) Sweetener 40.0 Inulin Dietary fibers 10.0 5. Chocolate mass Chocolate composition (4) 93.0 Aqueous emulsion based on 7.0 cocoa butter (2)

TABLE-US-00010 TABLE 10 Chocolate properties Parameter Value Dry residue of cocoa products, % 26.1 Dry residue of total fat, % 24.1 Moisture, % 0.6 Energy value, kcal/100 g 330

Example 6

Milk Chocolate

[0092]

TABLE-US-00011 TABLE 11 Chocolate mass composition Ingredient Functional property Content, wt. % 1. Aqueous phase for emulsion Water 90.0 Pectin Water-soluble substance 5.0 Microcrystalline cellulose Water-soluble substance 5.0 2. Aqueous emulsion based on cocoa butter Cocoa butter Fat phase 50.0 Aqueous phase (1) 48.0 Sorbitan stearate Emulsifier 2.0 3. Crumb based on erythritol and cocoa liquor Erythritol Sweetener 81.5 Cocoa liquor Cocoa product 17.5 Water 1.0 4. Chocolate composition Cocoa butter Cocoa product 13.0 Dried whole milk Milk product 11.0 Dried skimmed milk Milk product 9.0 Crumb (3) Sweetener 57.0 Oligofractose Dietary fibers 8.0 5. Chocolate mass Chocolate composition (4) 88.0 Aqueous emulsion based on 12.0 cocoa butter (2)

TABLE-US-00012 TABLE 12 Chocolate properties Parameter Value Dry residue of cocoa products, % 26.2 Dry residue of total fat, % 24.6 Moisture, % 5.2 Energy value, kcal/100 g 302

Test Results

[0093] Comparative studies of the following specimens were conducted:

[0094] Specimen 1dark chocolate produced from the mass according to the claimed composition,

[0095] Specimen 2milk chocolate produced from the mass according to the claimed composition.

[0096] Specimen 3milk chocolate with maltitol produced from the chocolate mass according to U.S. Pat. No. 5,425,957 (analog).

[0097] Specimen 4dark chocolate with maltitol produced from the chocolate mass according to U.S. Pat. No. 6,165,540 (analog).

[0098] Specimen 5dark commercial chocolate of standard energy value comprising sugar, cocoa liquor, cocoa butter, lecithin, emulsifier E476, vanillin.

[0099] Specimen 6milk commercial chocolate of standard energy value comprising sugar, cocoa butter, dried whole milk, cocoa liquor, dried skimmed milk, lecithin, emulsifier E476, vanillin.

[0100] In order to determine organoleptic and consumer properties of the product, the chocolate specimens were tasted.

[0101] Active chocolate consumers (who buy chocolate at least once a week) were involved as tasters.

[0102] The tasters were invited to taste the chocolate specimens and answer the following questions:

[0103] 1. Please, evaluate consumer properties under the scale from 1 to 5, where: 5like very much, 1dislike totally. The evaluation criteria are shown in Table 13.

TABLE-US-00013 TABLE 13 Evaluation criteria for chocolate properties. Taste sensations at Taste sensations at Parameter score 5 . . . score 1 1. External appearance Glance surface Mat surface 2. Chocolate taste Impressive, Tasteless intensity harmonious 3. Presence of off- Absent Present flavors, aftertaste 4. Sweetness degree Natural Sickly sweet or insufficiently sweet 5. Structure Firm, with a Soft, plasticine, click loose typical of chocolate 6. Texture Smooth, easily Melts too quickly or melts in the is high-melting, mouth large particles are present

[0104] 2. Please, compare a degree of your readiness to consume chocolate of Specimens 1-6 under the following scale: Surely shall consume, Sooner shall consume, Do not know, Sooner shall not consume, Surely shall not consume.

[0105] The results of tasting are shown in Tables 14 and 15.

TABLE-US-00014 TABLE 14 Average evaluations of chocolate specimen properties. Specimen 1 Specimen 2 Specimen 3 Specimen 4 Specimen 5 Specimen 6 305 kcal/ 298 kcal/ 395 kcal/ 384 kcal/ 550 kcal/ 550 kcal/ Evaluation 100 g 100 g 100 g 100 g 100 g 100 g External 4.8 4.7 3.5 2.9 4.9 4.8 appearance Chocolate taste 4.7 4.5 3.7 3.5 4.8 4.6 intensity Presence of off- 4.7 4.6 3.3 3.7 4.8 4.7 flavors/aftertaste Sweetness degree 4.6 4.7 3.4 3.1 4.6 4.7 Structure 4.9 4.6 3.5 3.2 4.9 4.8 Texture 4.7 4.6 2.9 3 4.8 4.7

TABLE-US-00015 TABLE 15 Opinions on readiness to consume chocolate. Specimen 1 Specimen 2 Specimen 3 Specimen 4 Specimen 5 Specimen 6 305 kcal/ 298 kcal/ 395 kcal/ 384 kcal/ 550 kcal/ 550 kcal/ Opinion 100 g 100 g 100 g 100 g 100 g 100 g Surely shall 43% 41% 5% 3% 48% 45% consume Sooner shall 35% 32% 14% 10% 29% 32% consume Do not know 12% 14% 16% 24% 7% 12% Sooner shall not 7% 8% 48% 37% 13% 9% consume Surely shall not 3% 5% 17% 26% 3% 2% consume

[0106] Also, physical properties of chocolate were measured, such as: viscosity, yield stress, fineness degree, contraction degree and hardness.

[0107] Viscosity and yield stress of the chocolate masses were determined with the use of an Anton Paar RheolabQC viscometer and software RheoPlus at 40 C.

[0108] Fineness degree was determined with the use of a micrometer. Contraction degree was determined by measuring the dimensions of the mold and the dimensions of a chocolate brick in a day after cooling.

[0109] Hardness was determined with the use of a static mechanical analyzer (TA-HD plus).

TABLE-US-00016 TABLE 16 Physical properties of chocolate specimens. Specimen 1 Specimen 2 Specimen 3 Specimen 4 305 kcal/ 298 kcal/ 395 kcal/ 384 kcal/ Property 100 g 100 g 100 g 100 g Casson plastic 4.7 6.1 14.8 5.3 viscosity, Pa .Math. s Yield stress, Pa 8.7 10.2 15.2 14.8 Fineness 26 29 35 56 degree, microns Contraction 1.1 0.7 0.3 0.4 degree after crystal- lization, % Hardness, H 90.5 74.3 50.8 43.6

[0110] Viscosity determines the chocolate degree of thickness. An optimal viscosity value of chocolate should be in the range from 2 to 4. As seen in Table 14, the viscosity of Specimens 1, 2 and 4 is close to an optimal value on the whole. Specimen 3 has too high viscosity.

[0111] Solid particle fineness degree in chocolate determines organoleptic properties of a product: if an average fineness degree is higher than 30 microns, granularity of chocolate can be felt. All the specimens comply with this requirement, but Specimens 1 and 2 have a greater fineness degree.

[0112] Yield stress is an important process parameter for chocolate which determines its ability to flow. Specimens 1 and 2 have much better ability to flow than Specimens 3 and 4.

[0113] Contraction degree after crystallization should be greater than 0.5%, in order a cast chocolate bar may be extracted from a mold easily. Specimens 1 and 2 have a sufficient contraction degree, unlike Specimens 3 and 4.

[0114] Taking into account the above results of tasting and tests, a conclusion may be drawn that the chocolate mass produced according to the claimed invention exhibits significant advantages with regard to taste and physical characteristics as compared to the analogs.

[0115] Chocolate produced by methods according to U.S. Pat. No. 5,425,957 (Specimen 3) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,165,540 (Specimen 4) do not have a smooth surface and are characterized by too quick melting, i.e. have texture not peculiar to chocolate with a standard energy value (Specimens 5 and 6). Moreover, said chocolate is characterized by the presence of off-flavors.

[0116] Chocolate according to the claimed invention (Specimens 1 and 2) has optimal appearance, structure and texture and is characterized by natural taste peculiar to chocolate with a standard energy value (Specimens 5 and 6) and, at the same time, has a reduced total energy value (not more than 330 kcal/100 g). Moreover, this chocolate has physical properties, such as hardness, yield stress and contraction degree, that are closer to those of chocolate with a standard energy value.

[0117] Thus, the claimed chocolate composition ensures production of a low energy value chocolate having improved organoleptic and physical characteristics.