CONFECTIONERY TREATMENT

Abstract

A method for reducing or removing scuff marks on the surface of a confectionery product, said method comprising subjecting said product to a heat treatment, for example in a heating chamber or by application or a hot gas or infra-red blower, for a period of time and at a temperature which is sufficient to remove scuff marks but insufficient to de-temper or cause heat damage to the product.

Claims

1. A method for reducing or removing scuff marks on the surface of a confectionery product, said method comprising subjecting said confectionery product to a heat treatment for a period of time and at a temperature which is sufficient to remove scuff marks but insufficient to de-temper or cause heat damage to the product.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the confectionery product comprises chocolate, fudge, toffee, caramel or compound chocolate.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the confectionery product comprises chocolate.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the chocolate is present in the form of a coating or layer on the outside of the confectionery product.

5-9. (canceled)

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the heat treatment comprises applying infra-red or a hot gas to a surface of the confectionery product.

11. (canceled)

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the hot gas is hot air.

13. (canceled)

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the gas is at a temperature of from 40-150 C.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the hot gas is applied for a period of less than 10 seconds.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the hot gas is applied to the surface of the confectionery product for from 5 milliseconds to 1 second.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the heat treatment is applied while the confectionery product is dropping.

18. (canceled)

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the confectionery products are dropped through a fall-tube and wherein the surface of the fall-tube is cooled.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the confectionery product is dropped into a packaging receptacle.

21. The method of claim 10, wherein the heat treatment is applied by passing the confectionery product under a hot air blower.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the confectionery product is carried on a production line.

23-25. (canceled)

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the heat treatment is affected by incubating the confectionery products in a heater cabinet.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the confectionery products are incubated at a temperature of from 27-40 C.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the confectionery products are incubated for a period of from 0.5 to 48 hours.

29. An apparatus comprising heating means programmed to subject a confectionery product to a heat treatment for a period of time and at a temperature which is sufficient to remove scuff marks but insufficient to de-temper or cause heat damage to the product, wherein the heating means is selected from a heating cabinet, hot air blower or infra-red heater.

30. A confectionery product which has been subjected to a heat treatment for a period of time and at a temperature which is sufficient to remove scuff marks but insufficient to de-temper or cause heat damage to the product.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0027] The invention will now be particularly described by way of example. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the specific details are not required in order to practice the invention. The following descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention are presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive of or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Obviously, many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings. The embodiments are shown and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.

[0028] The examples refer to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0029] FIG. 1 shows a product which is (A) unscuffed, (B) scuffed and (C) a previously scuffed product which has been treated in accordance with the invention;

[0030] FIG. 2 illustrates an arrangement showing a hot air treatment stage of a production line which is arranged to effect the method of the invention;

[0031] FIG. 3 shows an alternative arrangement that may be used to apply a hot air treatment;

[0032] FIG. 4 shows the results of (A) heat treatment in accordance with the invention of chocolate bars held loose in pouches in a hot climate cabinet for various periods of time at 29 C. and (B) are the results for similar products held in a box, and (C) heat treatment in accordance with the invention of chocolate bars held loose in pouches in a hot climate cabinet for various periods of time at 28 C. and (D) are the results for similar products held in a box.

EXAMPLE 1

Hot Air Treatment

[0033] A row of 13 individual bite-size chocolate bars (Twix minatures), each of which was severely scuffed, were spaced on a surface in a line. A hot air blower with a downwardly directed air flowed was manually moved over the entire row of chocolates and back again at a distance of about 25 cm above the chocolate surface. The entire operation was completed in 11.2 seconds, suggesting that each bar was exposed to the hot air for less than 1 second.

[0034] Reduction in scuffing was significant and immediate. The results are illustrated in FIG. 1 in which (A) shows a product which is un-scuffed, (B) illustrates the scuffing that may occur during a production process, and (C) shows a product which had been scuffed but treated as described above. The treated product has a similar appearance to the un-scuffed product.

EXAMPLE 2

Apparatus for Carrying Out Hot Air Treatment

[0035] Apparatus to carry out the process described in Example 1 on an industrial scale is shown in FIG. 2. In this embodiment, a transport or conveyor belt (1), arranged to carry confectionery items (2), passes below a hot air blower (3). The blower (3) at a speed of is arranged approximately 25 cm above the belt (1) and is arranged to supply a flow of air at a temperature of 65 C. The conveyer belt (1) is moved under the blower (3) at a rate of 0.8 metres/minute, meaning that each item (2) is exposed to the hot air stream for a period of about 6 seconds. As a result, the temperature of the surface of the items reaches approximately 32 C.

EXAMPLE 3

Alternative Apparatus for Carrying Out Hot Air Treatment

[0036] Apparatus to carry out a heat treatment in accordance with the invention is shown in FIG. 3. In this embodiment, confectionery items (2) leaving a weighing machine (not shown), are allowed to drop in the direction of arrow A through a fall tube (4). A cold water jacket (5) is provided around the tube (4) and cold water is passed through it in the direction of the arrows. A hot air blower or infra-red heater (not shown) is arranged to apply heat directly onto the confectionery items (2) as they fall through the tube (4). During this time, scuff marks are removed.

[0037] The items (2) are collected directly in a packaging pouch (6).

EXAMPLE 4

Hot Climate Cabinet Treatment

[0038] Packs comprising a plurality of individual bite-size chocolate bars (Twix minatures), each of which was severely scuffed, were packed together in a pouch and placed in a Hot Climate cabinet and retained at either 27 C. or 29 C. for a period of 24 hours. At the end of this time, the bars were examined visually for scuffs.

[0039] The bars held at 27 C. showed a 50% reduction in scuff marks, which the bars held at 29 C. showed a 95% reduction in scuffs.

EXAMPLE 5

Hot Climate Cabinet/Shelf Life Studies

[0040] Samples of the bars as described in Example 3 were packaged loose in pouches. In some cases, the pouches were themselves e packaged in a carton or show box. All the bars were significantly damaged and therefore showed a lot of scuff marks.

[0041] These were held in the hot cabinet climate at temperatures of 28 C., 28.5 C. and 29 C. for a period of 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 24 hours. A control group was not placed in the cabinet (0 hours). At the end of this procedure, bars were removed from the packages and examined for scuffing. All heat treated bars showed significantly reduced scuffing, whereas the condition of the control group was unchanged.

[0042] The results at 29 C. and 28 C. are illustrated in FIG. 4. As can be seen, the amount of scuffing was lower, the longer the samples had been held in the cabinet. At 29 C., a reduction in scuffing occurred earlier during the process.

[0043] The bars were then subject to a 9 week ageing study. There appeared to be no adverse effect on the shelf life of any of the bars.