COCOA BUTTER EQUIVALENT FOR USE AS AN EXTENDER AND OBTAINING PROCESS THEREOF

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cocoa butter equivalent made of palm oils and fractions thereof, and a process of obtaining said cocoa butter equivalent involving chemical interesterification of the oils. Moreover, the present invention relates to the use of said cocoa butter equivalent as an extender of cocoa butter and equivalents thereof in the production of chocolate products.

Claims

1. A process for obtaining a cocoa butter equivalent characterized by the following step: a. Blending one or more of components, wherein each component is a palm oil or fractions thereof; b. Chemical interesterification; and c. Physical refining of the interesterified product.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein at least three palm oils or fractions thereof are blended, and they are selected from raw palm oil, refined, bleached, and deodorized (RBD) palm oil, palm stearin, palm olein, partially hydrogenated raw palm oil, partially hydrogenated RBD palm oil, partially hydrogenated palm stearin, fully hydrogenated raw palm oil, fully hydrogenated RBD palm oil, or fully hydrogenated palm stearin.

3. (canceled)

4. The process of claim 2, wherein (i) the first component is a palm oil or fractions thereof at a percentage of at least 60% and up to 85% w/w of the total weight of the blend; (ii) the second component is a palm oil or fractions thereof at a percentage of at least 5% and up to 35% w/w of the total weight of the blend; and (iii) third component is a palm oil or fractions thereof at a percentage of at least 18 and up to 4% w/w of the total weight of the blend.

5. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

7. The process of claim 4, wherein the first component is RBD palm oil, the second component is palm stearin, and the third component is fully hydrogenated palm oil.

8. The process of claim 4, wherein the catalyst of the interesterification step is selected from alkali metals or alloys thereof, and alkoxides.

9. The process of claim 8, wherein the catalyst is an alkoxide, preferably sodium methoxide.

10. (canceled)

11. The process of claim 9, wherein the interesterification is stopped by neutralization using citric acid as neutralizing agent.

12. (canceled)

13. The process of claim 7, wherein the refining step includes (i) bleaching the composition with neutral clay; and/or (ii) deodorizing the composition at a temperature of at least 200 C.

14. (canceled)

15. (canceled)

16. The process of claim 8, wherein the blend obtained in step a) is dried before step b).

17. A cocoa butter equivalent obtained by the process of claim 1.

18. A The cocoa butter equivalent of claim 17, having the following fatty acid profile: C12:0 at up to about 0.5% w/w of the total weight of the equivalent; C14:0 at up to about 1% w/w of the total weight of the equivalent; C16:0 from about 39% to about 48% w/w of the total weight of the equivalent; C18:0 from about 4.7% to about 5.8% w/w of the total weight of the equivalent; C18:1 from about 34% to about 42% w/w of the total weight of the equivalent; and C18:2 from about 7.5% to about 9.5% w/w of the total weight of the equivalent.

19. The cocoa butter equivalent of claim 18, having the following triglyceride profile: PPP from about 11% to about 13% w/w of the total weight of the equivalent; POP from about 25% to about 30% w/w of the total weight of the equivalent; POS from about 5% to about 7% w/w of the total weight of the equivalent; SOO from about 1.5% to about 5% w/w of the total weight of the equivalent; and SOS from about 0.1% to about 2.5% w/w of the total weight of the equivalent.

20. The cocoa butter equivalent of claim 19 for use as an extender of cocoa butter or equivalents thereof.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0028] The process of the invention for obtaining the above-mentioned CBE comprises a first step of blending one or more palm oils or fractions thereof, wherein the palm oils or fractions thereof are selected from raw palm oil, refined, bleached, and deodorized (RBD) palm oil, palm stearin, palm olein, partially hydrogenated raw palm oil, partially hydrogenated RBD palm oil, partially hydrogenated palm stearin, fully hydrogenated raw palm oil, fully hydrogenated RBD palm oil, fully hydrogenated palm stearin, or any other palm oil fraction not included in this list.

[0029] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the palm oils or fractions thereof are selected from raw palm oil, RBD palm oil, palm stearin, fully hydrogenated raw palm oil, fully hydrogenated RBD palm oil, or fully hydrogenated palm stearin. In a more preferred embodiment, the palm oils or fractions thereof are selected from RBD palm oil, palm stearin, fully hydrogenated raw palm oil or fully hydrogenated RBD palm oil.

[0030] In the process of the invention, at least two palm oils or fractions thereof are used in the first step of blending. In a particular embodiment, at least three palm oils or fractions thereof are used in the first step of blending. In a more particular embodiment, three palm oils or fractions thereof are used in the first step of blending.

[0031] In one embodiment of the invention, a first component of the blend is a palm oil or fraction thereof at a percentage of at least 60% w/w of the total weight of the blend. In a preferred embodiment, the first component is at a percentage of at least 70% w/w of the total weight of the blend. In a more preferred embodiment, the first component is at a percentage of at least 80% w/w of the total weight of the blend. In another embodiment, the first component is at a percentage of up to 90% w/w of the total weight of the blend. In even another embodiment, the first component is at a percentage of up to 85% w/w of the total weight of the blend.

[0032] In one embodiment of the invention, a second component of the blend is a palm oil or fraction thereof at a percentage of at least 5% w/w of the total weight of the blend. In a preferred embodiment, the second component is at a percentage of at least 10% w/w of the total weight of the blend. In a more preferred embodiment, the second component is at a percentage of at least 13% w/w of the total weight of the blend. In another embodiment, the second component is at a percentage of up to 20% w/w of the total weight of the blend. In even another embodiment, the second component is at a percentage of up to 35% w/w of the total weight of the blend.

[0033] In one embodiment of the invention, a third component of the blend is a palm oil or fraction thereof at a percentage of at least 1% w/w of the total weight of the blend. In a preferred embodiment, the third component is at a percentage of at least 2% w/w of the total weight of the blend. In another embodiment, the third component is at a percentage of up to 5% w/w of the total weight of the blend. In even another embodiment, the third component is at a percentage of up to 4% w/w of the total weight of the blend.

[0034] In a specific embodiment of the invention, the first component of the blend is a palm oil or fraction thereof selected from raw palm oil and RBD palm oil. In a specific embodiment of the invention, the second component of the blend is a palm oil fraction. In a specific embodiment of the invention, the third component of the blend is a hydrogenated palm oil or fraction thereof.

[0035] In a more specific embodiment of the invention, the first component of the blend is RBD palm oil, the second component is palm stearin, and the third component is fully hydrogenated palm oil.

[0036] In another embodiment of the invention, there is a fourth and even a fifth component on the blend, wherein the fourth and fifth components are palm oil or fractions thereof at a percentage of up to 5% of the total weight of the blend.

[0037] The second step of the process of obtaining a CBE as defined herein is the interesterification of the blend obtained in first step above described. The interesterification can be chemical or enzymatic. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, chemical interesterification is used in the second step of the process herein defined.

[0038] The chemical interesterification can be mediated by different catalysts including, but not limiting to, alkali metals such as sodium, potassium, and their alloys, and alkoxides such as sodium methylate or sodium ethoxide. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the catalyst employed in the second step of the process herein defined is sodium methylate.

[0039] In a particular embodiment of the invention, the sodium methylate to be employed in the interesterification step is determined based on the physicochemical characterization of the blend, wherein the measured physicochemical parameters are the free fatty acids, peroxide index, and humidity.

[0040] The chemical interesterification is carried out for at least 20 minutes and up to 60 minutes. Particularly, the chemical interesterification is carried out for 30 to 50 minutes, wherein the triglyceride formation is monitored.

[0041] The chemical interesterification process is stopped by neutralization of the reaction. Particularly, and without limitation, citric acid can be used as neutralizing compound.

[0042] In a particular embodiment of the invention, the blend obtained in the first step of the above process must be dried before the interesterification process.

[0043] The third step of the process of obtaining a CBE as defined herein is the refining of the interesterified blend. The refining process includes, but without limitation, bleaching and deodorizing processes as known in the state or art.

[0044] In a particular embodiment of the invention, neutral clay is used in a bleaching process to remove coloring material and impurities.

[0045] In another embodiment of the invention, the deodorization process involves a heating step, wherein the composition is taken up to a temperature of at least 200 C. for removing free fatty acids and elimination odors, thus having a neutral sensory.

[0046] In an embodiment of the invention, at least one of bleaching or deodorizing is made on the refining step of the process of the invention. In another embodiment of the invention, both bleaching and deodorizing is made on the refining step of the process of the invention.

[0047] From the process herein described a CBE is obtained with specific fatty acid and triglyceride profile which confers the desired main features to the product.

[0048] The CBE of the invention exhibits the following fatty acids profile: C12:0 at up to 0.5% w/w of the total weight of the equivalent, C14:0 at up to 1% w/w of the total weight of the equivalent, C16:0 from 39% to 48% w/w of the total weight of the equivalent, C18:0 from 4.7% to 5.8% w/w of the total weight of the equivalent, C18:1 from 34% to 42% w/w of the total weight of the equivalent, C18:2 from 7.5% to 9.5% w/w of the total weight of the equivalent.

[0049] The CBE of the invention also comprises the following triglyceride profile: PPP from about 11% to about 13% w/w of the total weight of the equivalent; POP from about 25% to about 30% w/w of the total weight of the equivalent; POS from about 5% to about 7% w/w of the total weight of the equivalent; SOO from about 1.5% to about 5% w/w of the total weight of the equivalent; and SOS from about 0.1% to about 2.5% w/w of the total weight of the equivalent.

[0050] Likewise, a desirable solid structure for the CBE is obtained by the process of the invention thanks to the combination of the steps of the process with the final triglyceride profile. The CBE of the invention has a crystalline structure and a triglyceride profile such that it is miscible with other CBEs and even cocoa butter, and it also confers desirable palatability and appearance to the final chocolate product.

[0051] Accordingly, the CBE of the invention is suitable as a cocoa butter alternative in the production of chocolates and the like. Likewise, the CBE of the invention is suitable as an extender of cocoa butter or equivalents thereof. When used as CBE extender in the production of chocolates, e.g., dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and the like, the triglyceride profile of the chocolate is: PPP at up to about 1%, POP at between about 19% and about 23%, POS at between 37% and between 42%, SOO at between 2.5% and between 5%, and SOS at between 20% to between 25%.

EXAMPLES

Example 1. Obtaining Process of One Modality of the Invention

[0052] A process for obtaining a CBE as herein described is executed, specifically, the following steps: [0053] 1. Blending RBD palm oil, palm stearin and fully hydrogenated palm oil, wherein the RBD palm oil is at 82% w/w of the total weight of the blend, the palm stearin is at 15% w/w of the total weight of the blend and the fully hydrogenated palm oil is at 3% w/w of the total weight of the blend. [0054] 2. Drying the obtained blend and determining the physicochemical parameters thereof. [0055] 3. Carrying out the chemical interesterification of the dried blend with sodium methylate. The amount of sodium methylate to be added is calculated in relation to the physicochemical parameters of the blend, wherein the measured parameters are free fatty acids, peroxide index, and humidity of the blend, and wherein said parameters can't be more than 0.3% w/w. [0056] The reaction time of the interesterification is between 30 and 50 minutes, which will depend on the formation of triglycerides. [0057] 4. Neutralizing the composition with citric acid to stop the reaction. [0058] 5. Bleaching the interesterified composition with a neutral clay to remove coloring material and impurities for about 30 minutes, and then filtering the clay from the composition. [0059] 6. Deodorizing the composition by heating at least at 200 C.

[0060] From the above process, a CBE is obtained, which is suitable as an extender for other CBEs known in the market.

Example 2. Characterization of an Exemplary CBE

[0061] The characterization of the CBEs obtained by the process of Example 1 is the following:

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Fatty acid profile of the CBEs obtained from the process of Example 1 CONTENT IN COMPOSITION FATTY ACID (% w/w of the total composition) C12:0 Up to 0.5 C16:0 39-48 C18:0 4.7-5.8 C18:1 34-42 C18:2 cis 7.5-9.5 C18:3 alpha Up to 0.5 Saturated 50-55 Monounsaturated 36-40 Polyunsaturated 8-10 Trans 0-1

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Triglyceride profile of the CBEs obtained from the process of Example 1 TRIGLYCERIDE CONTENT IN COMPOSITION (%) PPP 11-13 POP 25-30 POS 5-7 SOO 1.5-5 SOS 0.1-2.5

TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Physicochemical parameters of the CBEs obtained from the process of Example 1 PARAMETER VALUE Peroxide value*, MeqO2/kg 1.0 max. Free fatty acids as oleic*, % 0.1 max. Moisture and volatile matter*, % 0.05 max. Iodine Value*, cgl2/g 45.3-55.3

[0062] In addition, an exemplary CBE is characterized (herein and after named as Extender), and its features are compared to commercial products for making chocolate.

TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Fatty acid profile of an exemplary CBE and commercial products Cocoa CBE based on PMF Fatty acid butter and Shea from Loders Extender Saturated 62.34 63.75 52.70 Monounsaturated 34.29 32.90 37.74 Polyunsaturated 3.36 3.34 9.55 Trans 0.00 0.12 0.31

TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 5 Triglyceride profile of an exemplary CBE and commercial products Cocoa CBE based on PMF Trygliceride butter and Shea from Loders Extender PPP 0.3 1.6 12.5 POP 19.7 41.2 27.6 POS 40.3 10.2 5.9 SOO 3.1 2.1 1.8 SOS 22.5 29.7 0.6

Example 3. Use of the CBE of Example 2 in the Preparation of Dark Chocolate

[0063] The CBE of the invention was used as an extender in combination with a CBE already available in the market to produce dark chocolate. Different proportions of CBE and the extender of the invention were evaluated, and the correspondent fat profiles are defined below.

TABLE-US-00006 TABLE 4 Fatty acid profile of dark chocolate CONTENT IN THE DARK CHOCOLATE (% OF TOTAL FAT) 20% 30% 40% 60% Extender + Extender + Extender + Extender + FATTY ACID Reference* 80% CBE 70% CBE 60% CBE 40% CBE Saturated 61.6 61.5 61.4 61.4 61.2 Mono-unsaturated 32.8 32.8 32.8 32.8 32.9 Poly-unsaturated 5.6 5.7 5.8 5.8 5.9 Trans 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 *Reference values of Typical dark chocolate formula according to CODEX STAN 87-1981 4 2.1.7.4.3

TABLE-US-00007 TABLE 5 Triglyceride profile of dark chocolate CONTENT IN THE DARK CHOCOLATE (% OF TOTAL FAT) 20% 30% 40% 60% Extender + Extender + Extender + Extender + TRIGLYCERIDE Reference* 80% CBE 70% CBE 60% CBE 40% CBE PPP 0.6 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.9 POP 22.0 21.9 21.4 21.2 21.1 POS 40.0 40.1 37.3 37.9 39.7 SOO 3.4 3.4 3.3 3.4 3.8 SOS 23.3 23.3 22.2 22.2 21.7 *Reference values of Typical dark chocolate formula according to CODEX STAN 87-1981 4 2.1.7.4.3

Example 4. Use of the CBE of Example 2 in the Preparation of Milk Chocolate

[0064] The CBE of the invention was also used as an extender in combination with a CBE already available in the market to produce milk chocolate. Different proportions of CBE and the extender of the invention were evaluated, and the correspondent fat profiles are defined below.

TABLE-US-00008 TABLE 6 Fatty acid profile of milk chocolate CONTENT IN THE MILK CHOCOLATE (% OF TOTAL FAT) 20% 40% 60% Extender + Extender + Extender + FATTY ACID Reference** 80% CBE 60% CBE 40% CBE Saturated 63.3 62.5 62.1 62.5 Mono-unsaturated 33.1 33.5 33.5 33.5 Poly-unsaturated 3.6 4.0 4.5 4.0 Trans 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.1 **Reference values of Typical milk chocolate formula according to CODEX STAN 87-1981 4 2.1.7.4.3

TABLE-US-00009 TABLE 7 Triglyceride profile of milk chocolate CONTENT IN THE MILK CHOCOLATE (% OF TOTAL FAT) 20% 40% 60% Extender + Extender + Extender + TRIGLYCERIDE Reference** 80% CBE 60% CBE 40% CBE PPP 0.6 0.8 0.9 1.0 POP 23.4 23.5 23.7 22.6 POS 36.4 37.9 36.9 32.0 SOO 2.4 3.2 3.2 3.7 SOS 3.0 3.4 3.1 3.2 **Reference values of Typical milk chocolate formula according to CODEX STAN 87-1981 4 2.1.7.4.3

[0065] As noted in Examples 3 and 4, when using fat compositions having a mixture of CBE and the CBE of Example 2 as an extender, there is no significant differences on the fat profiles in comparison to the reference values for both dark chocolate and milk chocolate. This means that no significative differences regarding appearance, palatability and other organoleptic features are expected in the final chocolate.

[0066] In addition, and with the triglyceride profiles of the CBE of the invention, no eutectics are formed, thus the desired texture and appearance in the final chocolate products are successfully achieved.

[0067] Moreover, and considering that the CBEs known in the market have high manufacturing costs associated to the presence of exotic oils and significant losses of materials during their manufacture, the use of the CBE of the invention enables to reduce manufacturing costs of the final chocolate by reducing the need of using higher quantities of other expensive CBEs.