DE102008053303B4 - Process for the preparation of low-fat, milk-dry chocolate by means of grinding media mill - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for producing a chocolate mass in which a milk dry product is ground together with other ingredients in a grinding container of a grinding mill, with grinding media in this, in particular a ball mill, wherein milk dried product a residual moisture below an equilibrium moisture at ambient conditions namely 20 ° C and 50% relative Humidity has.

Description

The The invention relates to a method for producing a chocolate mass, in which a milk product along with other ingredients in a grinding container a grinding mill with in this grinding bodies, in particular a ball mill, is ground.

milk chocolate consists essentially of ingredients such as (crystal) sugar, cocoa mass, Cocoa butter and milk powder. Instead of sugar, there are also sugar substitutes for use. There are also it's called dark chocolates that have no or only a minor one Milk portion or so-called "white chocolates", where indeed Cocoa butter but no cocoa mass is added.

at The production of chocolates is the fine comminution of these Chocolate components on particle sizes of × 90 <15 to <30 microns important, which means that 90% by volume of the particles is smaller than the values mentioned are. At this fineness, chocolate is in the Mouth perceived as tender and with pleasant smelling.

It is customary first to mix the (crystal) sugar, the cocoa mass, a part of the cocoa butter and the milk powder in a suitable device with each other, as for example in the DE 12 39 926 B and then grinding this mixture for comminution of the particles. In industrial practice, the grinding of the mixture is carried out in high quality chocolates differently than in the cited document predominantly with roller grinders, as for example in the DE 10 2006 033 012 A1 or the DE 693 25 177 T2 is described. It is customary to pre-crush the mixture in a first crushing stage on a two-roll mill and then bring the corresponding pre-shredded Ge amount on a five-roll mill to a final fineness.

The final crushed mixture leaves the five-rolling mill as a flaky, free-flowing Powder with the desired Particle size. In conclusion this will be Powder placed in a conche where it is - if necessary with addition of additional Flavors, from more cocoa butter - and emulsifiers - to one finished liquid Chocolate mass is processed.

In The mentioned conche breaks up particle agglomerations and the existing fat released, which except in the cocoa butter also in the Milk powder is present. By a corresponding temperature control and ventilation The mass is removed during conching water, so that the moisture the mass of original about 1.0-1.5% less than 0.6% decreases. In this context it is necessary to know that even small amounts of water the viscosity of the chocolate melt in unwanted Increase the way can.

Around the leakage of water and volatile organic To be able to perform ingredients in a conche quickly and completely, it is necessary that the conche is supplied with the comminuted mixture in the form of powder, that one big specific surface Has. The rolling mills used for this purpose are as described above but quite expensive designed, so complicated and also in the purchase accordingly expensive machines.

In addition, such Rolling mills as open systems basically lead to product losses to lead and may also cause hygiene problems. Still have These open systems have the disadvantage that the rolled goods moisture can absorb from the environment. After all, such open systems in principle also with security issues for the operating personnel are burdened. Some of these problems are tried by enclosing the rolling mills to counter, but what the machines further expensive.

The finally used conches are relatively expensive devices. Also work These conches usually only batchwise, in particular long Conching lead to particularly high quality chocolates. Of the Throughput through the conches is thus limited and can be without unwanted loss of quality not increased arbitrarily become.

Now, however, it is also known, such as in the DE 695 21 339 T3 described, instead of using rolling mills to crush the ingredients of chocolates, to grind them in a grinding container with in this Mahlkörpern, especially in a stirred ball mill. In the known method mentioned a conching is still provided after the ball mill.

In However, such a stirred ball mill is the achievement of the powdery state of the chocolate components, as described above, undesirable. In agitator ball mills must a product namely pumpable be. For small particle sizes, such as she up for high quality chocolates are stated, this is with intended low total fat content due to the high specific surface area possible.

In order to prevent the powdery state of the mass in the ball mill, accordingly, either at low fat contents larger particles in Purchased or it is added at small particle sizes, a higher amount of fat.

Larger particles, which are chosen especially in the US area, have sensory disadvantages. With these in particular the after European claims desired "delicate Not melted " rather, chocolates are made with such larger particles perceived as "sandy".

The increase The proportion of fat, on the other hand, brings considerable financial disadvantages with himself, because of this, especially in the European Space to use cocoa butter is that is very expensive.

Both Ways have the disadvantage that the achievement of a low Water content of the final product, as he especially by the conching aimed at high-quality chocolates, just difficult to reach is. The pumpability needed in a ball mill at the end the mass moving through them is a sign that all particles present in the mass are coated with fat, this being Grease film but that for the low water content necessary leakage of water from the Prevents particles.

task The present invention is therefore to provide a method for the production of chocolate using a grinding container with in this grinding bodies, This leads to a high quality chocolate with small particle size and low Fat content.

These The object is achieved by the Characteristics of claim 1 solved. Advantageous embodiments are in the dependent claims called.

According to the invention the milk dry product, which is an ingredient of the chocolate paste, one Residual moisture below an equilibrium moisture content at ambient conditions namely 20 ° C and 50% relative humidity.

Of the Invention is based on the finding that the essential part the moisture to be removed from the mass in the production of chocolate usually by the chocolate mass added milk dry product in Form of milk powder supplied becomes.

milk powder has cheap Storage and environmental conditions of about 20 ° C and 50% relative humidity usually an equilibrium moisture content of about 4%. This residual water content is used in a wide variety of milk powder production processes achieved in which milk by evaporation and subsequent drying the water is withdrawn. Therefor There are various large-scale applied methods such as drum drying, spray drying or freeze drying, the all lead to a final water content of about 3 to 5%. Except milk powder should be in the frame of the present invention among milk dry products all dry products be understood that permeates from milk, whey, ultrafiltration and similar raw materials be recovered and contain lactose.

at one well below the equilibrium moisture content discussed above residual moisture content of about 1% for the milk dried product is along with the rest, usually anhydrous or low in water other ingredients in In the end, the chocolate mass reached a water content of Less than 0.6%, without this being a separate operation for Discharge of water must be provided as it usually does performed in a conche becomes.

How a milk dry product with a residual moisture of about 1% or less is produced, is from the DE 10 2006 033 012 A1 (or the EP 1 880 615 A2 ) known. Although the dried product prepared according to these documents is intended to be used in the production of chocolate. As a manufacturing method, however, a method with a final conching is provided here.

Surprisingly It has now been found that a lower water content, like him in the case of a chocolate mass that is mixed with a milk-dried product produced according to the invention, the rheological properties of the chocolate mass, which in one Cutting container with in this grinding bodies, like a ball mill, is ground, so changed, that they also at the end of the grinding process, when the particles in the Europe for high quality chocolates desired Have particle size, still pumpable at levels of fat is, as they were previously known only in chocolate masses, where rolling mills and conches are used.

Especially can the inventive method thus also be used in chocolate masses, the one Total fat content of less than 32%.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is desirable that the use z. B. the ball mill leads to a very small spectrum of different particle sizes (unimodule particle size distribution). In this case, in particular, only a very small proportion of particles with very small sizes is present, which has a disproportionately high specific upper limit surface, which should be wetted with grease during mixing.

at this particular embodiment The invention has been found to be characterized by a close, unimodule particle size distribution reduced specific surface area especially the flow behavior at low shear rates - expressed by the yield points - positive effect.

at another preferred embodiment the invention is intended that the use z. B. the ball mill to a bi- or even multimodule particle size distribution leads. This means that in addition to a dominant fraction of larger particles a certain proportion of smaller particles is present. It turned out that this is an improvement of the overall flow behavior - so too at higher Shear rates - with brings. In the tightly packed suspension, the smaller particles fill the gaps between the big, leaving more free fat for the flow process available stands.

It be in this regard just mentioned in passing that currently common used rolling mills at cheaper Litigation usually also produce a bimodal distribution.

Around despite the small amount of fat phase in the manufactured as described Low fat chocolate mass desirably low viscosity to achieve, is the addition of an emulsifier customary in the recipe Quantity necessary.

The Addition of the emulsifier can occur both before and during the production of the chocolate mass in the milling container respectively. But it is also possible an emulsifier only in one step after said grinding container in to introduce the chocolate mass.

Around the various types of particle size distribution as described above To produce, the following ways are suggested: Grinding at relative low viscosity, d. H. at final fat content and in the presence of an emulsifier, is formed a narrow, unimodal distribution.

grinds with high viscosity, d. H. just still pumpable Mass, creates a wider, with a particularly favorable process management a bimodal particle size distribution. The mass thus produced with bimodal particle size distribution has a total something cheaper flow properties on, as a mass with unimoduler distribution. The latter, however, shows better values in the range of low shear rates.

Around to achieve a mass with bimodal particle size distribution, is in accordance with one special embodiment of the present application a multi-stage Method applied. In this case, a first partial mass is relatively lower viscosity first up crushed a particle size, which is sensory just not noticeable (<20-30 μm, unimodal). A second partial mass is crushed to a significantly smaller particle size (<2-10 microns, also unimodal).

The second part of the mass can as a partial stream also by means of further comminution be made from the first part of mass.

Both Submissions are then in a certain ratio mixed, wherein the subset of the finer, second sub-mass is lower as the subset of the grosser, first partial mass. In particular, the amount of coarser, first corresponds Partial mass between 50 and 95% of the total mass with bimodal particle size distribution.

Instead of a chocolate mass with bimodal particle size distribution can be made in a similar way by means of several subsets with different particle sizes also a multimodal particle size distribution be achieved at the for the part mass of the coarsest Part mass continue to o. G. Boundary condition regarding their share applies to the total mass.

By the illustrated targeted influences on the particle size distributions In particular, chocolate masses can be produced for different purposes. For example, hollow bodies or coatings are to be produced from a chocolate mass will be for in particular a good flowability required at low shear rates. For this purpose, the production is recommended a unimodal distribution.

For many Other uses and good sensory properties is for a chocolate mass however, often low viscosity demanded at various shear rates. Here then is preferred a chocolate mass with a bi- or multimodal distribution to produce the particle size.

essential to the invention is that the end product without the time-consuming use of a conche is reached. It can So with the methods described above high quality chocolates Omission of this normally provided conching process. This poses a significant time and therefore cost advantage.

However, this requires that the raw materials used are not only low in water, but otherwise contain no unwanted flavors, which would be removed in the conventional method by the lengthy Trockenconchieren. In particular, the cocoa mass must be pretreated so that it no longer contains volatile acids. However, the necessary procedures are known, practically introduced and corresponding products available on the market.

For even wetting The particle with fat and emulsifier is described in all Method necessary to introduce high shear forces in the mass. This can be done during both the crushing in the grinding container through the existing grinding media there happen. Alternative or supplementary but also afterwards a high shear mixer can be used which is both in a discontinuous as well as in a continuously working version is possible.

By the described method, it is now possible for the first time by means of milling containers and in this grinding bodies, especially ball mills, high-quality chocolate solids containing milk chocolate with a produce low fat content of less than 32%. This is a significant progress, since by means of such ball mills so far produced chocolates always made with higher fat contents when they were applying the roller conching technology possible were.

Claims (4)

Method for producing a chocolate mass, in which a milk product along with other ingredients in a grinding container a grinding media mill, with in this grinding bodies, in particular a ball mill, is milled, wherein milk dried product has a residual moisture below an equilibrium moisture at ambient conditions namely 20 ° C and 50% relative humidity has. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the chocolate mass has a total fat content has less than 32%. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the chocolate mass after the Grinding process has a bi-modal particle size distribution. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that two or more subsets of Chocolate mass on each different final fineness at each unimodal particle size distribution be ground.