EP1845798A1

EP1845798A1 - Foofstuff based on cocoa and dehydrated fruit

Info

Publication number: EP1845798A1
Application number: EP05849746A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Cecilia Tessieri
Original assignee: Amedei Srl
Current assignee: Amedei Srl
Priority date: 2005-12-02
Filing date: 2005-12-02
Publication date: 2007-10-24
Also published as: WO2007063563A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a foodstuff based on cocoa and dehydrated fruit, in particular cocoa and/or derivatives thereof and dehydrated fruit. In addition, the present invention relates to a process for preparing a foodstuff based on cocoa and/or derivative thereof and dehydrated fruit. The foodstuff being the object of the invention has particular features in terms of functional and sensory aspects. In particular the present invention concerns chocolate obtained from cocoa and products derived therefrom with dehydrated fruit of various nature to give a foodstuff with particular features, very palatable, and carrying a series of nutritional elements of fundamental importance for the human health.

Description

FOODSTUFF BASED ON COCOA AND DEHYDRATED FRUIT

D e s c r i p t i o n

The present invention relates to a foodstuff based on cocoa and dehydrated fruit, in particular cocoa and/or derivatives thereof and dehydrated fruit. In addition, the present invention relates to a process for preparing a foodstuff based on cocoa and/or derivatives thereof and dehydrated fruit.

The foodstuff being the object of the present invention has particular features in terms of functional and sensory aspects. More specifically, the present invention concerns a chocolate type obtained from cocoa and derivatives thereof with dehydrated fruit, of different nature, to give a foodstuff with particular features, very palatable and containing a series of nutritional elements of the greatest importance for human health.

In the context of the present invention by the term cocoa it is intended a cocoa mass known as a fundamental raw material for producing, through a known technology, all cocoa derivatives such as cocoa powder or cocoa butter, for example.

In the context of the present invention by dehydrated fruit it is intended fruit obtained from a known dehydration process. Excluded from the definition of dehydrated fruit is dried fruit, powdered fruit and freeze-dried fruit or fruit flavours.

It is known that cocoa is obtained from the fruit seeds or beans of the Theobroma Cacao tree of tropical origin .

After the fruits _'have been collected, they are cut up and the beans contained therein are separated from the pulp. The beans are conveyed to the different subsequent conversion steps. In particular, the cocoa beans are submitted to a fermentation process during which formation of the aromatic precursors typical of cocoa and chocolate obtained therefrom takes place, as well as formation of other substances of importance for human health.

In particular, during fermentation simple sugars (such as fructose and glucose) develop as well as amino acids resulting from the natural enzymatic degradation of the amylaceous and proteinaceous substances naturally- present in cocoa beans.

In addition, during fermentation other substances of the flavonoid family are formed, such as the anthocyanins that are known due to their particularly positive effect on the microcirculation of the venous system in the human body.

Following this treatment, cocoa is submitted first to drying processes and then to roasting, for the purpose of terminating the fermentation process and developing the typical aromatic components.

During the above heat treatments also some compounds are formed such as polyhydroxyphenols and epi- catechins, powerful antioxidant substances having the presently widely recognised positive effect of preserving healthiness of the human body cells, protecting them against formation of free radicals which have a powerful cancerogenic action.

Following roasting, the cocoa beans are husked, the husk being eliminated and destined to uses different from eating as food, and the cotyledons are submitted to grinding operations, during which the globular cells containing cocoa butter, a vegetable fat naturally- contained in the beans, are broken; as a result, the fat contained therein is released and following heat generated by grinding, a fluid mass is obtained which is called cocoa mass or cocoa liquor. r

The cocoa mass represents the fundamental raw material for producing all cocoa derivatives, from cocoa power and cocoa butter obtained from mechanical squashing or pressing of the refined cocoa mass, to chocolate in all its variants, obtained from mixing and subsequent processing of the cocoa mass to which other ingredients such as sugar, powdered milk, hazelnut paste, dried- fruit seeds are added.

Processing for obtaining chocolate involves a series of steps such as mixing of the ingredients, grinding of same until a particle size not distinguishable by the human palate is obtained, and a deep mixing and aeration step, called "conching" step.

During the conching step the chocolate formulation is completed by addition of residual components such as cocoa butter, that is necessary for obtaining suitable flowability features for subsequent workings, and technological adjuvants such as soy lecithin.

The cocoa used as a base, and consequently the derivative products, contain a series of substances that are particularly useful and active for the human body health and for maintenance of a ' good welfare condition for the consumer.

In fact, in addition to the flavonoids and anthocyanins (protective substances for the peripheral venous system and microcirculation) , and the polyhydroxyphenols and epi-catechins (antioxidant substances capable of protecting the human body cells from free radicals) , there is the presence of important amounts of tocopherols, phenylethylamine, anandamide, methylxanthyne, theobromine and vegetable fibres.

In addition to the functional aspects connected with maintenance of the human body health, the assembly of the above features stimulates production of serotonin that is the human hormone responsible for the states of good mood.

A good foodstuff based on cocoa and/or derivatives thereof has the following beneficial effects on the human organism:

- stimulation of brain activities,

- reduction of negative emotional states, - support to the activities requiring concentration,

- energy supply for physical activities,

- increase in resistance to physical and intellectual fatigue,

- fight against depression, - introduction of antioxidants that are important substances due to their protective effect against free radicals .

It is known that fruit is among the foods having the highest nutritional and functional value for the human body health .

Any type of fruit usually carries essential elements for the human being health, the following being mentioned among the great number of them:

- some water-soluble vitamin complexes such as vitamin C that is known as a powerful antioxidant,

- vitamin D and precursors of same, that are known due to their beneficial effect on the skeletal system and the hepatic activity,

- mineral salts,

- polyhydroxyphenols that are known due to their antioxidant action representing a protection against the cancerogenic action of the free radicals, - anthocyanins (for red-coloured fruit) that are known due to the beneficial effect on the peripheral microcirculation of the venous system,

- simple sugars, that are carriers of energy of ready- assimilation, - fibres that are known due to their beneficial action on the gastro-intestinal system.

Therefore, preparation of a composition formed of a cocoa mass (alone or admixed with other ingredients typical of chocolate, such as sugar and milk) and fruit enables a product to be obtained that is characterised by an important assembly of positive functional features for the human body welfare, together with organoleptic characteristics that make - it a very palatable food for people of all ages, starting from children to adults and to elders, where the protective functional features performed by the compounds contained therein are of particular interest.

The process for preparing a foodstuff based on cocoa and/or derivatives thereof and fruit has a series of drawbacks resulting from the different nature of the two components. In particular, some drawbacks are connected with the fact that working/processing of the two components together is incompatible.

Chocolate can be represented as a lipidic-base system also containing a series of water-soluble substances, such as fibres and sugars. Said substances are dispersed in a fat phase.

Fruit, on the contrary, can be represented as a water- base system, characterised by a fibrous structure internally enclosing a great amount of water and water- soluble substances, in an aqueous phase.

Generally, depending on the type of fresh fruit taken into account, the water amount is included between 75 and 95% by weight, per 100 grams of fruit; for example the water amount is included between 80 and ^" 90% by weight per 100 grams of fruit.

Mixing of the two "systems" represented by a fat phase and an aqueous phase, in order to give a foodstuff having specific features of shape, consistency and preservability is practically very difficult and even impossible .

The greatest difficulties/drawbacks result from the fact that:

- the aqueous and lipidic phases are not mi^~scible, and industrially a separation between the aqueous phase and the lipidic fat phase occurs;

- the aqueous portion present in the fruit has a tendency to only solubilize the water-soluble substances present in the chocolate giving rise to a gelatinous texture that cannot be submitted to further working steps. The gelatinous texture is impossible to manage for producing a chocolate having a well determined shape and attractive aspect;

- the presence of a great amount of water in the fruit restricts preservability of the product to few hours, so that it is almost impossible to manage the product through the distribution chain, due to the too short shelf life value of same;

- the presence of a great amount of water in the fruit involves loss of consistency of the fruit itself that has no shape, practically becoming mushy;

- it is essential to use substances adapted to prevent formation of moulds due to bacterial fermentation in the presence of a vegetable substrate (the fruit) and of big water amounts.

Therefore, it is necessary to make available a process for the preparation of a foodstuff based on cocoa and/or derivatives thereof that does not show the drawbacks of the methods of the known art.

Accordingly, use of true fresh fruit in a single piece or cut into pieces has been hitherto considered as impossible or in any case has never been taken into account, due to the complexity of technological character conditioning use of fresh fruit in a single piece or cut into pieces, or making it impossible.

To avoid the above mentioned drawbacks it is known to coat the fresh fruit cut into pieces with^' a compact solid layer of sugar or gum-arabic or fat for food or other substances. The fruit coated with a compact solid layer is joined to chocolate. In addition, according to the state of the art, chocolate-based articles are prepared by mixing dried products, mainly of a fat or oily base, such as seeds of dried fruit (almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, acajous, coconuts, raisins and others) in the form of whole seeds, seeds cut into pieces, flakes, powder or paste.

All these products are characterised by a very low content of free water and are compatible with the fat phase being the base of chocolate.

The dried fruit is substantially added to give a particular flavour and taste to the finished product, more than for its functional activities. In fact, it is mainly a carrier of oils, fats and sugars.

There are also compositions of fruit-flavoured chocolate, but in these products the fruit amount truly- present is minimum because often extracts and or flavouring compounds are used.

In addition, in most cases extracts or fruit-based/ fruit-flavoured preparations are used to prepare fillings, mostly with a fat or sugar base, in which case interesting aspects from an organoleptic point of view are introduced, that however do not contain the important nutritional elements typical of fruit.

Furthermore, preparation of these fillings occurs through use of hydrogenated vegetable fats or concentrated sugar solutions (called "fondant") as the base, which help in increasing the caloric power of the products thus obtained, with a weak benefit or even to the detriment of the nutritional and dietetic features of the products themselves. There are also products containing dried or freeze- dried fruit, but in this case on the one hand, a great reduction in the content of the positive functional substances would take place due to the heat treatment necessary for carrying out drying and dehydration, and on the other hand, an important detriment in the shape, colour and consistency of the fruit would occur; as a result, eating the product would be less desirable and it would be impossible to recognise the fruit in the finished product.

Finally, these treatments greatly affect the taste of the obtained products, reducing the hedonistic aspect inducing to eat the obtained composition.

The limits present in the known art have been overcome by the Applicant that for the first time proposes use of dehydrated and stabilised fruit.

The Applicant has found it useful to utilise dehydrated fruit, i.e. fruit obtained by a particular dehydration technology that is known by itself and therefore is not part of the present invention.

In the context of the present invention by "dehydrated" fruit it is intended fresh fruit submitted to a dehydration process. In the definition of "dehydrated fruit" it is therefore to be excluded dried fruit, powdered fruit and freeze-dried fruit or fruit flavours.

The dehydrated fruit being the object of the present invention contains a water amount included between 1 and 10% by weight for 100 grams of dehydrated fruit; preferably from 2.5 to 7.5% by weight; for example in the range of 4 to 6% by weight.

Advantageously, the dehydrated fruit is used cut into pieces because the characteristics of the fresh fruit are better preserved.

The dehydrated fruit is characterised by an aspect, taste and composition in terms of functional substances that are substantially very similar to those of the product in the form of fresh fruit, with the only important difference in the content of residual water, so that the important organoleptic and functional features necessary for obtaining the described composition can be preserved.

The foodstuff based on cocoa and/or derivatives thereof and dehydrated fruit keeps the characteristics typical of the fruit unchanged and, at the same time, has such a preservability that distribution and storage of the product is allowed.

The process for preparing the foodstuff based on cocoa and/or derivatives thereof and dehydrated fruit, being the object of the present invention, contemplates a first step in which chocolate is prepared following the traditional procedure.

Chocolate prepared by said known procedure is inserted into a container equipped with mixing and heating means.

Chocolate is maintained in the form of a fluid product by continuous mixing through use of stirring means and to a temperature higher than 35⁰C through the heating means . Subsequently, the fluid product is submitted to a heat treatment referred to in this particular field as "tempering" .

During said tempering process, the fat phase contained in chocolate is partly solidified to obtain, during the subsequent cooling, a crystalline texture steady in time and capable of giving the product the features of brightness and compactness characterising it.

In a first embodiment of the present invention, a mixture of dehydrated fruit is added to chocolate being processed, after the tempering step.

In a second embodiment of the present invention, a mixture of dehydrated fruit is added to chocolate being processed, before the tempering step.

Advantageously, chocolate is joined to the dehydrated and stabilised fresh fruit and submitted to a tempering step by the aid of heating and stirring means .

The dehydrated-fruit mixture is added to a temperature included between 20 and 6O⁰C, preferably in the range of 35 to 5O⁰C.

The dehydrated-fruit mixture is added in an amount included between 1 and 40% by weight, with respect to the finished^' foodstuff weight; preferably in an amount from 5 to 30%; more preferably from 10 to 20%.

So high amounts cannot be reached where dried fruit, freeze-dried fruit, powdered fruit or fruit flavours or also coated fresh fruit is used instead of the dehydrated fruit being the object of the present- invention. The difficulties are due to the working steps that become greatly complicated. In addition, chocolate resulting therefrom has structural and sensory features that cannot be proposed to a consumer.

After the tempering step, the thus obtained mixture comprising chocolate and/or derivatives thereof and dehydrated fruit is then laid, by means of suitable known measuring means, into moulds usually of polycarbonate having pits of the desired shape and volume .

After dosage, the filled moulds are submitted to a progressive cooling causing the correct solidification of the fat contained in the composition so that a preparation of solid shape is obtained that will be then packaged into suitable materials for protection from contamination by the surrounding environment and for enabling said composition to be handled and managed through normal networks for foodstuff distribution to consumers .

For preparation of the above composition, different starting raw materials can be used, such as:

- dark chocolate, advantageously characterised by a high content of cocoa and a sugar content lower than 30%,

- milk chocolate, in accordance with the regulations in force in terms of definition of the composition of cocoa-based products,

- a cocoa mass in a pure_^ state,

- dehydrated and stabilised fruit of the type gooseberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, cherries (red fruit) , in a mixture of varying percentages depending on the aimed organoleptic variants,

- dehydrated and stabilised fruit of the type apricots, peaches, mangoes (golden fruit) , in a mixture of varying percentages depending on the aimed organoleptic variants .

The list of the ingredients to be used as described is to be intended by way of example and therefore not in an exhaustive manner, because depending on the wished organoleptic and functional properties, different compounds can be obtained utilising any cocoa derivative in any form (in a solid, powdered, pasty or liquid form) and any type of fruit, provided it is obtained from conversion treatments enabling maintenance of the aimed specific functional and organoleptic features.

Some important steps in working this product are storage of the fruit in an environment devoid of light and to a controlled temperature and humidity, and heating of the fruit and chocolate in a tank under stirring for a period of time necessary to promote exchange of the aromatic parts of the two ingredients.

By way of example and therefore in a non-limiting sense a list of dehydrated fruit used in the context of the present invention is reproduced hereinafter.

Nutritional ingredients and properties of the following fruit : a) Raspberry

Active ingredients: essential oil, citric acid, malic acid, sugars, anthocyanins, vitamin B, vitamin C, tannins (leaves) . Properties: it has aromatizing, vitaminizing, antiinflammatory properties (it is a lenitive for skin inflammation and sore gums, rhagas and haemorrhoids), it reduces the uterine and intestinal spasms, interferes with iron absorption and has astringent properties (for external use, e.g. face masks). b) Strawberry

Active ingredients: mucilage, triterpene alcohols (rhizome), sugars, anthocyanins, vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin B, tannins.

Properties: it is a depurant (for gout, rheumatism, sciatica and calculosis), has dietetic, diuretic, antiinflammatory and astringent properties. c) Cherry Active ingredients: potassium, calcium, iron, anthocyanins, carotene, vitamin A, vitamin C.

Properties: it has diuretic and laxative properties (with beneficial effects on hypertension) , reduces the possibility of heart attacks and vascular diseases, has tonic, anti-inflammatory, astringent properties and is a restorer of mineral salts. d) Apricot

Active ingredients, carotene, vitamin C, potassium. Properties: it has antioxidant properties, protects the membranes and tissues of the organism, strengthens the immune defence against respiratory infections, assists in transport and absorption of iron in the blood with limitation of anaemias, is a restorer of mineral salts. e) Peach Active ingredients: carotene, vitamin C, potassium.

Properties: it has antioxidant properties, protects the membranes and tissues of the organism, strengthens the immune defence against respiratory infections, assists in transport and absorption of iron in the blood with limitation of anaemias, is a restorer of mineral salts. The foodstuff based on cocoa and/or derivatives thereof and dehydrated fruit appears in the form of a solid compact bar of chocolate. The dehydrated fruit is distributed internally of the bar of chocolate and, by virtue of the process utilised in the present invention, said fruit keeps its starting form of fruit cut into pieces and it is not required to be covered or coated.

Advantageously, the dehydrated fruit contained in the bar of chocolate, when in contact with the saliva present in the user's mouth is reconstituted and takes the consistency of the fresh fruit, ensuring a nutritional value typical of the fresh fruit.

Claims

C L A I M S

1. A foodstuff based on cocoa and/or derivatives thereof and fruit, characterised in that -said fruit is dehydrated fruit .

2. The foodstuff as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dehydrated fruit is dehydrated and stabilised fresh fruit, preferably in the form of fruit cut into pieces.

3. The foodstuff as , claimed in claim 2, wherein the dehydrated fruit is present in an amount included between 1 and 40% by weight, relative to the final weight of the foodstuff, preferably in the range of 5 to 30% by weight.

4. The foodstuff as claimed in claim 3, wherein the dehydrated fruit contains an amount of water included between 1 and 10% by weight, per 100 grams of dehydrated fruit, preferably in the range of 2.5 to 7.5% by weight .

5. The foodstuff as claimed in claim 4, wherein the dehydrated fruit contains an amount of water in the range of 4 to 6% by weight.

6. A process for preparing a foodstuff as claimed in one or more of claims 1 to 5, comprising a tempering step characterised in that it further comprises at least one step in which the dehydrated fruit is added to a mixture of cocoa and/or derivatives thereof.

7. The process as claimed in claim 6, wherein the dehydrated fruit is added after the tempering step.

8. The process as claimed in claim 6, wherein the dehydrated fruit is added before the tempering step.

8. Use of dehydrated fruit for preparing fruit-based chocolate.