LT5387B - Process for the sterilization of cacao beans - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to the process for sterilization of cacao beans. Unshelled and sorted cacao beans after steaming are subjected to 100-170 oC air flow, roasted and treated at 120-170 oC with fat. If necessary, after roasting cacao beansare treated at 80-110 oC with a solution of sacharine substances. The invention also provides the treatment of cacao beans with high-pressure steam, after roasting, deposit of hot fat by spraying and draying at 2,5 at or at a higher pressure. Process enables reducing bacterial contamination of cacao beans from 3000000 to 100 CFU/mL.

Description

The method belongs to the technology used to make cocoa products and can be used in confectionery, pharmaceutical and other applications where cocoa beans are used as a raw material. There is a problem of sterilization in the preparation of cocoa beans for the production of products.

Various sterilization techniques are known in the food industry: direct and indirect heating and mixed [BOROWSKI, K.L .; AYRES, C.A., "Thermobacteriology of UHT Prossessed Foods". Developments in Food Microbiology (1982, 1, 119 - 152 [En, 14 (ref.) Campden Food Preservation Ress., Chipping Campden GL 55 6 LD. UK.]).

Known factors have led to the development of various methods for sterilizing cocoa mass, such as: sterilizing the ground cocoa beans by mixing with water and then heating to a sterilization temperature slightly maintained in a collection hopper [JP 86 - 314199, A23 G 01/02; 25.12.1986],

Alternatively, the ground cocoa beans are sterilized by superheated steam, then the raw material is sieved and the process is repeated several times [JP 92 - 324098, A 23G 01/00.

03.12.1992],

Another method for sterilizing cocoa mass is known [DE 3328298, A 23 G01 / 02. 08.08.1983]. Here, the raw material is sterilized by its continuous flow under pressure. From the friction, the raw material is heated to a temperature above the evaporation point of the water, after which the mass is cooled under vacuum. The cycle is repeated several times.

Yet another method of sterilizing cocoa beans using vibration and friction temperature [EP 97112356 7 - 2114 A23 G01 / 02,1997],

A common disadvantage of the above methods is that the cocoa beans selected for production are crushed, the cocoa shells with the germ are separated from the kernel of the cocoa beans, then the kernels are diverted to the production process and the shells with the germ end up in waste. Almost all microbiological contaminants accumulate on the surface of the husks, and the separation of all the husks from the cocoa beans fails. In addition, some contaminants from the husks are shredded into the kernels of the cocoa kernel, thus virtually dispersing the micro-organisms throughout the shredded cocoa mass, which complicates the sterilization of this mass.

The closest analogue is the way. implemented in equipment BŪHLLER SLS. Here, shell cocoa beans are sterilized by steam exposure for 30 to 40 seconds at 12 to 14 ata. The humidity of cocoa husks rises from 11-13% to 30-35%. moisture of cocoa kernels reaches 5 - 7%. The shell heats from 20 ° C to 130 ^U C and the core temperature reaches about 90 ° C [BOHLER SLS Kakaobohnen-Debakterisierung Schematische Funktions-Darstellung].

After sterilization, the cocoa beans are dried, crushed, separated into shells and diverted to waste, and the kernels diverted for production.

The disadvantage of this technology is that the cocoa shells, after the sterilization process, are not yet sufficiently processed to acquire the proper properties for the production, and therefore end up in waste. In addition, high-performance steam at 12-14 ata pressure is required.

The patented invention technology avoids these disadvantages.

The purpose of the present invention is to reliably sterilize cocoa beans in shell and to give the shell new properties: crispness and crispness for use in production. This is achieved by steam-curing the selected cocoa beans after purification and sorting, followed by air blasting at 100-170 ° C, roasting and drying at 80-170 ° C, followed by fat treatment at 80-170 ° C, for example with cocoa butter, followed by drying of the cocoa beans if necessary.

In addition, if desired, the cocoa beans (still in shell) are treated with a sugar solution at 40 to 150 ° C after roasting, such as a reduced sugar solution in either steam or hot water, and then the beans are treated with fat, if if necessary, the cocoa beans are dried, crushed into grains and routed together with the husks (fluid mass production operation.

The figure shows the sequence of sterilization processes for cocoa beans: pre-treatment of cocoa beans 1, purification - sorting 2, dry treatment of cocoa beans 3, wet cleaning of cocoa beans 4, drying - roasting 5, cocoa beans (soaking in sugar solution 6, steam or hot water) , removal of excess water from cocoa beans 7, fat treatment of shell cocoa beans - operation 8. Here in block 8 one of the operations is carried out: impregnation of cocoa beans with fat 8.1, or cocoa beans with fat 8.2, or cocoa beans with fat 8.3. drying cocoa beans if necessary.

Implementation of the method.

Pretreatment 1 removes impurities from the cocoa beans, then removes foreign matter and unsuitable cocoa beans in known purification operation 2. For the production of cocoa beans in operation 3 dry cleans. then redirects to Operation 4 for wet cleaning if necessary. Here the cocoa beans are washed with water or water vapor at 80-100 ° C. 7-12% water is added to the beans, depending on the quality of the cocoa beans (bean size, initial moisture content, etc.). The cocoa beans are then subjected to drying-roasting 5 at 80-170 ° C. The fat content of the cocoa bean hulls is between 1 and 1.5%, and the roasting of the cocoa beans takes place from the kernel to the shell. An additional 1 to 1.5% fat is added to the shell. The fat content of the cocoa beans in the fat soaking operation 8 is from 2 to 3%. Cocoa beans are exposed to fat at temperatures of 80-170 ° C.

The roasted cocoa beans are routed to surgery 6 and soaked in a solution of sugars in either hot water or water vapor.

Because sugar or water is added in solution, excess moisture builds up on the surface of the cocoa beans, which causes the cocoa beans to be dried or water sprayed from the surface, Operation 7. To prevent caramelization of the reduced sugars, soaked in a solution of 40 to 112 ° C, for example, a solution of reduced sugar or sorbitol. The beans are soaked by spraying to give the cocoa husks a nourishing and fragile appearance, as well as increasing the sugar content. Cocoa beans are sprayed with hot air or water steam to remove excess water if there is excess water on the surface of the cocoa beans. 7. Hot air temperature 70 - 110 ° C.

In order to give the cocoa bean husks its nutritional properties and to improve the inferior properties of the cocoa beans and to eliminate microbiological contamination, they are treated with fat 8. There are several ways to enter fat - their choice depends on the amount of fat you need to inject. Cocoa beans are impregnated with 8.1 cocoa fat or the beans are topped with 8.2 fat or cocoa beans are sprayed with fat 8.3. The sequence of operations is from 8.1 to decreasing fat in other operations to 8.3 for all remaining process conditions (temperature, fat retention time, etc.). The most suitable method is chosen based on the pre-desired fat content of the cocoa shell. When the fat content of the cocoa shell is 8 - 24%, the cocoa beans are soaked in 8.1, when the fat content is 5 - 15%, the cocoa beans are fat-coated, while the fat content of the shell is 3 - 12%. The method of administration is selected on the basis of the type of cocoa, the degree of ripeness, the quality of fermentation and the moisture content of the cocoa beans. If the microbiological contamination of the cocoa beans is increased, then the cocoa beans are roasted to 170 ° C.

When cocoa beans are not treated with a sugar solution, the cocoa beans, after irrigation, have been steam-treated above atmospheric pressure and spray-defatted with steam or hot air.

The above sterilization process temperatures are selected based on the microbiological contamination of the cocoa beans and the purpose of the heat treatment used in production: drying and roasting and addition of additional fat to the cocoa beans. the temperature of the cocoa beans and the superheated steam or hot air must be taken into account to prevent water condensation on the surface of the cocoa beans.

An example

After dry and wet cleanings, i.e. Operations 1,2, 3, and Cocoa Beans in Operation 4 are washed with water at 80-100 ° C. Here, up to 30% of the water is absorbed into the cocoa shells, while water in the cocoa bean kernel accumulates only at the surface and accounts for 1-2%, with a total humidity of 5 to 7%. Subsequently, the cocoa beans were soaked in a 90 to 145 ° C sugar solution 6 and, in order to increase the diffusion of sugars into the cocoa bean shell, the excess water was removed by an air stream of 80 to 140 ° C 7 and further filled with 120 to 170 ° C fat 8.2. Cocoa bean shells absorb 9 - 14% fat. Next, the cocoa beans are roasted 5 (at a temperature of 80-170 ° C) and crushed into grits 9. The cocoa beans are then shelled to production. During the operations, the biological contamination of the cocoa beans is reduced. The initial amount of microorganisms in cocoa beans was 260000 kvs / g, after operations 4. The 6 and 7 microorganisms were 177000 kvs / g. whereas after fat treatment in 8 operations the microorganisms remained at 9600 kvs / g, after drying and roasting 5 the contamination was only 3300 kvs / g.

An example

After dry and wet cleaning, vol. y. of Operations 1,2, 3, the cocoa beans are subjected to drying roasting5 at 80-170 ° C and then treated with fat 8.

Prior to the process, the total bacterial contamination of cocoa beans was 3,000,000 kvs / g, of which the total amount of enterobacteriaceae and coliforms, Escherichia coli, yeast and mold was 1100 kvs / g. After the process, the total bacterial count was only 100 kvs / g, while Enterobacteriaceae, coliforms and Escherichia coli were less than 030 kvs / g, while yeast and mold were less than 10 kvs / g. Thus, as a result of this process, the total bacterial count decreased 3x10 ^4- fold. The process guarantees the sterilization of Salmonella spp if present in the raw material.

An example

When using beans that meet the quality requirements of technological processes, such as Ivory Coast but low in sugar, the method is implemented in the following order. Cocoa beans are cleaned 1, sorted 2, dry cleaned 3, for example, with mechanical brushes, washed 4. soaked in sugar solution 6, followed by removal of excess water on the surface of the cocoa beans 7, followed by drying / roasting of the cocoa beans 5 8 and directs fluid mass production.

When the commercial moisture content of cocoa beans is less than 4%. they are roasted with a fat temperature of 120-170 ° C after preliminary cleaning and sorting 2. At this temperature, the cocoa beans are sterilized. The cocoa beans are then ground into cocoa beans with a moisture content of about 2.5%. injects the missing fat and other materials into the crushing pulp in the specified modes.

on avoid

Many times, the heat treatment of cocoa groats and fluid mass to counteract the aroma formation results in the roasting of cocoa beans once at a temperature above 100 ° C and other thermal effects for up to 3 minutes or at a lower temperature than roasting.

An example

Cocoa beans are subjected to steam pressures above atmospheric pressure after cleaning operations 1-4 and roasting 5 at a roasting temperature of 120-130 ° C. The water content of the cocoa beans is then increased to 5-20%. The cocoa beans are then sprayed with fat under pressure. The cocoa beans are then dried with superheated steam of 2.5 ata pressure or hot air of the same parameters.

Claims (6)

1. A method for sterilizing cocoa beans, comprising purifying the cocoa beans by steam treatment and roasting, characterized in that the cocoa beans are subjected to steam treatment at a temperature of 80-170 ° C after roasting, and then the cocoa beans are shelled at 120-170 ° C. temperature grease. 2. A process according to claim 1, wherein the steam treatment is carried out with superheated steam of at least 2.5 at. 3. A method as claimed in claims 1 to 2, characterized in that it is operated at an air flow above atmospheric pressure. 4. A process according to claims 1-3, wherein the effect of the fat is on a higher pressure than atmospheric fat. 5. A process according to claims 1-4, wherein cocoa butter is used as fat. 6. A process according to claims 1-5, wherein the cocoa beans are roasted with a sugar solution at a temperature of 80-150 ° C.