PL247685B1 - Forming system for making air cores of food products, in particular of chocolate or confectionery, device containing the same and method of producing air cores - Google Patents

Abstract

The subject of the application is a forming system for making air cores of food products, especially chocolate or confectionery, connected by a pipeline to a gassing device and having a set of two counter-rotating, rotating forming rollers, the outer cylindrical surfaces of which have a plurality of recesses forming a regular and repeating pattern, characterized in that the set of two forming rollers (1) is connected to an overpressure distributor (13) and is placed in an overpressure chamber (14) equipped with a chamber overpressure maintenance system; wherein said pipeline is a fourth heated pipeline (10.2.) for conducting a gassed food mixture, especially chocolate, from the gassing device (8) to the overpressure distributor (13), which fourth heated pipeline (10.2.) is equipped with a first device for maintaining overpressure (11) in the form of a tank consisting of a first flexible membrane and a first pressure chamber connected to a gas source, while the overpressure distributor (13) is equipped with a second device for maintaining overpressure (12) in the form of a tank consisting of a second flexible membrane and a second pressure chamber connected to a gas source. Another subject of the application is a device for making air cores of food products, especially chocolate or confectionery products, consisting of: a set of mixing devices, a ball mill set, a storage tank, a gas dosing system and an air core forming system connected by pipelines, characterized in that it has an air core forming system, which is a forming system. Another subject of the application is a method of producing air cores for food products, especially chocolate or confectionery, in which aerated starting material is fed to the forming system of the device.

Description

Description of the invention

The subject of the invention is a forming system for making air cores of food products, especially chocolate or confectionery products, a device containing it and a method for making air cores.

In the range of confectionery products available on the market, a significant place is occupied by dragees (sweets) made in the form of an internal core, usually chocolate, covered with a layer (or several layers) of icing, usually made of sugar or chocolate, also containing coloring and functional substances.

The basic ingredient of these dragees is, as mentioned, an inner core formed from chocolate or another substance that can be formed and permanently retain its shape so that it can be covered with layers of outer coatings.

Core production is carried out using forming rollers. For example, Polish patent PL239667 B1 describes forming rollers for making food product cores, especially chocolate or confectionery, with a cylindrical outer surface containing numerous hollow cavities that form a regular and repeating pattern. The cylindrical surface is covered with cavities whose edges form a grid of congruent polygons on a plane, where the sum of the angle measures between the sides of the adjoining polygons that share a common vertex is 360°. The cavities can be triangular, square, hexagonal, or octagonal. Preferably, the corners formed by the connecting edges of each cavity are rounded.

European document EP1064851 B1 discloses a method and device for forming and rapidly cooling a food product, preferably a confectionery product. A food product capable of solidification is deposited sequentially in molds arranged in rows on a cooled roller, where the food product, at least partially, solidifies, and then the roller is rotated to move the series of molds containing the food product into contact with a belt conveyor immediately after deposition and quickly enough to prevent deformation of the outer surface of the food product when the molds depart from the horizontal position, and then the at least partially solidified food product is separated from the molds and left on the belt conveyor. In a second embodiment, a food product having the ability to solidify is deposited sequentially in molds arranged in rows on a cooled roller, wherein during the deposition a cooled plate is lowered onto the molds, whereby the food product, at least partially, solidifies, after which the cooled roller is rotated and then the at least partially solidified food product is separated from the molds.

In turn, European patent EP0776608 B1 discloses a process for forming an extruded fat-containing confectionery material, which comprises feeding the fat-containing confectionery material into an extrusion device and exerting pressure on the fat-containing confectionery material in a solid or semi-solid, non-preferred or non-liquefied form before the flow is constricted, the temperature, pressure, shrinkage ratio and extrusion speed being such that the fat-containing confectionery material is extruded isothermally and remains in a solid or semi-solid, non-preferred or non-liquefied form and which exhibits temporary elasticity or plasticity, characterized in that while the extruded product exhibits temporary elasticity, the extruded product is compressed, deformed into a desired shape by passing between the tips of a pair of counter-rotating rollers, or pressure-formed by placing a measured quantity of the extruded solid product in a cavity of a pressure-forming tool, closing the tool under pressure in to compress the extruded solid product into a cavity shape defined by the upper and lower halves of the compression molding tool, and then open the mold to release the formed product. Preferably, the extruded solid product is deformed by passing between the projections of a pair of counter-rotating rollers provided with corresponding surface recesses to form a recess to plastically form the extruded product into a shape conforming to the shape of the surface recesses and release the formed product from the nipples of the pair of rollers.

In turn, the PL442281 A1 application identifies a thermostable, probiotic strain, Lactobacillus plantarum PL8, which can be used in chocolate products. The L. plantarum PL8 strain was isolated from the gastrointestinal tract of a healthy child and deposited in the Polish Collection.

Microorganisms at the Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy of the Polish Academy of Sciences under number B/00372. The L. plantarum PL8 strain has the trxB, trxD, mrsB, purK genes encoding antioxidant properties, the hisE, hisD genes responsible for metal binding, the eno, ppl genes enabling binding to the cell surface, the ruvA ruvB, uvrC, lexA clpC, clpB_1, clpB_2, grpE genes responsible for resistance to stress, including high temperature, and genes encoding the synthesis of vitamins: riboflavin (ribD_1, ribD_2, ribE, ribF_1, ribF_2, ribT), pyridoxine (serC), sod (thiM, thiD, thil) and carotenoids and folic acid (folB, folK, folP). The disclosed strain tolerates industrial culture conditions, such as low pH, elevated temperature and humidity, and oxygen conditions. The disclosed strain, L. plantarum PL8, exhibits a high degree of adherence to the human intestinal epithelial tissue line (Caco-2), which allows it to block the adherence of other bacteria and pathogenic fungi. It demonstrates high resistance to low pH and the effects of artificial gastric juice at pH 1.2. After 30 minutes, this strain reduced its population by an average of 1 log while maintaining viability at 1x106, which may indicate its excellent adaptation to the unfavorable conditions during passage through the stomach and duodenum, a necessary condition for probiotics active in the human gastrointestinal tract. Similarly, the disclosed strain demonstrated resistance to bile salts, maintaining good growth even at a concentration of 20 g/l of bile salts. Furthermore, L. plantarum PL8 demonstrates high efficacy against pathogenic bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella enteritidis, Campylobacter fetus), which are the most common etiological factors of bacterial gastrointestinal infections. Therefore, it can be used as an active ingredient in dietary supplements intended to prevent such infections and to improve the composition of disturbed intestinal microbiota by inhibiting the population of these pathogenic bacteria and increasing the population of bacteria that constitute the basic components of normal intestinal microbiota. The disclosed strain demonstrates high survival under production conditions (e.g., elevated temperature, oxygen, and humidity), hence it can be used as a probiotic functional ingredient in various foods.

The purpose of the invention is to provide a method and means for supplying a gassed mixture to a set of forming rollers and to produce cores in such a way that the gas injected into the initial mixture is enclosed in the form of microbubbles in the finished core and is not removed outside during the forming process.

The essence of the invention is a forming system for making air cores of food products, especially chocolate or confectionery products, connected by a pipeline to a gassing device and having a set of two counter-rotating forming rollers, the outer cylindrical surfaces of which have a plurality of recesses forming a regular and repeating pattern, characterized in that the set of two forming rollers is connected to an overpressure distributor and is placed in a overpressure chamber equipped with a chamber overpressure maintenance system; said pipeline being a fourth heated pipeline for conducting a gassed food mixture, especially chocolate, from the gassing device to the overpressure distributor, said fourth heated pipeline being equipped with a first overpressure maintenance device in the form of a tank consisting of a first flexible membrane and a first pressure chamber connected to a gas source, while the overpressure distributor is equipped with a second overpressure maintenance device in the form of a tank consisting of a second flexible membrane and a second pressure chamber connected to a gas source.

Preferably, the first and second overpressure maintaining devices are connected to a common gas source.

Preferably, in the area where the edge of the chamber is connected to the rotating forming rollers, a double seal made of a sealing material resistant to low temperatures is located.

Preferably, the circumferential length of each of the contact edges of the overpressure distributor and the surface of each of the two cooperating forming rollers is >20% of the circumference of the forming roller.

Preferably, the diameter of the forming roller is from 200 mm to 600 mm and its length is from 200 mm to 1000 mm.

Preferably, the edges of the overpressure contact of the distributor and the forming rollers are made of a wear-resistant and non-metallic sliding material selected from the group including Teflon, Ertalon, ceramic sealing materials.

Preferably, the peripheral edges of the distributor's overpressure contact are adjacent to the forming rollers on the outermost surface without forming cavities.

Another essence of the invention is a device for making air cores of food products, especially chocolate or confectionery products, consisting of: a set of mixing devices, a ball mill set, a storage tank, a gas dosing system and an air core forming system connected by pipelines, characterized in that the air core forming system is a forming system according to the invention.

Another essence of the invention is a method for producing air cores of food products, especially chocolate or confectionery products, in which a gassed starting material is fed to the forming system of the device according to the invention, characterized in that it comprises the following steps:

a) pouring ingredients of a food mixture, particularly a chocolate or confectionery mixture, into a hopper system connected by a first pipeline system to a recipe tank of the mixing device assembly, wherein the food mixture is premixed for substantially 40-60 minutes at a temperature of substantially 37-42°C;

b) transporting the mixture through a first heated pipeline to a ball mill where it is then ground in a flow lasting substantially 40-90 minutes at a temperature of substantially 46-52°C;

c) transport of the crushed mixture through a second heated pipeline to a storage tank where it is then kept at a temperature of generally 40-50°C for up to 2 days;

d) transporting the mixture through a third heated pipeline from the storage tank to the gassing device, where the mixture is then gassed at a temperature of generally 35-50°C;

e) transporting the carbonated mixture from the storage tank to the overpressure distributor via a fourth heated pipeline with a first overpressure maintaining device that maintains the carbonation of the transported mixture;

f) distributing the mixture along the forming rollers equipped with a pressure chamber by means of an overpressure distributor equipped with a second overpressure maintaining device;

g) forming of air cores in a set of forming rollers at a temperature of -25 to -9°C;

h) feeding the formed air cores into the flow cooling tunnel.

Preferably, a prebiotic is added to the mixture in step a).

Preferably, the prebiotic added in step a) is an oligosaccharide.

Preferably, in step c) a probiotic in the form of a thermostable strain of L. plantarum is added.

Preferably, the strain added in step c) is Lactobacillus plantarum PL8, deposited in the Polish Collection of Microorganisms at the Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy of the Polish Academy of Sciences under number B/00372.

Preferably, in step b) the mixture pressure at the inlet to the ball mill is 0.28-0.96 Bar.

Preferably, in step d) the viscosity of the gassed mixture is maintained in the range of 10-25 Pas.

Definitions:

Within the meaning of the invention, an "aerocore" is a semi-finished product gassed with an inert gas (e.g. CO2) or compressed air in the aerodrating process, which constitutes an internal core formed from chocolate or another substance that can be formed and permanently retain its shape so that it can be covered with layers of external coatings.

Within the meaning of the invention, "aero-cores" are aero-cores coated with external coatings.

Within the meaning of the invention, a "low-temperature resistant sealing material" means a material that retains its sealing function at least in the operating temperature range of the set of forming rollers of the forming system according to the invention, preferably retaining its flexibility down to -30°C.

For the purposes of the invention, the term "substantially" means a permissible deviation from the indicated parameter by one unit of time (±1 min.) or temperature (±1°C).

The invention provides the following advantages:

• the present forming system, device and method ensure the production of aerocores with a lower volumetric product weight;

• the subject forming system, device and method ensure the production of a product providing a better consumption experience, especially when consuming the product at lower temperatures - aerodoughs containing aerocores produced by the method according to the invention are easier to chew due to the presence of gas microbubbles in the volume of the inner core);

• the use of inert gases (without oxidizing properties) in the process of core gasification allows for better preservation of the product "from the inside", which in the case of products containing fats - such as chocolate, for example - is particularly important in limiting oxidation processes, which may have an impact on extending the shelf life of the product;

• the mixture for the production of air cores is delivered to the forming rollers in such a way that the gas injected into the mixture is enclosed in the form of microbubbles in the finished air core and is not removed outside during the forming process;

• providing the system according to the invention with devices for maintaining overpressure protects the gassed mixture against gas escape during transport;

• equipping the forming rollers with an overpressure chamber with a chamber overpressure maintenance system additionally protects the gas contained in the mixture from evacuating to the outside during the process of forming the air cores between the forming rollers.

The invention is presented in example embodiments in the drawing, in which fig. 1 schematically shows a forming system according to the invention connected to a gas dosing system; fig. 2 schematically shows an exemplary set of forming rolls; fig. 3 schematically shows exemplary shapes of air-cores formed on the rolls according to fig. 2; fig. 4 schematically shows a device according to the invention containing a forming system according to the invention; fig. 5 schematically shows a set of dosing and mixing devices of the device according to the invention of fig. 4; fig. 6 schematically shows a ball mill of the device according to the invention of fig. 4; fig. 7 schematically shows a system according to the invention incorporated into the device according to the invention of fig. 4; fig. 8 schematically shows a set of devices for covering air-cores with external coatings; fig. 9 schematically shows the process of producing air-cores carried out by means of a production line equipped with a device according to the invention.

Example 1

A U-forming system for making air-cores of food products, especially chocolate or confectionery products according to the invention is shown in Figs. 1-2, in which 1 denotes a forming roll; 2 denotes a cavity; 3 denotes an air-core; 4 denotes a liquid mixture, in particular a chocolate mixture; 5 denotes a set of mixing devices; 5.1. denotes an oil buffer tank; 5.2. denotes a first piping system; 5.3. denotes a directional valve; 5.4. denotes a chain hoist; 5.5. denotes a hopper system; 5.6. denotes a recipe tank; 5.7. denotes scraper agitators; 5.8. denotes mixing agitators; 5.9. denotes an automatic dust removal system; 5.10. denotes a first heated pipeline; 5.11. denotes a feeding screw; 5.12. denotes operating valves; 6 denotes a ball mill assembly; 6.1. denotes a ball mill; 6.2. is a tubular cooler; 6.3. is a first pump; 6.4. is a second pump; 6.5. is a second heated pipeline; 7. is a storage tank; 8. is a gassing device; 9. is a first gas tank; 10.1. is a third heated pipeline; 10.2. is a fourth heated pipeline; 11. is a first overpressure maintenance device; 11.1. is a first flexible membrane; 11.2. is a first pressure chamber; 11.3. is a second gas tank; 12. is a second overpressure maintenance device; 12.1. is a second flexible membrane; 12.2. is a second pressure chamber; 13. is a overpressure chocolate distributor; 14. is a overpressure chamber of the forming roll assembly; 15. is a chamber overpressure maintenance system; 16. is a cooling tunnel; 17. is a calibrated aircore.

The U-shaping system according to the invention comprises an overpressure distributor 13 distributing the mixture 4 to a set of two counter-rotating forming rollers 1, the outer cylindrical surfaces of which have a plurality of cavities 2 forming a regular and repeating pattern.

The set of forming rollers 1 comprises two forming rollers 1 in contact with each other by their external cylindrical surfaces, rotating counter-rotatingly, with sockets 2 hollowed out on the circumference of each of them, the shape of which, after connecting the two sockets, the shape of the produced air core 3 is formed from the rotating rollers. The sockets 2 made on the surface of both forming rollers 1 connect with each other along the entire length of the contact line of the forming rollers 1, filling simultaneously with a liquid mixture 4 (e.g. carbonated chocolate or other similar substance) pumped from above, which then solidifies and in the formed form emerges from between the rotating forming rollers 1. The external temperature of the forming rollers 1 is adjustable and may be, depending on the type of substance from which the air cores are formed, either below zero or above. Example shapes of air cores 3 are shown in Fig. 3.

The set of two forming rollers 1 is connected to an overpressure distributor 13 and is placed in an overpressure chamber 14 equipped with a chamber overpressure maintenance system 15. In the area of connection of the edge of the chamber 14 with the rotating forming rollers 1, a double seal made of a sealing material resistant to low temperatures is located. In this embodiment, Teflon is used as the sealing material, but other materials can also be used (e.g., Ertalon or ceramic sealing materials).

The overpressure distributor 13 is connected by a fourth heated pipeline 10.2. to the gassing device 8. Said fourth heated pipeline 10.2. is equipped with a first device for maintaining overpressure 11 in the form of a tank consisting of a first flexible membrane 11.1. and a first pressure chamber 11.2. connected to a gas source, while the overpressure dispenser 13 is equipped with a second device for maintaining overpressure 12 in the form of a tank consisting of a second flexible membrane 12.1. and a second pressure chamber 12.2. connected to a gas source.

The mixture 4 is transported through the fourth heated pipeline 10.2. in such a way that the entire cross-section of the pipeline is filled with it, the required level of overpressure in the pipeline is maintained by the first device for maintaining overpressure 11 of an inert gas (e.g. CO2), to the distributor chamber 13 located above the forming rollers 1, also equipped with an overpressure control and regulation system in the form of a second device for maintaining overpressure 12. The set of rollers 1 is located in the overpressure chamber 14 also with an independent overpressure control system in the form of an overpressure maintaining system 15, which may be in the form of a cylinder with an inert gas, in the case of products sensitive to oxidation and temperature (such as chocolate), or in the form of a working pump compressing air to the appropriate pressure and forcing it into the chamber 14 after previously cooling the compressed air by means of a dedicated air cooling system. In this embodiment, an inert gas cylinder is used.

The overpressure chamber 14 was used due to the risk that as a result of crushing the mixture 4 between the forming rollers 1, some of the gas contained in the gasified mixture 4 would be removed from it. It was to limit such a phenomenon that the overpressure chamber 14 was used, which enclosed a set of devices crucial to the core forming process: i.e. the distributor 13, in particular the area of its connection with the forming rollers 1, and the forming rollers 1.

The overpressure maintenance system 15 may be in the form of an inert gas cylinder, in the case of products sensitive to oxidation and temperature (such as chocolate), or in the form of a working pressure pump, compressing air to the appropriate pressure and forcing it into the chamber 14 after previously cooling the compressed air using a dedicated air cooling system. In this embodiment, an inert gas cylinder is used.

In this embodiment, the first and second overpressure maintaining devices 11, 12 are connected to a common gas source, which is a second gas tank 11.3 in the form of a cylinder with an inert gas (e.g. CO2). However, said cylinder may also be filled with compressed air.

In this embodiment, the circumferential length of each of the contact edges of the overpressure distributor 13 and the surface of each of the two cooperating forming rollers 1 is 20% of the circumference of the forming roller. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the diameter of the forming roller 1 is 200 mm and its length is 1000 mm.

In this example, the peripheral edges of the overpressure contact of the distributor 13 are adjacent to the forming rollers 1 on the outermost surface without forming cavities 2. Furthermore, the edges of the overpressure contact of the distributor 13 and the forming rollers 1 are made of a wear-resistant and non-metallic sliding material, which may be e.g. Ertalon (or e.g. Teflon).

Example 2

The device for making air cores according to the invention is shown schematically in Fig. 4. The device consists of components connected by pipelines, including: a set of mixing devices 5 (Fig. 5), a ball mill set 6 (Fig. 6), a storage tank 7 (Fig. 4), a gassing device 8 (Fig. 4) and a system for forming air cores U according to the invention (Fig. 1, Fig. 4, Fig. 7), under which the feeder of the flow cooling tunnel 16 is located.

The purpose of the set of mixing devices 5 shown in Fig. 5 is to prepare the product mixture so that it is suitable for grinding and homogenization in the ball mill set 6. The set of mixing devices 5 includes:

• oil buffer tank 5.1., through which fat/oil is supplied to one of the two recipe tanks 5.6., via the first system of pipelines 5.2. and directional valves 5.3.;

• recipe tanks (i.e. mixers) 5.6., each of which is equipped with appropriate mixing elements, appropriate to the type of mixture being prepared, a heating and cooling jacket, and an external insulation layer. The type of mixers used depends on the type of mixture being prepared; their selection is within the routine activities of a person skilled in the art. For example, these may be either low-speed so-called "scraper" mixers 5.7. in the form of straight-line or spiral scrapers, moving circumferentially along the inner walls of the tank 5.1., or high-speed mixing mixers 5.8. rotating in the lower part of the tank 5.6. in the mass of the prepared mixture. The design of the mixers 5.8. ensures intensive flow of the mixture and the generation of very high shear forces, allowing for the initial grinding of the ingredients, and is selected according to the type of mixture being prepared. The temperature of the medium in the heating and cooling jacket is determined by the requirements of the mixture being prepared and can generally range from 7-55°C. In the case of chocolate, it is generally 40-55°C. The heating medium is, for example, water.

• a feeding system for powder ingredients 5.5., which constitute the components of the mixture (such as sugar, cocoa, starch, glucose, functional substances - e.g. prebiotics, etc.). The feeding of ingredients can be done manually (from bags or containers) or from so-called big-bags, suspended on manual or automatic chain hoists 5.4. The direct feeding of powder ingredients to the mixer 5.6. is carried out by means of a feeding screw 5.11. To reduce dust during the feeding of powder ingredients, the feeding system 5.5. is equipped with an automatic dust removal system 5.9., activated automatically after opening the feeding flap. The appropriate amounts of individual powder components can be measured either by weighing them in advance or, in the case of ingredients delivered in big-bags, by means of a chain hoist 5.4. equipped with a scale. It is also possible to mount the recipe tanks 5.6. on weighing systems coupled to the powder ingredient hopper system 5.5., in particular with the feeding screw 5.11., in such a way that the ingredient feeding stops when the weight of the contents in the mixer reaches the required value; however, this method is not recommended due to the low dosing accuracy. To maintain continuous mixture feed to the ball mill assembly 6, the mixing device assembly 5 is equipped with two recipe tanks 5.6. with dedicated accessories, operating alternately. The prepared mixture in the mixers 5.6. is transported through the first heated pipeline 5.10. via appropriately operating valves 5.12. and the first pump 6.3. (as shown in Fig. 5-6).

The purpose of the ball mill assembly 6 shown in Fig. 6 is to finally grind and homogenize the mixture 4 (e.g., chocolate or other mixture) to the appropriate fraction. The mixture is supplied to the ball mill 6.1 from the recipe tanks 5.6 through the first heated pipeline 5.10, equipped with a heating jacket supplied, for example, with water at an appropriate temperature to prevent the transported product from solidifying, by means of the first pump 6.3, adapted to transporting dense and hot substances. The temperature in the pipeline is maintained at the required level depending on the type of product being transported. In this embodiment, the transported mixture is chocolate. For chocolate, the above-mentioned temperature is between 40-55°C. The mixture is fed to the working chamber of the ball mill 6.1, equipped with a cooling jacket, in which the working elements are a steel rotor mounted on a rotating axis and a load of steel balls. The use of balls with a diameter of 4-12 mm is permissible. The diameter of the balls used depends on the type of product and the expected fineness of the mixture, e.g. chocolate.

The mixture, e.g., chocolate, supplied to the ball mill 6.1 is pumped through a mass of balls set in rotation in the ball mill 6.1 by a rotor on a rotating axis. Due to the crushing action of the moving steel balls, it undergoes the required fineness. The flow rate of the mixture through the ball beds is regulated by pump 6.3, the speed and frequency of the rotor in the working chamber of the ball mill 6.1, and the second pump 6.4. The product fineness depends on the flow rate of the mixture through the working chamber of the ball mill 6.1, the crushing resistance of the ingredients, and the output granulation of the components. In the case of chocolate, it can be assumed that a fineness of 35-60 microns can be achieved with a single pass through the ball mill 6.1. During the fineness process, the product temperature increases significantly. Therefore, after exiting the ball mill 6.1. The crushed mixture (e.g., chocolate mixture) is intensively cooled in a tubular cooler 6.2 to a temperature of 45-50°C, depending on its type. After passing through the cooler 6.2, it is directed by a second pump 6.4 to a storage tank 7 equipped with a scraper agitator, in which the temperature of the collected chocolate is stabilized by a water heating jacket and ranges from 40-50°C. The mixture can remain in the storage tank 7 for up to 2 days. Another functional additive, e.g., a thermostable probiotic strain (e.g., L. plantarum), can also be added there.

From the storage tank 7, the chocolate is transported via a third heated pipeline 10.1 equipped with a heating water jacket to the gassing device 8 (Fig. 1 and 4), in which the inert gas (e.g. CO2 or N2 or a mixture of these gases) supplied from the first gas tank 9 (e.g. a cylinder) is intensively mixed with the product supplied from the tank 7, e.g. a chocolate mixture.

In this embodiment, the process of carbonation of the chocolate mixture in the device 8 (the so-called "tempering machine") takes place continuously in a flow during which the following operations are carried out:

• correction of the temperature of the chocolate mixture to the required value;

• intensive mixing of the chocolate mixture using a high-speed rotor in the mixing chamber of the tempering unit 8;

• continuous gas supply in the required quantity and at the required pressure during intensive mixing;

• cooling the chocolate mixture after the gas is added and the chocolate mixture leaves the mixing chamber to a temperature that allows the viscosity of the gassed product to be increased to such a value that it is impossible for gas bubbles to escape from the product;

• transport of the carbonated mixture 4, e.g. chocolate mixture, through the fourth heated pipeline 10.2. (Fig. 7) with a heating jacket to the U-forming system according to example 1.

Pumping the gassed mixture 4 from the gassing device 8 through the fourth heated pipeline 10.2. to the overpressure distributor 13, with a stream filling the entire cross-section of the fourth heated pipeline 10.2., additionally equipped with a device for maintaining a sufficiently high overpressure in them and evacuating the gas to the outside - i.e. the first device for maintaining overpressure 11.

The device for maintaining the overpressure 11 is made in the form of a tank connected to a cylinder with an inert gas, e.g. carbon dioxide 11.3. (or also with compressed air), equipped with a first elastic membrane 11.1. preventing the mixture 4 (e.g. chocolate mixture) transported by pipelines from getting into the gas supply lines from the cylinder 11.3. and at the same time being able, through the overpressure in the first pressure chamber 11.2., to influence the mixture 4 transported by the fourth heated pipeline 10.2.. This chamber is pressurized thanks to the action of the gas supplied from the cylinder 10.2. through the first elastic membrane 11.1.

11.3., so high that it is impossible to evacuate gas bubbles from the gassed mixture 4 even in the case of a decrease in viscosity caused by an increase in the temperature of the transported product (i.e. mixture 4).

The second overpressure maintaining device 12, also equipped with a second flexible membrane 12.1 and a second pressure chamber 12.2, connected to the overpressure distributor 13, performs an identical role.

Additionally, the first pressure chamber 11.2. acts as a reservoir for the transported mixture 4, e.g. chocolate, ensuring that the pipeline is completely filled with the product during its transport, which eliminates the risk of gas escaping from the product into voids (cavities) in the pipeline not filled with the transported product.

The distribution of the mixture 4 (e.g. chocolate) along the forming rollers 1 is carried out by means of an overpressure distributor 13, equipped with a second device for maintaining an overpressure 12 of inert gas.

In this embodiment, the mentioned second device for maintaining overpressure 12 in the distributor 13, which is responsible for uniform distribution of the gassed mixture 4 along the entire length of the forming rollers 1, is made in the form of a tank connected to a second gas tank 11.3 - e.g. a cylinder with an inert gas, e.g. carbon dioxide (or also with compressed air), equipped with a second flexible membrane 12.1. preventing the mixture 4 from entering the gas supply lines from the cylinder 11.3. and at the same time being able, through the overpressure in the second pressure chamber 12.2., to affect the mixture 4 in the distributor 13. This chamber is pressurized thanks to the action through the second flexible membrane 12.1. gas supplied from the cylinder 11.3., so high that it is impossible to evacuate gas bubbles from the gassed mixture 4 even in the case of a decrease in viscosity caused by an increase in the temperature of the transported mixture 4 and incomplete filling of the distributor 13 with the mixture 4.

In order to seal the contact surface of the distributor edge 13 with the surface of the forming rollers 1 as fully as possible, the following solutions are used:

• The circumferential length of each of the contact edges of the distributor 13 and the surface of each of the two cooperating forming rollers 1 is not less than 20% of the circumference of the forming roller 1;

• The diameter of the forming roller 1 is in the range of 200-600 mm, and in this embodiment it is e.g. 400 mm;

• The length of the forming rollers 1 is in the range of 200-1000 mm, and in this embodiment it is e.g. 400 mm;

• The contact edges of the distributor 13 and the forming rollers 1 are made of a slippery material (with a low coefficient of friction), abrasion-resistant, non-metallic and approved for contact with food products, in this embodiment Teflon is used, but other known materials can also be used (e.g. ertalon or ceramic materials);

• The peripheral (arc) edges of the contact between the distributor 13 and the forming rollers 1 are adjacent to the forming rollers 1 on their outermost surface on which no forming sockets 2 are made;

• In this example, the width of the outermost surface of the rollers 1 without the grooved forming cavities 2 is approximately 20 mm.

Forming of the air cores 3 in a set of forming rollers 1 equipped with an overpressure chamber 14, additionally protecting the gas contained in the mixture 4 against evacuation to the outside in the process of forming the air cores between the forming rollers 1, by means of a chamber overpressure maintenance system 15.

The overpressure in the overpressure chamber 14 is created by a connected overpressure maintenance system 15, which may be in the form of an inert gas cylinder, in the case of products sensitive to oxidation and temperature (such as chocolate), or in the form of a working pressure pump, compressing air to the appropriate pressure and forcing it into the chamber 14 after previously cooling the compressed air using a dedicated air cooling system. In this embodiment, an inert gas cylinder is used.

The carbonated mixture 4 (e.g. chocolate mixture), after leaving the distributor 13, is placed between the forming rollers 1 with forming cavities 2 hollowed out on their surface, the shape of which is appropriate to the shape of the air cores 3. Example shapes of the air cores 3 are shown in Fig. 3.

The forming rollers 1 are equipped with a system of channels inside which a medium of appropriate temperature flows, thus ensuring the appropriate temperature on the outer surface of the rollers 1.

For example:

• for the production of aerocores 3 from chocolate the required temperature is from -10°C to -20°C;

• for the production of aerocores 3 from substances with increased fat content, the required temperature is up to -25°C.

Such low temperatures are necessary because the formation of the air core 3 between the rollers 1 must be carried out in such a way that the shell of the air core 3 formed in short-term contact with the cooled rollers 1 is so durable and strong that it cannot be torn apart by the pressure of the gas contained in the bubbles inside it.

The overpressure chamber 14 was used due to the risk that as a result of crushing the mixture 4 between the forming rollers 1, some of the gas contained in the gasified mixture 4 would be removed from it. It was to limit such a phenomenon that the overpressure chamber 14 was used, which enclosed a set of devices crucial to the core forming process: i.e. the distributor 13, in particular the area of its connection with the forming rollers 1, and the forming rollers 1.

In this embodiment, the connection zone of the chamber edge 14 with the rotating forming rollers 1 comprises a double seal using a sealing material that remains elastic even at low temperatures. In this embodiment, Teflon is used, but other known materials can be used, such as Ertalon or ceramic sealing materials.

Cooling of the cores thus formed in their entire volume takes place in a long-term process in the flow cooling tunnel 16 (as shown in Fig. 4), the feeder of which is located below the forming rollers 1.

After leaving the cooling tunnel 16, the calibrated air cores 17 are stored in openwork plastic or steel boxes on storage areas 20 at a temperature no higher than 20°C in order to equalize and stabilize the temperature throughout their volume. The calibrated air cores 17 thus prepared can be used to produce air drills using known methods.

Example 3

The device is as in example 2, but the diameter of the forming rollers 1 is 200 mm and their length is 200 mm.

Example 4

The device is as in example 2, but the diameter of the forming rollers 1 is 600 mm and their length is 1000 mm.

Example 5

The device is as in example 2, but the diameter of the forming rollers 1 is 200 mm and their length is 800 mm.

Example 6

The device is as in example 2, but the diameter of the forming rollers 1 is 600 mm and their length is 200 mm.

Example 7

A device as in example 2, but additionally equipped with a set of devices for coating air cores with external coatings 18 shown in Figs. 8 and 9, where: 18.1. denotes a first bucket conveyor; 18.2. denotes a coating drum (e.g. rotary dryer); 18.3. denotes a second bucket conveyor; 18.4. denotes a vibrating conveyor; 18.5. denotes a buffer tank; 18.6. denotes a pneumatic station; 18.7. denotes a flow homogenizer; 18.8. denotes a syrup buffer tank; 18.9. denotes a second pipeline system; 18.10. denotes air driers; 18.11. denotes incoming air; 18.12. denotes outgoing air.

The production of aero-rods consists in applying external coatings to calibrated aero-cores 17. In this embodiment, the set of devices 18 described below is responsible for this essentially one of the most important operations:

After leaving the cooling tunnel 16, the calibrated air cores 17 are stored in openwork plastic or steel boxes on storage fields 20 (Fig. 8-9) at a temperature not higher than 20°C in order to equalize and stabilize the temperature throughout their volume. After the temperature of the calibrated air cores 17 has been equalized during storage on storage fields 20, they are loaded into the coating drum 18.2. (due to its drying function, also called a rotary dryer) via the first bucket conveyor 18.1., the vibrating conveyor 18.4. and the buffer tank 18.5. In the coating drum 18.2. aerocores 17 are covered with thin layers of external coatings through repeated cycles of spraying with solutions of appropriate substances and drying, thus creating aero-drills 18.10.

The drying process of the external coatings thus applied in the coating drum 18.2 takes place through the intensive flow of a large amount of air 18.11 and 18.12 through the mass of air-drums 18.10 contained in the drum 18.2, in the spaces between the individual loaded air-drums 18.10. Air for the drying process is blown into the drum 18.2, which rotates throughout the process, through holes made in its surface. The coating drum 18.2, rotating along its longitudinal axis, causes the air-drums 18.10 to intensively move within itself, significantly increasing the intensity of contact of the flowing air with the surface of the air-drums 18.10, thereby increasing the drying efficiency of the multiple coatings applied (evacuation of moisture from the sprayed external layers). The number of applied external layers and their nature can be adjusted to individual needs. For example, sprayed outer layers can be functional (flavor additives, nutritional additives, health additives, medicinal additives, protective layers, etc.) or decorative (colors, gloss layers, structural layers, fluorescent layers, etc.). They can be applied by spraying solutions based on water, alcohol, or other food-grade solvents.

Because during one cycle in the dragee drum it is possible to produce only one type of airbrush, especially airbrush of one color.

The coating process involves coating the air cores with outer layers in drums.

18.2. is long-lasting and can last, depending on the product requirements, from 4 to 20 hours. However, for most products, this time is between 9 and 16 hours.

The preparation of the substance for spraying is carried out by:

• list of components fed either by pneumatic stations 18.6.; for components stored in silos or manually;

• dissolving them in water or another solvent and homogenizing the mixture in a high-speed flow homogenizer 18.7.;

• feeding the prepared mixture via the syrup buffer tank 18.8. and the second pipeline system 18.9. to the spray system;

• spraying of air cores in the drum 18.2. through a pump system and a set of spray nozzles located inside along its entire length, directly above the surface of the sprayed air cores.

The air used as a drying medium in the coating drums 18.2. is prepared in appropriate peripheral devices, which are an integral functional part of the coating drums. Air preparation for use in the drying process in the drum 18.2. involves filtering, heating or cooling it, and drying or humidifying it, as needed for the technological process. After passing through the layers of the dried product (i.e., the air driers 18.10.), the drying air is evacuated to the outside after being filtered to remove dust particles.

After the process is completed, the aero-draws 18.10. are poured into transport containers or boxes by means of the second bucket conveyor 18.3. and placed on pallets in the aero-draw storage area 21.

Then, the aero-draws 18.10. are transported to the set of devices for mixing the dragees 19 (Fig. 9). After the process of mixing (mixing) the aero-draws 18.10. is completed, the set of devices for mixing 19 contains another storage area for the mixed dragees intended for final packaging in various final packaging according to customer expectations.

Example 8

In this embodiment, the method for producing aerocores according to the invention is carried out in the apparatus of Example 2 and relates to the production of chocolate aerocores. The method comprises the following steps:

Step a) pouring the ingredients of the food mixture, especially chocolate or confectionery, into the hopper system 5.5. connected by the first pipeline system 5.2. to the recipe tank 5.6. of the mixing device assembly 5, in which the food mixture is pre-mixed for 40 minutes at a temperature of 42°C;

Step b) transporting the mixture through the first heated pipeline 5.1. to the ball mill 6.1., where it is then crushed in a flow lasting essentially 40 minutes at a temperature of 52°C, and the pressure of the mixture at the inlet to the ball mill 6.1. is 0.96 Bar;

Stage c) transport of the crushed mixture through the second heated pipeline 6.5. to the storage tank 7, where it is then kept at a temperature of 50°C for 2 days;

Step d) transporting the mixture through the third heated pipeline 10.1. from the storage tank 7 to the gassing device 8, where the mixture is then gassed at a temperature of 35°C and its viscosity is 10 Pas;

Step e) transporting the gassed mixture 4 from the storage tank 7 to the overpressure distributor 13 via the fourth heated pipeline 10.2. with the first overpressure maintaining device 11 which maintains the gassing of the transported mixture;

Step f) distributing the mixture along the forming rollers 1 equipped with a pressure chamber 14 by means of an overpressure distributor 13 equipped with a second overpressure maintaining device 12;

Stage g) forming of aerocores 3 in the forming roller set 1 at a temperature of -9°C;

Step h) feeding the formed air cores 3 to the feeder of the flow cooling tunnel 16.

Example 9

The method is as in example 8, except that in step a) the preliminary mixing was carried out for 60 minutes at a temperature of 37°C; in step b) the grinding of the mixture was carried out in a flow lasting 90 minutes at a temperature of 46°C, and the pressure of the mixture at the inlet to the ball mill was 0.28 Bar; in step c) the mixture was kept in the storage tank 7 for 1.5 hours at a temperature of 40°C; in step d) the gasification of the mixture was carried out at a temperature of 50°C, and its viscosity was 25 Pas; in step g) the formation of the aerocores 3 was carried out at a temperature of -14°C.

Example 10

The method is the same as in example 8, but the mixture is a high-fat mixture (e.g. a mixture with a total, resulting fat content including autonomous fat, supplied in components other than fat, at a level of 35-40%), and the formation of the air cores on the forming rollers 1 is carried out at a temperature of -25°C.

Example 11

The method is the same as in example 8, except that in step a) a prebiotic, which is an oligosaccharide, is added to the mixture, while in step c) a probiotic is added in the form of a thermostable strain of L. plantarum (e.g. Lactobacillus plantarum PL8, deposited in the Polish Collection of Microorganisms at the Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy of the Polish Academy of Sciences under number B/00372).

List of markings:

- forming roller

- nest

- aerocore

- liquid mixture

- a set of mixing devices

5.1. - oil buffer tank

5.2. - first pipeline system

5.3. - directional valve

5.4. - chain hoist

5.5. - hopper system

5.6. - recipe tank

5.7. - scraper mixers

5.8. - mixing stirrers

5.9. - automatic dust removal system

5.10. - first heated pipeline

5.11. - feeding screw

5.12. - working valves. - ball mill assembly

6.1. - ball mill

6.2. - tubular cooler

6.3. - first pump 6.4. - second pump 6.5. - second heated pipeline 7. - storage tank 8. - gassing device 9. - first gas tank U - forming system according to the invention 10.1. - third heated pipeline 10.2. - fourth heated pipeline 11. - the first device for maintaining positive pressure 11.1. - the first flexible membrane 11.2. - first pressure chamber 11.3. - second gas tank 12. - second device for maintaining positive pressure 12.1. - second flexible membrane 12.2. - second pressure chamber 13. - overpressure chocolate dispenser 14. - overpressure chamber of the forming roller assembly 15. - chamber overpressure maintenance system 16. - cooling tunnel 17. - calibrated aerocore 18. - a set of devices for coating aerocores with external coatings 18.1. - the first bucket conveyor 18.2. - coating drum/rotary dryer 18.3. - second bucket conveyor 18.4. - vibrating conveyor 18.5. - buffer tank 18.6. - pneumatic station 18.7. - flow homogenizer 18.8. - syrup buffer tank 18.9. - second pipeline system 18.10. - aerodraże 18.11. - incoming air 18.12. - exhaust air 19. - a set of aerogel packaging devices 20. - aerocore depositor fields 21. - storage area for aerodromes

Claims (15)

Patent claims 1. A forming system for making air cores of food products, especially chocolate or confectionery, connected by a pipeline to a gassing device and having a set of two counter-rotating forming rollers, the outer cylindrical surfaces of which have a plurality of recesses forming a regular and repeating pattern, characterized in that the set of two forming rollers (1) is connected to an overpressure distributor (13) and is placed in an overpressure chamber (14) equipped with a chamber overpressure maintenance system (15); wherein said pipeline is a fourth heated pipeline (10.2.) for conducting a gassed food mixture, especially chocolate, from the gassing device (8) to the overpressure dispenser (13), said fourth heated pipeline (10.2.) being equipped with a first overpressure maintaining device (11) in the form of a tank consisting of a first flexible membrane (11.1.) and a first pressure chamber (11.2.) connected to a gas source, and said overpressure dispenser (13) being equipped with a second overpressure maintaining device (12) in the form of a tank consisting of a second flexible membrane (12.1.) and a second pressure chamber (12.2.) connected to a gas source. 2. A system according to claim 1, characterized in that the first and second devices for maintaining overpressure (11, 12) are connected to a common gas source. 3. A system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that in the zone of connection of the chamber edge (14) with the rotating forming rollers (1) there is a double seal made of a sealing material resistant to low temperatures. 4. A system according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the circumferential length of each of the overpressure contact edges of the distributor (13) and the surface of each of the two cooperating forming rollers (1) is >20% of the circumference of the forming roller (1). 5. A system according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the diameter of the forming roller (1) is from 200 mm to 600 mm and its length is from 200 to 1000 mm. 6. A system according to any of the preceding claims from 1 to 5, characterized in that the edges of the overpressure contact of the distributor (13) and the forming rollers (1) are made of a wear-resistant and non-metallic sliding material selected from the group consisting of: Teflon, Ertalon, ceramic materials. 7. A system according to any of the preceding claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the peripheral edges of the overpressure contact of the distributor (13) are adjacent to the forming rollers (1) on the outermost surface without forming cavities (2). 8. A device for making air cores of food products, especially chocolate or confectionery, consisting of: a set of mixing devices, a ball mill set, a storage tank, a gas dosing system and an air core forming system connected by pipelines, characterized in that the air core forming system is a forming system (U) according to any of the preceding claims 1 to 7. 9. A method for producing air cores of food products, especially chocolate or confectionery, in which aerated starting material is fed to the forming system of the device according to claim 8, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: a) pouring the ingredients of a food mixture, especially a chocolate or confectionery mixture, into a hopper system (5.5.) connected by a first pipeline system (5.2.) to a recipe tank (5.6.) of the mixing device assembly (5), wherein the food mixture is pre-mixed for substantially 40-60 minutes at a temperature of substantially 37-42°C; b) transporting the mixture through a first heated pipeline (5.1.) to a ball mill (6.1.) where it is then ground in a flow lasting substantially 40-90 minutes at a temperature of substantially 46-52°C; c) transport of the crushed mixture through a second heated pipeline (6.5.) to the storage tank (7), where it is then kept at a temperature of generally 40-50°C for up to 2 days; d) transporting the mixture through a third heated pipeline (10.1.) from the storage tank (7) to the gassing device (8), where the mixture is then gassed at a temperature of generally 35-50°C; e) transporting the gassed mixture from the storage tank (7) to the overpressure distributor (13) via the fourth heated pipeline (10.2.) with the first overpressure maintaining device (11) which maintains the gassing of the transported mixture; f) distributing the mixture along the forming rollers (1) provided with a pressure chamber (14) by means of an overpressure distributor (13) provided with a second overpressure maintaining device (12); g) forming the air cores (3) in a set of forming rollers (1) at a temperature from -25 to -9°C; h) feeding the formed air cores (3) to the flow cooling tunnel (16). 10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that in step a) a prebiotic is added to the mixture. 11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that the prebiotic added in step a) is an oligosaccharide. 12. The method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that in step c) a probiotic in the form of a thermostable strain of L. plantarum is added. PL 247685 BI 13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that the strain added in step c) is Lactobacillus plantarum PL8, deposited in the Polish Collection of Microorganisms at the Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy of the Polish Academy of Sciences under the number B/00372. 14. A method according to any one of the preceding claims 9 to 13, characterized in that in step b) the pressure of the mixture at the inlet to the ball mill (6.1.) is 0.28-0.96 Bar. 15. A method according to any one of the preceding claims 9 to 14, characterized in that in step d) the viscosity of the gassed mixture is maintained in the range of 10-25 Pas.