SE526456C3 - - Google Patents

Description

20 25 30 35 526 456 000 000 0 0 0 000 0 0 0 00 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 I 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 I 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 00 000 0000 000 000 0 2 texture properties, which a consumer requires when eating a piece of chocolate. A tasty consumer chocolate is solid at room temperature, but melts quickly in the mouth. It has a shiny surface and is resistant to fingerprints.

In conventional chocolate production, good tempering is important. The goal of the tempering process is to create as many stable crystals in form V as possible. (1) complete cooling to the point of formation Tempering normally takes the following form: (2) for crystal germs, mainly crystals of form IV, melting of the chocolate, (3) enabling between 1 and 3% of the mass to (4) to a temperature at which crystals of Form V (5) of any remaining crystals of Form IV. A (1) cooling to the area for growth of (3) crystallizes at this temperature, light heating grows and crystallization in form V and melting alternative techniques are: the chocolate, (2) crystals in form V, (4) complete melting of the addition of crystal sprouts and crystallization.

Conventional chocolate in form V is not suitable as an ingredient in food products, such as ice cream and other frozen (eg containment or coating) in frozen desserts. This is because it has a relatively high melting point and thus does not melt in the mouth, when the mouth is already cooled by the food. This gives a hard, dry, waxy and grainy mouthfeel.

Chocolate coatings on ice cream are generally available in Form IV. However, this chocolate is brittle and unstable at ambient temperature and quickly gets a gray surface of fat when removed from the freezer. The brittleness is a serious problem for this type of product, as the coating breaks off and detaches from the product. In addition, Form IV chocolate cannot be cast, which limits its use.

Various methods have been used to make tasty fillings and chocolate-type coatings for ice cream and other desserts. 0 000000 10 15 20 25 30 35 526 456 ä: 3 Thus, e.g. a method of lowering the melting point of chocolate by replacing some or all of the cocoa butter with triglycerides that melt at lower butterfat, temperature. Such substitutes include e.g. cocoa butter substitutes (fats based on triglycerides containing mainly lauric acid) and cocoa butter substitutes (hydrogenated and fractionated fats based on triglycerides containing mainly C16 and C18 fatty acids). particular melting properties can also be produced by Fats with trans- or interesterification of triglycerides, such as US 5,908,654.

Chocolate-like compositions with low fat content are described in e.g. ice cream or frozen products, which aim to create a softer texture by reducing the amount of fat to be US 5,958,476 and US 6,174,155. The compositions described are emulsions which melt in the mouth, described in e.g. includes fats, water and additives such as thickeners (eg gelatins, starches or gums) and emulsifiers (eg polyglycerols or monoglycerides).

US 6,251,448 discloses chocolate and composite coatings comprising hydrocolloids. Variation in the amount of hydrocolloid added to the chocolate or the compound coating can lead to a product with a sticky or slimy texture, which does not really melt in the mouth.

However, for both several national food laws and the European food laws (Directive 2000/36 / EC), they do not allow the addition of the above-mentioned foreign fats or other ingredients to chocolate. The addition of a maximum of 5% of another type of foreign vegetable fat, cocoa butter equivalents, is still permitted by law.

Cocoa butter equivalents are generally cheaper than cocoa butter, but have the same melting properties. The original problem thus remains. 10 15 20 25 30 35. Summary of the Invention "Chocolate" product obtained substantially from cocoa products and As used herein, the term refers to a sugar. Cocoa butter equivalents can be added to the chocolate. Milk chocolate and white chocolate are also covered by the term "chocolate". Chocolate with additives such as flavorings, nuts or fruits, which do not significantly affect the fat composition of the chocolate, is also covered by "chocolate".

As used herein, the term itself refers to the term "cocoa butter" the fat obtained from cocoa beans or parts of cocoa beans.

As used herein, the term "cocoa butter equivalents" refers to fats which, individually or in mixtures, meet the following criteria: - they are vegetable fats which do not contain lauric acid and which are rich in symmetrical single- POSt and StOSt stearic acid); unsaturated triglycerides of the type POP, St = - they can be mixed with cocoa butter in all proportions and (P = palmitic acid, O = oleic acid, are compatible with its physical properties (melting point and crystallization temperature, melting rate).

Examples of constituents in cocoa butter equivalents are illipe from illipe, borneotalg or tengkawang; palm oil; hall; shea; kokum gurgi; mango core; and, as an exception to the above criteria, coconut oil.

An object of the present invention is to provide a chocolate which gives an improved mouthfeel when eaten in a frozen state, e.g. food product, e.g. as part of a frozen product contained in, or coated with, an ice cream product. The improved mouthfeel includes such sensory properties as increased softness, improved digestibility at mouth temperature and reduced impression that the enclosed chocolate pieces are angular. A second object of the present invention is to provide a chocolate with the previously described properties, without departing from the statutory definitions of chocolate. The most important definition of this kind is the European Directive 2000/36 / EC on cocoa and chocolate products intended for human consumption (see above), which mainly states that foreign fats other than cocoa butter equivalents are not permitted in chocolate.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a frozen food product containing chocolate having the previously described properties and methods of making such a product. More carefully, the purpose is to provide processes for the manufacture of both a frozen food product containing the chocolate and the inclusions, as well as for such a product coated with the chocolate.

A further object of the present invention is to enable the control of the melting properties within a range which is suitable for various frozen food products, e.g. For example, a lower melting point may be desirable for chocolate inclusions in ice cream than for chocolate coating on a cake.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a chocolate which has the previously stated properties and which is stable during storage and during the manufacture and storage of the food products in which it is included.

These objects are achieved by a process for controlling the melting properties of a chocolate based on cocoa butter and / or cocoa butter equivalents, which comprises the successive steps of: (a) heating such a chocolate to achieve melting thereof, (b) cooling the molten chocolate to achieve crystallization of the cocoa butter and / or the cocoa butter substantially in Form I and / or Form II, optionally subjecting the chocolate from step (b) to a temperature suitable for crystal rearrangement of (C) the cocoa butter and / or the cocoa butter equivalents to achieve complete (a) or partial (a) rearrangement (s) thereof into Form II, Form III and / or Form IV and (d) stores the chocolate resulting from: step (b), or step (c) if applicable, under conditions such that the crystallization form or forms obtained in step (b) and / or (c) further achieve the object of the present invention substantially b maintained. by a chocolate based on cocoa butter and / or cocoa butter equivalents obtainable according to the above process and by a frozen food product, preferably an ice cream, in which such chocolate is included.

The process of the present invention deviates completely from ordinary chocolate making and does not involve any cumbersome tempering process. The present invention is thus based on the principle of producing chocolate in one or more crystal form (s) which are unstable at room temperature and fixing them at lower temperatures, e.g. below 0 ° C, until the chocolate is to be eaten.

Said unstable forms have a lower melting point than tempered chocolate and thus contribute to an improved mouthfeel.

The process uses a chocolate based on cocoa butter and / or cocoa butter equivalents as its main fat components. Such chocolate is considered by the consumer to be of high quality and it meets the requirements of national and European food law which only allow the addition of certain foreign vegetable fats to chocolate. i.e. cocoa butter equivalents (see above), heating the chocolate to achieve melting serves the purpose of removing all crystals present and preparing the chocolate for crystallization in the desired form.

Cooling of the melted chocolate results in crystallization of the cocoa butter and / or the cocoa butter equivalents substantially in Form I and / or Form II.

For example, form I of cocoa butter has a melting point of about 17 ° C and thus melts very easily in the mouth, even though it is part of a frozen food product that cools both the mouth and the chocolate itself. Form II of cocoa butter has a slightly higher melting point, about 23 ° C, which may be suitable in some applications. The low melting points contribute to an improved mouthfeel. The ratio between crystallization in form I and crystallization in form II determines the melting point of chocolate. Thus, it is generally possible to achieve a desired melting point in the range of from about 17 to about 23 ° C and, consequently, to control the melting properties of the resulting chocolate.

Exposing the chocolate in Form I and / or Form II to a temperature suitable for crystal storage allows complete (a) or partial (a) to Form II, Form III and / or Form IV.

These crystalline forms of cocoa butter have, for example, melt rearrangement (s) at points about 23, 25 and 27 ° C, respectively (see Table 1).

The extent of the rearrangement determines the melting point of the chocolate.

Thus, it is generally possible to achieve a desired melting point in the range of from about 17 to about 27 ° C and, consequently, to control the melting properties of the resulting chocolate.

The rearrangement of crystals is a voluntary step in the inventive process. By omitting this step, a simple and completely satisfactory procedure is obtained for cases when chocolate with a melting point achieved during cooling is desired.

Storing the crystallized chocolate under conditions such that the crystallization form or ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo oooooo .ozo: o..oo: z ...: oooooooooooooo ooo ooo ooo ooooooooooooo maintained is crucial to achieving a stable chocolate product.

This step ensures a product that can be stored, distributed and / or used in further production of food products without deteriorating.

Cooling is preferably carried out to achieve crystallization of a major part, preferably more than 80%, more preferably more than 90% and most preferably more than 95%, of the cocoa butter and / or the cocoa butter equivalents in Form I and / or Form II. Cooling aimed at crystallization in form I is suitably carried out at high speed, preferably faster than about 20 ° C / minute. Cooling aimed at crystallization in Form II is generally carried out at a lower rate, but preferably faster than about 2 ° C / minute. Under these conditions, the formation of crystal forms which melt at a higher temperature is substantially avoided. By performing the cooling so that the chocolate reaches a temperature lower than -10 ° C, crystals of form I are easily formed with crystals of form II below 5 ° C.

Various means for performing the cooling step include correspondingly forming ice and / or water cooling, freezing with liquid or gaseous nitrogen, air cooling and also cooling by means of the product surrounding, or coated with, the chocolate. Example 6 (see below) shows that both deep-freezing with liquid nitrogen and milder freezing with an ice / water bath lead to direct formation of crystal form I.

Rearrangement between the different crystal forms of the cocoa butter and / or the cocoa butter equivalents can take place to a greater or lesser extent depending on the desired melting properties of the chocolate. Relocation from Form I to Form II, III and IV results in increasingly high melting points. Thus, if a slight increase in melting point is desired, a possible variant of the process is to perform the rearrangement to achieve complete or partial rearrangement to Form II and / or Form III only. An additional variant is to perform the rearrangement to achieve complete or partial rearrangement to Form II only. A Slow rearrangement between crystal forms over long periods of time (weeks or months) can also take place during e.g. 0 ° C. For completion within a practically useful time period (minutes, hours or days), the rearrangement should preferably take place at a temperature in the range of from about 0 to about 21 ° C. Conversion to Form II can be performed in the range of from about 0 to about 5 ° C, more preferably from about 0 to about 2 ° C. Conversion to Form III can be performed in the range of from about 0 to about 15 ° C, more preferably from about 5 to about 10 ° C. Relocation to Form IV can be performed in the range of from about 10 to about 21 ° C, more preferably from about 16 to about 21 ° C. Further conversion takes place very easily if the preferred temperature ranges are exceeded.

Slow rearrangement between crystal forms over long periods of time (weeks or months) can, as described above, take place even during e.g. 0 ° C. A proposed storage temperature for storing the crystallized chocolate under such conditions that the crystallization form or forms is maintained is below -15 ° C. At this temperature, chocolate prepared according to the process of the invention can be stored for several months essentially without crystal conversions taking place. Lower temperatures enable increased storage times.

The process of the present invention can be carried out during the manufacture of a frozen food product having the chocolate as an ingredient. This is advantageous, as no storage of the chocolate between the manufacture of the chocolate and the manufacture of the final product is necessary. Such a process can be performed, for example, to enclose the chocolate in the frozen food product. If the chocolate is to be used for coating the frozen food product, it is essential to carry out the process during the manufacture of said product, since the chocolate must be liquid during the coating.

A variant of the method according to the invention comprises performing the cooling, rearranging and / or storage steps after enclosing the chocolate in, or coating with the chocolate of, a frozen food product. Such a procedure is preferred e.g. when the nature of the frozen food product does not allow for separate production and subsequent addition of the chocolate.

The frozen food product containing the chocolate prepared by the process of the present invention is preferably ice cream, but may very well be any other frozen food product, such as a sorbet, mousse, frozen yoghurt, light ice cream, dessert, cake, pudding, pie or similar.

Example Example 1: Crystal forms of quick-frozen chocolate Pieces were made by quick-freezing melted chocolate or cocoa butter using liquid nitrogen at -190 ° C. room temperature.

Samples were stored at -190 ° C and by DSC analysis, respectively, at a rate of 3 ° C per minute from -20 to 80 ° C. Peak temperatures for the different samples are shown in Table 2. 10 15 20 25 526 456 2 wa ll Table 2 Onset l Peak 1 Onset 2 Peak 2 (° C) (° C) (° C) (° C) Quick-frozen chocolate - stored cold (-190 ° C) 10.2 17.2 31.5 34.2 - stored at room temperature 33.1 35.6 Quick-frozen cocoa butter - stored cold (-190 ° C) 9.1 13.7 27.9 33, 7 - stored at room temperature (10.2) (14.0) 31.4 34.2 Conventionally made confectionery chocolate 30.8 34.3 Values in parentheses refer to very small peaks.

The presence of a previous peak is thus shown for the frozen samples. This peak refers to the conversion of cocoa butter into Form I. It shows that this form is present in the sample and is converted to another form. For cocoa butter stored at room temperature, there is a very small peak.

This suggests that a very small part of the cocoa butter has remained in an unstable state.

Measurements of short distances with X-ray diffraction were performed on all samples. For the chocolate samples, X-ray lines from sugar were disregarded. The samples were kept in a refrigerated state during the measurement to reduce any conversions. Chocolate and cocoa butter stored cold had very similar diffraction patterns with peaks around This clearly shows the presence of form I or II. No other 4.2 Å and possibly a smaller peak around 3.8 Å. Peaks could be seen for the samples stored cold, so it is clear that there is no significant fraction of any other phase. For the samples stored at room temperature and for the conventionally manufactured samples, more peaks are visible around 4.5, 4.1, 3.6 and 3.5 Å. This indicates the presence of form V. 10 15 20 25 30 35 5 2 6 4 5 6 šï * 12 Example 2: Storage of chocolate and cocoa butter in form I Samples of quick-frozen chocolate and cocoa butter according to Example 1 were further examined for storage stability. The samples were stored in refrigerated containers at l10, -15 and -20 ° C, respectively, for 3 months. The samples were analyzed by DSC and X-ray diffraction as in Example 1.

The DSC results showed that the samples stored at -15 ° C and -20 ° C, respectively, showed peaks as before.

There was a clear peak around 17-18 ° C for the chocolate samples and about 14 ° C for the cocoa butter samples. This indicates Form I. For the samples stored at -10 ° C, this peak was completely absent and no information was visible below about 22 ° C. These samples had thus been converted to another form.

X-ray diffraction patterns for the samples stored at -15 ° C and -20 ° C, respectively, showed fairly large peaks around 4.2 Å and smaller peaks around 3.8 Å. This indicates a large amount of Form I. For the samples stored at -10 ° C the peak was missing at 3.8 Å. This suggests that these samples were in Form II after storage.

Thus, -15 ° C or lower is a safe temperature for storing chocolate and cocoa butter in Form I for a three-month period. These products can thus be stored in normal household freezers and commercial freezers.

Example 3: Melting properties of quick-frozen chocolate Samples of commercially available dark chocolate and milk chocolate were obtained. A sample set was melted and then rapidly cooled to -10 ° C in a rheometer cup. The second set was melted and slowly cooled to 25 ° C in a rheometer cup and allowed to equilibrate for 1 hour. Both sets were then heated at 0.5 ° C per to 60 ° C while being subjected to an oscillatory stress of 2 Pa at a frequency of 10 Hz. minute The softening temperatures were determined and the results are shown in Table 3. 10 15 20 25 30 526 456 å? 13 Table 3 Softening temperature (° C) Quickly cooled Slowly cooled Dark chocolate 28 34 Milk chocolate 26 35 Thus it is shown that fast-cooled chocolate has a lower softening temperature. This corresponds to a lower temperature, at which melting and decomposition would take place in the mouth.

Example 4: Manufacture of ice cream Quick-frozen chocolate pieces were made according to Example 1. A traditional ice cream with 10% fat, 34% dry matter and 100% overrun was prepared according to standard methods. After aging the ice cream mix and incorporating air, the quick-frozen pieces and conventionally prepared chocolate pieces, respectively, were added to samples of the ice cream at -4 ° C. The mix was then cooled to -20 ° C and cured and stored at that temperature.

Example 5: Sensory assessment of ice cream with chocolate inclusions Ice cream was prepared according to Example 4 and stored at -20 ° C. A selected and trained panel, consisting of 10 people, assessed the products' characteristic properties. The descriptive sensory assessment was preceded by training on the products to be assessed, compilation of the relevant properties to be assessed and creation of an assessment scale from 0 to 100. The ice cream was served at -15 ° C. The chocolate's mouthfeel was assessed with respect to the properties "angular mouthfeel" and "digestibility".

The results are shown in Table 4. 10 15 20 25 30 14 Table 4 Angular mouthfeel Digestibility Quick-frozen pieces 9 75 Conventional pieces 77 *** 25 *** *** denote 99.9% significance (Tukey) The conventionally manufactured pieces thus had significant higher angular mouthfeel than the quick-frozen pieces. The quick-frozen pieces had virtually no angular mouthfeel. The quick-frozen pieces differed significantly and very clearly from conventional pieces in terms of digestibility. The quick-frozen pieces had a comparatively high digestibility.

Example 6: Production of Form II chocolate Two experimental processes for the production of chocolate based on Form II cocoa butter were performed. (> 45 ° C) and then cooled as pieces in ice / water bath to 0 ° C.

A: Chocolate samples were heated until melted The samples were then stored for 1 hour, 1 day or 1 week at this temperature, before being kept at -24 ° C for long-term storage. No further conversion would take place at this temperature (cf. Example 2). (> 45 ° C) / cooled as pieces in liquid nitrogen and then stored at -24 ° C. this temperature for 1 hour, 1 day or 1 week.

B: Chocolate samples were heated until melted The samples were heated to 0 ° C and left on DSC analysis performed at a rate of 3 ° C per minute from -20 to 70 ° C. Conversion temperatures were recorded. The one-hour samples (prepared by method A or B) showed a peak around 16.4 ° C. This corresponds to form I. For the samples stored longer, there was a peak around 22-23 ° C. This largely corresponds to Form II.

The samples were kept at 0 ° C during X-ray diffraction analysis. It took about 10 to 15 minutes to examine a sample. There is a difference between the patterns from the one-hour samples (prepared by method A or B) and the others. The one-hour samples have typical Form I structures, while the others have Form II.

Example 6 shows that it is possible to produce chocolate in both form I and form II both by deep-freezing (B) and milder cooling (A). The process according to the present invention can thus be used for the production of chocolate in forms I and II in a controlled, predictable manner.

Claims (23)

10 l5 20 25 30 35 - ~ 526 456 15 Patent claims A process for the manufacture of a chocolate-containing product, which comprises the manufacture of a frozen food product, preferably an ice cream, and the addition of a chocolate during said manufacture, which chocolate is obtained by the successive steps of: (a) heating a and / or melting chocolate based on cocoa butter to obtain cocoa butter equivalents thereof, cools the melted chocolate to achieve crystallization of the cocoa butter and / or the cocoa butter equivalents substantially in Form I, for a (C) (b) temperature which is suitable for crystal rearrangement of optionally exposing the chocolate from step to the cocoa butter and / or cocoa butter equivalents to achieve complete (a) or partial (a) rearrangement (s) thereof to form II and / or form III and storing the chocolate resulting from step (c ) conditions that the form of crystallization or the (b), or steps if applicable, in such forms of crystallization as obtained in step (b) and / or wherein t the icing of the chocolate is done at any of said (a) - (d). (c) substantially maintained; step Process according to claim 1, in which the cooling is carried out to achieve crystallization of a main part, more preferably more than 90% and most preferably of the cocoa butter and / or cocoa butter - preferably more than 80%, more than 95%, the equivalents in form I. A method according to claim 1 or 2, in which the cooling is performed faster than about 20 ° C / minute. 10 15 20 25 30 35 «~ 526 456 16 A method according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the cooling is carried out so that the chocolate reaches a temperature lower than about -10 ° C. Method according to one of the preceding claims, in which the cooling is carried out with the aid of air. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the cooling is carried out by means of liquid nitrogen. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the cooling is carried out by means of a product which surrounds, or is coated with, the chocolate. A process according to any one of the preceding claims, in which (c) partial rearrangement to form II. steps are performed to achieve complete or The process of claim 8, (c) is carried out at a temperature in the range of from about 0 in which step to about 5 ° C, preferably from about 0 to about 2 ° C. A process according to any one of the preceding claims, in which step (c) is carried out to achieve complete or partial rearrangement to form III. 11. ll. The process of claim 10, (C) is carried out at a temperature in the range of from about 0 to about 15 ° C, in which step preferably from about 5 to about 10 ° C. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the storage is carried out at a temperature lower than about -15 ° C. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the addition of the chocolate is carried out to enclose the chocolate in the frozen food product. 10 15 20 25 30 35 L _ 526 456 17 A method according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the addition of the chocolate is carried out for coating with the chocolate the frozen food product. Which steps Process according to any one of the preceding claims, in (b), (c) and / or (d) addition of the chocolate to the food product. performed after Use of a chocolate based on cocoa butter and / or cocoa butter equivalents, in which the cocoa butter and / or the cocoa butter equivalents are in form I, as an ingredient in a frozen food product, preferably an ice cream. Use according to claim 16, in which a major part, and preferably more than 95%, preferably more than 80%, more preferably more than 90% of the cocoa butter and / or the cocoa butter equivalents are present in form I. Use according to claim 16 or 17, wherein the chocolate is an entrapment in the food product. Use according to any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein the chocolate is a coating thereon. Frozen food product, preferably an ice cream, which comprises a chocolate based on cocoa butter and / or cocoa butter equivalents, in which the cocoa butter and / or the cocoa butter equivalents are present in form I. Food product according to claim 20, in which a major part, and preferably more than 95%, preferably more than 80%, more preferably more than 90% of the cocoa butter and / or the cocoa butter equivalents are in form I. 5 0 0000 0 00 0 0000 0 0 I 00 0 0 00 0 00 0 o 0 0 0 0 000 0 ono 0 0 ~ f 526 456 ga 18 A food product according to claim 20 or 21, in which the chocolate is an enclosure therein. A food product according to any one of claims 20 to 22, in which the chocolate is a coating thereon.