A method and product for reducing bloom in chocolate

Abstract

The present application relates to a method and product for reducing bloom of chocolate, which comprises the step of adding biological cellulose ultrafine powder to chocolate slurry. The addition of biological cellulose ultrafine powder to chocolate slurry can hinder the migration of sugar and fat substances to the surface inside the chocolate due to the ultrafine three-dimensional space network structure and good adsorption performance of the biological cellulose ultrafine powder, and can protect the crystal form of cocoa butter to a certain extent, i.e. reduce the influence of external temperature on the crystal form of cocoa butter, thereby reducing the formation of sugar bloom and fat bloom. As dietary fiber, the biological cellulose ultrafine powder can also improve the health care efficacy of chocolate and its products.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of food processing, particularly to confectionery, especially chocolate processing methods, and more specifically to a method for reducing chocolate bloom. Background Technology

[0002] Biological cellulose (also known as bacterial cellulose, BC) is a natural cellulose synthesized by cellulose-producing bacteria through fermentation. Compared with other natural celluloses, it does not contain impurities such as lignin and hemicellulose, and has a very high purity. It also possesses a fine spatial network structure, high crystallinity, and high degree of polymerization, which gives biological cellulose excellent mechanical properties, water-holding capacity, and adsorption properties. Currently, the industrial production of biological cellulose mainly uses the shallow-pan static fermentation method. After being cultivated in shallow pans, the cellulose-producing bacteria metabolize and form a layer of biological cellulose hydrogel film on the surface of the liquid culture medium. After harvesting, this film undergoes further processing such as washing, purification, and cutting to produce coconut fiber food raw materials, which can be widely used in dairy products, jellies, milk tea, baked goods, and many other foods. It is a natural, non-toxic food ingredient. Because it is a high-purity natural cellulose, it can also be used as dietary fiber after drying and processing.

[0003] Chocolate is a sweet treat made primarily from cocoa mass and cocoa butter. It boasts a delicate, sweet taste and a rich aroma, and can be eaten directly or used to make cakes, ice cream, and various other foods. Widely loved by consumers and popular worldwide, chocolate can be categorized into natural pure cocoa butter chocolate and cocoa butter substitute chocolate (cocoa butter-like chocolate) based on the nature of its base oil. However, regardless of the type, chocolate is prone to blooming during storage, where a white, frost-like substance appears on the surface. While this doesn't affect the chocolate's edibility, its appearance resembles mold and makes the surface dull and lose its luster, often leading consumers to believe it has spoiled. Furthermore, bloomed chocolate suffers from a loss of flavor and texture, significantly impacting its commercial value.

[0004] The white bloom that appears on the surface of chocolate can be divided into two categories: sugar bloom and fat bloom. Sugar bloom is mainly composed of sugars. It typically forms when humidity is high, causing moisture to condense on the chocolate surface, dissolving the sugars. As humidity decreases and the moisture evaporates, sugar bloom forms on the chocolate surface. Fat bloom, on the other hand, is mainly composed of fats. However, the mechanism of fat bloom formation in fat bloom is not yet fully understood. The scientific community generally believes it may be related to the crystal form transformation of cocoa butter and the migration of fats to the chocolate surface. The crystal form transformation refers to the fact that cocoa butter has six crystal forms. Form V provides the desired melting point and good texture for chocolate. However, during storage, form V cocoa butter transforms into form VI cocoa butter, leading to the formation of bloom on the chocolate surface. Currently, tempering is commonly used in chocolate production to prevent the transformation of form V cocoa butter into form VI. However, in recent years, more and more researchers have found that fat bloom can still appear in chocolate prepared using tempering processes. Oil migration refers to the process by which oils in chocolate are released from the inside of the product to the surface due to changes in storage temperature. The released oils form a white bloom on the surface of the chocolate, and this is more pronounced in products that contain cocoa butter substitutes. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the shortcomings of existing technologies in chocolate blooming, the present invention provides a method for reducing chocolate blooming, which includes the step of adding bio-cellulose ultrafine powder to chocolate syrup.

[0006] The method for reducing chocolate bloom according to the present invention further includes a step of stirring until homogeneous after the addition of the bio-cellulose ultrafine powder. Although the bio-cellulose ultrafine powder can be added to the chocolate syrup at any time before cooling and molding as needed, it is preferred to add it after the tempering step.

[0007] The method for reducing chocolate bloom provided by the present invention, wherein the amount of bio-cellulose ultrafine powder added can be selected and determined as needed, but preferably it is 1-5% by weight of chocolate syrup, more preferably 2-3% by weight.

[0008] The method for reducing chocolate bloom provided by the present invention uses bio-cellulose ultrafine powder, which can be prepared by various methods known in the art, but preferably by using bio-cellulose hydrogel as raw material, freeze-drying and then ultrafine pulverizing.

[0009] Although the average particle size of the bio-cellulose ultrafine powder can be selected and determined as needed, it is preferably 0.01-0.5 micrometers, and more preferably 0.03-0.1 micrometers.

[0010] The present invention provides a method for reducing chocolate bloom, wherein the bloom includes sugar bloom and / or fat bloom.

[0011] The present invention provides a method for reducing chocolate bloom, wherein the chocolate is pure natural cocoa butter chocolate or cocoa butter substitute chocolate.

[0012] The method for reducing chocolate bloom provided by the present invention may use bio-cellulose hydrogel prepared by various methods known in the art, but preferably by *Acetobacter xylodis* or *Kombucha*; the culture medium may be any known culture medium or artificially prepared culture medium, and the culture method may be any known method in the art, such as static culture or dynamic culture, and the culture conditions may be selected according to the preference of the specific strain, as long as bio-cellulose hydrogel can be produced.

[0013] The present invention also provides a chocolate prepared by any of the aforementioned methods.

[0014] The present invention also provides a food product containing chocolate, which includes the aforementioned chocolate with reduced blooming.

[0015] This invention incorporates ultrafine bio-cellulose powder into chocolate liquor. Its ultra-fine three-dimensional network structure and excellent adsorption properties can hinder the migration of sugars and fats from the chocolate's interior to the surface, and can also protect the crystal form of cocoa butter to a certain extent, reducing the impact of external factors such as temperature on the cocoa butter crystal structure, thereby reducing the formation of sugar bloom and fat bloom. As a dietary fiber, it can also enhance the health benefits of chocolate and its products. Detailed Implementation

[0016] To better illustrate the present invention, we provide the following specific embodiments and experimental examples. However, it should be noted that these should not be construed as any limitation on the present invention. In fact, any changes or modifications made on this basis, as long as they can achieve the purpose of the present invention, should fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0017] Example 1: Preparation of Biocellulose Ultrafine Powder Biological cellulose hydrogel membranes were prepared by shallow-pan static fermentation of *Acetobacter xylinum* (coconut water medium, 29℃, cultured for 5 days). The biological cellulose hydrogel membranes with a thickness of 7 mm were collected from the surface of the medium. After vacuum freeze-drying, they were ultra-finely pulverized to an average particle size of 0.08 micrometers to obtain biological cellulose ultrafine powder.

[0018] Example 2: Preparation of Dark Chocolate with Reduced Blooming Take cocoa liquor (cocoa solids content of 45% by weight) and cocoa butter, cut them into small pieces, and melt them separately in a jacketed kettle at 50°C. Add an equal weight of granulated sugar, and then, under the condition of heat preservation, coarsely grind and finely grind them. Then pour them into a round tank and refine them at 50°C for 48 hours. Pour them into a heat preservation bucket and keep them at 45°C for 30 minutes while stirring. Then pour the chocolate mixture into a tempering machine, cool it down to 35°C and keep it for 2 minutes; then cool it down to 28°C and keep it for 40 seconds; then heat it up again to 32°C and keep it for 3 minutes to complete the tempering.

[0019] Then, the ultra-finely pulverized bio-cellulose powder is added to the tempered chocolate liquid at a weight of 3% of the liquid, and mechanically stirred until uniform. Then, it is poured into molds to make dark chocolate with reduced blooming.

[0020] Example 3: Preparation of milk chocolate with reduced blooming (containing cocoa butter substitute) After cutting cocoa liquor (cocoa solids content of 45% by weight) and cocoa butter substitute into small pieces, melt them separately in a jacketed kettle at 50°C. Add 75% by weight of white sugar and 20% by weight of milk powder to the liquor. Under heat preservation conditions, coarsely grind and finely grind the liquor, then pour it into a circular tank and refine it at 50°C for 48 hours. Pour it into an insulated container and keep it at 45°C for 30 minutes while stirring. Then, pour the chocolate liquor into a tempering machine, cool it to 35°C and hold it for 2 minutes; then cool it to 28°C and hold it for 40 seconds; then heat it up to 32°C and hold it for 3 minutes to complete the tempering.

[0021] Then, the ultra-finely pulverized bio-cellulose powder is added to the tempered chocolate liquid at a weight of 2% of the liquid, and mechanically stirred until uniform. Then, it is poured into molds to form milk chocolate with reduced blooming.

[0022] Experimental Example: Experiment on Reducing Frosting Effect The dark chocolate and milk chocolate prepared in Examples 2 and 3 above were used as Experimental Examples 1 and 2.

[0023] The preparation methods for Comparative Examples 1-2 are as follows: The tempered chocolate liquid was prepared according to the methods in Examples 2 and 3, respectively, without adding bio-cellulose ultrafine powder, and was directly cast into a film.

[0024] Experimental methods: 1) Frosting test: Place Experiment 1-2 and Comparative Example 1-2 in a refrigerator at 5℃ and 80% humidity. Take them out every day and place them at room temperature (25℃) for 30 minutes to observe whether frost forms on the surface of the chocolate. 2) Frosting test: Examples 1-2 and Comparative Examples 1-2 were stored at 20°C for 1 day, and then at 34°C for 1 day. They were taken out every two days to observe whether frosting appeared on the surface of the chocolate.

[0025] The experimental results are shown in the table below: "-" indicates no frost; "√" indicates frost.

[0026] Table 1 Results of chocolate frosting experiment Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 Experimental Example 1 - - - - - - - Experimental Example 2 - - - - - - √ Comparative Example 1 - √ Comparative Example 2 - √ The experimental results show that the dark chocolate with added bio-cellulose ultrafine powder (Experiment 1) still did not develop bloom after the 7th day, while the milk chocolate (containing cocoa butter substitute) with added bio-cellulose ultrafine powder (Experiment 2) developed bloom on the 7th day; while Comparative Example 1 and Comparative Example 2 without added bio-cellulose ultrafine powder both developed bloom on the 2nd day.

[0027] Table 2 Results of the chocolate cream frosting experiment Day 2 Day 4 Day 6 Day 8 Day 10 Day 12 Day 14 Experimental Example 1 - - - - - - - Experimental Example 2 - - - - - - √ Comparative Example 1 - - √ Comparative Example 2 - √ The experimental results show that the dark chocolate with added bio-cellulose ultrafine powder (Experimental Example 1) did not develop bloom after the 14th day, while the milk chocolate (containing cocoa butter substitute) with added bio-cellulose ultrafine powder (Experimental Example 2) developed bloom on the 14th day. The comparative examples 1 and 2 without added bio-cellulose ultrafine powder developed bloom on the 4th and 6th days, respectively.

[0028] This proves that the addition of bio-cellulose ultrafine powder can inhibit the formation of both sugar frost and fat bloom in chocolate.

[0029] The embodiments described above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Various modifications and improvements made to the technical solutions of the present invention by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention should fall within the protection scope defined by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for reducing chocolate frosting, characterized in that: The process includes the step of adding bio-cellulose ultrafine powder to chocolate syrup; the addition of the bio-cellulose ultrafine powder further includes a step of stirring until homogeneous, and the bio-cellulose ultrafine powder is added after the temperature adjustment step; the amount of bio-cellulose ultrafine powder added is 2-3% by weight of the chocolate syrup; the bio-cellulose ultrafine powder is prepared by freeze-drying bio-cellulose hydrogel as raw material and then ultrafine grinding; the average particle size of the bio-cellulose ultrafine powder is 0.01-0.5 micrometers. The tempering process involves: introducing the chocolate syrup into a tempering machine, cooling it to 35°C and holding it for 2 minutes; then cooling it to 28°C and holding it for 40 seconds; and then heating it again to 32°C and holding it for 3 minutes to complete the tempering process.

2. The method for reducing chocolate bloom according to claim 1, characterized in that: The average particle size of the bio-cellulose ultrafine powder is 0.03-0.1 micrometers.

3. The method for reducing chocolate bloom according to claim 1, characterized in that: The frosting mentioned includes grease.

4. The method for reducing chocolate bloom according to claim 1, characterized in that: The chocolate mentioned is pure natural cocoa butter chocolate or cocoa butter substitute chocolate.

5. The method for reducing chocolate bloom according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bio-cellulose hydrogel is prepared by *Acetobacter xylinum* or *Kombucha*.

6. A type of chocolate, characterized in that: It is prepared by the method described in any of the preceding claims.

7. A food product containing chocolate, characterized in that: It comprises the chocolate as described in claim 6.