Pine nut product

Abstract

The present invention relates to a storage-stable chocolate product comprising: a) chocolate without sucrose, and b) pine nuts and / or comminuted pine nuts wherein the pine nuts and / or comminuted pine nuts have a size of at least 1 mm wherein the chocolate product comprises 4 to 80 wt.% of pine nuts and / or comminuted pine nuts.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the field of pine nut products. Background Art

[0002] Chocolate is consumed all over the world and is one of the most popular food types and spices. Chocolate originates from cocoa beans, which are obtained from the fruit of the cocoa tree (Theobroma cacao) (Linnaaeus). Cocoa is one of the most important agricultural export commodities in the world, and forms the economic backbone of several countries in the Americas, Africa and Asia. Chocolate has long been combined with different spices and with other food ingredients to produce new tastes or taste combinations, in order to cope with unlimited multiple consumer tendencies. There are many types of chocolate spices or extracts on the market. Examples include chocolate with fruit pieces or extracts, chocolate with French pastry products (e.g., chocolate with cookie pieces), and chocolate filled with jam, mousse or liquor.

[0003] Nuts and chocolate represent a widespread combination in the confectionery category, due to the satisfying crunch of nuts paired with the sweetness of chocolate. Nuts are a typical component of a large number of chocolate creations dating back to the early 1910s. Nuts are included in chocolate production in the form of whole nuts or as a ground ingredient. The chocolate ingredient nougat also contains nuts in ground form. The nuts are ground very finely and finished with chocolate. Various chocolate-nut combinations have been created and marketed, including combinations of hazelnuts, peanuts, walnuts, Brazil nuts, pistachios and / or macadamia nuts with white or dark chocolate. A significant advantage of processing nuts in various types of chocolate is the organoleptic properties and potential health benefits of nuts. Nuts are reportedly associated with a reduced risk of arteriosclerosis in humans due to the presence of bioactive ingredients such as tocopherols, phytosterols, folic acid, selenium and magnesium, which are known to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory or anti-cancer properties.

[0004] Pine nut is also added in chocolate products (referring to for example RU 2198532C2, KR 101178547B1). Pine nut is the edible seed of some pine species, and has just been harvested for food production as early as the ancient Rome and ancient Greek periods. They have always been the dietary basis of several Native American tribes in North America and the indigenous peoples of Siberia and the Russian Far East. Today pine nut continues to be harvested in many areas of the northern hemisphere, and is sold in domestic and international markets as a delicious product. Pine nut is considered to be a nutritious, healthy snack in all parts of the world, and is the main ingredient in multiple oriental and Mediterranean dishes. Pine nut does not contain cholesterol, and contains fat (93% is unsaturated fat), multiple micronutrients and vitamins between 53% and 68%.

[0005] As a result, pine nuts of a certain particle size or crushed pine nuts contained in chocolate products and other sweet products have a tendency to disintegrate and change color, resulting in a shortened shelf life of these sweets. The main characteristics of the decay of pine nuts in sweet products are changes in the color, shape and texture of the pine nuts, resulting in an unattractive product. For this reason, chocolate products known in the art and containing pine nuts have a limited shelf life, which makes it difficult for manufacturers and food suppliers to provide consumers with such products of sufficient quality.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a chocolate product comprising pine nuts which exhibits excellent storage properties. Summary of the invention

[0007] The present invention therefore relates to a shelf-stable chocolate product comprising:

[0008] a) chocolate with no added sucrose, and

[0009] b) pine nuts and / or ground pine nuts,

[0010] wherein the pine nuts and / or chopped pine nuts have a size of at least 1 mm, wherein the chocolate product comprises 4 to 80 wt. % pine nuts and / or chopped pine nuts.

[0011] The surprising result is that the presence of sucrose in products containing pine nuts with a median size of at least 1 mm and / or crushed pine nuts adversely affects their shelf life. Pine nuts in contact with sucrose have a tendency to disintegrate and change color. This effect prevents the production of storage-stable chocolate products, because the pine nuts in contact with sucrose form an unstable texture and lose the initial natural color of the pine nuts, which is contrary to the pine nuts in contact with products without added sucrose. The presence of added sucrose makes the pine nuts prone to early damage, thus resulting in a limited shelf life. These negative effects are not only observed when using complete pine nuts, but also observed when using crushed pine nuts. It is found that processed pine nuts with a median size less than 1 mm are not significantly affected by the presence of sucrose. This is a surprising discovery, because the shelf life of chocolate products containing sucrose containing pine nut fragments also seems to depend on the size of the pine nut fragments.

[0012] In order to maintain the product quality of chocolate products comprising pine nuts and / or crushed pine nuts having a median size of at least 1 mm, and to increase the shelf life of such products, the chocolate used to produce these products does not contain any added sucrose to delay the rancidity of the pine nuts in the chocolate.

[0013] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a storage-stable pine nut product comprising pine nuts and / or comminuted pine nuts and an edible coating composition that does not contain added sucrose, wherein the pine nuts are at least partially coated with the edible coating composition, and wherein the pine nuts and / or comminuted pine nuts have a size of at least 1 mm.

[0014] It has further been surprisingly found that disintegration and discoloration of pine nuts can be prevented by coating the pine nuts with an edible coating composition that does not contain added sucrose, thereby providing a storage-stable pine nut product. In particular, the outer surface of the pine nuts can be at least partially coated with the edible coating composition of the present invention, thereby eliminating the contact area of ​​the pine nuts with the sugar-containing ingredients. Therefore, the edible coating composition that does not contain added sucrose produces a pine nut product that only shows limited pine nut decay during the storage of the pine nut product. Another aspect of the present invention relates to a chocolate praline, the chocolate praline comprising:

[0015] a) at least one first compartment and at least one second compartment separated by chocolate as defined herein, wherein the at least one first compartment contains pine nuts and / or comminuted pine nuts as defined herein, or

[0016] B) at least one first compartment, this first compartment comprises pine nuts as defined herein and / or crushed pine nuts, wherein this pine nuts are coated with chocolate as defined herein.Consequently, chocolate praline of the present invention shows better storage stability against early damage of pine nuts by separating the contained pine nuts and / or crushed pine nuts from other sugary parts of praline by chocolate without adding sucrose.In order not to contact the composition comprising sugar with pine nuts, it is advantageous to provide a compartment in chocolate praline of the present invention.Alternatively, pine nuts and / or crushed pine nuts can be coated with chocolate without adding sucrose, thereby forming a protective layer around each pine nut and / or pine nut piece.This coating allows nuts to be separated from other parts of chocolate praline, thereby making it possible to add sugary products to the pine nuts of coating without early damage effect.For example, sugary products such as for example chocolate, fruit or jam can be added to chocolate praline without affecting pine nut degradation.

[0017] Another aspect of the invention relates to a method for manufacturing a chocolate product comprising the step of contacting heated chocolate with pine nuts and / or crushed pine nuts as defined herein, wherein the chocolate does not contain added sucrose.

[0018] In order to incorporate pine nuts and / or crushed pine nuts into chocolate to preferably form a homogenous chocolate product, the chocolate is heated to a temperature that forms a viscous or liquid mass. The chocolate mass can be contacted with pine nuts and / or crushed pine nuts to form the chocolate product of the present invention.

[0019] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method for producing a pine nut product, the method comprising the following steps:

[0020] a) providing an edible coating composition as defined herein in liquid or viscous form,

[0021] b) contacting the composition of step a) with pine nuts and / or comminuted pine nuts as defined herein, and

[0022] c) curing the composition of step b). DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] As used herein, the term "shelf-stable" means that the pine nuts and / or ground pine nuts contained in the chocolate product or pine nut product retain color, taste and volume in an odor- and infestation-free area at a maximum humidity of 70% at a storage temperature between 18°C ​​and 22°C for a period of more than 4 weeks, preferably more than 3 months, more preferably more than 6 months, more preferably more than 9 months, more preferably more than 12 months.

[0024] As used herein, the chocolate and / or chocolate product of the present invention "has no added sucrose" means that the chocolate is substantially free of sucrose. In addition, as used herein, the edible coating composition and / or pine nut product of the present invention "does not contain added sucrose" means that the coating composition is substantially free of sucrose. As used herein, "substantially free of sucrose" and "no added sucrose" mean that sucrose is not added or a significant amount of sucrose is not added during the manufacture of the chocolate block or coating composition. Preferably, no significant amount of glucose and / or fructose is added during the manufacture of the chocolate block or edible coating composition. The term "no added sucrose" may also be referred to as "no added sucrose", "no added sucrose", "no sucrose", "no sucrose" and / or "sucrose-free". The term "no added sucrose" particularly refers to "substantially free of sucrose", meaning that the total mass fraction of sucrose in the chocolate or edible coating composition is less than 2% by weight, preferably less than 1.5% by weight, preferably less than 1% by weight, more preferably less than 0.5% by weight. The total mass fraction of sucrose in these terms is calculated as the mass ratio of the amount of sucrose to the total mass of chocolate or edible coating composition. The sucrose content of chocolate and chocolate products or edible coating compositions and pine nut products that are in contact with pine nuts and / or crushed pine nuts or at least partially coated with pine nuts and / or crushed pine nuts is one of the key factors for the storage stability of chocolate products of the present invention. As mentioned above, the surprising result is that the storage-stable product is produced substantially without added sucrose in chocolate or edible coating compositions. Preferably, edible coating compositions of the present invention can be chocolate. The presence of sucrose naturally present in cocoa beans and therefore present in chocolate or edible coating compositions produced by the cocoa beans does not affect or act on the storage stability of chocolate products of the present invention or pine nut products. Therefore, chocolate or edible coating compositions for producing chocolate products of the present invention or pine nut products only comprise naturally occurring sucrose and do not add sucrose in their production process.

[0025] As used herein, the term "at least partially coated" means that at least 5%, preferably at least 10%, preferably at least 20%, preferably at least 30%, preferably at least 40%, preferably at least 50%, preferably at least 60%, preferably at least 70%, preferably at least 80%, preferably at least 90%, preferably at least 95%, and in particular 100% of the surface area of ​​the pine nuts and / or crushed pine nuts of the pine nut product is in contact with the edible coating composition. The edible coating composition can prevent early damage to the pine nuts. The edible coating composition of the present invention may contain only naturally occurring sucrose, glucose and / or fructose, and no sucrose and / or glucose and / or fructose is added during its production process. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the edible coating composition is selected from the group consisting of: chocolate, wax, cellulose, modified starch, polysaccharides and gelatin.

[0026] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the wax is selected from the group consisting of carnauba wax, beeswax, candelilla wax and combinations thereof.

[0027] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cellulose is selected from the group consisting of methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, ethyl methyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose and combinations thereof.

[0028] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the modified starch is selected from the group consisting of: monostarch phosphate, distarch phosphate, phosphorylated distarch phosphate, acetylated distarch phosphate, acetylated starch, acetylated distarch adipate, hydroxypropyl starch, hydroxypropyl starch phosphate and combinations thereof.

[0029] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the polysaccharide is selected from the group consisting of pullulan, xanthan gum, guar gum, locust bean gum, tamarind gum, pectin, carrageenan, tragacanth gum, gum arabic, alginate and combinations thereof.

[0030] The pine nuts and / or crushed pine nuts of the chocolate product or pine nut product of the present invention may have a size of at least 1 mm. This means that at least about 90%, preferably at least about 95%, more preferably at least about 98%, more preferably at least about 99%, more preferably 100% of the pine nuts or pine nut fragments ("crushed pine nuts") have a size of at least 1 mm. Pine nuts and / or crushed pine nuts having this minimum size are obtained by using a sieve having, for example, a mesh size of 1 mm.

[0031] According to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the pine nuts and / or the comminuted pine nuts may have a size of at least 1.5 mm, preferably at least 2 mm, more preferably at least 2.5 mm, even more preferably at least 3 mm.

[0032] In order to maintain the quality of the pine nut product, the composition of the present invention comprises pine nuts or crushed pine nuts having a median size of at least 1 mm. As a result, in a chocolate product or a pine nut product containing sucrose, the decay of pine nuts and their fragments begins at a minimum average size of 1 mm. Therefore, the size of the pine nuts contained is an important factor in extending the shelf life.

[0033] The chocolate product or pine nut product of the present invention may contain pine nuts from different sources. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the pine nuts are obtained from one or more pine trees selected from the group consisting of: Italian stone pine (Pinus pinea), Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis), Xinjiang five-needle pine (Pinus sibirica), Yunnan pine (Pinus yunnanensis), Qiao pine (Pinus wallichiana), Tibetan white pine (Pinus gerardiana) and Masson pine (Pinus pumila), Edible pine (Pinus edulis), Armandi pine (Pinus armandii), Single-leaf pine (Pinus monophylla), Laguna pine (Pinus cembroides), Paris pine (Pinus quadrifolia), Red pine (Pinus nelsonii), Weeping pine (Pinus pinceana), Torrey pine (Pinus torreyana), Shabin pine (Pinus sabiniana), Big pine (Pinus coulteri), Sugar pine (Pinus lambertiana), Pinus wallichiana, Pinus griffithii, Pinus bungeana, Pinus tabulaeformis, and Pinus cembra.

[0034] The maximum pine nut size in the chocolate product or pine nut product may depend on the comminution method and / or the natural size of the pine nuts from different sources. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the pine nuts and / or comminuted pine nuts have a maximum size of no more than 20 mm, preferably no more than 15 mm, even more preferably no more than 10 mm.

[0035] According to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the chocolate product or pine nut product comprises 4 % by weight to 80 % by weight, preferably 5 % by weight to 80 % by weight, preferably 5 % by weight to 70 % by weight, more preferably 5 % by weight to 60 % by weight, more preferably 5 % by weight to 50 % by weight of pine nuts and / or crushed pine nuts. The result is that the taste of pine nuts is very gentle in the chocolate product, therefore advantageously using at least 4 % by weight, preferably at least 5 % by weight of the total weight ratio of pine nuts or their fragments to obtain satisfactory pine nut local flavor. In addition, the organoleptic properties of pine nuts are covered by the taste of other ingredients, and can not be well perceived by the eater.

[0036] The chocolate product or pine nut product of the present invention can contain whole pine nuts or crushed pine nuts. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the crushed pine nuts can be crushed, ground and / or cut. In addition, a combination of pine nut fragments processed by more than one method in these methods can be used.

[0037] In order to obtain a sweet chocolate product or pine nut product, a sugar substitute such as a sugar alcohol can be added to the chocolate product or the pine nut product. Surprisingly, the presence of the sugar substitute in the chocolate or edible coating composition and therefore in the chocolate product or the pine nut product has no negative impact on the color, shape and texture of the pine nuts and / or the crushed pine nuts. Therefore, the chocolate or edible coating composition used herein preferably comprises at least one sugar substitute, preferably 5% to 60% by weight, more preferably 10% to 50% by weight of the at least one sugar substitute.

[0038] According to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the sugar substitute is a sugar alcohol.

[0039] Sugar alcohol or " polyol " is different from sugar in that the aldehyde or ketone functional group of sugar molecule is reduced to alcohol. The use of sugar alcohol is particularly preferred because they have no negative impact on pine nuts and / or crushed pine nuts over time, and give chocolate product of the present invention or pine nut product sweetness. Because sugar alcohol does not affect the quality of pine nuts during storage, organoleptic properties are well maintained, thereby improving the shelf life of product. According to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, sugar alcohol is selected from the group consisting of: maltitol, xylitol, sorbitol, mannitol, arabitol, erythritol, galactitol, hydrogenated starch hydrolysate, isomalt, lactitol, polyglycerol and their combination, wherein particularly preferably using maltitol.

[0040] Sugar alcohols such as sorbitol, mannitol and maltitol are sugar alcohols commonly used in the food industry, and are usually produced by the enzymatic hydrolysis of starch. Sugar alcohols keep sweetness by heating, and their swelling properties are similar to the swelling properties of sucrose. All sugar alcohols are absorbed slowly and incompletely from the intestine by passive diffusion. Therefore, these sweeteners provide low energy and provide potential health benefits, such as the blood sugar response of reduction and the risk of reduced dental caries.

[0041] The chocolate contained in the chocolate product or pine nut product of the present invention may contain cocoa butter as a basic ingredient generally present in chocolate known in the art.

[0042] According to a preferred embodiment, the chocolate comprises 4 to 50% by weight, preferably 4 to 40% by weight, of cocoa butter.

[0043] The chocolate contained in the chocolate product or pine nut product may also contain cocoa powder. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the chocolate contains 0% to 90% by weight, preferably 0% to 80% by weight, more preferably 0% to 70% by weight, more preferably 0% to 60% by weight, more preferably 0% to 50% cocoa powder.

[0044] Chocolate, in particular white chocolate, may comprise milk powder as a further component.According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the chocolate comprises 0 to 15 wt. %, preferably 0 to 10 wt. % milk powder.

[0045] According to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the chocolate product or pine nut product may contain at least one additional ingredient, which is preferably selected from the group consisting of nuts, preferably cashews, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, macadamia nuts or walnuts, peanuts, almonds, coconut pieces and combinations thereof. These ingredients can usually be added to the chocolate product or pine nut product in the form of fragments.

[0046] The chocolate product or pine nut product of the present invention may have any form. According to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the chocolate product or pine nut product may be a praline, a bar, chocolate beans or a chocolate figurine. The chocolate figurine may generally have the shape of Santa Claus or the Easter bunny.

[0047] If the chocolate product or pine nut product of the invention has the form of a praline, the chocolate comprising pine nuts and their fragments may be combined with other components commonly used in pralines. In order not to bring ingredients comprising sugars, in particular non-reducing sugars such as sucrose, into contact with the pine nuts and their fragments, it is advantageous to provide compartments in the praline of the invention. According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the praline comprises at least one first compartment and at least one second compartment separated by chocolate as defined above, wherein the at least one first compartment comprises pine nuts and / or crushed pine nuts as defined above.

[0048] Alternatively, pine nuts and fragments thereof can be coated with chocolate without the addition of sucrose, thereby forming a protective layer around each pine nut and / or pine nut piece. Such coating allows the nut to be separated from the rest of the chocolate product, thereby enabling the addition of sugary products to the coated pine nuts without early spoilage. The coated pine nuts and / or crushed pine nuts forming at least one first compartment can be added and / or mixed with sugary products or chocolate without the addition of sucrose as defined herein.

[0049] As used herein, "sugar-containing preparation" refers to known sugar-containing products containing at least one sugar, such as jam, fruit, fruit extract, nougat, brittle, chocolate, caramel or marzipan. The sugar is selected from the group consisting of glucose, fructose, lactose, galactose, maltose, dextrose, dextrin, xylose, sucrose, ribose, mannose and combinations thereof.

[0050] According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, at least one second compartment of the chocolate praline comprises a composition comprising at least one sugar-containing preparation or chocolate as defined herein without added sucrose.

[0051] According to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the at least one sugar-containing product comprises nougat, brittle and / or fruit, preferably jam or fruit puree.

[0052] Another aspect of the invention relates to a method for making a pine nut product, the method comprising the step of contacting heated chocolate with pine nuts and / or crushed pine nuts as defined above. As used herein, "heated chocolate" means that the chocolate as defined above is adjusted to a temperature that allows it to be processed into the desired form. The preferred temperature of the heated chocolate is in the range between 30°C and 60°C, preferably between 35°C and 60°C, more preferably between 40°C and 60°C.

[0053] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method comprises the following steps:

[0054] a) providing a hollow chocolate body comprising substantially sucrose-free chocolate as defined above, said body comprising a base and at least one side wall,

[0055] b) filling said hollow body with pine nuts and / or comminuted pine nut parts as defined above,

[0056] c) introducing heated chocolate into the body of step b) to cover the pine nuts and / or crushed pine nuts,

[0057] d) cooling the chocolate of step c) to form a first compartment,

[0058] e) Adding at least one sugar-containing product on top of said first compartment.

[0059] The at least one sugar-containing product may comprise any type of sugar commonly used for sweetening and / or chocolate products.

[0060] According to another preferred embodiment, the at least one sugar-containing product comprises nougat, brittle and / or fruit, preferably jam or fruit puree.

[0061] According to another preferred embodiment, the sugar substitute is provided in solution or in solid form.

[0062] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method for making a pine nut product as defined above. As used herein, the term "liquid or viscous form" relates to a liquid, semi-liquid, gelatinous, creamy or pastry composition. The edible coating composition as defined above can exist naturally in solid, liquid or viscous form. In order to provide an edible coating composition in liquid or viscous form, the natural solid edible coating composition can be further processed into a liquid or viscous form. Advantageously, the edible coating composition is provided in a liquid or viscous form so that the pine nuts are fully contacted with the composition. The edible coating composition can be applied in a liquid or viscous form to ensure the proper adhesion of the composition on the outer surface of the pine nuts and / or its fragments. The liquid or viscous edible coating composition can be processed by heating, stirring, kneading and / or dissolving the solid composition. According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the edible coating composition in liquid or viscous form is prepared by heating, stirring, kneading and / or dissolving the edible coating composition as defined herein before step a). For example, the solid edible coating composition can be dissolved in a solvent such as water or ethanol to become liquid or viscous. In addition, at least one aqueous solution may be added to the edible coating composition prior to contacting the pine nuts. For example, water may be added to the composition during stirring to improve the viscous properties of the composition.

[0063] Alternatively, the edible coating composition may be liquid or viscous in nature.The liquid or viscous composition may be further processed as described above until the desired viscosity is reached.

[0064] Pine nuts and / or crushed pine nuts can be contacted with a liquid or viscous edible coating composition by dipping, spraying or coating. Preferably, pine nuts and / or crushed pine nuts can be contacted with a liquid or viscous edible coating composition by at least partially coating the pine nuts with the liquid or viscous edible coating composition. In particular, dipping includes immersing the pine nuts or parts thereof in a liquid or viscous coating and generating a layer on the pine nuts. In spraying, the liquid or viscous edible coating composition can be sprayed on the surface of the pine nuts in the form of droplets to form a coating. There are different types of spraying methods, such as air spray atomization, pressure atomization, etc. Coating can be another suitable and effective method for coating pine nuts, wherein a large plate of pine nuts is coated with a liquid or viscous edible coating composition while rotating. Using this method, a large amount of pine nuts can be easily coated. After contacting the liquid or viscous coating composition with the pine nuts and / or crushed pine nuts, the coating composition can be cured to obtain a storage-stable pine nut product of the present invention.

[0065] According to another embodiment of the present invention, solidification is realized by the composition of cooling and / or drying step c).Edible coating composition can be solidified by methods known in the art, such as spray cooling or spray drying.Spray cooling is based on applying cold air on the coating so that liquid or viscous coating composition can solidify.Yet, the selection of the method for solidification depends on the character of edible coating composition.

[0066] The present invention is further illustrated by the following examples, however, the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0067] Example

[0068] Example 1: Effects of sugar concentration, pine nut size and storage time on pine nut surface area

[0069] Preparation comprises four kinds of chocolate products of chocolate (20 wt % cocoa butter and 80 wt % cocoa powder) with four kinds of different sucrose concentrations (sucrose of 0 wt %, 2 wt %, 10 wt % and 40 wt % will be added to chocolate in total composition).Chocolate products are melted at 50 ℃, and the molten chocolate is used for coating pine nuts (Italian stone pine) of a size of about 6mm to 7mm, and is cut into pine nuts of a size of 0.5mm and less (using a sieve with a mesh size of 0.5mm), 1mm (a sieve with a mesh size of 0.9mm and 1.1mm), 2mm (a sieve with a mesh size of 1.9mm and 2.1mm) and 4mm (a sieve with a mesh size of 4mm).For practical reasons, the coated sample with cutting pine nuts comprises up to 10 pine nut fragments.Different samples have been summarized in Table 1.

[0070] Table 1: Overview of pine nut sizes and sucrose concentrations used .

[0071]

[0072]

[0073] The surface area of ​​all chocolate coated pine nuts was measured immediately after coating. Thereafter, the coated pine nuts were inserted into test tubes, sealed, and stored at a temperature of 20°C to 23°C in an area free from odors and infestations for 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and three months. In order to quantify the effect of sucrose content and storage time on the quality of pine nuts, the surface area of ​​the coated pine nuts was evaluated and their surface area change (%) was monitored, whereby the surface area was determined as follows:

[0074] To determine the surface area of ​​coated pine nuts, three linear dimensions of the nuts were measured with calipers: length (L), width (W), thickness (T), and The surface area (S) is calculated using equation (1) given by T. et al. (Acta Sci. Pol. Hortorum Cultus 2017; 16(5): 49-61):

[0075]

[0076] The geometric mean diameter (D g ) is defined in equation (2):

[0077]

[0078] The results (see Table 2) show that, under the sucrose concentration of 0 wt % and 2 wt %, the surface area of ​​the coated pine nut fragments of size 0.5 mm and 1 mm does not change significantly after storage for four weeks (see conditions A and B and E and F). However, the surface area of ​​the pine nuts and pine nut fragments of size 2 mm and 4 mm is affected by the presence of sucrose in the chocolate coating. Higher sucrose concentrations (10 wt % and 40 wt %) cause the surface area of ​​the pine nuts and pine nut fragments of size 2 mm and 4 mm to increase significantly, which indicates the "swelling effect" of the pine nuts produced due to the presence of a limited amount of sucrose. The pine nut sample of size 0.5 mm does not show significant surface area changes under all storage conditions (see conditions A, E, I and M). These results show that the pine nut fragments of size less than 1 mm are substantially not affected by the presence of sucrose in the chocolate coating. In addition, the surface area increases with the extension of storage time, which shows that the storage stability of the pine nuts of size at least 1 mm is limited in the matrix containing sucrose.

[0079] Table 2: Surface area analysis results of pine nuts stored under different conditions for 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 3 months (n=10±standard Deviation; SD) .

[0080]

[0081] Example 2: Effects of sugar content and storage time on the bitterness of pine nuts

[0082] Four aqueous solutions of sucrose concentrations (0 wt%, 2 wt%, 10 wt% and 40 wt%) were prepared, each of which was 1 liter. 200 g of pine nuts (Italian stone pine) were added to each concentration and stored at a temperature of 20° C. to 23° C. in an area free of odor and infestation for 2 weeks, 4 weeks and three months. Pine nut samples (50 g) of each sugar concentration were collected at various time points for analysis.

[0083] Prior to testing, the pine nuts were carefully rinsed with water for 60 seconds to remove sugars from the pine nuts. The bitterness of pine nuts was tested using a simple descriptive test according to DIN 10964. This standard specifies a procedure for the verbal description of the characteristics of one or more test specimens. The procedure is suitable for determining factors that influence production and characterizing product standards.

[0084] Each tester is provided with a test form containing bitter descriptive terms. Pine nuts are provided to 10 subjects (non-smokers) between 25 and 55 years old in a blind and random manner to taste. The bitterness of pine nuts must be rated on a scale of 0 to 5, wherein 0 represents "not bitter", and 5 represents "very bitter". In order to quantitatively determine the impact of sugar content and storage time on pine nut quality, the bitterness of pine nuts is evaluated by sensory evaluation after storage under conditions I to XII as shown in Table 3.

[0085] Table 3: Summary of storage conditions used to evaluate the bitterness of pine nuts .

[0086]

[0087] In this experiment, participants tasted 12 different samples each, with a minimum of 60 seconds between sample sets (controlled by a timed delay implemented by the software), and were instructed to rinse their mouths with water between each sample. In addition, all participants were informed of the large number of samples to be tasted, and were instructed to taste only 1 spoonful (approximately 4 g) of each sample.

[0088] Table 4: Average sensory evaluation (0 to 5) of bitterness for conditions (I to XII) from individual testers (P1 to P10) Mean .

[0089] condition Average bitterness I 0 II 0 III 0 IV 0.2 V 0.5 VI 0.7 VII 2.1 VIII 3.2 IX 4.5 X 3.1 XI 4.8 XII 4.9

[0090] As shown in Table 4, after storage in 0 wt % and 8 wt % sugar solutions for 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 3 months (conditions I to III), the bitterness of pine nuts was rated as 0, the lowest degree of bitterness (scale 0 to 5) by all 10 test subjects. Conditions VII to XII, all characterized by 10 wt % and 40 wt % sugar concentrations, were perceived as more bitter than compositions IV to VI.

[0091] Example 3: Effect of pine nut size and sugar concentration on surface color .

[0092] Four aqueous solutions of sucrose concentration (0 wt%, 2 wt%, 20 wt% and 40 wt%) were prepared, each in an amount of 1 liter. Cleaned and washed pine nuts were cut into pieces using a knife to obtain median pine nut sizes of 0.5 mm, 1 mm, 2 mm and 4 mm. Samples (50 g) of each pine nut size were added to the respective sugar concentrations and stored safely for four weeks at a temperature of 20° C. to 23° C. and a maximum humidity of 70% in an area free of odor and intrusion.

[0093] To measure discoloration, pine nuts were collected, rinsed with water for 60 seconds, dried at room temperature for one hour, and the lightness value L* was measured as an indicator of surface color using a Minolta Chroma Meter (CR-200 reflectance colorimeter, Minolta, Japan). The instrument is a tristimulus colorimeter that measures the color index specified by the International Commission on Illumination (CIE). The lightness value L* ranges from 0 to 100, with black defined as 0 and white defined as 100.

[0094] The lightness value of each sample was measured immediately before the pine nuts were added to the aqueous solution as a control value. From a sample of 10 pine nuts for each condition, the parameters of the lightness value (sample and control) were determined. The samples are summarized in Table 1. The color change was calculated as the difference (%) between the lightness value of the sample stored under the corresponding conditions and the lightness value of the control.

[0095] The results show that pine nuts tend to darken with increasing sugar content and median pine nut size. Smaller pine nut pieces with a size of 0.5 mm showed only slight differences in surface color with increasing concentration compared to the control. In addition, pine nuts stored in 2 wt % sucrose solution showed very low discoloration in all sizes, with size-dependent correlations observed at higher sucrose concentrations (10 wt % and 40 wt %) (see Table 5).

[0096] Table 5: Color difference in light intensity (L*) of pine nuts stored under different conditions .

[0097]

[0098]

[0099] Example 4: Effect of pine nut weight ratio on pine nut flavor .

[0100] Four chocolate products were prepared containing chocolate (20 wt. % cocoa butter, 80 wt. % cocoa powder and 30 wt. % maltitol) with different pine nut (Italian stone pine) weight ratios (1 wt. %, 4 wt. %, 5 wt. % and 10 wt. % pine nuts were added to the chocolate based on the total composition). The size of the pine nuts was about 1 mm to 3 mm. The chocolate products were cut into pieces each weighing 30 g. The different chocolate products are summarized in Table 6.

[0101] Table 6: Summary of storage conditions used to evaluate pine nut flavor .

[0102] condition Pine nut weight ratio (weight %) i 1 ii 4 iii 5 iv 10

[0103] According to DIN EN ISO 10399:2010-06, the duo-trio test is used to test the taste threshold concentration of pine nuts in the corresponding chocolate products. The duo-trio test is used to detect product differences that may be caused by ingredient changes. The tester is asked to point out chocolate pieces that are identical to a given reference sample. The reference sample is pure pine nuts (Italian stone pine) without any other ingredients.

[0104] Each tester is provided with a test form and each tester must select a sample with the same taste as the reference. Before the test sample is provided to the tester, the personnel is required to eat a spoonful (30g) of the reference sample to remember the local flavor of the reference sample. The chocolate chips comprising different pine nut weight ratios are provided to 10 testers (non-smokers) between 25 and 55 years old in a blind and random manner to provide tasting. The tester is required to eat every kind of sample of all 30g at one time. Tasting again is not allowed. All 4 samples are supplied to the tester in a white disposable plastic plate at the same time, but the supply order varies with the subject. Between tasting samples, water is provided for the tester to rinse their mouths.

[0105] The results in Table 7 show that starting at a pine nut weight ratio of 4 wt% (8 out of 10; see condition ii), the testers felt a significant pine nut flavor, in contrast to 1 wt% (2 out of 10; see condition i). The results show that a pine nut concentration of at least 4 wt% is required to obtain a satisfactory pine nut flavor.

[0106] Table 7: Sensory evaluation of pine nut aroma of conditions (i to iv) relative to the reference sample (number of correct responses) .

[0107]

Claims

1. A shelf-stable chocolate product, comprising: a) chocolate with no added sucrose, and b) pine nuts and / or ground pine nuts, wherein the pine nuts and / or chopped pine nuts have a size of at least 1 mm, wherein the chocolate product comprises 4 to 80 wt. % of pine nuts and / or chopped pine nuts.

2. The chocolate product according to claim 1, wherein the chocolate product comprises 5 to 80 wt. %, preferably 5 to 70 wt. %, more preferably 5 to 60 wt. %, more preferably 5 to 50 wt. % pine nuts and / or ground pine nuts.

3. A shelf-stable pine nut product comprising pine nuts and / or comminuted pine nuts and an edible coating composition that does not contain added sucrose, wherein the pine nuts are at least partially coated with the edible coating composition, and wherein the pine nuts and / or comminuted pine nuts have a size of at least 1 mm.

4. The pine nut product according to claim 3, wherein the edible coating composition is selected from the group consisting of chocolate, wax, cellulose, modified starch, polysaccharide and gelatin.

5. The pine nut product of claim 4, wherein the wax is selected from the group consisting of carnauba wax, beeswax, candelilla wax, and combinations thereof.

6. The pine nut product of claim 4, wherein the cellulose is selected from the group consisting of methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, ethyl methyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, and combinations thereof.

7. The pine nut product according to claim 4, wherein the modified starch is selected from the group consisting of monostarch phosphate, distarch phosphate, phosphorylated distarch phosphate, acetylated distarch phosphate, acetylated starch, acetylated distarch adipate, hydroxypropyl starch, hydroxypropyl starch phosphate, and combinations thereof.

8. The pine nut product of claim 4, wherein the polysaccharide is selected from the group consisting of pullulan, xanthan gum, guar gum, locust bean gum, tamarind gum, pectin, carrageenan, tragacanth gum, gum arabic, alginate, and combinations thereof.

9. Chocolate product or pine nut product according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the pine nuts and / or comminuted pine nuts have a median size of at least 1.5 mm, preferably at least 2 mm, more preferably at least 2.5 mm, even more preferably at least 3 mm.

10. The chocolate product or pine nut product according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the comminuted pine nuts are crushed pine nuts, ground pine nuts, cut pine nuts or a combination thereof.

11. The chocolate product or pine nut product according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the chocolate or the edible coating composition comprises at least one sugar substitute, preferably 5 to 60 wt%, more preferably 10 to 50 wt% of the at least one sugar substitute.

12. The chocolate product or pine nut product according to claim 11, wherein the sugar substitute is a sugar alcohol.

13. The chocolate product or pine nut product according to claim 12, wherein the sugar alcohol is selected from the group consisting of maltitol, xylitol, sorbitol, mannitol, arabitol, erythritol and combinations thereof.

14. The chocolate product or pine nut product according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the chocolate comprises 0 to 90 wt%, preferably 0 to 80 wt%, more preferably 0 to 70 wt%, more preferably 0 to 60 wt%, more preferably 0 to 50 wt% cocoa powder.

15. Chocolate product or pine nut product according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the product comprises at least one additional ingredient, preferably selected from the group consisting of nuts, preferably cashews, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, macadamia nuts or walnuts, peanuts, almonds, coconut pieces and combinations thereof.

16. A chocolate product or pine nut product according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the chocolate product is a praline, a bar, chocolate beans or a chocolate figurine, or the pine nut product is contained in a praline, a bar, chocolate beans or a chocolate figurine.

17. A chocolate praline comprising: a) at least one first compartment and at least one second compartment separated by chocolate according to any one of claims 1 or 11 to 14, wherein the at least one first compartment contains pine nuts and / or ground pine nuts according to any one of claims 1 to 10, or b) at least one first compartment comprising pine nuts and / or comminuted pine nuts according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the pine nuts are coated with chocolate according to any one of claims 1 or 11 to 14.

18. Chocolate praline according to claim 17, wherein the at least one second compartment of the praline comprises a composition comprising at least one sugar-containing preparation or a chocolate according to any one of claims 1 or 11 to 14.

19. Chocolate praline according to claim 18, wherein the at least one sugar-containing product comprises nougat, brittle and / or fruit, preferably jam or fruit puree.

20. A method for making a chocolate product, the method comprising the step of contacting heated chocolate according to any one of claims 1 or 11 to 14 with pine nuts and / or comminuted pine nuts according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising the steps of: a) providing a hollow chocolate body comprising chocolate according to any one of claims 1 or 11 to 14, said body comprising a base and at least one side wall, b) filling the hollow body with pine nuts and / or pulverized pine nut parts according to any one of claims 1 to 10, c) introducing heated chocolate into the body of step b) so as to cover the pine nuts and / or crushed pine nuts, d) cooling the chocolate of step c) to form a first compartment, e) Adding at least one sugar-containing product on top of said first compartment.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the at least one sugar-containing product comprises nougat, brittle and / or fruit, preferably jam or fruit puree.

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