Method of making chocolate product

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a chocolate product, the method comprising the steps of: a) reducing the size of a chocolate ingredient mixture, followed by milling the chocolate ingredient mixture; and b) ball milling the chocolate ingredient mixture formed in step a) to form a chocolate product comprising a reduced particle size distribution compared to the chocolate ingredient mixture formed in step a) wherein the chocolate ingredient mixture at the end of step a) comprises a particle size distribution having a D90 value of 20 [mu] m to 100 [mu] m, and the chocolate product at the end of step b) comprises a particle size distribution having a D90 value of 15 [mu] m to 35 [mu] m and less than the particle size distribution formed in step a).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a chocolate product. Background Art

[0002] A typical chocolate manufacturing process includes the following steps: 1) grinding cocoa nibs and mixing the resulting cocoa product with the remaining chocolate ingredients, 2) size reducing the chocolate ingredient mixture by conching to reduce the particle size to the desired particle size of the final chocolate product, 3) milling the chocolate product, and 4) tempering and solidifying the chocolate product to form a solid chocolate product.

[0003] The grinding step breaks up aggregates and evenly distributes the cocoa butter throughout the chocolate ingredient mixture. The grinding step typically does not significantly reduce particle size, so a conching step is required to reduce the particle size to the desired particle size to produce a smooth, non-harsh chocolate product. The size reduction (e.g., conching) step typically takes a long time and may have low throughput. By reducing the particle size to the desired low particle size for the final product (typically 12 μm to 28 μm) in the initial conching step, conching equipment is often subject to wear and tear, and therefore may need to be replaced periodically to ensure a consistent final product.

[0004] It would therefore be advantageous to provide a method of manufacturing a chocolate product in which the extent of the initial size reduction step is reduced and the throughput of the chocolate product is increased to improve manufacturing efficiency.

[0005] It would be advantageous to provide a method of manufacturing a chocolate product in which the particle size at the end of the initial size reduction step is higher than the particle size desired in the final product, such that the size reduction equipment is less likely to break or wear out during manufacturing, or breaks or wears out less frequently. It would also be advantageous to provide a method of manufacturing a chocolate product that extends equipment life and reduces maintenance downtime.

[0006] It would also be advantageous to provide a method of making a chocolate product wherein the resulting chocolate product has consistent quality, particularly wherein the final product particle size has a desired distribution to produce a desired mouthfeel without a gritty or gummy texture.

[0007] It is an object of embodiments of the present invention to overcome one or more problems of the prior art, whether explicitly disclosed herein or not. Summary of the Invention

[0008] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing a chocolate product, the method comprising the following steps:

[0009] a) reducing the size of the chocolate ingredient mixture and subsequently milling the chocolate ingredient mixture;

[0010] as well as

[0011] b) ball milling the chocolate ingredient mixture formed in step a) into a chocolate product having a reduced particle size distribution,

[0012] wherein the chocolate ingredient mixture at the end of step a) comprises a particle size distribution with a D90 value of 20 to 100 μm, and the chocolate product at the end of step b) comprises a particle size distribution with a D90 value of 15 to 35 μm and smaller than the particle size distribution formed in step a).

[0013] Particle size distribution and D90 values ​​can be measured using, for example, a Malvern Mastersizer 3000 (supplied by Malvern Panalytical Ltd, UK).

[0014] Performing the ball milling step of step b) after step a) can be advantageous because it reduces the amount of size reduction required in step a) of the manufacturing process, as the particle size distribution of the chocolate ingredient mixture at the end of step a) remains above the desired particle size distribution of the final chocolate product. The ball milling step has a significantly higher throughput than the size reduction step, so by shortening the duration of the size reduction step and adding the ball milling step, the method of the present invention increases the overall throughput of the chocolate product compared to a manufacturing method that does not include a ball milling step after the initial size reduction and milling steps, thereby improving manufacturing efficiency and reducing costs.

[0015] In some embodiments, the size reduction step includes a refining step. In some embodiments, the size reduction step is performed using at least one roll refiner. The roll refiner can be a 2-roll refiner, a 3-roll refiner, or a 5-roll refiner. The size reduction step can be performed using at least 2, 3, 4, or 5 roll refiners. The at least 2 roll refiners can be arranged in series or in parallel.

[0016] In embodiments where the size reduction step comprises at least two roller refiners, the roller refiners may be the same or they may be different. Step a) may comprise reducing the size of the chocolate ingredient mixture by conching on a 2-roll refiner followed by a 5-roll refiner. Step a) may comprise reducing the size of the chocolate ingredient mixture by conching on a 3-roll refiner followed by a 5-roll refiner. Step a) may comprise reducing the size of the chocolate ingredient mixture by conching on a 2-roll refiner followed by a 3-roll refiner. Step a) may comprise reducing the size of the chocolate ingredient mixture by conching on a 2-roll refiner followed by a 3-roll refiner. Step a) may comprise reducing the size of the chocolate ingredient mixture by conching on a 2-roll refiner followed by a 3-roll refiner followed by a 5-roll refiner.

[0017] In some embodiments, the size reduction step comprises a milling step. In some embodiments, the milling size reduction step is performed with at least one hammer mill. In some embodiments, the size reduction step comprises a grinding step.

[0018] Prior to the size reduction step of step a), the chocolate ingredient mixture may comprise a particle size distribution having a D90 value of at least 50 μm, 100 μm, 200 μm, 300 μm, 400 μm, 500 μm, 700 μm, 900 μm or at least 1000 μm. Prior to the size reduction step of step a), the chocolate ingredient mixture may comprise a particle size distribution having a D90 value of no more than 3000 μm, 2500 μm, 2000 μm, 1800 μm, 1600 μm or preferably no more than 1500 μm. Prior to the size reduction step, the chocolate ingredient mixture may comprise a particle size distribution having a D90 value of between 50 μm and 3000 μm, or between 100 μm and 2000 μm, or between 100 μm and 1750 μm, or between 100 μm and 1500 μm or a D90 value of between 200 μm and 1500 μm.

[0019] After the size reduction step of step a), the particle size distribution of the chocolate ingredient mixture may comprise a D90 value of no more than 100 μm, 80 μm, 60 μm, 50 μm or no more than 40 μm. After the size reduction step of step a), the particle size distribution of the chocolate ingredient mixture may comprise a D90 value of at least 20 μm, 25 μm, 30 μm, 35 μm or at least 40 μm. After the size reduction step of step a), the particle size distribution of the chocolate ingredient mixture may comprise a D90 value of between 100 μm and 20 μm, or between 80 μm and 20 μm, or between 60 μm and 20 μm, or between 40 μm and 20 μm, or between 40 μm and 28 μm, or between 35 μm and 28 μm, or between 35 μm and 30 μm.

[0020] In some embodiments, in the size reduction step of step a), the particle size distribution of the chocolate ingredient mixture is reduced from a D90 value of between 100 μm and 1800 μm to a D90 value of between 20 μm and 80 μm. In some embodiments, in the size reduction step of step a), the particle size distribution of the chocolate ingredient mixture is reduced from a D90 value of between 100 μm and 1500 μm to a D90 value of between 20 μm and 80 μm. In some embodiments, in the size reduction step of step a), the particle size distribution of the chocolate ingredient mixture is reduced from a D90 value of between 100 μm and 1700 μm to a D90 value of between 20 μm and 40 μm. In some embodiments, in the size reduction step of step a), the particle size distribution of the chocolate ingredient mixture is reduced from a D90 value of between 100 μm and 1500 μm to a D90 value of between 20 μm and 40 μm. In a preferred embodiment, during the size reduction step of step a), the particle size distribution of the chocolate ingredient mixture is reduced from a D90 value of at least 150 μm to a D90 value between 30 μm and 35 μm. Reducing the chocolate ingredient mixture to a particle size distribution having a D90 value that is higher than the desired particle size distribution for the final product can be advantageous because this can reduce the initial size reduction time of the manufacturing process, thereby saving time and energy. Reducing the chocolate ingredient mixture to a particle size distribution having a D90 value that is higher than the desired particle size distribution for the final product can also be advantageous because this can prevent damage or wear to the size reduction equipment, thereby extending equipment life and reducing maintenance downtime. In embodiments where the size reduction step is a conching step performed in at least one roller refiner, reducing the chocolate ingredient mixture to a particle size distribution having a D90 value that is higher than the desired particle size distribution for the final product can be advantageous because this can prevent damage or wear to the rollers.

[0021] The grinding step may comprise a wet grinding step or a dry grinding step. In some embodiments, the grinding step may comprise a dry grinding step followed by a wet grinding step.

[0022] In some embodiments, after the size reduction step of step a) and before the ball milling step of step b), the particle size may not be further reduced in the milling step. After the milling step of step a), the particle size of the chocolate ingredient mixture may comprise a D90 value between 100 μm and 20 μm, or between 80 μm and 20 μm, or between 60 μm and 20 μm, or between 40 μm and 20 μm, or between 40 μm and 28 μm, or between 35 μm and 28 μm. In a preferred embodiment, after the size reduction step and the milling step, at the end of step a), the particle size of the chocolate ingredient mixture may comprise a D90 value between 35 μm and 30 μm. The particle size of the chocolate ingredient mixture after the milling step of step a) may be higher than the desired particle size of the chocolate product.

[0023] During step b), the particle size distribution of the chocolate ingredient mixture can be reduced to the desired particle size distribution of the chocolate product produced at the end of step b). The chocolate product after step b) can include a particle size distribution with a D90 value between 15 μm and 35 μm, or between 15 μm and 25 μm, or between 15 μm and 20 μm, or between 20 μm and 30 μm, or between 20 μm and 28 μm, or between 22 μm and 27 μm, or a D90 value between 22 μm and 25 μm. This embodiment can be advantageous because it produces a chocolate product with a desired mouthfeel without the gritty texture that may be experienced with higher particle sizes or the gummy texture that may be experienced with lower particle sizes.

[0024] The D90 particle size of the chocolate ingredient mixture at the end of step a) may be reduced by 2 μm to 80 μm during the ball milling step of step b). In some embodiments, the D90 particle size of the chocolate ingredient mixture at the end of step a) may be reduced by 2 μm to 60 μm, or by 2 μm to 40 μm, 2 μm to 30 μm, 2.5 μm to 25 μm, 2.5 μm to 20 μm, 2.5 μm to 15 μm, or 2.5 μm to 12 μm during the ball milling step of step b). In some embodiments, the D90 particle size of the chocolate ingredient mixture at the end of step a) may be reduced by 5 μm to 15 μm or 3 μm to 15 μm during the ball milling step of step b).

[0025] The ball milling step of step b) can be carried out at a temperature between 30° C. and 80° C., or between 30° C. and 70° C., or between 35° C. and 65° C., or between 40° C. and 65° C., between 45° C. and 80° C., or between 45° C. and 65° C. The chocolate product with reduced particle size can exit the ball mill at a product temperature of no more than 70° C. In some embodiments, the chocolate product with reduced particle size can exit the ball mill at a product temperature of no more than 50° C. The chocolate product with reduced particle size can exit the ball mill at a product temperature of no more than 68° C., 65° C., 62° C., 60° C., 58° C., 55° C., 52° C., or no more than 50° C.

[0026] The ball milling step of step b) can be carried out in a ball mill, wherein the ball mill can be partially filled with beads. The ball mill can be at least 50% filled with beads, or at least 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 80%, or at least 90% filled with beads. The diameter of the beads can be between 2 mm and 8 mm. The beads can be selected from the group consisting of 3 mm beads, 4 mm beads, 5 mm beads, and combinations thereof. The ball mill can include beads of more than one size. The ball mill can include 3 mm beads and 5 mm beads. The amount of 3 mm beads can be between 60% and 80% of the total amount of beads in the ball mill. The amount of 5 mm beads can be between 20% and 40% of the total amount of beads in the ball mill. In some embodiments, the amount of 3 mm beads can be between 60% and 80% of the total amount of beads in the ball mill, and the amount of 5 mm beads can be between 20% and 40% of the total amount of beads in the ball mill. The beads may be of any suitable material, such as steel, stainless steel, ceramic or rubber.

[0027] The ball milling step can be carried out in a ball mill with an internal shaft tip speed of at least 3 m / s. The ball milling step can be carried out in a ball mill with an internal shaft tip speed of at least 4 m / s, 5 m / s, or at least 6 m / s. The ball milling step can be carried out in a ball mill with an internal shaft tip speed of no more than 15 m / s, 14 m / s, 13 m / s, or no more than 12 m / s. The ball milling step can be carried out in a ball mill with an internal shaft tip speed of between 3 m / s and 15 m / s, between 4 m / s and 14 m / s, or between 4 m / s and 12 m / s.

[0028] The chocolate ingredient mix comprises at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of cocoa nibs, cocoa powder, cocoa butter and cocoa liquor.

[0029] The term "chocolate" in the context of the present invention is not limited to the various definitions of chocolate provided by governments and regulatory bodies. "Chocolate" is simply a product that contains a fat phase and includes a cocoa product and optionally a sweetener. Other optional components of chocolate include milk components (e.g., milk fat and milk powder).

[0030] The chocolate ingredient mixture may include at least one fat. The fat may include cocoa butter. The cocoa butter may be natural cocoa butter separated from cocoa mass. The fat may be cocoa butter, milk fat, a cocoa butter equivalent (CBE), a cocoa butter substitute (CBS), a vegetable fat that is liquid at standard ambient temperature and pressure (SATP, 25° C. and 100 kPa), or any combination thereof. In a specific embodiment, the chocolate ingredient mixture includes cocoa butter.

[0031] CBEs are defined in Directive 2000 / 36 / EC. Suitable CBEs include bergamot, Borneo butter, tengkawang, palm oil, sal, shea butter, kokum gurgi, and mango kernel. CBEs are typically used in combination with cocoa butter. In one embodiment, the chocolate comprises no more than 5% by weight of CBEs.

[0032] The chocolate ingredient mixture may include cocoa butter substitutes (CBS) (sometimes referred to as cocoa butter substitutes, CBR) as a supplement to or replacement for some or all of the cocoa butter. Such chocolate materials are sometimes referred to as compound chocolate. Suitable CBS include lauric CBS and non-lauric CBS. Lauric CBS are short-chain fatty acid glycerides. Their physical properties are different, but they all have a triglyceride configuration, which makes them compatible with cocoa butter. Suitable CBS include those based on palm kernel oil and coconut oil. Non-lauric CBS is composed of fractions obtained from hydrogenated oils. The oil is selectively hydrogenated to form trans fatty acids, which increases the solid phase of the fat. Suitable non-lauric CBS sources include soybean oil, cottonseed oil, peanut oil, rapeseed oil and corn (maize) oil.

[0033] The chocolate may include at least one vegetable fat that is liquid at standard ambient temperature and pressure (SATP, 25° C. and 100 kPa). Suitable vegetable fats include corn oil, cottonseed oil, rapeseed oil, palm oil, safflower oil, and sunflower oil. The chocolate ingredient mixture may include up to 15%, 10%, or 5% by weight of the vegetable fat.

[0034] The chocolate ingredient mixture may comprise at least 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35% or at least 40% by weight of cocoa butter and / or cocoa butter substitute.

[0035] The chocolate ingredient mixture may include at least one emulsifier. The emulsifier may be a natural or artificial emulsifier. The chocolate ingredient mixture may include no more than 5% by weight of an emulsifier, or no more than 4%, 3%, 2%, 2.5%, 1%, or 0.5% by weight of an emulsifier. Suitable emulsifiers include, for example, lecithin, ammonium phospholipids, and PGPR.

[0036] In some embodiments, the chocolate ingredient mixture may include at least one dairy product. Suitable dairy products include cream, whole milk, skim milk, and / or whey. The dairy product may include powdered milk solids, such as milk powder, cream powder, or whey powder. The chocolate ingredient mixture may include between 2% and 50% by weight of the dairy product. The chocolate ingredient mixture may include between 10% and 40% by weight of the dairy product, between 15% and 35% by weight of the dairy product, or between 20% and 40% by weight of the dairy product.

[0037] In some embodiments, the chocolate ingredient mixture may include at least one sweetener. In some embodiments, the chocolate ingredient mixture may include at least one natural and / or artificial sweetener. The sweetener may include a saccharide, which may be selected from the group consisting of: monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides, polysaccharides, or a combination thereof. Each saccharide sweetener may be independently selected from the group consisting of: glucose, fructose, lactose, galactose, dextrose, polydextrose, invert fructose syrup, invert corn syrup, and sucrose. In some embodiments, the sweetener may include sucrose or be sucrose. The sweetener may include a polyol (polyhydroxy alcohol), which may be selected from the group consisting of sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol, erythritol, xylitol, isomalt, and any combination thereof. The sweetener may have a sweetening power higher than sucrose. The sweetener may be selected from the group consisting of a water-soluble sweetener, a water-soluble artificial sweetener, a dipeptide-based sweetener, a protein-based sweetener, or a bulking agent, or a combination thereof. The amount of sweetener may be no more than 55% by weight of the chocolate ingredient mixture, or no more than 50%, 45%, 40%, 35%, 30%, 25%, 20%, or no more than 15% by weight of the chocolate ingredient mixture.

[0038] In some embodiments, the chocolate ingredient mixture may include at least one flavoring. The flavoring may be a natural flavoring or an artificial flavoring. Examples of suitable flavorings include, but are not limited to, spearmint oil, cinnamon oil, peppermint oil, bitter almond oil, cassia oil, vanilla, citrus oils (including lemon, orange, lime, grapefruit) and fruit flavors (including apple, pear, peach, grape, strawberry, raspberry, cherry, etc.), or aldehydes and esters such as cinnamyl acetate, cinnamaldehyde, citral diethyl acetal, dihydrocarvyl acetate, eugenyl formate, and p-methylamisol.

[0039] In some embodiments, the chocolate ingredient mixture in step a) includes at least fat-free cocoa solids, cocoa butter and / or fat, and a sweetener. In some embodiments, the ingredient mixture in step a) includes at least cocoa liquor, a sweetener, and cocoa butter. In other embodiments, the chocolate ingredient mixture in step a) may include milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate, or a compound chocolate.

[0040] In some embodiments, no additional chocolate ingredients are added to the chocolate ingredient mixture during step a) or between step a) and step b). In alternative embodiments, additional ingredients may be added to the chocolate ingredient mixture during the size reduction step of step a). In some embodiments, additional ingredients may be added to the chocolate ingredient mixture during the milling step of step a).

[0041] In some embodiments, no additional chocolate ingredients are added to the chocolate ingredient mixture during step b). This embodiment may be advantageous because the size-reduced chocolate ingredient mixture at the end of step a) can be transferred to the ball milling step of step b) for a final size reduction step to produce a chocolate product having a desired particle size.

[0042] The chocolate ingredient mixture may be a liquid during step a), between step a) and step b), and during step b). The chocolate ingredient mixture may be a paste during the size reduction step of step a), and then be milled into a liquid or paste during the milling step of step a). The chocolate ingredient mixture at the end of step a) may be stored as a liquid before step b). The size-reduced chocolate product formed at the end of step b) may be a liquid or a paste. In the steps following step b), the chocolate product may be stored as a liquid before solidifying into a solid chocolate product.

[0043] In some embodiments, in a step following step b), the chocolate product may be cooled by passing it through a suitable heat exchanger such that the temperature of the chocolate product may be reduced to a temperature between 40° C. and 60° C. or between 40° C. and 50° C. After the temperature of the chocolate product has been reduced, the chocolate product may be stored as a liquid before solidifying into a solid chocolate product.

[0044] In a step following step b), the chocolate product may be tempered before solidifying into a solid chocolate product. During the tempering step, the liquid chocolate product is tempered to control the crystallization of the cocoa butter in the chocolate mass. Depending on the fat component used, tempering may not be necessary. Tempering is generally known in the art, but it can be performed at a temperature not exceeding 50°C, preferably at a temperature of at least 35°C. The preferred temperature range for the tempering step is 35°C to 40°C.

[0045] Chocolate products can be solidified by molding. Chocolate products can be solidified by filling a molded shell and then backing it out, resulting in a solid chocolate shell or molded shape. Chocolate products can be solidified by coating another product, such as a confectionery product. Chocolate products can be solidified by cold stamping the chocolate product into the desired shape.

[0046] In a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a chocolate product obtainable or obtainable by the method of the first aspect of the present invention.

[0047] The chocolate product can be a milk chocolate product. The chocolate product can be a non-dairy or low-dairy product, such as a dark chocolate product or a white chocolate product. The chocolate product can be stored as a liquid before solidifying into a solid chocolate product in a step following step b). The solid chocolate product can be in the form of a sheet, bar, shell, or any other suitable form. The solid chocolate product can be a filled chocolate confectionery.

[0048] In some embodiments, the chocolate product may be a chocolate coating.In some embodiments, the chocolate product may be a chocolate filling. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0049] In order that the present invention may be more clearly understood, embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0050] Figure 1 A flow chart showing a first embodiment of a method of making chocolate according to the present invention comprising a conching size reduction step followed by a grinding step followed by a ball milling step.

[0051] Figure 2 A flow chart showing a second embodiment of a method of making chocolate according to the present invention comprising a plurality of conching size reduction steps followed by a plurality of grinding steps followed by a ball milling step.

[0052] Example 1

[0053] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of a first embodiment of the method for producing chocolate according to the present invention is shown in FIG.

[0054] A method (1) for producing a chocolate product (10) comprises adding a chocolate ingredient mixture (2) to a roll conch and performing a size reduction roll conching step (4) in the roll conch, followed by a milling step (6). During the roll conching step (4), the particle size distribution of the chocolate ingredient mixture is reduced from a D90 value of at least 150 μm before the roll conching step (4) to a value of 30 to 35 μm after the roll conching step (4). The particle size is not further significantly reduced in the milling step (6). The particle size distribution is measured using a Malvern Mastersizer 3000 (supplied by Malvern Panalytical Ltd, UK).

[0055] After the milling step (6), the chocolate ingredient mixture, which has a particle size distribution with a D90 value of 30 to 35 μm, enters the ball milling step (8), where the particle size is further reduced by 2.5 to 12 μm. The output of the ball milling step (8) is a chocolate product (10) having a particle size distribution with a D90 value of 23 to 27.5 μm. The chocolate product (10) is then stored in a storage area (12) before solidifying into a final solid chocolate product.

[0056] The embodiments and methods of the present invention are generally not limited to producing chocolate products from any particular starting ingredients. The methods can be used with any ingredients commonly used in chocolate manufacturing, including but not limited to cocoa-derived ingredients such as cocoa powder or cocoa liquor, fat sources such as cocoa butter or vegetable fats, sweeteners, and / or dairy products.

[0057] Characteristics of chocolate products

[0058] Chocolate products A through F were produced in Example 1 above using the method of the first embodiment of the present invention. The ingredients of Chocolate Products A through F were 47% by weight sugar, 18% by weight cocoa butter, 23% by weight milk powder, 11% by weight cocoa, and 1% by weight soy lecithin. The ball mill used in the ball milling step to produce Chocolate Products A through F was a 7-liter horizontal ball mill filled with 77% 3 mm beads and 23% 5 mm beads, resulting in a bead filling level of 76%. The ball mill shaft speed was set to 11 m / s, 13 m / s, or 16 m / s, and the ball mill throughput was set to 380 kg / hr, 260 kg / hr, 150 kg / hr, or 80 kg / hr. All parameter combinations are shown in Table 1.

[0059] The temperature (exit temperature) and the D90 particle size distribution value of the chocolate product were measured after ball milling, and the data are shown in Table 1.

[0060] Table 1 .

[0061]

[0062] By conching the chocolate ingredient mixture to 30 μm to 35 μm (D90 particle size distribution before ball milling), milling, and then ball milling the chocolate ingredient mixture to the desired particle size of 23 μm to 27.5 μm, rather than conching the chocolate ingredient mixture to 23 μm to 27.5 μm and milling without a ball milling step, the throughput of the manufacturing process can be increased by 25% and the life of the conching rollers can be significantly extended, thereby minimizing downtime and maintenance costs without compromising the characteristics of the chocolate product (such as flavor, texture and mouthfeel).

[0063] As shown in the data in Table 1, the chocolate products produced after the ball milling step according to the manufacturing process of the present invention all produced uniform chocolate products under a certain range of ball milling conditions, wherein the D90 particle size distribution of the chocolate products was always within the desired target range of 23 μm to 28 μm.

[0064] Example 2

[0065] Figure 2 A second embodiment of the method of making chocolate according to the present invention is shown. The method (101) of making a chocolate product (110) comprises feeding a chocolate ingredient mixture (102) into a plurality of roller conches for a plurality of size reduction roller conching steps (104), such that the chocolate ingredient mixture (102) can be passed through the plurality of roller conches in parallel. The plurality of roller conching steps (104) are followed by a plurality of parallel milling steps (106). The particle size of the chocolate ingredient mixture is reduced from a D90 value of at least 150 μm before the roller conching step (104) to a value of 30 μm to 35 μm after the roller conching step (104). In the milling step (106), the particle size is not further reduced.

[0066] The resulting particle size-reduced chocolate ingredient mixture from the milling step (106) is fed into a ball milling step (108) where the particle size is further reduced from 2.5 μm to 12 μm, and the output from the ball milling step (108) is a chocolate product (110) having a particle size distribution ranging from 23 μm to 27.5 μm. The ball milling step (108) is substantially the same as the ball milling step of the first embodiment of the present invention, and the resulting chocolate product (110) is substantially the same as the resulting chocolate product of the first embodiment of the present invention described in Example 1.

[0067] The typical throughput of the roller conch (104) is between 900 kg / h and 1200 kg / h. Reducing the particle size distribution of the chocolate ingredient mixture to 30 μm to 35 μm during the roller conching step (104) instead of the desired particle size distribution of the final chocolate product (23 μm to 27.5 μm) increases the conch throughput of the manufacturing process. The throughput of the ball milling (108) step can be as high as 5000 kg / h to 6000 kg / h, thereby improving the manufacturing efficiency of the manufacturing process according to the present invention by adding the ball milling (108) step at the end of the manufacturing process after the conching step (106). The throughput of the chocolate product (110) is increased by 25% compared to a method in which the roller conching step reduces the particle size of the chocolate ingredient to the desired particle size of the final product and no ball milling step is included after the conching and milling steps.

[0068] The above embodiments are described by way of example only. Many changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a chocolate product, comprising the following steps: a) reducing the size of a chocolate ingredient mixture and subsequently milling the chocolate ingredient mixture; as well as b) ball milling the chocolate ingredient mixture formed in step a) to form a chocolate product comprising a reduced particle size distribution compared to the chocolate ingredient mixture formed in step a), wherein the chocolate ingredient mixture at the end of step a) comprises a particle size distribution with a D90 value of 20 to 100 μm, and the chocolate product at the end of step b) comprises a particle size distribution with a D90 value of 15 to 35 μm and smaller than the particle size distribution formed in step a).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the size reduction step of step a) comprises refining, preferably in at least one roll refiner.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein step a) comprises conching the chocolate ingredient mixture in a 2-roll conch followed by a 5-roll conch.

4. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the chocolate ingredient mixture prior to step a) has a D90 particle size distribution of no more than 1500 μm.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the D90 particle size distribution of the chocolate ingredient mixture is reduced in the size reduction step of step a) from 100 to 1500 μm to 20 to 100 μm, preferably to 28 to 40 μm.

6. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the D90 particle size distribution of the chocolate ingredient mixture formed in step a) is reduced from 2 μm to 80 μm in the ball milling step of step b).

7. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the ball milling step is carried out at 30°C to 80°C.

8. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the chocolate ingredient mixture comprises at least one cocoa ingredient selected from the group consisting of cocoa nibs, cocoa powder, cocoa butter and cocoa liquor.

9. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein after step b) the chocolate product is stored as a liquid before solidifying into a solid chocolate product.

10. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein no additional chocolate ingredients are added to the chocolate ingredient mixture during step a), between steps a) and b) and / or during step b).

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