Olive leaf chocolate product and preparation method thereof

Abstract

The invention provides an olive leaf chocolate product and a preparation method thereof, and belongs to the technical field of food processing, and the olive leaf chocolate product comprises the following components in parts by weight: 5-70 parts of an olive leaf raw material, 20-85 parts of a chocolate raw material, and 1-30 parts of a natural adjusting raw material. According to the olive leaf chocolate product provided by the invention, the whole olive leaves can be eaten and utilized, the olive leaf resources can be saved, and the development of the olive planting industry is promoted. The olive leaf chocolate product is rich in polyphenols, dietary fibers and proteins from olive leaves, cocoa polyphenols from cocoa, and multivitamins and dietary fibers from natural fruits, vegetables and nuts, and is a chocolate product and healthy food which have the functions of resisting oxidation, resisting inflammation and supplementing dietary fibers and are unique in taste and flavor.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of food processing technology, and in particular relates to an olive leaf chocolate product and its preparation method. Background Technology

[0002] The nutritional advantages of chocolate and cocoa raw materials (especially high-cocoa chocolate) have been recognized in the industry. They are rich in polyphenols with antioxidant and cardiovascular protection effects, a variety of essential minerals, and theobromine, a unique active ingredient that can relieve fatigue and protect teeth. They are a food category that combines taste and nutrition.

[0003] The cultivation of olive trees dates back to 6000 BC, and they are now widely distributed globally, with large-scale cultivation in the Mediterranean region, Europe, the Americas, parts of the Middle East, and in Gansu, Sichuan, and Yunnan provinces of my country. The core value of olive tree cultivation lies in producing olives, which are then extracted to obtain olive oil, making it the core raw material for the olive oil industry.

[0004] The growth characteristics of olive trees dictate that they need to be pruned regularly: branches and leaves that have grown olives will significantly reduce the probability and yield of fruit the following year. In order to ensure the supply of nutrients to new branches, improve the yield and quality of olives the following year, and thus stabilize the production benefits of olive oil, olive trees need to be pruned every year after the olives are harvested, which generates a large amount of olive leaf waste.

[0005] Multiple publicly available studies have confirmed the rich nutritional value and bioactive effects of olive leaves (leaves of the olive tree): "Determination and Analysis of Nutritional Components of Olive Leaves" published in the Chinese core journal *Forest Products Chemistry and Industry*, "Updated Organic Composition and Potential Therapeutic Properties of Different Varieties of Olive Leaves" published on PubMed, "Comparative chemical composition and antioxidant activity of olive leaves *Olea europaea L.*" published on PMC, and other related publicly available literature all indicate that olive leaves are rich in oleuropein (6.0%–9.0%), hydroxytyrosol (7.7%–32.3%), luteolin, rutin glucoside, and other polyphenols (5.4%–22.6%). These bioactive substances can effectively scavenge free radicals, reduce inflammation, and protect the cardiovascular system. Appropriate intake of oleuropein can also help lower low-density lipoprotein (bad cholesterol), regulate blood lipid balance, and enhance immune cell activity to improve the body's resistance. In addition, olive leaves contain flavonoids, terpenoids, vitamin E, beta-carotene, and minerals such as calcium and potassium. Their total dietary fiber content reaches 30%-45%, including 25%-40% insoluble dietary fiber and 3%-8% soluble dietary fiber. The lignin content in their 15.8% crude fiber is higher than that of most leafy green vegetables, which can promote intestinal peristalsis, increase stool volume, and reduce constipation. It also helps regulate blood sugar (delaying intestinal sugar absorption and stabilizing postprandial blood sugar levels), enhances satiety, and reduces total calorie intake, thus playing a positive role in weight management.

[0006] Currently, the resource utilization of olive leaves mainly focuses on extracting active nutrients such as polyphenols and flavonoids. However, due to limitations in existing extraction technology, the extracted products only account for about 15% of the total weight of olive leaves, while the remaining 85% of olive leaves (including unextracted residual nutrients and olive fiber) are wasted, failing to achieve efficient utilization of all components of olive leaves.

[0007] The evaluation report on the toxicological safety study of olive leaves, titled "Implementation and Results of the Toxicological Evaluation Project of Olive Leaf No. 8 (Ezhi 8)," completed by the Gansu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention in China, has clearly concluded that olive leaves are practically non-toxic and non-genotoxic, meeting the safety requirements for food and food ingredients, and can be eaten directly or used as raw materials in the production of various foods. However, currently, apart from a few cases of olive leaves being used in tea drinks, there are no publicly available food products or related literature demonstrating the full utilization and consumption of olive leaves, indicating a significant gap in the comprehensive resource utilization of olive leaves in the food sector. Summary of the Invention

[0008] In view of this, the purpose of the present invention is to provide an olive leaf chocolate product and its preparation method, so as to realize the consumption and utilization of the whole olive leaf, while providing a uniquely flavored chocolate product with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and dietary fiber supplementation functions.

[0009] This invention provides an olive leaf chocolate product comprising the following components in parts by weight: 5-70 parts olive leaf raw material, 20-85 parts chocolate raw material, and 1-30 parts natural conditioning ingredients.

[0010] Preferably, it also includes 25 to 45 parts of oils, wherein the oils include one or more of olive oil, flaxseed oil, perilla oil, tea tree oil, avocado oil, cocoa butter, and phospholipids.

[0011] Preferably, it also includes 1 to 60 parts of water-based raw materials, wherein the water-based raw materials include one or more of water, fruit juice, vegetable juice and tea juice.

[0012] Preferably, the chocolate ingredients include dark chocolate, white chocolate, or milk chocolate.

[0013] Preferably, the natural conditioning ingredients include one or more of fruits, nuts, vegetables, seaweed, grains and legumes.

[0014] Preferably, the olive leaf chocolate product is solid or semi-solid.

[0015] Preferably, when the olive leaf chocolate product is solid, the total oil content is 25% to 45% of the weight of the olive leaf chocolate product, and the moisture content is 0.05% to 3% of the weight of the olive leaf chocolate product; when the olive leaf chocolate product is semi-solid, the total oil content is 4% to 50% of the weight of the olive leaf chocolate product, and the moisture content is 0.05% to 60% of the weight of the olive leaf chocolate product.

[0016] This invention provides a method for preparing the aforementioned olive leaf chocolate product, comprising the following steps: 1) The olive leaves are dried and crushed to obtain pretreated olive leaves; 2) Mix, grind or emulsify, and shape the pretreated olive leaves, chocolate raw materials and natural conditioning ingredients to obtain the olive leaf chocolate product.

[0017] Preferably, the drying temperature in step 1) is 60~100℃, the drying time is 60~240min, and the moisture content of the pretreated olive leaves is ≤5%.

[0018] Preferably, the particle size of the raw material after mixing in step 2) is ≤25μm.

[0019] Compared with existing technologies, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: The present invention provides an olive leaf chocolate product and its preparation method. The olive leaf chocolate product comprises the following components in parts by weight: 5-70 parts olive leaf raw material, 20-85 parts chocolate raw material, and 1-30 parts natural conditioning ingredients. The olive leaf chocolate product provided by the present invention realizes the consumption and utilization of the entire olive leaf, turning wasteful olive leaf waste into a raw material for olive leaf chocolate products, thereby saving olive leaf resources, increasing the income of olive farmers, and promoting the development of the olive planting industry.

[0020] Furthermore, the olive leaf chocolate product of the present invention is rich in polyphenols, dietary fiber and protein derived from olive leaves, cocoa polyphenols derived from cocoa, and various vitamins and dietary fiber derived from natural fruits, vegetables and nuts. It is a chocolate product and health food with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and dietary fiber supplementation functions.

[0021] Meanwhile, the olive leaf chocolate products of the present invention use chocolate and some natural ingredients to balance the bitter taste of olive leaves, so that the unique fresh green aroma of olive leaves can be combined with the flavor of chocolate, enriching the taste and flavor of chocolate products and providing consumers with more delicious chocolate enjoyment. Detailed Implementation

[0022] This invention provides an olive leaf chocolate product comprising the following components in parts by weight: 5-70 parts olive leaf raw material, 20-85 parts chocolate raw material, and 1-30 parts natural conditioning ingredients.

[0023] In this invention, the olive leaf raw material is the leaves of the olive tree, including fresh olive leaves and naturally dried olive leaves. In this invention, the olive leaves are preferably dried and pulverized before being used to make olive leaf chocolate; the drying temperature is preferably 60~100℃, the drying time is preferably 60~240 minutes, and the moisture content of the dried olive leaves is preferably ≤5%. After drying, the olive leaves are crushed and ground into olive leaf powder or olive leaf fragments.

[0024] In this invention, the chocolate raw material includes dark chocolate, white chocolate, or milk chocolate; the chocolate raw material may also be vegetable-based chocolate, flavored chocolate, or chocolate powder. The fat content in the chocolate raw material, by weight percentage, is preferably 18% to 45% of the weight of the chocolate, more preferably 20% to 38%.

[0025] In this invention, the natural conditioning ingredients include one or more of fruits, nuts, vegetables, seaweed, grains, and legumes; the natural conditioning ingredients may also include substances that are both food and medicine, or edible flowers and herbs, as well as their concentrates and extracts. The function of the natural conditioning ingredients is to be combined with chocolate to balance the unique bitterness of olive leaves and to regulate and enrich the taste and flavor of olive leaf chocolate.

[0026] In this invention, the olive leaf chocolate product preferably further includes 25-45 parts of oil, which preferably includes one or more of olive oil, flaxseed oil, perilla oil, tea tree oil, avocado oil, cocoa butter, and phospholipids; more preferably, it includes one or more of olive oil, flaxseed oil, cocoa butter, and phospholipids. In this invention, the oil, by weight percentage, is 1-50% of the weight of the olive leaf chocolate product (here, oil refers to additionally added oil, excluding the oil in the chocolate raw materials).

[0027] In this invention, the olive leaf chocolate product preferably further includes 1 to 60 parts of water-based raw materials, wherein the water-based raw materials include one or more of water, fruit juice, vegetable juice and tea juice; the solid content of the fruit juice, vegetable juice or tea juice is preferably 1% to 80%, preferably 1% to 60%, and more preferably 5% to 30%.

[0028] In this invention, the olive leaf chocolate product is solid or semi-solid; when the olive leaf chocolate product is semi-solid, it can specifically be a flowable sauce or a non-flowable paste. In this invention, when the olive leaf chocolate product is solid, the olive leaf content is 5% to 40% of the weight of the olive leaf chocolate product, preferably 10% to 30%; when the olive leaf chocolate product is semi-solid, the olive leaf content is 5% to 70% of the weight of the olive leaf chocolate product, preferably 10% to 60%.

[0029] In this invention, when the olive leaf chocolate product is solid, the total oil content is preferably 25% to 45% of the weight of the olive leaf chocolate product, more preferably 29% to 38%; the moisture content is preferably 0.05% to 3% of the weight of the olive leaf chocolate product, more preferably 0.1% to 0.5%.

[0030] When the olive leaf chocolate product is semi-solid, there are two possibilities: one is an oil-based and water-in-oil structure; the other is a water-based, oil-in-water, or water-oil mixture structure. When the olive leaf chocolate product is in the first case, the total oil content is preferably 30% to 50% of the product weight, more preferably 35% to 45%; the moisture content is preferably 0.05% to 10% of the product weight, more preferably 0.1% to 5%. When the olive leaf chocolate product is in the second case, the total oil content is preferably 4% to 15% of the product weight, more preferably 5% to 10%; the moisture content is preferably 30% to 60% of the product weight, more preferably 40% to 55%.

[0031] The present invention provides a method for preparing the olive leaf chocolate product, comprising the following steps: 1) drying and crushing olive leaves to obtain pretreated olive leaves; 2) mixing, grinding or emulsifying, and molding the pretreated olive leaves, chocolate raw materials and natural conditioning materials to obtain the olive leaf chocolate product.

[0032] In this invention, the olive leaf raw material is the leaves of the olive tree, including fresh olive leaves and naturally dried olive leaves. In this invention, the olive leaves are preferably dried and pulverized before being used to make olive leaf chocolate; the drying temperature is preferably 60-100℃, the drying time is preferably 60-240 minutes, and the moisture content of the dried olive leaves is preferably ≤5%. After drying, the olive leaves are crushed and ground into olive leaf powder or olive leaf fragments.

[0033] In this invention, when the olive leaf chocolate product is solid, it is preferably composed of the following raw materials by weight percentage: 5%~50% olive leaf powder, 0%~30% oil, 25%~80% chocolate, and 1%~30% natural conditioning ingredients.

[0034] The preferred preparation method is as follows: The mixing-grinding method involves weighing all the raw materials according to the formula and then grinding them in a ball mill, including the melted chocolate. All the raw materials are ground in the ball mill until the particle size is ≤25μm to obtain olive leaf chocolate paste. After refining, tempering, molding and cooling, solid olive leaf chocolate products are made. Then, after packaging and aging, stable olive leaf chocolate products are obtained.

[0035] Or as follows: The process involves a step-by-step grinding and mixing method. All ingredients except chocolate are weighed according to the formula and placed in a ball mill to grind until the particle size is ≤25μm to obtain olive leaf pulp. Then, according to the formula, the melted chocolate and olive leaf pulp are placed in a high-shear mixing emulsifier and thoroughly mixed and emulsified to obtain olive leaf chocolate paste. After refining, tempering, shaping, and cooling and setting processes, solid olive leaf chocolate products are made. Finally, after packaging and aging processes, stable olive leaf chocolate products are obtained.

[0036] The preferred packaging-aging step is as follows: The prepared chocolate product is packaged, and after packaging, it is left to age for 4-24 hours in an environment of 16℃~20℃ and relative humidity ≤50% to allow the product to reach a stable state.

[0037] In this invention, when the olive leaf chocolate product is semi-solid and exhibits an oil-based and water-in-oil structure, it is preferably composed of the following raw materials in the indicated weight percentages: 5%–50% olive leaf powder, 10%–30% oil, 25%–60% chocolate, 1%–10% water-based ingredients, and 1%–20% natural conditioning ingredients.

[0038] The preferred preparation method is as follows: 1) Preparation of oil-based sauce: Weigh all raw materials except water-based raw materials according to the formula and put them into a ball mill. Grind them in the ball mill until the particle size is ≤25μm. If it is an olive leaf chocolate product with an oil-based structure, the prepared olive chocolate sauce can directly enter step 4) bottling-sterilization step.

[0039] 2) Preparation of water-based raw materials: Weigh and prepare water-based raw materials according to the formula. If it is a juice-type water-based raw material, first use a high-speed blender to grind all the raw materials into juice-type water-based raw materials.

[0040] 3) Mixing and emulsification: The ground oil-based raw materials are placed in a high-shear mixing emulsifier, and the prepared water-based raw materials are added to the emulsifying mixer. The mixture is thoroughly mixed and emulsified to obtain a semi-solid olive chocolate sauce with an oil-in-water structure.

[0041] 4) Filling and Sterilization: Fill the prepared olive chocolate sauce into heat-resistant packaging containers, seal or cap them, and sterilize in a water bath at 90℃~95℃ for 90~120 minutes. After sterilization, quickly cool to room temperature.

[0042] In this invention, when the olive leaf chocolate product is semi-solid and has a water-based and oil-in-water structure, it is preferably composed of the following raw materials in the following mass percentages: 5%~70% olive leaf powder, 0%~5% oil, 25%~40% chocolate, 30%~60% water-based raw materials, and 1%~10% natural conditioning raw materials.

[0043] The preferred preparation method is as follows: 1) Preparation of water-based olive paste: Weigh all ingredients except chocolate according to the recipe, put them into a ball mill, and grind them until the particle size is ≤25μm to make water-based olive paste.

[0044] 2) Prepare the chocolate: Weigh out the chocolate powder or melted chocolate syrup according to the recipe.

[0045] 3) Mixing and emulsification: Add the prepared water-based olive paste and the prepared chocolate to a high-shear mixing emulsifier and mix and emulsify thoroughly to obtain a semi-solid olive chocolate paste with a water-based or oil-in-water structure.

[0046] 4) Filling and Sterilization: Fill the prepared olive chocolate sauce into heat-resistant packaging containers, seal or cap them, and sterilize in a water bath at 90℃~95℃ for 90~120 minutes. After sterilization, quickly cool to room temperature.

[0047] The technical solutions provided by the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the embodiments, but they should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0048] Example 1

[0049] A type of olive leaf dark chocolate that exists in a solid form and has an oil-based structure.

[0050] The ingredient composition (by weight percentage) is as follows: 20% olive leaf powder, 70% dark chocolate, and 10% pineapple powder.

[0051] Dark chocolate contains 72% cocoa solids and 52.5% total fat. It is composed of the following ingredients in order of proportion: cocoa butter, cocoa liquor, maltitol, cocoa powder, oat flour, and phospholipids.

[0052] The above method for preparing olive leaf dark chocolate includes the following steps: 1. Processing and preparing olive leaves: Take fresh olive leaves, wash them, drain them, lay them on a mesh baking tray, and place them in a preheated rotary oven at 80 degrees Celsius for 100 minutes. After removing them, check that the moisture content is 1%. Use a high-speed blender to crush the dried olive leaves to 0.5~1mm. Weigh out the required amount of crushed olive leaves according to the recipe.

[0053] 2. Prepare chocolate and pineapple powder: Melt the dark chocolate in a double boiler, weigh out the melted dark chocolate according to the recipe, and add it to a ball mill with a jacketed insulation layer. Weigh out the pineapple powder according to the recipe and add it to the ball mill.

[0054] 3. Mixing-Grinding-Refining: Turn on the ball mill and set the speed to 500 rpm. Slowly add the prepared chopped olive leaves into the ball mill and continue grinding for 15 minutes, until the chopped olive leaves and pineapple powder are completely incorporated into the chocolate mixture. Set the ball mill speed to 1000 rpm and continue grinding for 4 hours, checking that the chocolate particle size is ≤25μm. Reduce the ball mill speed to 500 rpm and continue running for 4 hours to complete the refining process of the olive leaf dark chocolate. During the mixing, grinding, and refining processes, the temperature of the olive leaf dark chocolate mixture should be controlled at ≤60℃.

[0055] 4. Tempering and Shaping: Temper the olive leaf chocolate on a tempering table, i.e., on a tempering table with a surface temperature of 10℃~12℃. Quickly turn the chocolate liquid to evenly cool the chocolate to 30~31℃. Pour the tempered olive leaf dark chocolate into the chocolate mold, scrape off the excess chocolate on the surface, shake the mold to remove any possible air bubbles, and then put the chocolate mold into a freezer with a temperature of 8℃-12℃ to cool and set for 40 minutes.

[0056] 5. Packaging-Aging: The cooled and set solid olive leaf dark chocolate is sealed in an aluminum foil bag and placed in an environment of 16℃~18℃ and relative humidity ≤50% for 4~12 hours to age and stabilize the product. This yields solid olive leaf dark chocolate.

[0057] The olive leaf dark chocolate made with the above ingredients and preparation method has a total fat content of 37.6%, a total cocoa solids content of 50%, and an olive leaf content of 20%. The addition of freeze-dried pineapple powder balances the unique bitterness of olive leaves and highlights their green leaf flavor, creating a perfect flavor combination with the dark chocolate. It also provides rich olive polyphenols, cocoa polyphenols, vitamins, minerals, and olive fiber.

[0058] Example 2

[0059] A solid, oil-based olive leaf milk chocolate with a high olive leaf content. The ingredient composition (by weight percentage) is as follows: Olive leaf powder 30%, olive oil 3%, cocoa butter 35%, milk chocolate powder 30%, sweet orange powder 1.5%, lecithin 0.5%.

[0060] The milk chocolate powder contains 35% cocoa solids and 20% total fat, and is composed of the following ingredients in order of proportion: milk powder, maltitol, cocoa powder, cocoa liquor, and cocoa butter. It is processed using a three-roll mill to produce chocolate powder with a particle size ≤35μm.

[0061] The preparation method of the above-mentioned olive leaf milk chocolate includes the following steps: 1. Processing and preparing olive leaves: Take fresh olive leaves, wash them, drain them, lay them on a mesh baking tray, and place them in a preheated rotary oven at 80 degrees Celsius for 100 minutes. After removing them, check that the moisture content is 1%. Use a high-speed blender to crush the dried olive leaves to 0.5~1mm. Weigh out the required amount of crushed olive leaves according to the recipe.

[0062] 2. Step-by-step grinding and mixing: According to the recipe, weigh out the olive oil and melted cocoa butter, add them to a ball mill, weigh out the sweet orange powder and add it to the ball mill, then add the weighed olive leaf pieces to the ball mill. Set the ball mill speed to 1200 rpm, turn on the ball mill, and grind for 4 hours until the particle size of the olive leaf paste is ≤25μm. Reduce the ball mill speed to 500 rpm, weigh out the milk chocolate powder according to the recipe, and slowly add it to the ball mill. Continue running for 2 hours until the powdered chocolate is completely dissolved in the olive leaf paste, making an olive leaf milk chocolate syrup. During the grinding and mixing process, adjust the temperature of the jacket water to maintain the syrup temperature between 45℃ and 55℃.

[0063] 3. Emulsification and Refining: Transfer the mixed olive leaf milk chocolate mixture to a high-shear mixing emulsifier, set the speed to 2000 rpm, and run for 1 hour to obtain a fully mixed and emulsified olive leaf milk chocolate mixture. Then transfer the olive leaf milk chocolate to a chocolate refining machine for 4-12 hours of wet refining. After refining, add phospholipids and perform liquefaction treatment for 0.5 hours.

[0064] 4. Tempering and Shaping: Temper the olive leaf milk chocolate on a tempering table, i.e., on a tempering table with a surface temperature of 10℃~12℃. Quickly turn the chocolate liquid to evenly cool the chocolate to 28~29℃. Pour the tempered olive leaf milk chocolate into the chocolate mold, scrape off the excess chocolate on the surface, shake the mold to remove any possible air bubbles, and then put the chocolate mold into a freezer with a temperature of 8℃~12℃ to cool and set for 40 minutes.

[0065] 5. Packaging-Aging: The cooled and shaped solid olive leaf milk chocolate is sealed in an aluminum foil bag and placed in an environment of 16℃~18℃ and relative humidity ≤50% for 12 hours to allow the product to reach a stable state. This yields solid olive leaf milk chocolate.

[0066] The olive leaf milk chocolate made with the above-mentioned raw materials and preparation method has a total fat content of 43%, a total cocoa solids content of 43%, and an olive leaf content of 30%. The milk powder and maltitol in the milk chocolate balance and mask the unique bitterness of the olive leaves, highlighting their green leaf flavor. This, combined with the sweetness of the orange, creates a triple-flavor combination with the milk chocolate. The high olive leaf content provides higher levels of olive polyphenols and olive fiber, while the high cocoa butter and olive oil content provide high levels of unsaturated fatty acids.

[0067] Example 3

[0068] A semi-solid, oil-based olive leaf chocolate sauce.

[0069] The raw material composition (mass percentage) is as follows: 25% olive leaf powder, 30% olive oil, 10% flaxseed oil, 30% dark chocolate chips, and 5% chopped pistachios.

[0070] The dark chocolate powder chips contain 65% cocoa solids and 23% total fat, and are composed of the following ingredients in order of proportion: cocoa liquor, cocoa powder, D-alloxanose powder, cocoa butter, and whey powder. The dark chocolate powder chips are ground using a five-roll mill to produce particles ≤25μm.

[0071] The preparation method of the above-mentioned oil-based olive leaf chocolate sauce includes the following steps: 1. Preparation of oil-based sauce: According to the formula, weigh olive oil and flaxseed oil, add them to a ball mill, weigh and add pre-treated olive leaf powder (processing method see Example 2), dark chocolate powder, and chopped pistachios. Turn on the ball mill, set the speed to 1500 rpm, and run for 5 hours until the particle size of the olive leaf chocolate sauce reaches ≤25μm.

[0072] 2. Canning and Sterilization: Pour the prepared olive leaf chocolate sauce into heat-resistant glass jars, seal them, and immerse the jars in 90°C water, maintaining a constant water temperature, for sterilization for 90 minutes. After sterilization, place the jars in 8-10°C cold water to quickly cool the olive leaf chocolate sauce to room temperature.

[0073] The olive leaf chocolate spread made with the above-mentioned raw materials and preparation method has a total fat content of 47%, total cocoa solids of 19%, olive leaf content of 25%, olive oil content of 30%, and flaxseed oil content of 10%. The characteristics of this olive leaf chocolate spread are: the high content of olive oil and flaxseed oil provides a high content of unsaturated fatty acids; the high content of olive leaves provides higher levels of olive polyphenols and olive fiber; the D-allulose in the chocolate powder (a low-calorie, healthy sweetener with 70% the sweetness of sucrose) balances the bitterness of the olive leaves and the dryness of the cocoa; and the addition of pistachios gives the product a nutty flavor, making the overall flavor richer.

[0074] Example 4

[0075] A semi-solid, water-in-oil structure fig-flavored olive leaf chocolate sauce.

[0076] The raw material composition (mass percentage) is as follows: Olive leaf powder 35%, olive oil 30%, dark chocolate 25%, fig jam 10%.

[0077] Dark chocolate contains 65% cocoa solids and 36.5% total fat, and is composed of the following ingredients in order of proportion: cocoa butter, cocoa liquor, D-allulose, milk powder, cocoa powder, and phospholipids.

[0078] The preparation method of the above-mentioned semi-solid, water-in-oil structure fig-flavored olive leaf chocolate sauce includes the following steps: 1. Preparation of oil-based sauce: According to the formula, olive leaf powder (preparation method as described in Example 1), olive oil, and melted chocolate are added to a fine grinder. The ball mill is turned on, the ball mill speed is set to 1500 rpm, the jacket insulation water temperature is set to 30°C, and it is run for 5 hours until the particle size of the olive leaf chocolate sauce reaches ≤25μm, thus obtaining the olive leaf chocolate sauce.

[0079] 2. Preparation of water-based raw materials: Using a high-speed blender, process the fig pulp into fig jam according to the ratio of fig pulp to drinking water = 1:0.5. Weigh the fig jam according to the recipe.

[0080] 3. Mixing and Emulsification: Add the prepared oil-based raw material, namely olive leaf chocolate sauce, to a high-shear mixing emulsifier. Set the speed to 3000 rpm, and slowly add the prepared water-based raw material, namely fig jam, to the high-shear mixing emulsifier. After the addition is complete, continue running for 45 minutes until the fig jam is completely mixed and emulsified into the olive leaf chocolate sauce, thus obtaining fig-flavored olive leaf chocolate sauce.

[0081] 4. Canning and Sterilization: Pour the prepared fig-flavored olive leaf chocolate sauce into heat-resistant glass jars, seal them, and immerse the jars in 90°C water, maintaining a constant water temperature, for sterilization for 90 minutes. After sterilization, place the jars in 8-10°C cold water to quickly cool the fig-flavored olive leaf chocolate sauce to room temperature.

[0082] The fig-flavored olive leaf chocolate spread made with the above-mentioned raw materials and preparation method has a total fat content of 39.125%, a moisture content of approximately 6.5%-7%, a total cocoa solids content of 16%, an olive leaf content of 35%, and an olive oil content of 30%. The characteristics of this olive leaf chocolate spread are as follows: In terms of health and nutrition, the high content of olive oil provides a high level of unsaturated fatty acids, and the high content of olive leaves provides higher levels of olive polyphenols and dietary fiber. Figs provide vitamins C and B, as well as dietary fiber. In terms of taste and flavor, the figs, along with D-allulose (a low-calorie, healthy sweetener with 70% the sweetness of sucrose) in the chocolate, balance the bitterness of the olive leaves, resulting in a richer flavor. It is a low-calorie, high-antioxidant, high-fiber, healthy fig-flavored olive leaf chocolate spread and filling.

[0083] Example 5

[0084] A water-in-oil emulsion, blueberry-flavored olive leaf chocolate sauce.

[0085] The raw material composition (mass percentage) is as follows: 30% olive leaf powder, 30% blueberry juice (30% solids), 10% apple juice (20% solids), and 30% dark chocolate shavings.

[0086] The dark chocolate powder contains 65% cocoa solids and 25% total fat, and is composed of the following ingredients in order of proportion: cocoa liquor, cocoa powder, cocoa butter, maltitol, and whey powder. It is dark chocolate powder with a particle size ≤25μm, produced by grinding using a five-roll mill.

[0087] The preparation method for the above-mentioned blueberry-flavored olive leaf chocolate sauce is as follows: 1. Preparation of water-based blueberry-flavored olive leaf jam: According to the formula, weigh out the required olive leaf powder, blueberry juice, and apple juice, and add them to a ball mill. Set the ball mill speed to 1000 rpm and run for 5 hours until the particle size of the slurry reaches ≤25μm; 2. Prepare the chocolate: Weigh out the dark chocolate powder according to the recipe proportions; 3. Mixing and Emulsification: Add the prepared blueberry-flavored olive oil to a high-shear mixing emulsifier, set the speed to 3000 rpm, start the equipment, and gradually and continuously add dark chocolate powder. After the addition is complete, continue running for 1 hour until complete emulsification, to obtain blueberry-flavored olive leaf chocolate sauce.

[0088] 4. Canning and Sterilization: Pour the prepared blueberry-flavored olive leaf chocolate sauce into heat-resistant glass jars, seal them, and immerse the jars in 90°C water, maintaining a constant water temperature, for sterilization for 90 minutes. After sterilization, place the jars in 8-10°C cold water to quickly cool the blueberry-flavored olive leaf chocolate sauce to room temperature.

[0089] The blueberry olive leaf chocolate spread made with the above-mentioned raw materials and preparation method has a total fat content of 7.5% and a moisture content of approximately 28.5%, making it an oil-in-water blueberry flavored olive leaf chocolate spread. Its total cocoa solids are 19.5%, and its olive leaf content is 30%. The characteristics of this blueberry olive leaf chocolate spread are as follows: In terms of health and nutrition, the high content of olive oil provides a high level of unsaturated fatty acids, and the high content of olive leaves provides higher levels of olive polyphenols and dietary fiber. The addition of blueberries and apples further enriches it with anthocyanins, vitamin C, and dietary fiber. In terms of taste and flavor, the blueberries and apples, along with D-allulose (a low-calorie, healthy sweetener with 70% the sweetness of sucrose) in the chocolate, balance the bitterness of the olive leaves, resulting in a richer flavor. This is a low-calorie, high-antioxidant, high-fiber blueberry olive leaf chocolate spread with eye-protecting properties. Because this blueberry olive leaf chocolate spread has an oil-in-water structure and a very low fat content, it can be used directly as a spread for baked goods, as a filling for candies, chocolates, and baked goods, and as an ingredient for making blueberry olive leaf chocolate drinks.

[0090] Example 6

[0091] A solid form of citrus yogurt olive leaf chocolate.

[0092] The raw material composition (mass percentage) is as follows: Olive leaves 15%, cocoa butter 15%, white chocolate 45%, freeze-dried citrus powder 10%, unsweetened yogurt powder 10%, freeze-dried citrus fruit pieces 4.5%, lecithin 0.5%.

[0093] The total fat content of white chocolate is 32%, and it is composed of the following ingredients in order of proportion: cocoa butter, milk powder, D-alloxanose powder, whey powder, and phospholipids.

[0094] The preparation method of the above-mentioned citrus yogurt olive leaf chocolate is as follows: 1. Processing and preparing olive leaves: Take fresh olive leaves, wash them, drain them, lay them on a mesh baking tray, and place them in a preheated rotary oven at 80 degrees Celsius for 100 minutes. After removing them, check that the moisture content is 1%. Use a high-speed blender to crush the dried olive leaves to 0.5~1mm. Weigh out the required amount of crushed olive leaves according to the recipe.

[0095] 2. Prepare chocolate and other natural ingredients: a) Weigh the freeze-dried citrus powder and unsweetened yogurt powder according to the formula, and mix them with the prepared olive leaf powder to make a premixed powder.

[0096] b) Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler at 50°C, stirring gently until completely melted and without separation.

[0097] 3. Mixing-Grinding-Refining: According to the recipe, add cocoa butter to the ball mill, then add the weighed white chocolate according to the recipe. Turn on the ball mill and set the speed to 500 rpm, gradually and continuously adding the premixed powder. After the premixed powder is added, increase the ball mill speed to 1500 rpm and run for 5 hours until the chocolate syrup particle size is ≤25μm. Add the recipe's amount of phospholipids to the ball mill, reduce the speed to 800 rpm, and emulsify for 1 hour. Then reduce the speed to 500 rpm and run for 4 hours to wet refine the chocolate syrup.

[0098] 4. Tempering and Shaping: Place the refined citrus yogurt olive leaf chocolate into a three-stage tempering machine, setting the three temperatures to 35℃, 27℃, and 30℃ respectively. During this process, temper the chocolate mold to a temperature between 30-32℃. According to the recipe, sprinkle freeze-dried citrus pieces into the concave spaces of the mold. Once the citrus yogurt olive leaf chocolate has reached a stable tempering state, pour it into the concave spaces of the chocolate mold, scrape off any excess, and vibrate the mold to rise the freeze-dried citrus pieces at the bottom, while simultaneously removing any air bubbles. Then, place the mold in a freezer at 8℃-12℃ to cool and set for 40 minutes.

[0099] 5. Packaging-Aging: Remove the cooled and set citrus yogurt olive leaf chocolate from the mold, seal it in an aluminum foil bag, and place it in an environment of 16℃~18℃ and relative humidity ≤50% for 4 hours to allow the product to reach a stable state. This yields a solid citrus yogurt olive leaf chocolate.

[0100] The citrus yogurt olive leaf chocolate made with the above-mentioned ingredients and preparation method has a total fat content of 29.5%, total cocoa solids (cocoa butter) of 22%, and olive leaf content of 15%. The addition of citrus powder and yogurt powder, combined with milk powder and D-allulose in white chocolate, balances the unique bitterness of olive leaves, providing a rich, refreshing, sweet and sour taste, and a strong flavor of citrus, green olive leaves, and fermented yogurt. In terms of antioxidant benefits, it provides abundant olive polyphenols, unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and olive fiber, while also increasing probiotics to support intestinal function, making it a uniquely flavorful and healthy citrus yogurt olive leaf chocolate.

[0101] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principle of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An olive leaf chocolate product, characterized in that, It includes the following components by weight: 5-70 parts olive leaf raw material, 20-85 parts chocolate raw material, and 1-30 parts natural conditioning ingredients.

2. The olive leaf chocolate product according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes 25 to 45 parts of oils, which include one or more of olive oil, flaxseed oil, perilla oil, tea tree oil, avocado oil, cocoa butter, and phospholipids.

3. The olive leaf chocolate product according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes 1 to 60 parts of water-based raw materials, which include one or more of water, fruit juice, vegetable juice and tea juice.

4. The olive leaf chocolate product according to claim 1, characterized in that, The chocolate ingredients include dark chocolate, white chocolate, or milk chocolate.

5. The olive leaf chocolate product according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The natural conditioning ingredients include one or more of the following: fruits, nuts, vegetables, seaweed, grains, and legumes.

6. The olive leaf chocolate product according to claim 1, characterized in that, The olive leaf chocolate product is solid or semi-solid.

7. The olive leaf chocolate product according to claim 6, characterized in that, When the olive leaf chocolate product is solid, the total fat content is 25% to 45% of the weight of the olive leaf chocolate product, and the moisture content is 0.05% to 3% of the weight of the olive leaf chocolate product; when the olive leaf chocolate product is semi-solid, the total fat content is 4% to 50% of the weight of the olive leaf chocolate product, and the moisture content is 0.05% to 60% of the weight of the olive leaf chocolate product.

8. A method for preparing olive leaf chocolate products according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: 1) The olive leaves are dried and crushed to obtain pretreated olive leaves; 2) Mix, grind or emulsify, and shape the pretreated olive leaves, chocolate raw materials and natural conditioning ingredients to obtain the olive leaf chocolate product.

9. The preparation method according to claim 8, characterized in that, Step 1) The drying temperature is 60~100℃, the drying time is 60~240min, and the moisture content of the pretreated olive leaves is ≤5%.

10. The preparation method according to claim 8, characterized in that, Step 2) The particle size of the mixed raw materials is ≤25μm.