A process for the preparation of milk chocolate from a cocoa butter equivalent

Abstract

The application discloses a preparation method of milk chocolate prepared from cocoa butter substitute, and particularly relates to the chocolate production field, and comprises the following raw materials in parts by weight: 25-40 parts of composite cocoa butter substitute base, 30-45 parts of white granulated sugar, 8-15 parts of whey powder, 10-20 parts of full-fat milk powder, 5-10 parts of dietary fiber microcapsules, 0.5-2 parts of composite emulsifier, 0.1-0.5 parts of crystal form stabilizer, 0.1-0.8 parts of edible salt and 0.05-0.3 parts of food essence. The application is prepared by compounding sunflower oil / ethyl cellulose oil gel with 50% cocoa butter, combining the crystal form stabilizer and the four-stage temperature-adjusting crystallization process, so that the blooming area of the cocoa butter substitute chocolate is far less than the blooming area of the prior art after the cocoa butter substitute chocolate is stored at 20 DEG C for 30 days; and the composite cocoa butter substitute base simulates the multi-stage melting curve of the natural cocoa butter, and the product has the melting speed of fast first and slow later in the oral cavity in combination with the slow-release effect of the dietary fiber microcapsules, and the flavor is released for a long time.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of chocolate making technology, and more specifically, to a method for preparing milk chocolate using cocoa butter substitute. Background Technology

[0002] Existing technologies use hydrogenated palm kernel oil as a cocoa butter substitute, employing a two-stage grinding process of coarse and fine grinding to control particle size, thus improving the product's lubricity and smoothness. However, this technology still has the following shortcomings:

[0003] 1) Cocoa butter substitute chocolate is prone to fat crystal transformation during storage, resulting in bloom on the surface, which affects the product's appearance and taste;

[0004] 2) Chocolate made with hydrogenated palm kernel oil melts too quickly in the mouth and lacks the multi-stage melting characteristics of natural cocoa butter;

[0005] 3) The product has a hard texture and lacks crispness, resulting in a sensory difference compared to traditional chocolate;

[0006] 4) Lack of utilization of dietary fiber, resulting in a lack of nutritional diversity in the product.

[0007] Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a new preparation method that can effectively solve the problem of blooming in cocoa butter substitute chocolate, improve its taste and texture, and enhance its nutritional value. Summary of the Invention

[0008] In order to overcome the above-mentioned defects of the prior art, the embodiments of the present invention provide a method for preparing milk chocolate using cocoa butter substitute. The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is: how to solve the problems of easy blooming, monotonous taste, poor texture and nutritional imbalance of existing cocoa butter substitute milk chocolate through raw material compounding and process innovation.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a method for preparing milk chocolate using cocoa butter substitute, comprising the following raw materials in parts by weight: 25-40 parts of compound cocoa butter substitute base, 30-45 parts of white sugar, 8-15 parts of whey powder, 10-20 parts of whole milk powder, 5-10 parts of dietary fiber microcapsules, 0.5-2 parts of compound emulsifier, 0.1-0.5 parts of crystal stabilizer, 0.1-0.8 parts of edible salt, and 0.05-0.3 parts of food flavoring.

[0010] The composite cocoa butter substitute base is made by blending sunflower oil / ethyl cellulose oleogel and 50% cocoa butter in a mass ratio of 1:1 to 3:1.

[0011] The dietary fiber microcapsules are prepared by spray drying encapsulation of inulin, polydextrose, and gum arabic. Inulin and polydextrose, as water-soluble dietary fibers, not only increase the product's satiety and health benefits but also regulate the texture of the chocolate. Microencapsulation isolates the dietary fiber from the oils, preventing the fiber from directly absorbing the oils and causing the chocolate to become too dry.

[0012] The preparation method includes the following steps:

[0013] Step S1, Oil Phase Preparation: Heat the composite cocoa butter substitute to 50-60℃ until completely melted, add the crystal stabilizer, and stir at 200-400 rpm for 10-15 minutes to obtain the oil phase. The crystal stabilizer can induce the cocoa butter substitute to form a stable oil phase. Crystal form, delaying the transformation to Crystal form transformation, thereby inhibiting blooming.

[0014] Step S2, Powder Pretreatment: Mix granulated sugar, whey powder, whole milk powder, and edible salt, then grind until the particle size is ≤30μm to obtain powder. Pre-refining the powder can shorten the subsequent grinding time and improve efficiency.

[0015] Step S3, Stepwise Shear Emulsification: The powder obtained in step S2 is added to the oil phase in step S1 in three parts. After each addition, shear emulsification is performed at 600-800 rpm for 5-8 minutes to obtain an initial mixture. Stepwise addition can avoid powder agglomeration and improve dispersion uniformity.

[0016] Step S4: Add functional components: Add the compound emulsifier and food flavoring to the initial mixture, and shear at 1000-1200 rpm for 10-15 minutes at 40-50℃. Then add the dietary fiber microcapsules and stir evenly. High-speed shearing allows the emulsifier to be fully adsorbed at the oil-water interface, reducing interfacial tension and improving system stability.

[0017] Step S5, Three-stage fine grinding: The mixture obtained in step S4 is ground through a three-stage fine grinding system to control the final particle size D90 ≤ 18μm and the viscosity between 3000 and 5000 cP. The three-stage fine grinding includes coarse grinding in a colloid mill, medium grinding in a ball mill, and fine grinding in a high-pressure homogenizer, which can achieve a narrower particle size distribution and improve the taste.

[0018] Step S6, Vacuum Degassing: Degas the finely ground material in a vacuum degassing tank for 15–30 minutes at a vacuum level of -0.08 to -0.095 MPa. Degassing removes air mixed in during the grinding process, prevents pores in the product, and improves surface gloss.

[0019] Step S7, Temperature-Controlled Crystallization: The degassed material is subjected to temperature-controlled crystallization. The temperature control curve is as follows: first, cool to 28–30°C and hold for 5–10 minutes; then cool to 26–27°C and hold for 10–15 minutes; then heat to 29–30°C; and finally cool to 22–25°C to form the crystal. This four-stage temperature-controlled process can promote crystallization. The advantages of crystal form are formed, and the crystal form of the product is stabilized.

[0020] Step S8, Packaging: Pack the shaped chocolate at 18-22℃ and 50%-60% relative humidity.

[0021] The technical effects and advantages of this invention are as follows:

[0022] 1. The present invention combines sunflower oil / ethyl cellulose oleogel with 50% cocoa butter, along with crystal stabilizers and a four-stage temperature-controlled crystallization process, so that the surface bloom area of ​​the cocoa butter substitute chocolate after storage at 20°C for 30 days is much smaller than that of the prior art; and the composite cocoa butter substitute base simulates the multi-stage melting curve of natural cocoa butter, combined with the sustained-release effect of dietary fiber microcapsules, so that the product has a melting speed that is fast at first and then slow in the mouth, and the flavor release is long-lasting.

[0023] 2. In this invention, the three-stage fine grinding plus ultrasonic-assisted treatment narrows the particle size distribution of the material, improves the product's brittle fracture strength, and makes the taste closer to high-end chocolate. The added dietary fiber microcapsules meet the standards for high-fiber foods without affecting the taste. The cost of cocoa butter substitute is lower than that of natural cocoa butter, and the process optimization improves the utilization rate of raw materials and reduces the overall production cost. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the embodiments thereof. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0025] Example 1:

[0026] This embodiment provides a method for preparing milk chocolate using cocoa butter substitute. The specific raw materials are as follows by weight: 32 parts of compound cocoa butter substitute base (a mixture of sunflower oil ethyl cellulose oil gel and 50% cocoa butter in a mass ratio of 1:1 to 3:1), 38 parts of white sugar, 12 parts of whey powder, 15 parts of whole milk powder, 8 parts of dietary fiber microcapsules, 1.2 parts of compound emulsifier (soybean lecithin: polyglycerol ricinoleate: sucrose fatty acid ester = 6:2:2), 0.3 parts of crystal stabilizer (sorbitan tristearate: polyethylene glycol 4000 = 1:1), 0.4 parts of edible salt, and 0.2 parts of vanilla flavoring.

[0027] Preparation of dietary fiber microcapsules: Inulin and polydextrose were dissolved in deionized water at a mass ratio of 2:1, with a solid content of 30%. Gum arabic was added as the wall material, with a wall-to-core ratio of 1:2. Microencapsulation was carried out using a spray dryer with an inlet air temperature of 170℃ and an outlet air temperature of 85℃ to obtain microcapsules with a particle size of 20μm.

[0028] The preparation steps are as follows:

[0029] Step S1: Heat the composite cocoa butter substitute to 55°C until completely melted, add the crystal stabilizer, and stir at 300 rpm for 12 minutes to obtain the oil phase.

[0030] Step S2: Mix white sugar, whey powder, whole milk powder and edible salt and grind until the particle size is ≤30μm.

[0031] Step S3: Add the powder to the oil phase in three parts: first, add 40%, shear emulsify at 700 rpm for 7 min; second, add 35%, shear emulsify at 700 rpm for 6 min; third, add 25%, shear emulsify at 700 rpm for 5 min.

[0032] Step S4: Add compound emulsifier and flavoring, shear at 1100 rpm for 12 minutes at 45°C, then add dietary fiber microcapsules and stir well.

[0033] Step S5: Three-stage fine grinding: First stage: colloid mill with 55μm grinding disc gap; Second stage: ball mill with 2mm diameter grinding balls made of zirconia; Third stage: high-pressure homogenizer with a homogenization pressure of 40MPa. Final particle size D90 = 16.5μm, viscosity 4200cP.

[0034] Step S6: Vacuum degassing for 25 minutes, vacuum degree -0.09MPa.

[0035] Step S7: Temperature-controlled crystallization: Cool to 29°C and hold for 8 minutes, then cool to 26.5°C and hold for 12 minutes, raise the temperature to 29.5°C, and finally cool to 24°C to form the crystal.

[0036] Step S8: Packaging at 20℃ and RH55%.

[0037] Example 2

[0038] The difference between this embodiment and Example 1 is that the mass ratio of sunflower oil / ethyl cellulose oleogel to 50% cocoa butter in the composite cocoa butter substitute base is 1:1; the amount of dietary fiber microcapsules added is 5 parts; and ultrasonic-assisted treatment is added after three-stage fine grinding: ultrasonic frequency 30kHz, power density 0.8W / mL, treatment time 15min, temperature 48℃, and other conditions are the same.

[0039] Example 3

[0040] The difference between this embodiment and Example 1 is that the mass ratio of the composite sunflower oil / ethyl cellulose oil gel to 50% cocoa butter is 5:1; the amount of dietary fiber microcapsules added is 10 parts; and the temperature-controlled crystallization uses a continuous scraper crystallizer with a scraper speed of 25 r / min and a residence time of 35 min. All other conditions are the same.

[0041] Comparative Example 1

[0042] It uses a single composite sunflower oil / ethyl cellulose oleogel as a cocoa butter substitute, without dietary fiber microcapsules or crystal stabilizers. It is ground in two stages (fine mill + ball mill) to a particle size of 18μm, without vacuum degassing, and simply cooled and shaped.

[0043] Comparative Example 2 (without stepwise shear emulsification)

[0044] Compared with Example 1, in step S3, all the powder is added at once, and stepwise shearing and emulsification are not performed.

[0045] Comparative Example 3 (without temperature-controlled crystallization)

[0046] Compared with Example 1, step S7 is changed to direct cooling to 24°C for molding, without four-stage temperature adjustment.

[0047] The milk chocolates prepared in Examples 1-3 and Comparative Examples 1-3 were subjected to the following tests, and the results are shown in Table 1:

[0048] Test method:

[0049] Particle size D90: Laser particle size analyzer.

[0050] Surface gloss: Gloss meter, average value of 10 points.

[0051] Frosting area: After 30 days of storage at 20℃ and 50%RH, the proportion of frost-covered areas was visually inspected and analyzed using images.

[0052] Brittle fracture force: Three-point bending test, probe speed 1mm / s, sample size 20×20×10mm.

[0053] Melting rate: The time for complete melting of the sample was recorded using an oral cavity thermostat (37°C).

[0054] Sensory evaluation: 20 professional tasters, out of a maximum of 10 points, evaluated the smoothness of the texture, flavor release, and sweetness.

[0055] Table 1. Performance comparison between each embodiment and the comparative example

[0056] Particle size D90 (μm) 16.5 15.8 17.2 18.3 19.5 16.9 Surface gloss (GU) 91 93 89 72 78 81 Area affected by frost in 30 days (%) 3.2 2.8 4.1 35.6 18.3 22.7 Brittle fracture force (N) 28.5 32.1 26.8 18.2 22.4 21.9 Complete melting time at 37℃ (s) 48 45 52 32 41 38 Sensory rating (out of 10) 8.7 9.1 8.2 5.9 6.8 6.5 Dietary fiber content (g / 100g) 6.2 4.1 7.8 0 5.9 6.0

[0057] As shown in Table 1, Examples 1-3 were significantly superior to the Comparative Examples in terms of gloss, anti-blooming properties, brittleness, melting time, and sensory evaluation. Example 2, due to the addition of ultrasonic-assisted treatment, had the finest particle size, the highest gloss (93 GU), the smallest blooming area (2.8%), the highest brittle fracture force (32.1 N), and the highest sensory evaluation. Example 1, with its excellent overall performance and low cost, is the optimal implementation method. Comparative Example 1, lacking a crystal stabilizer and temperature control process, suffered from severe blooming and poor taste. Comparative Example 2, due to uneven dispersion caused by a single addition, had a larger particle size and decreased performance. Comparative Example 3, with direct cooling, resulted in unstable crystal structure and a blooming area of ​​22.7%.

[0058] The chocolates from Examples 1, 2, and Comparative Example 1 were stored at 15°C, 20°C, 25°C, and 30°C for 90 days, respectively, with changes in surface bloom area and hardness measured every 30 days. The results are shown in Table 2.

[0059] Table 2. Changes in frosting area at different storage temperatures (%)

[0060] Example 1 15℃ 0.1 0.3 0.8 Example 1 20℃ 0.5 1.2 3.2 Example 1 25℃ 1.2 2.8 6.5 Example 1 30℃ 2.5 5.6 10.2 Example 2 20℃ 0.3 1.0 2.8 Comparative Example 1 20℃ 8.2 21.3 35.6

[0061] As shown in Table 2, the frost area of ​​Example 1 of the present invention was ≤3.2% after 90 days of storage below 20°C, and only 6.5% at 25°C, which is far superior to Comparative Example 1. Example 2 showed even better performance due to the further stabilization of the crystal form by ultrasonic treatment.

[0062] Texture profile analysis (TPA) was used to test Example 1 and Comparative Example 1. The parameters were: probe P / 50, compression ratio 50%, and test speed 1 mm / s. The results are shown in Table 3.

[0063] Table 3 TPA texture parameters

[0064] Example 1 42.3 28.5 0.52 0.48 11.2 Comparative Example 1 35.6 18.2 0.38 0.35 6.8

[0065] The hardness and brittleness of Embodiment 1 of the present invention are significantly improved, while the cohesiveness and elasticity are moderate, resulting in a better chewing experience.

[0066] In summary, the present invention provides a method for preparing milk chocolate using cocoa butter substitute. Through raw material compounding (compound cocoa butter substitute base, dietary fiber microcapsules, crystal stabilizer), process innovation (stepwise shear emulsification, three-stage fine grinding, vacuum degassing, four-stage temperature-controlled crystallization), and optional ultrasonic-assisted treatment, it successfully solves the problems of existing cocoa butter substitute chocolates being prone to blooming, having poor taste, and undesirable texture. At the same time, it increases the health attributes of dietary fiber, significantly reduces production costs, and has extremely high industrial application value and market prospects.

[0067] In conclusion, the above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for preparing milk chocolate using cocoa butter substitute, characterized in that, The ingredients include the following parts by weight: 25-40 parts of compound cocoa butter substitute, 30-45 parts of white sugar, 8-15 parts of whey powder, 10-20 parts of whole milk powder, 5-10 parts of dietary fiber microcapsules, 0.5-2 parts of compound emulsifier, 0.1-0.5 parts of crystal stabilizer, 0.1-0.8 parts of edible salt, and 0.05-0.3 parts of food flavoring; The composite cocoa butter substitute base is made by blending sunflower oil / ethyl cellulose oleogel and 50% cocoa butter in a mass ratio of 1:1 to 3:

1. The dietary fiber microcapsules were prepared by spray drying encapsulation technology using inulin, polydextrose and gum arabic. The preparation method includes the following steps: Step S1: Heat the composite cocoa butter substitute to 50-60°C until completely melted, add the crystal stabilizer, and stir at 200-400 rpm for 10-15 minutes to obtain the oil phase; Step S2: Mix white sugar, whey powder, whole milk powder and edible salt in proportion and grind until the particle size is ≤30μm to obtain powder; Step S3: Add the powder obtained in step S2 to the oil phase in step S1 in three parts. After each addition, shear emulsify at 600-800 rpm for 5-8 minutes to obtain the initial mixture. Step S4: Add compound emulsifier and food flavoring to the initial mixture, and shear at high speed of 1000-1200 rpm for 10-15 minutes at 40-50℃. Then add dietary fiber microcapsules and stir evenly. Step S5: Grind the mixture obtained in step S4 through a three-stage fine grinding system to control the final material particle size D90≤18μm and the viscosity between 3000 and 5000cP. Step S6: Degas the finely ground material in a vacuum degassing tank for 15-30 minutes, with a vacuum degree of -0.08 to -0.095 MPa; Step S7: The degassed material is subjected to temperature-controlled crystallization. The temperature-controlled curve is as follows: first cool to 28-30℃ and hold for 5-10 minutes, then cool to 26-27℃ and hold for 10-15 minutes, then heat to 29-30℃ and finally cool to 22-25℃ to form the crystal. Step S8: Package the shaped chocolate at 18-22℃ and 50%-60% relative humidity.

2. The method for preparing milk chocolate using cocoa butter substitute according to claim 1, characterized in that: The composite emulsifier is composed of soybean lecithin, polyglycerol ricinoleate, and sucrose fatty acid ester in a mass ratio of 6:2:

2.

3. The method for preparing milk chocolate using cocoa butter substitute according to claim 1, characterized in that: The crystal stabilizer is a mixture of sorbitan tristearate and polyethylene glycol 4000 in a mass ratio of 1:

1.

4. The method for preparing milk chocolate using cocoa butter substitute according to claim 1, characterized in that: The three-stage fine grinding system in step S5 includes: the first stage is a colloid mill with a grinding disc gap of 50-60 μm; the second stage is a ball mill with a grinding ball diameter of 1.5-2.5 mm and the grinding ball material is zirconium oxide; and the third stage is a high-pressure homogenizer with a homogenization pressure of 30-50 MPa.

5. The method for preparing milk chocolate using cocoa butter substitute according to claim 1, characterized in that: The specific operation of adding powder in three stages in step S3 is as follows: the first addition is 40% of the total amount, followed by shearing and emulsification for 8 minutes; the second addition is 35% of the total amount, followed by shearing and emulsification for 6 minutes; and the third addition is 25% of the total amount, followed by shearing and emulsification for 5 minutes.

6. The method for preparing milk chocolate using cocoa butter substitute according to claim 1, characterized in that: The method for preparing the dietary fiber microcapsules is as follows: inulin and polydextrose are dissolved in deionized water at a mass ratio of 2:1, with a solid content of 30%. Gum arabic is added as a wall material, with a wall-to-core ratio of 1:

2. Microencapsulation is carried out using a spray dryer with an inlet air temperature of 160-180℃ and an outlet air temperature of 80-90℃ to obtain microcapsules with a particle size of 10-30μm.

7. The method for preparing milk chocolate using cocoa butter substitute according to claim 1, characterized in that: The temperature-controlled crystallization process in step S7 uses a continuous scraper crystallizer with a scraper rotation speed of 20-30 r / min and a material residence time of 30-40 min.

8. The method for preparing milk chocolate using cocoa butter substitute according to claim 1, characterized in that: The preparation method also includes an ultrasonic-assisted treatment step after step S5 and before step S6: the finely ground material is placed in an ultrasonic reactor, the ultrasonic frequency is 20-40kHz, the ultrasonic power density is 0.5-1.0W / mL, the treatment time is 10-20min, and the temperature is controlled at 45-50℃.