Powdery seeding agent

Abstract

To provide a seeding agent that contains cocoa butter as a main ingredient, which allows stable tempering even in a high temperature range.SOLUTION: A powdery seeding agent contains cocoa butter as a main ingredient, and has a particle size of 30 μm or more and 140 μm or less.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a powdered seeding agent for use in the tempering of chocolate. [Background technology]

[0002] Tempered chocolate, which uses cocoa butter or hard butter, requires stable tempering during its manufacturing process. If there is a defect in this tempering, it will have a significant effect on the physical properties of the chocolate, such as a decrease in flavor when eaten and easy melting. Therefore, in order to achieve stable tempering, it has been common to add seeding agents such as chocolate powder and fat crystals.

[0003] Many seeding agents are derived from vegetable oils and fats. For example, a vegetable oil-derived seeding agent containing stable crystals of BOB in a paste-like oil and fat is known (Patent Document 1). However, when using such vegetable oil-derived seeding agents, the chocolate product labeling must state "vegetable oil and fat", which many chocolate manufacturers do not like. In contrast, if a cocoa butter-derived seeding agent is used, the chocolate product labeling can state "cocoa butter". Therefore, there is an increasing need for seeding agents made from cocoa butter.

[0004] In addition, the higher the temperature of the melted chocolate, the lower the viscosity of the chocolate. Since the lower the viscosity of the chocolate, the easier it is to work with during processing such as molding, the higher the temperature of the melted chocolate, the better the workability during processing of the chocolate. However, when tempering melted chocolate by adding a seeding agent, if the temperature of the chocolate is too high, the function of the seeding agent is lost and stable tempering cannot be performed. Therefore, there has been a demand for the development of a seeding agent that can perform stable tempering even at high temperatures. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-025489 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a seeding agent made primarily from cocoa butter, which is capable of performing stable tempering even in a high temperature range. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] As a result of intensive research into the above-mentioned problems, the inventors discovered that in the production of a seeding agent using cocoa butter as the main raw material, by controlling the particle size within a specific range, a seeding agent capable of stable tempering even at high temperatures can be obtained, and thus completed the present invention.

[0008] That is, the present invention may include the following aspects. [1] A powdered seeding agent whose main ingredient is cocoa butter, having a particle diameter of 30 μm. [2] A chocolate obtained by adding the powdered seeding agent according to [1] to a chocolate dough. [3] A method for producing chocolate, comprising adding the powdered seeding agent described in [1] to a chocolate dough and tempering it. [4] A tempering method comprising adding the powdered seeding agent described in [1] to a chocolate dough. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a seeding agent made primarily from cocoa butter, which is capable of performing stable tempering even in a high temperature range. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] The present invention will be described in detail below. The "powdered seeding agent made mainly from cocoa butter" of the present invention is characterized in that the particle size is 30 μm or more and 140 μm or less.

[0011] The "cocoa butter" of the present invention is obtained by processing cocoa mass in a conventional manner. Cocoa mass is obtained by crushing cocoa beans, removing the bean shells and embryos, and grinding the endosperm (cocoa nibs). Any cocoa butter can be used as the "cocoa butter," but it is preferable to use one that has been subjected to a refining process, such as deodorization and decolorization, since this reduces the effect of the seeding agent on the flavor of the chocolate. In addition, the use of the aforementioned "cocoa butter" has the advantage that the chocolate product can be labeled as "cocoa butter."

[0012] In addition, "chocolate" in the present invention is not limited by the "Fair Competition Code for the Labeling of Chocolates" (National Chocolate Industry Fair Trade Council) or legal regulations, but refers to a product made from fats and oils (cocoa butter, etc.), sugars, and dairy products as main ingredients, with cacao content (cacao mass, cocoa powder, etc.), flavorings, emulsifiers (lecithin, etc.) added as necessary, and manufactured through chocolate manufacturing processes (all or part of the mixing process, refining process, conching process, tempering process, molding process, cooling process, etc.). In addition, in the present invention, "chocolate dough" refers to the mixture of raw materials up to the refining process in the manufacturing process.

[0013] The "chocolate" in the present invention may be any of dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate, and colored chocolate. It is known that milk chocolate, white chocolate, and colored chocolate, which generally contain milk fat, have a lower melting point due to a decrease in the eutectic mixture between cocoa butter and milk fat, and therefore a lower crystal nucleation temperature and require a longer tempering time. Therefore, the "chocolate" in the present invention is preferably milk chocolate, white chocolate, or colored chocolate. The chocolate in the present invention is preferably a tempering type chocolate.

[0014] In the present invention, "tempering" refers to an operation for generating crystal nuclei of stable crystals in a molten chocolate dough. By tempering, the cooled and solidified chocolate can maintain cocoa butter, which can have various crystal structures, in a stable crystalline state. Specifically, tempering is known as an operation for lowering the product temperature of a chocolate dough melted at, for example, 40 to 50°C to about 27 to 28°C, and then heating it again to about 29 to 31°C.

[0015] If the amount of stable crystals produced by tempering is appropriate, the chocolate dough will solidify faster when cooled. In addition, the chocolate dough will undergo sufficient volume shrinkage as it solidifies. Therefore, the solidified chocolate can be easily released from the mold and demolded. Furthermore, the occurrence of fat bloom (a phenomenon in which white speckled fat crystals form on the surface of chocolate, hereafter referred to as "bloom") is suppressed. The resulting chocolate not only has an excellent luster, but also has good bloom resistance during storage. Such an appropriate tempering state is called "proper temper."

[0016] On the other hand, if the amount of stable crystals produced by tempering is too small, blooming often occurs in the chocolate after cooling and solidifying. The resulting chocolate also has reduced bloom resistance during storage. Even if no blooming occurs during production, blooming may occur in a short period of time during storage. This tempering state is called "under-tempered."

[0017] In addition, if the amount of stable crystals produced by tempering is too large, the texture of the chocolate will become coarse. This may also reduce the bloom resistance of the chocolate during storage. This type of tempering state is called "over-tempered." In chocolate manufacturing, it is important to properly manage the tempering state to avoid under-tempering and over-tempering.

[0018] Traditionally, the management of the tempering state has relied on the experience of the operator, but now, a method has been developed in which the tempering state is managed by a numerical value (temper index) using a temper meter. The temper index is a pattern of the amount of heat generated by cooling the chocolate dough and crystallizing the fats and oils in the chocolate dough over time. The temper index is used as an index to indicate the tempering state. For example, a temper index of less than 4.0 is under-tempered, indicating a state in which stable crystals are insufficient. A temper index of 4.0 or more but less than 7.0 is proper tempered, indicating a good tempering state. And a temper index of 7.0 or more is over-tempered, indicating a state in which the amount of stable crystals is too large and the viscosity has increased.

[0019] The "seeding agent" of the present invention is a substance that acts as a crystal nucleus when chocolate solidifies, and is composed of triglyceride. Here, in the present invention, the "triglyceride" is made mainly of cocoa butter. The "seeding agent" of the present invention preferably contains 80% by mass or more of cocoa butter, more preferably 90% by mass or more, and even more preferably 95% by mass or more. When added to chocolate, the "seeding agent" of the present invention acts as a crystal nucleus to generate stable β crystals. It is essential that the "seeding agent" of the present invention is solid at room temperature (25°C).

[0020] The "powdered seeding agent" of the present invention is in a powdered state at room temperature (25°C), and the powdered particle size is 30 μm or more and 140 μm or less. More preferably, it is 35 μm or more and 110 μm or less, and even more preferably, it is 35 μm or more and 100 μm or less. By making the particle size within such a range, it is possible to obtain a seeding agent that can perform stable tempering even in a high temperature range. In addition, when the "powdered seeding agent" of the present invention is used in chocolate containing milk fat (milk chocolate, white chocolate, colored chocolate), the powder particle diameter is preferably 30 μm or more and 140 μm or less, more preferably 35 μm or more and 110 μm or less, and even more preferably 35 μm or more and 100 μm or less. In addition, when the "powdered seeding agent" of the present invention is used in chocolate not containing milk fat (dark chocolate), the powder particle diameter is preferably 35 μm or more and 140 μm or less, more preferably 35 μm or more and 100 μm or less. By making the particle diameter in such a range, the dispersibility of the seeding agent can be further improved.

[0021] The "powdered seeding agent" of the present invention may be used in any amount, but for example, it may be used in an amount of preferably 0.1 to 3.0 parts by mass, more preferably 0.5 to 2.0 parts by mass, and even more preferably 1.0 to 2.0 parts by mass, per 100 parts by mass of chocolate.

[0022] Furthermore, the method for producing the "powdered seeding agent" of the present invention is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include the freeze-pulverization method, the extrusion granulation method, and the spray cooling method. In the present invention, it is particularly preferable to use the freeze-pulverization method. Here, the freeze-pulverization method is a method in which the raw material is instantly cooled using liquid nitrogen or the like, and the embrittled substance is pulverized to obtain particles. The method for producing a powdered seeding agent using the freeze-pulverization method includes, for example, (i) a step of embrittling cocoa butter, which is the raw material (solid) of the seeding agent, by cooling it with a low-temperature solvent such as liquid nitrogen, and (ii) a step of applying a mechanical compression force or shear force to the embrittled seeding agent raw material using a ball mill, hammer, or press, etc., to pulverize the seeding agent raw material. A powdered seeding agent having a desired particle size can be obtained by classifying the finely divided seeding agent raw material using a sieve.

[0023] In the present invention, the particle size refers to the particle size D75 calculated from the measured particle size. The particle size D75 represents the particle size at 75% of the volume-based cumulative particle size distribution curve obtained by the laser diffraction scattering method. The particle size is preferably measured using a laser diffraction particle size distribution analyzer. As the laser diffraction particle size distribution analyzer, for example, the "SALD-2300" manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation can be used.

[0024] The present invention also relates to a chocolate obtained by adding the above powdered seeding agent to a chocolate dough. Here, the definitions of "chocolate" and "chocolate dough" are the same as those described above.

[0025] The present invention also relates to a method for producing chocolate in which the powdered seeding agent is added to a chocolate dough and tempered, and a tempering method in which the powdered seeding agent is added to a chocolate dough. Here, the definition of "tempering" is the same as above. While the tempering temperature range of conventional seeding agents is usually 30 to 34°C, the tempering temperature range of the seeding agent of the present invention is 30 to 35°C, so that stable tempering can be performed in a higher temperature range than conventional seeding agents. Usually, the workability during processing such as molding of chocolate improves as the temperature of the melted chocolate increases. Therefore, when the seeding agent of the present invention, which can perform stable tempering in a high temperature range, is used, the workability during processing of chocolate can be improved. EXAMPLES

[0026] The present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the following examples and comparative examples, but is not limited thereto. Furthermore, unless otherwise noted, % and parts in the examples are by weight.

[0027] (Preparation of Powder Seeding Agent) Cocoa butter (product name: TCD(I), manufactured by Daito Kakao Co., Ltd.) was prepared and subjected to a known freeze-grinding method. That is, the cocoa butter was placed in a freezer and pre-cooled with liquid nitrogen. The cocoa butter was quantitatively transferred to a Linrex mill by a screw feeder, and the cocoa butter was pulverized in the mill. The pulverized cocoa butter was collected in a cyclone by a blower, and sieved to obtain powdered seeding agents with particle sizes of 30.5 μm, 37.3 μm, 45.2 μm, 68.6 μm, and 102.1 μm. These are hereinafter referred to as "seeding agents A to E" and used as examples of the present invention. The particle size of the powdered seeding agent is the particle size D75 (particle size at 75% of the volume-based cumulative particle size distribution curve by the laser diffraction scattering method) calculated from the particle size when measured under the condition of a particle refractive index of 1.70-0.20i using a laser diffraction particle size distribution measuring device (Shimadzu Corporation's "SALD-2300"). Note that the particle size measurement sample was prepared by mixing 0.2 g of each powdered seeding agent with 1.6 g of detergent (surfactant 11%) and 3.2 g of pure water.

[0028] As a comparative example, a commercially available powdered seeding agent derived from cocoa butter (product name: Mycryo, manufactured by Barry Callebaut, particle size: 150 μm to 350 μm) was used. This is a powdered seeding agent obtained by spraying melted cocoa butter and rapidly cooling the sprayed liquid cocoa butter. Hereinafter, this will be referred to as "seeding agent M".

[0029] (Experimental Example 1) Preparation of dark chocolate using powdered seeding agent Chocolate was prepared by uniformly mixing all the raw materials through the mixing process, the microparticulation process (refining process), the conching process, the temperature adjustment (tempering) process, the molding process, the cooling process, etc. according to the composition shown in Table 1. In addition, the powdered seeding agent (Examples and Comparative Examples) was added to the chocolate dough after the temperature adjustment process, and the mixture was stirred and mixed uniformly.

[0030] The tempering state in the temperature adjustment step was measured as follows. That is, 500 g of chocolate dough that had been through the refining step was adjusted to a temperature range of 35°C, 1% by mass of each seeding agent was added, and mixed for 2 minutes, and then approximately 18 g was loaded into a temper meter MultiTherm (manufactured by Buhler Co., Ltd.) and measured according to the following evaluation criteria. The numbers in the "tempering state" in the table represent the temper index measured by the temper meter. (Evaluation Criteria) Less than 4.0: × Under-tempered (low crystal content) 4.0 or more and less than 7.0: 〇 Proper temper 7.0 or more: ×× Overtempered (high crystal content)

[0031] The dispersibility of the seeding agent was measured by a cut test of the molded product. That is, 175 g of the chocolate used in the tempermeter study was poured into a mold, cooled for 1 hour, and molded. The molded chocolate was cut into pieces of 0.5 to 1.0 cm in width, and the state of the cross section was visually observed and measured according to the following evaluation criteria. Note that "lumps" refers to white grains that are agglomerated without dispersing the seeding agent. (Evaluation Criteria) 0 lumps: ○ 1 to 3 lumps: △ 4 or more lumps: ×

[0032] [Table 1]

[0033] As shown in Table 1, when the seeding agents A to E of the embodiment were used, the tempered state was good (proper temper) at a temperature adjustment of 35° C. However, when the seeding agent M of the comparative example was used, the tempered state was poor (under temper) at a temperature adjustment of 35° C. Therefore, it was found that when the seeding agents A to E of the embodiment were used, a good tempered state could be created even at a relatively high temperature of 35° C.

[0034] Moreover, when the seeding agents B to E of the embodiment were used, the dispersibility was good (0 clumps) at a temperature control temperature of 35°C. However, when the seeding agent M of the comparative example was used, the dispersibility was somewhat poor (1 to 3 clumps) at a temperature control temperature of 35°C. Therefore, it was found that when the seeding agents B to E of the embodiment were used, good dispersibility was exhibited even at a high temperature control temperature of 35°C. However, when the seeding agent A of the embodiment (approximately 30 μm) was used, the dispersibility was poor (4 or more clumps).

[0035] (Experimental Example 2) Preparation of milk chocolate using powdered seeding agent Chocolate was prepared by uniformly mixing all the raw materials through the mixing, pulverizing (refining), conching, tempering, molding, cooling, etc. steps according to the composition shown in Table 2. Powdered seeding agents (Examples and Comparative Examples) were added to the chocolate dough after the temperature adjustment step, and the mixture was stirred and mixed uniformly.

[0036] The tempering state in the temperature adjustment step (tempering temperature was the same at 35° C.) and the dispersibility of the seeding agent were measured in the same manner as for the dark chocolate. The numbers in the "tempering state" column in the table indicate the temper index measured with a temper meter.

[0037] [Table 2]

[0038] Chocolate containing milk fat is generally more difficult to temper stably at high temperatures than dark chocolate not containing milk fat. However, when the seeding agents A to E of the embodiment were used, the tempering state was good (proper temper) at a temperature control temperature of 35°C. However, when the seeding agent M of the comparative example was used, the tempering state was poor (under temper) as with dark chocolate, and the tempering state was also poor (under temper) at a temperature control temperature of 34°C. Therefore, it was found that when the seeding agents A to E of the embodiment were used, a good tempering state could be created even at a relatively high temperature of 35°C.

[0039] Furthermore, when seeding agents A to E of the examples were used, dispersibility was good (zero lumps) at a temperature control of 35°C. However, when seeding agent M of the comparative example was used, dispersibility was poor (four or more lumps) at a temperature control of 35°C. Therefore, it was found that when seeding agents A to E of the examples were used, good dispersibility was exhibited even at a relatively high temperature of 35°C. In the case of milk chocolate, good dispersibility was achieved even when seeding agent A of the example (approximately 30 μm) was used.

[0040] (Experimental Example 3) Relationship between temperature and amount of powdered seeding agent Dark chocolate and milk chocolate were prepared in the same manner as above according to the formulations shown in Tables 1 and 2. In addition, a powdered seeding agent (Examples and Comparative Examples) was added to the chocolate mixture after the temperature adjustment step, and the mixture was stirred and mixed uniformly.

[0041] The tempering temperature (measured with a core thermometer) in the temperature adjustment step was varied, and further the amount of seeding agent D (particle diameter: 68.6 μm) added was varied, and the tempering state and dispersibility of the seeding agent were evaluated in the same manner as above. The results are shown in Tables 3 and 4. Table 3 shows the results for dark chocolate, and Table 4 shows the results for milk chocolate. In the tables, "state" refers to the "tempering state."

[0042] [Table 3]

[0043] [Table 4]

[0044] As shown in Tables 3 and 4, for both dark chocolate and milk chocolate, the tempered state tended to be better as the tempering temperature decreased and worse as the tempering temperature increased. Conversely, the dispersibility tended to be worse as the tempering temperature decreased and better as the tempering temperature increased. In other words, the tempered state and dispersibility are contradictory properties, and it can be seen that it is difficult to create a state that has both.

Claims

1. A powdered seeding agent whose main ingredient is cocoa butter, the powdered seeding agent having a particle diameter of 30 μm or more and 140 μm or less.

2. A chocolate obtained by adding the powdered seeding agent according to claim 1 to a chocolate dough.

3. A method for producing chocolate, comprising adding the powdered seeding agent according to claim 1 to a chocolate dough and tempering the dough.

4. A tempering method comprising adding the powdered seeding agent according to claim 1 to a chocolate dough.

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