Confectionery

Abstract

The present invention relates to a dairy-based confectionery comprising a mixture of oligosaccharides.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a chocolate product comprising a mixture of milk-derived oligosaccharides.

[0002] [Background technology] Any discussion of prior art in this specification should not be taken as an admission that such prior art is well known in the art or forms part of the common general knowledge.

[0003] The increasing interest of health-conscious consumers in reducing dietary sugar intake has created a strong demand for food products with low sugar content. However, sugar is an important food ingredient, which, in addition to imparting natural sweetness to food products, also functions to impart bulk and therefore plays an important role in the structure, volume and mouthfeel of the final food product.

[0004] Sugar is a naturally occurring sweetener that provides sweetness to food products that is highly preferred by consumers as mentioned above, but is also high in calories, so there is a strong demand for healthier, non-caloric or low-calorie alternative sweeteners.There are many approaches known in the art that involve replacing or reducing sugar in food products, such as using artificial sweeteners to replace natural sugar.

[0005] As a result, it is generally well known to those skilled in the art of food manufacturing that the replacement or reduction of sugar in a food composition usually results in negative effects on aroma and other taste components, for example sugar substitutes may cause a change in the taste balance of the food composition, as the sweetness perception is delayed and lasts longer than that of natural sugars.

[0006] In addition, sugar substitutes fail to provide the same sweet taste as natural sugar and also exhibit metallic, cooling, astringent, licorice-like tastes and a bitter aftertaste.

[0007] In further examples, the above mentioned prior art solutions may present similar drawbacks when applied to fat-based confectionery products: for example, the use of bulking agents such as certain fibers in chocolate compositions usually results in a bitter aftertaste, imparts undesirable bulk to the mixture and increases the viscosity of the mixture, which in turn makes such mixtures difficult to carry out standard post-processing such as enrobing and molding, which are essential steps in the final chocolate product.

[0008] In addition, sugar brings certain sensory and sensory properties to the product that are very difficult to reproduce with the sugar substitutes mentioned above. Therefore, while the calorie content is reduced, the eating experience is often poor. The measures proposed to overcome these problems often involve an increase in fat content, which negates the promising health benefits.

[0009] Moreover, in milk-based confectionery, milk itself contains sugar, namely lactose. This lactose also contributes to the sugar content of confectionery in which milk is present. For example, it is known to use enzymes to reduce the lactose content of milk. In fact, lactose-free chocolate is also available. However, to compensate for the reduction in lactose, it is generally necessary to substantially increase the fat content and / or introduce other bulking agents, which in turn affects the processing, nutritional value and sensory properties of the confectionery, as mentioned above.

[0010] Thus, the challenge remains to provide low calorie or reduced sugar alternative confectionery products without adversely affecting sweetness perception and / or any of the above-mentioned attendant problems of the prior art solutions.

[0011] Thus, there remains a need to find low-calorie sugar substitutes that can be used, for example, in chocolate products, avoiding the problems of reduced or decreased sweetness, bitter aftertaste and off-flavors, and maintaining the organoleptic properties.

[0012] These problems are exacerbated when it comes to regulated low sugar chocolate offerings in most countries, specifically those with less than 5g / 100g sugar, which have so far failed to achieve any degree of commercial success.

[0013] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENT An object of the present invention is to ameliorate at least one of the drawbacks of the prior art, i.e., conventional reduced-calorie or low-calorie confectionery substitutes.

[0014] [Summary of the Invention] Therefore, this problem is solved by the features of the independent claims. The dependent claims further develop the central idea of ​​the invention.

[0015] Thus, in a first aspect, the present invention provides a chocolate product comprising: a. a dairy product comprising a carbohydrate mixture, the dairy product being present in an amount of 0.1% to 25% by weight of the chocolate product, the dairy product comprising 10% to 90% by weight of the carbohydrate mixture based on the weight of the dairy product, the carbohydrate mixture comprising 10% to 100% by weight of galactooligosaccharides; b. a polyol present in an amount of 10% to 50% by weight of the chocolate product; c. fiber present in an amount between 0.5% and 50% by weight of the chocolate product; The present invention relates to chocolate products, including

[0016] Thus, the carbohydrate mixture can be used to replace sugars (e.g., sucrose), dairy-based ingredients (e.g., skim milk powder), and combinations thereof in chocolate products. Additionally, the polyol material may be used to replace sugars (e.g., sucrose) in chocolate products.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment, the carbohydrate mixture is prepared from a dairy substrate using an enzyme with transglycosylation activity.

[0018] The inventors have surprisingly found that the combination of a carbohydrate mixture derived from dairy products and a polyol can be used to replace sugar (such as sucrose) and / or milk-based ingredients in confectionery products without adversely affecting the sweetness of the food product and also without adversely affecting the sensory properties of the product and without affecting the processing conditions for production.The present invention has the important advantage of reducing the sugar content without compromising sensory properties, for example without significant clagginess (i.e. stickiness or tackiness).This is a very surprising result, since reduced sugar chocolate is often not tasty, but the present invention can provide low-sugar or sugar-free chocolate.

[0019] [Mode for carrying out the invention] As mentioned above, the present invention provides a chocolate product comprising: a. a dairy product comprising a carbohydrate mixture, the dairy product being present in an amount of 0.1% to 25% by weight of the chocolate product, the dairy product comprising 10% to 90% by weight of the carbohydrate mixture based on the weight of the dairy product, the carbohydrate mixture comprising 10% to 100% by weight of galactooligosaccharides; b. a polyol present in an amount of 10% to 50% by weight of the chocolate product; c. fiber present in an amount between 0.5% and 50% by weight of the chocolate product; The Company provides chocolate products, including:

[0020] In preferred embodiments, the chocolate product comprises at least 0.01%, at least 0.5%, at least 2.5%, or at least 5.0% by weight of the carbohydrate mixture on a dry weight basis, based on the weight of the chocolate product.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment, the chocolate product comprises less than 22.5%, less than 20.7.0%, less than 18%, less than 15.0.0%, or less than 10.0% or less than 8% by weight of the carbohydrate mixture on a dry weight basis, based on the weight of the chocolate product, for example between 1.0% and 22.5%, between 2.5% and 20%.

[0022] In preferred embodiments, the chocolate product contains non-carbohydrate milk solids (e.g. fat and protein) in an amount of greater than 0%, at least 1.0%, at least 2.5%, at least 5.0%, at least 10.0%, at least 12.5%, or at least 15.0% by weight on a dry weight basis, based on the weight of the chocolate product.

[0023] In preferred embodiments, the chocolate product comprises less than 35.0%, less than 32.5%, less than 30.0%, less than 27.5%, less than 25.0%, or less than 20.0% non-carbohydrate milk solids by weight on a dry weight basis, based on the weight of the chocolate product, for example at least 1.0% and less than 32.5%.

[0024] Preferably, the carbohydrate mixture is obtained by treatment of a dairy product with an enzyme having transglycosylating activity, for example by a mechanism forming glycosidic bonds, in particular during the synthesis of oligosaccharides and / or polysaccharides.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment, the carbohydrate mixture and the non-carbohydrate milk solids are derived from the same source. In a preferred embodiment, the carbohydrate mixture is obtained by treating a dairy product with an enzyme having transglycosylating activity.

[0026] In a preferred embodiment, the dairy product is skimmed milk. The fat content of skimmed milk may be less than 1.5% by weight, for example less than 1.2% by weight, on a dry weight basis.

[0027] The milk powder particles for use in the present invention may have a moisture content of 0.5-6%, such as 1-5%, further such as 1.5-3%. The moisture content of milk powder can be measured using known techniques, such as the Karl Fischer method.

[0028] Preferred embodiments of the invention are described in more detail below.

[0029] Oligosaccharide composition and dairy products The present invention preferably uses a mixture of carbohydrates as an ingredient in chocolate products. The carbohydrate mixture comprises oligosaccharides.

[0030] In one embodiment, the chocolate product may contain carbohydrates from other sources, such as sucrose. Thus, in one embodiment, the invention encompasses compositions in which the carbohydrate mixture is present within the scope of the set of claims, regardless of other carbohydrates present.

[0031] The term "oligosaccharide" refers to a sugar oligomer containing a small number (typically 2-10) of component monosaccharides.

[0032] Specifically, oligosaccharides (OS) are defined herein as those found naturally in animal milk and / or those produced synthetically, with a degree of polymerization (DP) ranging from 2 to 20. The term "synthetic" refers to processes by chemical and / or biological (e.g. enzymatic) means. These oligosaccharides may be soluble in milk. The present invention utilizes an oligosaccharide mixture, preferably derived from cow's milk, having a lactose:non-lactose oligosaccharides weight ratio of less than 20:1, more preferably less than 10:1, more preferably less than 5:1, more preferably less than 1:1, more preferably less than 1:5, more preferably less than 1:10, more preferably less than 1:20. In one embodiment, the mixture used corresponds to a 4-200-fold reduction in lactose content in the oligosaccharide mixture compared to the original milk, which reduction is equivalent to a 4-200-fold increase in the ratio of oligosaccharides to lactose.

[0033] Carbohydrate mixtures for use in the present invention contain galactooligosaccharides (GOS), preferably including β-GOS and / or α-GOS, as well as GOS mixtures containing such linkages, obtained mainly by the action of an enzyme, preferably with transglycosylation activity, on lactose, preferably also acting as a β-galactosidase, and optionally also to a much lesser extent on some soluble oligosaccharides present in milk.

[0034] Thus, in a preferred embodiment, the GOS is obtained from the action of β-galactosidase on lactose and on milk OS. The enzyme is preferably added during the production of the OS mixture. The enzyme preferably has a dual activity, thereby degrading lactose into the monosaccharides galactose and glucose, and then catalyzing the subsequent formation of GOS by transferase activity. These oligosaccharides are preferably made from glucose and galactose monomers, have a DP of 2-10, preferably 3-10, or preferably 2-6, and preferably have prebiotic activity.

[0035] In a preferred embodiment, GOS are used in the carbohydrate mixture of the invention in the following composition (DP is the degree of polymerization, all weight percentages are based on weight percentages of DP2-6 measured using the method described in the examples): 20% to 40% by weight, preferably 25% to 35% by weight, preferably 27.5% to 32.5% by weight of DP2; 25% to 55% by weight, preferably 30% to 50% by weight, preferably 35% to 45% by weight of DP3; 7.5% to 27.5% by weight, preferably 12.5% ​​to 22.5% by weight, preferably 15% to 20% by weight of DP4; 2.5% to 15% by weight, preferably 3% to 12.5% ​​by weight, preferably 4% to 10% by weight of DP5; and DP6 2.6% by weight, 0% to 10% by weight, preferably 1% to 5% by weight, preferably 1.5% to 4% by weight.

[0036] In a preferred embodiment, the DP2 content does not include lactose as is evident from the known definition of GOS.

[0037] Alternatively, the carbohydrate mixture can be prepared from individual components or commercially available sources that meet the profile required by the present invention. For example, Bimuno® GOS. In this case, if non-carbohydrate milk solids also need to be present, such solids can be provided by, for example, lactose-free skim milk powder or milk protein concentrate. Depending on the form used in the chocolate product, commercially available GOS may require further processing, for example drying.

[0038] The OS profile can be determined by HPLC, mass spectrometry, and other methods. According to a preferred HPLC method, the OS present in the sample is extracted in water at 70° C. The extracted OS is fluorescently labeled by the formation of a Schiff base by reaction of 2-anthranilic acid amide (2 hours at 65° C.). The double bond is then reduced by reaction with sodium cyanoborohydride to obtain stable oligosaccharide aminobenzide (OS-AB) derivatives. The labeled extract is diluted with acetonitrile and then injected into an HPLC fluorometer equipped with a trapping column. Separation is performed on Amide-80 (3 μm, 4.6×150 mm column) and the labeled OS is detected in the fluorometer at Ex 330 nm, Em 420 nm. The various OS are quantified by calibration of the OS-2AB response using maltotriose external standard and laminaritriose as internal standard.

[0039] In a preferred embodiment, up to 40% by weight, preferably up to 30% by weight, preferably up to 20% by weight, of the carbohydrates in the mixture is lactose, based on the weight of the mixture.In another preferred embodiment, 0-30% by weight, preferably 0-20% by weight, of the total carbohydrates in the carbohydrate mixture is lactose.

[0040] For example, in one embodiment, up to 15% or up to 10% by weight of the total carbohydrate in the mixture is lactose, in another embodiment, between 0% and 15%, or between 2% and 10% by weight of the total carbohydrate in the mixture is lactose.

[0041] In one embodiment, the carbohydrate mixture used in the present invention comprises GOS that are DP2+ (degree of polymerization 2 or more, i.e. 2 or more sugar units), preferably DP3+, in an amount of at least 20% by weight of the total carbohydrate mixture.

[0042] In a preferred embodiment, at least 25% by weight, preferably at least 30% by weight, preferably at least 35% by weight, preferably at least 40% by weight, or preferably at least 45% by weight of the total carbohydrates are GOS that are DP2+, preferably DP3+.

[0043] Thus, in a preferred embodiment, the carbohydrate mixture comprises GOS in an amount of 10-80% by weight of the carbohydrate mixture, with 20-80% by weight of the total carbohydrate being GOS that are DP2+, preferably DP3+.

[0044] In the present invention, 10 to 100% by weight, preferably 20 to 95% by weight, preferably 20 to 90% by weight, preferably 20 to 80% by weight, preferably 30 to 70% by weight of the carbohydrate mixture is GOS.

[0045] In one embodiment, the amount of GOS can be obtained using the AOAC 2001.02 method or by the method described in International Journal of Analytical Chemistry, Volume 2014, Article ID 768406, Austin et.al.

[0046] In one embodiment, the present invention utilizes a carbohydrate mixture having the following carbohydrate composition expressed as a percentage by weight of dry matter of the mixture: a. Lactose 0-40% by weight b. Glucose 0-40% by weight c. 0 to 40% by weight of galactose d. GOS 10 to 100% by weight, preferably 10 to 80% by weight.

[0047] In one embodiment, the present invention utilizes a carbohydrate mixture having the following carbohydrate composition expressed as a percentage by weight of dry matter of the mixture: a. Lactose 2-30% by weight b. 5 to 30% glucose by weight c. 0 to 20% by weight of galactose d.GOS30~80% by weight.

[0048] In one embodiment, the present invention utilizes a carbohydrate mixture having the following carbohydrate composition expressed as a percentage by weight of dry matter of the mixture: a. Lactose 3-20% by weight b. Glucose 10-30% by weight c. galactose 1 to 10% by weight d.GOS45~70% by weight.

[0049] In one embodiment, the present invention utilizes a carbohydrate mixture having the following carbohydrate composition expressed as a percentage by weight of dry matter of the mixture: a. Lactose 3-15% by weight b. Glucose 10-25% by weight c. galactose 1 to 5% by weight d.GOS50~70% by weight.

[0050] In one embodiment, the present invention utilizes a carbohydrate mixture having the following carbohydrate composition expressed as a percentage by weight of dry matter of the mixture: a. Lactose 0-10% by weight b. Glucose 10-30% by weight c. 0 to 10% by weight of galactose d.GOS45~90% by weight.

[0051] It is understood that the amounts cannot exceed 100% by weight, and that the amounts of one or more of components a.-d. must be varied to ensure that the total does not exceed 100%, e.g., if component d. is 70% by weight, then component b. may be only 30% by weight in embodiments where a. and c. may be 0% by weight. Furthermore, in one embodiment, the amounts of a.-d. are equal to 100% by weight.

[0052] In one embodiment, the mixture has a water content of less than 5%, preferably 0.5% to 5% (e.g., 2% to 3%). The water content can be measured by the Karl Fischer method.

[0053] As mentioned above, the carbohydrate mixture for use in the present invention can be prepared from dairy products.Therefore, the dairy product for use in the present invention can be concentrated milk, such as condensed milk, or spray-dried concentrated milk.In a preferred embodiment, the dairy product is milk powder, preferably skimmed milk powder.

[0054] In one embodiment the chocolate product comprises a dairy product comprising more than 0.5% by weight of a carbohydrate mixture, based on the weight of the chocolate product, preferably more than 2.5% by weight, preferably more than 5% by weight, preferably more than 7.5% by weight, preferably more than 10% by weight, preferably more than 12% by weight.

[0055] In one embodiment the chocolate product comprises a dairy product comprising less than 23% by weight of a carbohydrate mixture, preferably less than 21% by weight, preferably less than 20% by weight, preferably less than 19% by weight, preferably less than 18% by weight, or less than 17% by weight, based on the weight of the chocolate product.

[0056] In a preferred embodiment, preferably in the case of milk chocolate, the chocolate product comprises from 0.5% to 25% by weight, preferably from 2.5% to 23% by weight, more preferably from 5% to 20% by weight, most preferably from 10% to 17% by weight of dairy product.

[0057] The dairy product comprises more than 10% by weight of a carbohydrate mixture, based on the weight of the dairy product, preferably more than 15% by weight, preferably more than 20% by weight, preferably more than 30% by weight, preferably more than 40% by weight.

[0058] The dairy product comprises less than 90% by weight, preferably less than 80% by weight, preferably less than 70% by weight, preferably less than 60% by weight, preferably less than 55% by weight of the carbohydrate mixture, based on the weight of the dairy product, for example 15% to 80% by weight, 20% to 70% by weight, 30% to 60% by weight.

[0059] Thus, in a highly preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a chocolate product comprising: Contains dairy products in an amount of 0.5% to 25% by weight, preferably 7% to 20% by weight, The dairy product comprises 30% to 70% by weight, preferably 40% to 55% by weight, of the carbohydrate mixture of the present invention, based on the weight of the dairy product, and the carbohydrate mixture comprises 20% to 80% by weight of GOS; Offers chocolate products.

[0060] It should be noted that in one embodiment, the carbohydrate mixture is derived from lactose present in the dairy product. It should be noted that the lactose content of full fat milk may be about 35% to 40% by weight of the solids content, and for skim milk powder about 45% to 55% by weight. The process of the present invention converts this lactose into a carbohydrate mixture, i.e., does not produce mass. However, using known techniques, other solid components (e.g., fat and protein) can be removed from the dairy product to relatively increase the amount of carbohydrate mixture.

[0061] In one embodiment, the treated, preferably enzyme treated, dairy product for use in the present invention comprises at least 5% by weight of GOS that are DP2+, preferably DP3+, based on the weight of the dairy product. In a preferred embodiment, the dairy product comprises a total amount of at least 10% by weight, preferably at least 15% by weight, preferably at least 20% by weight, preferably at least 25% by weight.

[0062] In a preferred embodiment, the dairy product comprises 5-60% by weight, preferably 10-50% by weight, or 15-45% by weight, of GOS that are DP2+, preferably DP3+, based on the weight of the dairy product.

[0063] In a preferred embodiment, the dairy product preferably contains a total amount of lactose of up to 20% by weight, preferably up to 10% by weight, preferably up to 5% by weight, based on the weight of the dairy product. The lactose content of dairy products can be determined according to AOAC 930.28 (2000).

[0064] In a preferred embodiment, up to 50% by weight, preferably up to 30% by weight, preferably up to 20% by weight, more preferably up to 15% by weight of the total carbohydrate in the dairy product is lactose.In another preferred embodiment, 0-30% by weight, preferably 0-20% by weight, more preferably 0-10% by weight of the total carbohydrate in the dairy product is lactose.

[0065] In another embodiment, up to 15% or up to 12% by weight of the total free carbohydrate in the dairy product is lactose, hi another embodiment, 0-15% or 2-12% by weight of the total free carbohydrate in the dairy product is lactose.

[0066] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the dairy product is milk powder, preferably skimmed milk powder, comprising a total amount of GOS that are DP2+, preferably DP3+, of at least 10% by weight, preferably at least 15% by weight, more preferably at least 20% by weight, based on the weight of the milk powder.

[0067] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the dairy product is milk powder, preferably skimmed milk powder, comprising a total amount of 10-50% by weight, preferably 15-45% by weight, or 15-40% by weight, more preferably 20-40% by weight, of GOS that are DP2+, preferably DP3+, based on the weight of the milk powder.

[0068] In one embodiment, the present invention utilizes a dairy product having the following carbohydrate composition, expressed as a percentage by weight of dry matter of the dairy product: a. Lactose 0-20% by weight b. Glucose 0-30% by weight c. 0 to 10% by weight of galactose d.GOS5~60% by weight.

[0069] In one embodiment, the present invention utilizes a dairy product having the following carbohydrate composition, expressed as a percentage by weight of dry matter of the dairy product: a. Lactose 2-15% by weight b. 5 to 20% glucose by weight c. 0 to 7.5% by weight of galactose d.GOS10~50% by weight.

[0070] In one embodiment, the present invention utilizes a dairy product having the following carbohydrate composition, expressed as a percentage by weight of dry matter of the dairy product: a. Lactose 3-10% by weight b. 7.5 to 15% glucose by weight c. galactose 1 to 5% by weight d.GOS15~45% by weight.

[0071] In the above embodiments, preferably the remainder of the dairy product is non-carbohydrate milk solids (eg, fat and protein) totaling up to 100% by weight of the dairy product.

[0072] It is understood that in an embodiment of the present invention, the sum of the above amounts cannot exceed the total amount of carbohydrate mixture present in the milk powder, and cannot exceed 100% by weight of the milk powder.

[0073] In the above embodiment, the amount of the carbohydrate mixture in the dairy product and the amount of dairy product in the chocolate product are selected such that the carbohydrate mixture is present in an amount greater than (but not including) 0% and less than or equal to 35% by weight of the chocolate product.

[0074] As mentioned above, the carbohydrate composition and / or the dairy product are preferably in the form of a powder, and preferably they have a particle size corresponding to standard milk powder. Thus, in a preferred embodiment, the carbohydrate composition and / or the dairy product have a d90 value between 100 and 300 micrometers, preferably between 150 and 250 micrometers. In a further preferred embodiment, the carbohydrate composition and / or the dairy product have a d10 value between 10 and 75 micrometers, preferably between 15 and 60 micrometers. The term dX is the diameter for which X% of the volume of particles in the sample have a diameter smaller than that value (volume weighted distribution). Preferably, laser diffraction is used to measure the particle size d90 or d10 using a Malvern Mastersizer 2000, Method Scirocco2000 drying attachment, Fraunhofer scattering theory. These particle sizes can be modified in chocolate production, for example as described below with respect to refining.

[0075] In one embodiment, dairy products for use in the present invention are optionally subjected to processes known in the art, such as pasteurization, desalting, filtration, such as ESL processing or UHT processing.

[0076] In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a chocolate product comprising: A dairy product comprising a carbohydrate mixture in an amount between 10% and 90% by weight of the dairy product; the dairy product is present in an amount between 0.5% and 25% by weight of the chocolate product; the amount of the carbohydrate mixture in the dairy product and the amount of dairy product in the chocolate product are selected such that the carbohydrate mixture is present in an amount of from 0.45% to not more than 22.5% by weight of the chocolate product; The carbohydrate mixture comprises GOS in an amount of 10 to 100% by weight, preferably 10 to 80% by weight, of the carbohydrate mixture. Offers chocolate products.

[0077] Preparation of carbohydrate mixtures The present invention preferably utilizes a method for producing a dairy product, the method comprising: (a) providing a dairy substrate comprising a total solids content of between 40% and 75% by weight, preferably the dairy substrate comprising at least 15% by weight lactose based on the dry solids content; (b) treating a milk substrate with an enzyme having transglycosylation activity; (c) optionally, completely or partially inactivating the enzyme.

[0078] In a preferred embodiment, a dairy substrate is used to provide a dairy product containing the carbohydrate mixture used in the present invention.

[0079] In the method of the present invention, a dairy product is produced from a dairy substrate containing lactose by contacting the dairy substrate with a glycosyltransferase that converts the lactose in the dairy substrate to GOS.

[0080] The dairy substrate used in the present method is based on milk. In the context of the present invention, the term "milk" is to be understood as the aqueous, lactose, protein and fat-based secretion obtained by milking any mammal, such as a cow, sheep or goat.

[0081] In one embodiment, the milk substrate is obtained from milk whose composition has been altered by adjusting the fat content, protein content, lactose content and / or water content. Adjustment of the fat content and / or water content can be accomplished by any method known in the art, such as, for example, centrifugation, evaporation, concentration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, freeze drying, spray drying, reconstitution by addition of water, etc. Exemplary methods are described, for example, in "The Technology of Dairy Products" (edited by Ralph Early).

[0082] In one embodiment, the dairy substrate comprises a total solids content of at least 40% by weight, preferably at least 45%, at least 50%, at least 55%, at least 57%, or at least 60% by weight.

[0083] In a preferred embodiment, the total solids content of the dairy substrate is less than 75% by weight, preferably less than 70% by weight, preferably less than 60% by weight.

[0084] In preferred embodiments, the dairy substrate is a reconstituted milk powder, such as reconstituted skim milk powder, or concentrated milk, such as condensed milk, and comprises at least 40% by weight total solids, preferably at least 45% by weight, at least 50% by weight, at least 55% by weight, at least 57% by weight, or at least 60% by weight.

[0085] The dairy substrate preferably comprises at least 15% by weight of lactose, based on the percentage of dry matter of the solids present in the substrate. In a preferred embodiment, the dairy substrate comprises at least 20% by weight, preferably at least 25% by weight, or at least 30% by weight.

[0086] In a preferred embodiment, the dairy substrate is contacted with the enzyme for at least 15 minutes, preferably at least 45 minutes, preferably at least 55 minutes, preferably at least 1 hour, preferably at least 1.5 hours, or at least 3 hours, In one embodiment, the contact time is less than 15 hours, preferably less than 10 hours, or less than 5 hours.

[0087] In a preferred embodiment, the dairy substrate is contacted with the enzyme at a temperature of at least 35° C., preferably at least 40° C., preferably at least 45° C., or at least 50° C. In a preferred embodiment, the dairy substrate is contacted with the enzyme at a temperature of 75° C. or less.

[0088] In a preferred embodiment, the milk substrate is contacted with the enzyme at a temperature between 35° C. and 75° C. for a period between 45 minutes and 10 hours, preferably between 2 and 5 hours.

[0089] In a preferred embodiment, the enzyme is added in an amount of 0.05% to 10% by weight, such as 0.1% to 7.5% by weight, or 0.25% to 5% by weight, based on the weight of the lactose content.

[0090] Enzymes for use in the present invention preferably have β-galactosidase activity.

[0091] The enzymes for use in the present invention preferably catalyze the transfer of a mono-, di- or oligosaccharide moiety onto a mono-, di- or oligosaccharide substrate, resulting in the formation of a sugar moiety with two or more subunits linked via glycosidic bonds. In a preferred embodiment, the enzyme has transglycosylation activity.

[0092] In the present invention, one type of enzyme may be used, or a mixture of two or more types of enzymes may be used.

[0093] In particular, the enzyme is preferably a glycosidase (EC.3.2.1.), preferably a β-galactosidase (EC.3.2.1.23) or a lactase (EC.3.2.1.108), which preferably first catalyzes the cleavage of the glycosidic bond of lactose and then catalyzes the transglycosylation of d-galactose moieties, lactose molecules or GOS (galactooligosaccharides) to d-galactose moieties obtained from lactose.

[0094] Such enzymes are commercially available, e.g., Maxilact A4® (DSM), GODO-YNL2® (Du Pont), Lactozyme®, etc. The enzymes can be used in any form, e.g., liquid, paste, or powder.

[0095] Thus, in one embodiment, the enzyme with transglycosylation activity is added at a concentration of 11,000 U per gram of lactose, preferably 5-500 U per gram of lactose, more preferably 8-150 U per gram of lactose. 1 U is defined as the amount of enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of 1 micromole of lactose per minute under the specific conditions of the assay. The activity of a particular enzyme in U can be determined by directly measuring the formation of GOS from lactose. The assay is preferably a 60% (w / v) aqueous solution of skim milk powder at 60°C for 60 minutes. Preferably, 1 U is the amount of enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of 1 micromole of lactose per minute under the aforementioned conditions. Preferably, 1 U of enzyme catalyzes 0.342 mg per minute in a 60% (w / v) aqueous solution of skim milk powder at 60°C for 60 minutes. The activity of a particular enzyme in U can be determined by directly measuring the formation of GOS from lactose using a method such as liquid chromatography.

[0096] After the treatment period, the enzyme is preferably completely or partially inactivated.

[0097] The enzymes can be inactivated by any method of the state of the art, for example by heat treatment, by lowering the pH (e.g. to a pH below 4) or by lowering the water activity. Inactivation can occur by a step in the manufacturing process of the dairy or chocolate product, preferably a pasteurization step or a spray drying step.

[0098] In a preferred embodiment, the enzyme is fully or partially inactivated by heat treatment, preferably at 75° C. to 100° C. for 3 to 15 minutes.

[0099] In a preferred embodiment, after the enzyme treatment the resulting dairy product may be further processed by methods known in the art, preferably pasteurization, homogenization and / or drying, preferably spray drying.

[0100] In a preferred embodiment, the solution prepared by steps (a)-(c) is dried to provide solids for combination with other ingredients of a chocolate product.

[0101] In alternative embodiments, it is understood that other known procedures, such as foam drying, freeze drying, tray drying, fluidized bed drying, vacuum drying, and the like, may be used to carry out the process of the present invention.

[0102] In one embodiment, the carbohydrate mixture may be provided by combining the individual components in the required amounts.

[0103] In a preferred embodiment, the carbohydrate mixture can be combined with other components of milk to provide an alternative source of dairy products. For example, in one embodiment, a dairy product is prepared by combining a combination of carbohydrate mixtures prepared by the individual components with a milk protein concentrate.

[0104] In this embodiment, the total weight % of dairy in the chocolate product is the sum of the dairy protein concentrate and the carbohydrate blend.

[0105] In one embodiment the milk protein concentrate may be present in an amount from 5% to 30%, preferably from 7.5% to 25%, preferably from 10% to 20% by weight of the chocolate product.

[0106] In one embodiment, the above amounts of milk protein concentrate apply equally to the protein content of the dairy product prepared by the method of the present invention.

[0107] Polyol In the present invention, the polyol is present in an amount of from 10% to 50% by weight of the chocolate product.

[0108] In a preferred embodiment, the polyol is present in an amount from 17 to 45% by weight, more preferably from 22 to 40% by weight, more preferably from 25 to 35% by weight, more preferably from 26 to 32% by weight.

[0109] According to the invention, the polyol is preferably a sugar alcohol selected from the group comprising isomalt, sorbitol, maltitol, mannitol, xylitol, erythritol, threitiol, arabitol, lactitol, galactitol and hydrogenated starch hydrolysates, and mixtures thereof.

[0110] In a highly preferred embodiment, the polyol is maltitol.

[0111] fiber In the present invention, the fibre is present in an amount of from 0.5% to 50% by weight of the chocolate product.

[0112] In a preferred embodiment, this amount of fiber is dietary fiber, and in one embodiment, the total dietary fiber and its fractions in the mixture are measured by the Rapid Integrated Total Dietary Fiber method, an enzymatic-gravimetric method described in the Journal of AOAC International, Volume 102, Number 1, January-February 2019, pp. 196-207(12).

[0113] In a preferred embodiment, the chocolate product has a total dietary fiber content, i.e. a content of insoluble dietary fiber and soluble dietary fiber, of more than 2.0% by weight, preferably more than 3.0% by weight, preferably more than 4.0% by weight, and preferably more than 5.0% by weight of fiber. In a preferred embodiment, the paste has a total dietary fiber content, i.e. a content of insoluble dietary fiber and soluble dietary fiber, of less than 50.0% by weight, less than 45.0% by weight, less than 39.0% by weight, less than 35.0% by weight, less than 30.0% by weight, preferably less than 25.0% by weight, preferably less than 20.0% by weight, and preferably less than 15.0% by weight. Preferably, it is 2.0% to 39.0% by weight, 4.0% to 25.0% by weight, or 5.0% to 15.0% by weight.

[0114] The above percentages relate to total dietary fiber, but depending on the fiber source, also to soluble or insoluble dietary fiber.

[0115] In a preferred embodiment, the fiber is a soluble dietary fiber.

[0116] Suitable fibers include dextrin, resistant maltodextrin, polydextrose, and the like.

[0117] A preferred resistant maltodextrin fiber is soluble corn fiber (SCF) obtained by hydrolysis of corn starch. A preferred dextrin is a resistant dextrin obtained from either wheat or corn starch. Suitable materials are sold under trade names such as FIBERSOL, NUTRIOSE or PROMITOR.

[0118] Polydextrose is commonly known as a polysaccharide composed of randomly cross-linked glucose containing small amounts of sorbitol and acid. Polydextrose is sold under trade names such as LITESSE and STA-LITE.

[0119] The fiber sources of the present invention may contain materials other than fiber. For example, the SCF may be provided by PROMITOR® Soluble Fiber 90 (supplied by Tate & Lyle). PROMITOR® Soluble Fiber 90 provides a minimum of 90% dietary fiber (by wet weight) and contains less than 2% sugars by weight.

[0120] However, the above ranges relate to the amount of fiber in the product as measured by the defined method, not the weight percentage of the raw material containing the fiber.

[0121] Preferred Embodiments Preferred embodiments of the chocolate product of the present invention, in relation to the ingredients defined above, comprise the following ingredient combinations (all percentages are by weight of the chocolate product unless otherwise stated): a) 5% to 20% by weight of dairy products b) 17% to 45% by weight of polyol c) 2% to 39% by weight of fiber.

[0122] a) 7% to 20% by weight of dairy products b) 22% to 40% by weight of polyol c) 4% to 25% by weight of fiber.

[0123] a) 10% to 17% by weight of dairy products b) 25% to 35% by weight of polyol c) 5% to 15% by weight of fibers.

[0124] In a highly preferred embodiment, the polyol in the above embodiment is maltitol.

[0125] In a highly preferred embodiment, the fiber in the above embodiment is soluble corn fiber.

[0126] In a highly preferred embodiment, the dairy product comprises between 20% and 70% of a carbohydrate mixture by weight of the dairy product, and the carbohydrate mixture comprises between 20% and 80% GOS by weight of the carbohydrate mixture.

[0127] Chocolate products and ingredients The present invention relates to a chocolate product containing dairy-derived ingredients, the dairy products comprising carbohydrates as described above.

[0128] As is evident from the above, in a preferred embodiment, the carbohydrate mixture of the present invention is derived from a dairy product typically used in confectionery. Thus, in one embodiment, a processed dairy product or a corresponding ingredient (e.g. milk protein concentrate, GOS, etc.) is added to a chocolate product to at least partially replace the dairy raw material of the chocolate product. Thus, in one embodiment, the replacement is 10% to 100% by weight of non-fat milk solids in the chocolate product, preferably 25% to 100% by weight, preferably 50% to 100% by weight, preferably 75% to 100% by weight of non-fat milk solids.

[0129] In one embodiment, the chocolate product of the invention comprises at least 5.0% by weight of cocoa butter (or equivalent as described below), preferably at least 10.0% by weight, preferably at least 13.0% by weight, more preferably at least 15.0% by weight, such as at least 17.0% by weight or at least 20% by weight, based on the weight of the chocolate product.

[0130] The preferred maximum amount of cocoa butter (or equivalent as described below) present in the chocolate product of the invention is less than 50.0% or less than 40.0%, preferably less than 35.0%, more preferably less than 30.0%, most preferably less than 25.0% by weight of cocoa butter based on the weight of the chocolate product, for example between 0.0% and 35.0% or between 10.0% and 35.0% by weight of the chocolate product.

[0131] In one embodiment, cocoa butter (CB) may be at least partially replaced by cocoa butter equivalents (CBE), cocoa butter replacers (CBR) and / or cocoa butter substitutes (CBS). Such products may generally comprise one or more fats selected from the group consisting of lauric fats (e.g., cocoa butter substitutes (CBS) derived from the kernel of the fruit of the palm tree); non-lauric vegetable fats (e.g., based on palm or other specialty fats); cocoa butter substitutes (CBR); cocoa butter equivalents (CBE) and / or any suitable mixtures thereof. Some CBEs, CBRs and especially CBS may contain mainly saturated fats and very small amounts of unsaturated omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids (which have health benefits). Thus, in one embodiment of the chocolate product confectionery of the present invention, such types of fats are less preferred than CB.

[0132] In one embodiment the chocolate product comprises between 0% and 95% cocoa mass, preferably between 0% and 85% cocoa mass by weight of the chocolate product, for example between 45% and 80%, less than 5% or between 8% and 20% cocoa mass by weight of the chocolate product, depending on the final product.

[0133] Typically, the chocolate product of the present invention comprises at least 5.0% cocoa mass by weight of the chocolate product, preferably at least 10.0%, preferably at least 13.0%, at least 15.0% and / or at least 17.0%.

[0134] The preferred maximum amount of cocoa mass present in the chocolate product of the invention is less than 35.0% by weight, preferably less than or equal to 30.0% by weight, most preferably less than or equal to 25.0% by weight of cocoa mass, for example between 5.0% and 35.0% by weight of the chocolate product.

[0135] If the chocolate product is a white chocolate product, the amount of cocoa mass is less than that indicated above and is preferably absent. Cocoa mass can be partially or completely replaced by dairy products for use in the present invention.

[0136] In one embodiment the fat-based chocolate product, preferably the chocolate composition, of the present invention comprises at least 1.0% milk fat by weight of the chocolate product, preferably at least 1.3%, more preferably at least 1.5%, even more preferably at least 1.7%.

[0137] The preferred maximum amount of milk fat present in the fat-based chocolate product, preferably the chocolate composition, of the present invention is less than 10.0% by weight of the chocolate product, preferably not more than 7.5%, more preferably not more than 6.0%, most preferably not more than 5.0%, for example between 1.0% and 10.0% by weight of the chocolate product.

[0138] The milk fat can be added separately to the composition and / or may be present in any milk-based product to which it is added, such as milk powder. In a preferred embodiment, the milk fat is present in a dairy product obtained by enzymatic treatment as described above, and is also added separately.

[0139] According to the present invention, as used herein, the term "sugar" refers to a sweet crystalline substance obtained from various plants, particularly sugar cane and sugar beet, as conventionally recognized, and used as a sweetener in food and beverages.In the context of the present invention, sugar is defined as and includes monosaccharides, disaccharides and oligosaccharides, preferably monosaccharides and disaccharides, such as sucrose, fructose, glucose, dextrose, galactose, allulose, maltose, high dextrose equivalent hydrolyzed starch syrup, xylose, and combinations thereof.

[0140] Thus, the sugar used in the present invention may be selected from the group consisting of sucrose, fructose, glucose, dextrose, galactose, allulose, maltose, high dextrose equivalent hydrolyzed starch syrup, xylose, and any combination thereof.

[0141] Although the present invention aims to reduce the sugar content of the chocolate product, the chocolate product may still contain sugar (e.g., sugar not derived from milk solids). In a preferred embodiment, the chocolate product contains less than 40.0% by weight, preferably less than 35.0% by weight, preferably less than 30.0% by weight, preferably less than 25.0% by weight, preferably less than 20% by weight, and preferably less than 15.0% by weight. For example, 0.0% to 40.0% by weight, or 5.0% to 40.0% by weight, or 10.0% to 40.0% by weight, preferably 0.0% to 20.0% by weight, and preferably 0.0% to 15.0% by weight.

[0142] In a highly preferred embodiment the total sugar content is less than 10% by weight of the chocolate product, preferably between 0.0% and 8.5%, more preferably between 0.0% and 8.0%, for example between 0.1% and 7.5%.

[0143] In preferred embodiments, the fat content of the chocolate product is greater than 15%, greater than 20%, or greater than 25% by weight of the chocolate product.

[0144] In preferred embodiments, the fat content of the chocolate product is less than 45%, less than 40%, less than 35%, or less than 30% by weight of the chocolate product, for example between 15% and 45%.

[0145] Preferred chocolate products of the present invention have a total sugar content of from 0.0% to 8.5% by weight and a fat content of from 15% to 40% by weight, all based on the weight of the chocolate product.

[0146] In accordance with the present invention, the chocolate product is prepared according to conventional chocolate product manufacturing processes, as known and appreciated by those skilled in the art.

[0147] The present invention further provides a method for producing a chocolate product comprising the above carbohydrate mixture, comprising the steps of mixing the carbohydrate mixture with fat and optionally ingredients selected from the group consisting of cocoa liquor / mass, crystalline sugar, lecithin, and combinations thereof, refining the resulting mixture to reduce the particle size of the ingredients, mixing the refined mixture with further fat and optionally lecithin, and liquefying.

[0148] The fat may be, for example, cocoa butter, a cocoa butter equivalent, or a cocoa butter substitute. The fat may be cocoa butter. The milk powder, cocoa liquor, and crystalline sugar may be partially or completely replaced by chocolate pieces. In a preferred embodiment, liquefaction is performed by conventional means well known to those skilled in the art and refers to conching, which is a standard process in chocolate manufacturing. In a preferred embodiment, 15% to 30% of the total fat present after liquefaction is used in the final step.

[0149] In one embodiment, the chocolate composition of the present invention can be refined using applicable known equipment. In a preferred embodiment, the chocolate is refined to ensure a grain-free texture. For example, refining can be carried out to achieve a particle size (D90 measured by Malvern Mastersizer 3000) of less than 50 micrometers, preferably between 15 micrometers and 35 micrometers. Preferably, a Malvern Mastersizer 2000, Method Scirocco 2000 drying attachment, Fraunhofer scattering theory is used.

[0150] In one embodiment, the chocolate is prepared using a conventional conching process. In a preferred embodiment, the temperature in the conching step does not exceed 60°C, preferably does not exceed 57.5°C, preferably does not exceed 56°C. During this step, the temperature is controlled to avoid the degradation of the carbohydrate mixture and to ensure that the texture of the final product is not grainy and does not affect the taste. In a preferred embodiment, the temperature is above 30°C, preferably above 35°C, above 40°C or above 45°C.

[0151] In one embodiment, the conching is carried out for a period of more than 1.5 hours, preferably 2 hours or more, preferably 2.5 hours or more, In one embodiment, the conching is carried out for a period of less than 8 hours, preferably less than 6 hours.

[0152] In one embodiment, the conching is carried out at a temperature between 30° C. and 60° C. for a period of between 1.5 hours and 8 hours.

[0153] In one embodiment, the conching speed is between 200 rpm and 2000 rpm, preferably between 400 rpm and 1600 rpm, which can be varied throughout the conching process.

[0154] General definitions In one embodiment, the composition of the present invention may usefully be a chocolate product (as defined herein), more usefully a chocolate or chocolate compound. Regardless of any other legal provisions that may be used, a composition of the present invention comprising a cocoa solids content of 25% to 35% by weight, together with dairy ingredients (such as milk powder), may be informally referred to herein as "milk chocolate" (this term also includes other similar chocolate products containing similar amounts of cocoa solids or substitutes thereof). Regardless of any other legal provisions that may be used, a composition of the present invention comprising a cocoa solids content of more than 35% by weight, up to 100% (i.e. pure cocoa solids), may be informally referred to herein as "dark chocolate" (this term also includes other similar chocolate products containing similar amounts of cocoa solids or substitutes thereof).

[0155] The term "chocolate" as used herein means any product (and / or ingredients thereof, if such a product) that meets the legal definition of chocolate in any jurisdiction, and also includes products (and / or ingredients thereof) in which all or part of the cocoa butter (CB) has been replaced with cocoa butter equivalents (CBE) and / or cocoa butter substitutes (CBR).

[0156] Although in some jurisdictions a compound may be legally defined by a minimum amount of cocoa solids present, the term "chocolate compound" as used herein means a chocolate-like imitation characterized by the presence of any amount of cocoa solids (including cocoa liquor / mass, cocoa butter and cocoa powder) (unless the context clearly indicates otherwise).

[0157] The term "chocolate product" as used herein refers to chocolate, compounds and other related materials, including cocoa butter (CB), cocoa butter equivalents (CBE), cocoa butter substitutes (CBR) and / or cocoa butter substitutes (CBS). Chocolate products therefore include products based on chocolate and / or chocolate analogues and thus can be based on, for example, dark chocolate, milk chocolate or white chocolate.

[0158] In one embodiment, the chocolate product composition comprises the following ingredients: 8-12% cocoa mass 30-60% polyol, preferably maltitol 18-25% cocoa butter 3.5-6.5% milk fat 5 to 22% of the dairy product of the present invention 0.3-0.5% lecithin.

[0159] In one embodiment, the chocolate product composition comprises the following ingredients: 30-60% polyol, preferably maltitol 18-24% non-fat milk solids 4-7% milk fat 22-35% (optionally deodorized) cocoa butter 20-40% of the dairy product of the present invention 0.2-0.5% lecithin.

[0160] It will also be understood that, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, in the present invention, any one chocolate product may be substituted for any other chocolate product, and neither the term chocolate nor the term compound should be considered to limit the scope of the present invention to a particular type of chocolate product. Preferred chocolate products comprise chocolate and / or compound, more preferred chocolate products comprise chocolate, and most preferred chocolate products comprise chocolate as legally defined in major jurisdictions (such as Brazil, the EU and / or the US).

[0161] The chocolate product of the present invention can be used to mold tablets and / or bars, to coat confectionery articles, and / or to make more complex confectionery products. Optionally, ingredients according to a desired recipe may be added to the chocolate product before it is used to make the chocolate product confectionery product. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, in some cases, the product of the present invention has the same recipe and ingredients as the corresponding composition and / or mass, but in other cases, especially in the case of ingredients added or more complex products, the final recipe of the product may differ from the recipe of the composition and / or mass used to prepare the product.

[0162] In a highly preferred embodiment of the present invention, the chocolate product confectionery product comprises a substantially solid molded chocolate tablet, chocolate bar, and / or baked product covered with a substantial amount of chocolate product. These products are for example made by substantially filling a mould with chocolate product, optionally adding ingredients and / or baked product therein, and removing the chocolate product from the mould (so-called wet shelling process), which is then topped off with more chocolate product, if necessary. In such highly preferred products of the present invention, the chocolate product forms a substantial part of the product or the entirety of the product and / or a thick outer layer surrounding an inner baked product (such as a wafer and / or biscuit laminate). Such solid products, in which the mould is substantially filled with chocolate, should be contrasted with products comprising a molded thin chocolate shell, which presents a different challenge.

[0163] Preferred chocolate product confectionery may, for example, comprise one or more ingredients selected from the group consisting of chocolate product(s), compound product(s), chocolate coating(s), and / or compound coating(s). The products may comprise uncoated products such as chocolate bars and / or chocolate tablets with or without fillings, and / or products coated with chocolate products such as coated biscuits, cakes, wafers, and / or other confectionery articles. More preferably and / or alternatively, any of the above may comprise one or more cocoa butter substitutes (CBR), cocoa butter equivalents (CBE), cocoa butter substitutes (CBS), and / or any suitable mixtures thereof.

[0164] In chocolate product confectionery, cocoa butter (CB) may be replaced by fats derived from other raw materials. Such products may generally comprise one or more fats selected from the group consisting of lauric fats (e.g., cocoa butter substitutes (CBS) derived from the kernels of the fruit of palm trees); non-lauric vegetable fats (e.g., based on palm or other specialty fats); cocoa butter substitutes (CBR); cocoa butter equivalents (CBE) and / or any suitable mixtures thereof. Some CBEs, CBRs and especially CBSs may contain mainly saturated fats and very small amounts of unsaturated omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids (which have health benefits). Thus, in one embodiment of the chocolate product confectionery of the present invention, such types of fats are less preferred than CB.

[0165] One embodiment of the present invention provides a multi-layer product, optionally comprising a baked good having a plurality of layers (preferably selected from one or more wafer and / or biscuit layers, and / or one or more filling layers therebetween), with at least one coating layer disposed around these food layers, the coating layer comprising the chocolate product of the present invention or a baked good prepared according to the present invention.

[0166] Further embodiments of the present invention provide a chocolate product confectionery product further coated with chocolate (or its equivalent such as a compound), such as a praline, a chocolate shell product and / or a chocolate coated wafer or biscuit, any of which may or may not be layered. The chocolate coating may be applied or created by any suitable means such as enrobing or molding. The coating may comprise a chocolate product of the present invention or made according to the present invention.

[0167] In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the food product comprises a multi-layer coated chocolate product comprising multiple layers of wafers, chocolate products, biscuits and / or baked goods, at least one layer or coating being the chocolate product of the present invention (e.g. chocolate) and sandwiching a filling therebetween. Most preferably, the multi-layer product comprises a chocolate product confectionery product (e.g. as described herein) selected from sandwich biscuits, cookies, wafers, muffins, extruded snacks and / or pralines. One example of such a product is a multi-layer laminate of baked wafer layers and / or biscuit layers sandwiching a filling and coated with chocolate.

[0168] In the discussion of the invention herein, unless otherwise stated to the contrary, disclosure of alternative values ​​at the upper and lower limits of an acceptable range for a parameter indicating that one value is preferred over another is deemed to include each intermediate value for said parameter, with values ​​falling between each of the more preferred and less preferred values ​​being themselves preferred over the less preferred values, and similarly preferred over each of the less preferred values ​​and the intermediate values.

[0169] For all upper and / or lower boundary ranges for any parameter given herein, the boundary values ​​are included in the value of each parameter unless otherwise stated. That is, "less than" means "less than, including," "greater than" means "greater than, including," while "less than, but not including" means that the boundary value is not included. It will also be understood that all combinations of preferred and / or intermediate lower and upper values ​​for the parameters described herein in various embodiments of the invention can also be used to define alternative ranges for each parameter in various other embodiments and / or preferences for combinations of values ​​whether or not specifically disclosed herein.

[0170] Unless otherwise stated, all percentages in this specification correspond to weight percent.

[0171] It will be understood that for any amounts presented herein, the total amount as a percentage may not exceed 100% (allowing for rounding errors). For example, the sum of all ingredients (or portion(s) thereof) contained in the compositions of the present invention, when stated as a weight (or other) percentage of the composition (or the same portion(s) thereof), may total 100% while allowing for rounding errors. However, if the listing of ingredients is non-inclusive, the sum of the percentages for each of such ingredients may be less than 100% to allow for some percentage with respect to any additional ingredient amount(s) that may not be explicitly listed herein.

[0172] As used herein, the term "substantially" (or "essentially") may refer to an amount or entity that means a large amount or a large proportion. In this context, in the context in which "substantially" is used, "substantially" means an amount (relative to either the amount or entity to which it refers in the described context) and may be understood as an amount that constitutes at least 80% of the relevant whole, preferably at least 85%, more preferably at least 90%, particularly preferably at least 95%, in particular at least 98%, for example about 100%. By analogy, the term "substantially free" or "free" may similarly denote that the referenced amount or entity is 20% or less of the relevant whole, preferably 15% or less, more preferably 10% or less, particularly preferably 5% or less, in particular 2% or less, for example about 0%.

[0173] As used herein, the term "comprising" is understood to mean that what is listed thereafter is non-inclusive and may or may not include any other additional suitable items, such as one or more further features, components, ingredients, and / or substitutes, as appropriate. Thus, the terms "comprise" and the like should be interpreted as meaning inclusive, as opposed to exclusive or exhaustive, i.e., "including, but not limited to." It should be noted that embodiments and features described in the context of one aspect of the invention also apply to other aspects of the invention.

[0174] The present invention will now be described in further detail by the following non-limiting examples, which are provided for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention in any way.

[0175] It should be understood that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and without diminishing its attendant advantages. Accordingly, such changes and modifications are intended to be covered by the appended claims.

[0176] Experimental section [Example] The following examples are illustrative of the products and methods that also fall within the scope of the present invention. These examples are not to be construed as limiting the present invention in any way. Modifications and variations can be made in the light of the present invention. That is, those skilled in the art will recognize that in these examples, reasonable adjustments can be made to the compounds of the present invention at the level that is naturally made in various applications, and there can be a wide variety of variations in composition, raw materials, processing methods, and mixtures.

[0177] Preparation Example 1 Skim milk powder is reconstituted to a total solids content of 55-60% and heated at 45°C for 20 minutes. The enzyme is contacted with the milk substrate at 60°C for 1 hour. The enzyme is inactivated and the solution is pasteurized at 80°C for 10 minutes. Homogenization is then performed and the solution is spray-dried to form a powder. The enzyme used was Maxilact® A4 from DSM.

[0178] In Example 1, the enzyme was used at 3.2% by weight of the lactose content of the skim milk powder.

[0179] In Example 1, the GOS yield was 26% by weight of the carbohydrate mixture. The GOS yield was measured according to AOAC 2001.02.

[0180] Examples 1 to 3, Reference Examples 1 to 3 To test the scope of chocolate production using the present invention, chocolate compositions were made according to the following recipes (wt %):

[0181] [Table 1]

[0182] The dairy product contained 32.0% GOS, 5.3% lactose, 53.0% carbohydrates, 36.3% protein and 0.9% fat. It was prepared according to the method of Preparation Example 1.

[0183] The soluble corn fiber was Promitor 70R.

[0184] The chocolate was manufactured using standard techniques, with maltitol and dairy being added at the stage where sucrose and milk powder are traditionally added.

[0185] Reference example 1 A commercially available GOS source from Clasado was analyzed using the method of International Journal of Analytical Chemistry, Volume 2014, Article ID 768406, and the sugar distribution (wt%) based on the DP2-6 content was 32.8% DP2, 39.3% DP3, 17.9% DP4, 7.4% DP5 and 2.6% DP6. Such GOS sources can be used in the carbohydrate mixture of the present invention.

Claims

1. A chocolate product comprising: a. a dairy product comprising a carbohydrate mixture, said dairy product being present in an amount of 0.5% to 25% by weight of said chocolate product, said dairy product comprising 10% to 90% by weight of the carbohydrate mixture based on the weight of said dairy product, said carbohydrate mixture comprising 10% to 100% by weight of galactooligosaccharides; b. a polyol present in an amount from 10% to 50% by weight of the chocolate product; c. fiber present in an amount from 0.5% to 50% by weight of the chocolate product; Chocolate products, including

2. 2. The chocolate product of claim 1, wherein the polyol is selected from the group comprising isomalt, sorbitol, maltitol, mannitol, xylitol, erythritol, threitol, arabitol, lactitol, galactitol and hydrogenated starch hydrolysates, and mixtures thereof.

3. 3. The chocolate product according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the chocolate product comprises from 5% to 20% by weight of the dairy product.

4. 4. The chocolate product according to claim 1, wherein the chocolate product comprises from 17% to 45% by weight of the polyol.

5. A chocolate product according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein from 0% to 15% by weight of the total carbohydrate in the mixture is lactose.

6. 2. The carbohydrate mixture, as a percentage of dry matter of the mixture, a. Lactose 0-40% by weight b. Glucose 0-40% by weight c. galactose 0 to 40% by weight d. 10 to 80% by weight of galactooligosaccharides The chocolate product according to any one of claims 1 to 5, which is a composition represented by the formula:

7. 2. The carbohydrate mixture, as a percentage of dry matter of the mixture, a. Lactose 3-20% by weight b. Glucose 10-30% by weight c. galactose 1 to 10% by weight d. 45 to 70% by weight of galactooligosaccharides The chocolate product according to any one of claims 1 to 6, which has a composition represented by the formula:

8. 8. A chocolate product according to any one of the preceding claims, having a total sugar content of less than 10% by weight of the chocolate product.

9. 9. The chocolate product of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the dairy product comprises more than 20% and less than 60% by weight of the carbohydrate mixture, based on the weight of the dairy product, the remainder of the dairy product being non-carbohydrate milk solids.

10. containing dairy products in an amount of 5% to 20% by weight, preferably 7% to 20% by weight, The dairy product comprises 30% to 70% by weight, preferably 40% to 55% by weight, of the carbohydrate mixture, based on the weight of the dairy product, and the carbohydrate mixture comprises 20% to 80% by weight of galactooligosaccharides. A chocolate product according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. A chocolate product according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the polyol is maltitol.

12. A chocolate product according to any one of claims 1 to 11, comprising: a dairy product comprising a carbohydrate mixture in an amount of from 10% to 90% by weight of the dairy product; the dairy product is present in an amount of from 0.5% to 25% by weight of the chocolate product; the amount of carbohydrate mixture in the dairy product and the amount of dairy product in the chocolate product are selected such that the carbohydrate mixture is present in an amount of from 0.45% to 35% by weight of the chocolate product; The carbohydrate mixture comprises galactooligosaccharides in an amount of 10-100% by weight, preferably 10-80% by weight, of the carbohydrate mixture. Chocolate products.

13. The chocolate product according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the chocolate product is a milk chocolate or white chocolate or a compound.

14. (a) providing a dairy substrate comprising a total solids content of 40% to 75% by weight, preferably said dairy substrate comprising at least 15% lactose by weight based on the dry solids content; (b) treating the milk substrate with an enzyme having transglycosylation activity; (c) optionally completely or partially inactivating the enzyme; A method for preparing a chocolate product according to any one of claims 1 to 13, comprising:

15. 15. The method of claim 14, further comprising drying the solution prepared in step (b) or (c) to provide solids for combining with other ingredients of the chocolate product.

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