Method for producing cocoa mass with reduced viscosity

Abstract

The objective of this invention is to provide a method for producing cocoa mass with reduced viscosity by improving the process up to the production of cocoa mass. [Solution] A method for producing cocoa mass with reduced viscosity is provided, which involves applying a pressure treatment of 0.01 MPa or higher to a cocoa product selected from the group consisting of cocoa nibs, cocoa beans, and combinations thereof. As a result, the viscosity is reduced by 5% or more compared to cocoa mass produced in the same way as other processes without pressure treatment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing cacao mass with reduced viscosity.

Background Art

[0002] Cacao mass is generally produced by coarsely crushing roasted cacao beans, separating the shell (seed coat) and cacao nibs (endosperm), crushing the separated cacao nibs, and finely grinding them into a paste. Alternatively, the cacao nibs may be roasted, crushed, and finely ground into a paste. Then, cocoa butter, sugar, dairy products, etc. are blended into the paste-like cacao mass to make chocolates with various flavors.

[0003] In the manufacturing process of such chocolates, viscosity adjustment is finally performed according to the intended use. On the other hand, it is generally difficult to adjust the viscosity in the process up to the production of cacao mass. Therefore, the method for adjusting the viscosity of chocolate is generally carried out by adding an emulsifier or oil and fat to the cacao mass after making the cacao mass. For example, it is known to add a sorbitan fatty acid ester that has fluidity at room temperature and in which the fatty acid constituting the ester is mainly an unsaturated fatty acid having 16 or more carbon atoms and its hydroxyl value is 50 to 80 to adjust the viscosity of chocolate (Patent Document 1). Also, a method of blending a liquid oil or low melting point hardened oil having a low melting point to suppress the increase in dough viscosity after tempering is known (Patent Document 2).

[0004] However, in recent years, due to the growing health consciousness, there has been an increasing demand for emulsifier-free chocolate. For example, to increase the maximum packing density, there is a known emulsifier-reduced or emulsifier-free chocolate composition that contains at least two particulate materials distributed throughout the continuous fat phase, and at least two particulate materials have different D50 particle sizes, with a difference of 6 to 8 times (Patent Document 3). However, this does not adjust viscosity during the process up to cocoa mass production. Nor does it adjust viscosity through pressurization, as will be discussed later. It would be desirable if it were possible to adjust viscosity during the process up to cocoa mass production, as this would allow for the easy production of chocolates and cocoa mass with various physical properties. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-289985 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 59-135841 [Patent Document 3] Special Publication No. 2023-527733 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing cocoa mass with reduced viscosity by improving the process up to the production of cocoa mass. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] As a result of diligent research into the above-mentioned problems, the inventors of this invention discovered that the viscosity of cocoa mass can be significantly reduced by applying a pressure treatment of 0.01 MPa or higher to cocoa products selected from the group consisting of cocoa nibs, cocoa beans, and combinations thereof, and thus completed the present invention.

[0008] The present invention may include the following embodiments. [1] A method for producing cocoa mass with reduced viscosity, characterized by subjecting a cocoa product selected from the group consisting of cocoa nibs, cocoa beans, and combinations thereof to a pressure treatment of 0.01 MPa or more. [2] The manufacturing method according to [1], characterized in that the pressurization process is carried out for 40 seconds or more. Cocoa mass produced by the manufacturing method described in [3], [1], or [2]. Chocolate made using the cocoa mass described in [4] and [3]. [5] The chocolate described in [4], which does not contain emulsifiers. [6] A method for reducing the viscosity of cocoa mass, characterized by subjecting a cocoa product selected from the group consisting of cocoa nibs, cocoa beans, and combinations thereof to a pressure treatment of 0.01 MPa or more. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, the viscosity of cocoa mass can be significantly reduced by applying a pressure treatment of 0.01 MPa or higher to cocoa products. This reduces or eliminates the need for the conventional process of reducing viscosity with emulsifiers or fats and oils. Therefore, it is possible to provide chocolate with reduced or no emulsifiers, which is in line with the recent health-conscious trend. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] The present invention will now be described in detail. In the present invention, "cocoa product" is selected from the group consisting of cocoa nibs, cocoa beans, and combinations thereof. The method for obtaining cocoa mass may be a conventionally known method and is not particularly limited, but cocoa mass can be obtained by roasting and grinding the cocoa product. Preferably, cocoa beans are used as the cocoa product.

[0011] One of the features of the present invention is that the viscosity of cocoa mass is reduced by applying pressure to the cocoa product. As a result, the cocoa mass produced by applying pressure to the cocoa product of the present invention has a viscosity that is 5% or more lower than cocoa mass produced without pressure but using the same other processes. The step of applying pressure to the cocoa product can be added at any point in the process of producing cocoa mass. For example, the pressure treatment step may be added before or after roasting. However, as will be described later, it is preferable to perform the pressure treatment step before the roasting step.

[0012] In the pressurized treatment of the present invention, the pressure range is 0.01 MPa or higher, preferably 0.03 MPa or higher and 1.0 MPa or lower, and more preferably 0.08 MPa or higher and 0.6 MPa or lower.

[0013] Furthermore, the pressurization time is preferably 40 seconds or more, more preferably 130 seconds or more, even more preferably 500 seconds or more, and most preferably 500 seconds or more and 4000 seconds or less, within the pressure range described above.

[0014] The pressurized treatment is carried out as follows: A cocoa product consisting of cocoa nibs, cocoa beans, and combinations thereof is placed in a sealable container, and pressure is applied using steam to raise the temperature inside the sealable container to 110°C or higher for a predetermined time. Specifically, a step of steaming cocoa beans with their outer shells using pressurized steam is also included in the pressurized treatment of the present invention.

[0015] In the present invention, as will be described later, if the pressurizing pressure is high, the pressurizing process can be completed in a short time, while if the pressurizing pressure is low, a longer pressurizing process is required. However, those skilled in the art can appropriately select the optimal pressure and time by referring to the examples and comparative examples of the present invention. For example, when pressurizing cocoa beans, it is preferable to pressurize for 1500 seconds or more when the pressure is 0.05 MPa. It is preferable to pressurize for 960 seconds or more when the pressure is 0.1 MPa. It is preferable to pressurize for 600 seconds or more when the pressure is 0.2 MPa.

[0016] One of the objectives of this invention is to obtain chocolate with reduced or no emulsifiers, but it does not preclude conventional methods of reducing viscosity by adding emulsifiers or fats and oils. For example, if the viscosity reduction by pressurization is insufficient, sufficient viscosity reduction can be achieved by supplementing it with emulsifiers or fats and oils.

[0017] This invention also relates to cocoa mass itself, which is obtained by pressurizing cocoa products. It is impossible or impractical to determine what chemical reactions occur in cocoa products when they are pressurized, and what changes occur in their chemical composition as a result. The "cocoa mass" produced by pressurizing cocoa products according to this invention is characterized by having a viscosity that is 5% or more lower compared to cocoa mass produced without pressurization but using the same other processes.

[0018] The present invention also relates to chocolate itself produced using the above-mentioned cocoa mass. The chocolate of the present invention can be produced based on conventionally known methods. For example, it can be produced by using cocoa mass with raw materials such as fats and oils, sugars, dairy products, and emulsifiers, through a mixing process, a micronization process (refining), a conching process, a tempering process (if necessary), and a cooling process.

[0019] In the present invention, due to the pressure treatment, a significant viscosity reduction can be obtained in the cocoa mass, so that the use of emulsifiers and fats and oils conventionally used for viscosity reduction in the chocolate manufacturing process can be suppressed. As a result, it is possible to produce chocolate with reduced emulsifiers or without emulsifiers.

Examples

[0020] Examples and comparative examples are described below to explain the present invention in more detail, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Also, unless otherwise noted, % and parts in the examples are based on mass.

[0021] <Pressurization treatment of cocoa products> 600 g of cocoa beans or 537 g of cocoa nibs wrapped in a cooking sheet were placed in a stainless steel basket and placed in a reactor, covered, and steam generated by a steam generator was blown into the reactor to start the pressure treatment. The reactor was kept warm at a temperature at which the pressure was maintained using an oil constant temperature bath (manufactured by Kato Stainless Steel Science Co., Ltd., model number T-201P). When the pressure inside the reactor reached a predetermined value, it was held for a certain period of time. After the pressure treatment was completed, the pressure was lowered, and the cocoa beans or cocoa nibs wrapped in the cooking sheet were taken out from the reactor. The cocoa beans or cocoa nibs used were from Ghana.

[0022] <Roasting treatment of cocoa products> (In the case of cocoa beans) The above cocoa beans were roasted in an oven set at 108 °C for 105 minutes. (In the case of cocoa nibs) The above cocoa nibs were roasted in the temperature range of 60 to 115 °C for 70 minutes.

[0023] <Atomization treatment of cocoa products> After roasting, the cocoa beans were coarsely crushed in a stone mill, and after winnowing (separating the cocoa nibs from the shells using air pressure), the resulting cocoa nibs were ground in a sanitary crusher (manufactured by Sansho Industry Co., Ltd., model number SC-01C). Furthermore, they were finely ground to approximately 45 μm (30-60 μm) in a refiner (manufactured by Bühler Co., Ltd., SDY-300). This process produced cocoa mass.

[0024] <Production of cocoa mass without pressurization> The cocoa was roasted in an oven set to 108°C for 105 minutes. The cocoa nibs, on the other hand, were roasted in a temperature range of 60-115°C for 70 minutes. The cocoa products were processed in the same manner as described above to produce cocoa mass.

[0025] In this invention, the moisture content was measured using a heat-drying type moisture meter (manufactured by A&D Company, Limited, model MX-50). Viscosity was measured using a BM viscometer with rotor #4 at 12 rpm (manufactured by Toki Sangyo Co., Ltd.) after adjusting the temperature of cocoa mass or chocolate to 40°C. The viscosity reduction rate was calculated as the percentage change from the viscosity at a pressurization time of 0 seconds.

[0026] <Experimental Example 1> Table 1 summarizes the viscosity and viscosity reduction rate of cocoa mass obtained when cocoa beans were subjected to pressurization at a pressure of 0.4 MPa for 0 seconds and 120 seconds in the above method for producing cocoa mass.

[0027] [Table 1]

[0028] Thus, pressurizing the cocoa mass at a pressure of 0.4 MPa for 120 seconds resulted in a 35.72% decrease in viscosity compared to the unpressurized cocoa mass.

[0029] <Experimental Example 2> Table 2 summarizes the viscosity and viscosity reduction rate of cocoa mass when cocoa beans were pressurized at a pressure of 0.2 MPa for pressurization times of 0 seconds, 60 seconds, 600 seconds, 960 seconds, and 3600 seconds in the above method for producing cocoa mass. The final particle size (μm) of the cocoa mass, the moisture content (%) after pressurization, and the moisture content (%) after roasting are also shown.

[0030] [Table 2]

[0031] Thus, pressurizing the cocoa mass at a pressure of 0.2 MPa for 60 seconds or more resulted in a viscosity reduction of 39.32% or more compared to unpressurized cocoa mass. In particular, pressurizing for 600 seconds to 960 seconds resulted in a viscosity reduction of 50% or more, which was found to be even more preferable. Furthermore, it was confirmed that there were no significant differences between the final particle size after grinding and the moisture content after pressurizing or roasting in each sample. In this way, the influence of particle size and moisture on viscosity reduction was eliminated.

[0032] <Experimental Example 3> Table 3 summarizes the viscosity and viscosity reduction rate of cocoa mass when cocoa beans were pressurized at a pressure of 0.1 MPa for pressurization times of 0 seconds, 240 seconds, 960 seconds, and 2400 seconds in the above method for producing cocoa mass. The final particle size (μm) of the cocoa mass, the moisture content (%) after pressurization, and the moisture content (%) after roasting are also shown.

[0033] [Table 3]

[0034] Thus, pressurizing the cocoa mass at a pressure of 0.1 MPa for 240 seconds or more resulted in a 34.38% decrease in viscosity compared to unpressurized cocoa mass. In particular, pressurizing for 960 seconds resulted in a viscosity reduction of over 50%, which was found to be even more favorable. It was confirmed that there were no significant differences in the final particle size after grinding and the moisture content after pressurizing or roasting among the various samples.

[0035] <Experimental Example 4> Table 4 summarizes the viscosity and viscosity reduction rate of cocoa mass when cocoa beans were pressurized at a pressure of 0.05 MPa for pressurization times of 0 seconds, 240 seconds, and 1500 seconds in the above method for producing cocoa mass. The final particle size (μm) of the cocoa mass, the moisture content (%) after pressurization, and the moisture content (%) after roasting are also shown.

[0036] [Table 4]

[0037] Thus, pressurizing the cocoa mass at a pressure of 0.05 MPa for 240 seconds or more resulted in a viscosity reduction of 7.06% or more compared to unpressurized cocoa mass. In particular, pressurizing for 1500 seconds resulted in a viscosity reduction of 50% or more, which was found to be even more favorable. It was confirmed that there were no significant differences between the final particle size after grinding and the moisture content after pressurizing or roasting in each sample.

[0038] <Experimental Example 5> Table 5 summarizes the viscosity and viscosity reduction rate of cocoa mass when cocoa nibs were subjected to pressurization at a pressure of 0.2 MPa for 0 seconds and 600 seconds in the above method for producing cocoa mass. The final particle size (μm) of the cocoa mass, the moisture content (%) after pressurization, and the moisture content (%) after roasting are also shown.

[0039] [Table 5]

[0040] Thus, a decrease in viscosity due to pressurization was also observed in cocoa nibs. Specifically, pressurization at a pressure of 0.2 MPa for 600 seconds resulted in a 35.42% decrease in the viscosity of the resulting cocoa mass compared to that which was not pressurized. It was confirmed that there were no significant differences in the final particle size after grinding and the moisture content after pressurization or roasting among the samples.

[0041] <Experimental Example 6> In the above method for producing cocoa mass, the roasting process was divided into two stages, with a pressurizing treatment performed in between. Specifically, after roasting cocoa beans for 45 minutes, the cocoa mass was pressurized at a pressure of 0.2 MPa for 0 seconds and 600 seconds, followed by another 60 minutes of roasting. Table 6 summarizes the viscosity and viscosity reduction rate of the cocoa mass in these cases. The final particle size (μm) of the cocoa mass, the moisture content (%) after pressurizing treatment, and the moisture content (%) after roasting are also shown.

[0042] [Table 6]

[0043] Thus, a similar decrease in viscosity was observed even when cocoa beans were roasted before pressure treatment. Specifically, when pressure treatment was performed at a pressure of 0.2 MPa for 600 seconds, the viscosity of the resulting cocoa mass decreased by 27.06% compared to that which was not pressure treated. It was found that the viscosity decrease rate was about half when pressure treatment was performed after roasting (the viscosity decrease rate when pressure treatment was performed before roasting was 51.45%). In other words, it was found that pressure treatment before roasting is preferable. Furthermore, it was confirmed that there was no significant difference in the final particle size after grinding and the moisture content after pressure treatment or roasting among the various samples.

[0044] <Experimental Example 7> Next, chocolates for Examples 1-2 and Comparative Examples 1-3 were produced using the raw material formulations shown in Table 7. Specifically, as described above, cocoa mass subjected to pressure treatment at 0.2 MPa for 960 seconds (viscosity reduction rate of 50% or more) and cocoa mass subjected to pressure treatment at 0.2 MPa for 60 seconds (viscosity reduction rate of 39%) were prepared. In addition, cocoa mass without the aforementioned pressure treatment was prepared. For the latter, cocoa butter, lecithin, or polyglycerin fatty acid ester (emulsifier) ​​was added to achieve a similar viscosity reduction rate (39%). After that, other raw materials such as sugar were mixed according to conventional methods, and after the pulverization process (refining) and the conching process, the molten chocolate was tempered and cooled and solidified using a mold. The quality of the obtained chocolate was evaluated by the method described in <Chocolate Evaluation> below.

[0045] <Chocolate Evaluation> The chocolates produced using the methods described above, Examples 1-2 and Comparative Examples 1-3, were evaluated for cocoa flavor and smoothness by six expert panelists according to the following evaluation method. The evaluation results are shown in Table 7. (1) Method for evaluating cocoa flavor The cocoa content of the chocolate was evaluated according to the following criteria. ◎: The cocoa flavor is particularly outstanding. ○: Excellent cocoa flavor △: The cocoa flavor is slightly lacking. ×: Lacking cocoa flavor (2) Method for evaluating smoothness The smoothness of the chocolate was evaluated according to the following criteria. ◎: Excellent smoothness ○: Excellent in smoothness. △: Slightly less smooth ×: Smoother

[0046] TIFF2026057348000007.tif73145

[0047] [Table 8]

[0048] Tables 7 and 8 show that the chocolates using pressure-treated cocoa mass in Examples 1 and 2 had suitable viscosity and excellent cocoa flavor and smoothness. The chocolate using unpressurized cocoa mass in Comparative Example 1 did not have suitable viscosity and was not smooth. The chocolates in Comparative Examples 2 to 4 were adjusted to suitable viscosity with emulsifiers or fats and oils, but adjusting viscosity with fats and oils resulted in a poor cocoa flavor, and adjusting viscosity with emulsifiers resulted in a poor smoothness.

Claims

1. A method for producing cocoa mass, characterized by subjecting a cocoa product selected from the group consisting of cocoa nibs, cocoa beans, and combinations thereof to a pressure treatment of 0.01 MPa or more.

2. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, characterized in that the pressurization process is performed for 40 seconds or more.

3. Cocoa mass produced by the manufacturing method described in claim 1 or claim 2.

4. Chocolate made using the cocoa mass described in claim 3.

5. The chocolate according to claim 4, which does not contain an emulsifier.

6. A method for reducing the viscosity of cocoa mass, characterized by subjecting a cocoa product selected from the group consisting of cocoa nibs, cocoa beans, and combinations thereof to a pressure treatment of 0.01 MPa or higher.

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