Manufacturing method of cacao raw materials

Abstract

To provide a method for reducing an odd taste or discomfort flavor of chocolate containing a cacao feedstock in abundance.SOLUTION: A method for producing a cacao feedstock includes a step A for washing cacao beans with water. A method for producing chocolate includes blending chocolate with at least 30 mass% of a cacao feedstock produced by the cacao feedstock production method.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing cacao raw materials. [Background technology]

[0002] Polyphenols contained in cacao beans, which are used as the raw material for chocolate, are known to have various physiological activities (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). In recent years, chocolates containing large amounts of cacao raw materials have been sold in anticipation of the physiological effects of the polyphenols contained in cacao beans.

[0003] However, since cacao beans also contain bitter and astringent components, chocolate containing a large amount of cacao raw materials has a problem of having a strong unpleasant taste and flavor. Patent documents 3 and 4, for example, have proposed methods for improving the flavor of chocolate containing a large amount of cacao raw materials. However, these improvement methods all use additives that are not often used in chocolate, and there is a problem that they cannot be used when additives are not desired. Therefore, a new method for reducing the unpleasant taste and flavor of chocolate containing a large amount of cacao raw materials has been desired. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2002-80363 A [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-224606 [Patent Document 3] JP 2018-148805 A [Patent Document 4] JP 2020-14447 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a method for reducing the unpleasant flavor and off-flavor of chocolate containing a large amount of cacao raw material. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present inventors have conducted extensive research to solve the above problems. As a result, they have found that the problems can be solved by washing cacao beans with water. This has led to the completion of the present invention.

[0007] That is, the first aspect of the present invention is to hard water The method for producing cocoa raw materials includes a step of washing the cocoa raw materials with water. The second aspect of the present invention is the method for producing a cacao raw material according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the cacao raw material is for chocolate and is blended in an amount of 30% by mass or more in the chocolate. First invention or second invention This is a method for producing chocolate, in which 30% by mass or more of the cacao raw material produced by the method for producing a cacao raw material described in the above is blended. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, a method for reducing the unpleasant flavor and off-flavor of chocolate containing a large amount of cacao raw material can be provided. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] The method for producing cacao raw material according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a step of washing cacao beans with water.

[0010] In the present invention, the cacao raw material refers to a raw material obtained by processing cacao beans, and is mainly used as a raw material for chocolate. Specific examples of the cacao raw material include cacao nibs, cacao mass, cocoa powder, etc. Cacao nibs are obtained by removing the shell from cacao beans. Cacao mass is obtained by grinding cacao nibs. Cocoa powder is obtained by removing cocoa butter from cacao mass. The cocoa raw material produced by the method for producing cocoa raw material according to the embodiment of the present invention is preferably cocoa mass.

[0011] The cocoa beans used in the washing step of the method for producing a cocoa raw material according to the embodiment of the present invention are preferably fermented cocoa beans. The fermentation of the cocoa beans is carried out by a conventional method. The cocoa beans used in the washing step of the method for producing a cocoa raw material according to the embodiment of the present invention are preferably cocoa beans that have not been treated with a solution such as an acid solution or an alkaline solution.

[0012] The water used in the washing step of the method for producing cacao raw materials according to the embodiment of the present invention may be hard water, medium hard water, soft water (tap water, distilled water, etc.), etc., and is preferably hard water. Hard water has a hardness of 300 mg / L or more, medium hard water has a hardness of 100 mg / L or more and less than 300 mg / L, and soft water has a hardness of less than 100 mg / L. The hardness of water used in the washing step of the method for producing cocoa raw materials according to an embodiment of the present invention is preferably 300 to 1700 mg / L, more preferably 500 to 1600 mg / L, even more preferably 700 to 1500 mg / L, and most preferably 1000 to 1500 mg / L.

[0013] The water used in the washing step in the method for producing cacao raw materials according to the embodiment of the present invention has a pH of preferably 6.0 to 8.0, more preferably 6.3 to 7.8, and even more preferably 6.5 to 7.5.

[0014] The temperature of water used in the washing step of the method for producing cocoa raw materials according to an embodiment of the present invention is preferably 4 to 30°C, more preferably 8 to 25°C, even more preferably 10 to 23°C, and most preferably 15 to 23°C.

[0015] The washing step in the method for producing cacao raw materials according to the embodiment of the present invention is not particularly limited in terms of the apparatus, conditions, etc., as long as the cacao beans can be washed sufficiently. Washing is performed, for example, by placing the cacao beans in a container, injecting water to the extent that the cacao beans are submerged (preferably injecting water in an amount 0.7 to 5 times the weight of the cacao beans), and then stirring (preferably stirring for 30 seconds to 1 hour). After washing, the water is drained. Washing can also be performed multiple times. In the method for producing cacao raw materials according to an embodiment of the present invention, the cacao beans can also be dried after the washing step.

[0016] The method for producing a cacao raw material according to the embodiment of the present invention preferably includes a step of roasting cacao beans or cacao nibs. The roasting step in the method for producing a cacao raw material according to the embodiment of the present invention is preferably performed after the washing step. When roasting cacao nibs after the washing step, the shells are removed from the cacao beans before roasting. The roasting conditions in the roasting step in the method for producing a cacao raw material according to the embodiment of the present invention are not particularly limited. The roasting temperature in the roasting step in the method for producing a cacao raw material according to the embodiment of the present invention is preferably 90 to 130°C, more preferably 90 to 125°C, and even more preferably 95 to 120°C. The roasting time in the roasting step in the method for producing a cacao raw material according to the embodiment of the present invention is preferably 50 to 120 minutes, more preferably 55 to 110 minutes, and even more preferably 60 to 100 minutes.

[0017] The method for producing a cacao raw material according to an embodiment of the present invention preferably includes a step of grinding the cacao nibs. In the method for producing a cacao raw material according to an embodiment of the present invention, the step of grinding the cacao nibs is performed after the step of roasting. By performing the step of grinding the cacao nibs, cacao mass is obtained.

[0018] The method for producing the cacao raw material according to the embodiment of the present invention preferably includes a step of squeezing the cacao mass obtained after the grinding step. By carrying out the step of squeezing the cacao mass, cocoa powder and cocoa butter are obtained. If the cocoa powder is agglomerated, a step of pulverizing the cocoa powder can also be carried out.

[0019] The method for producing cocoa ingredients according to the embodiment of the present invention may further include a step that is normally performed in a method for producing cocoa ingredients, such as a sterilization step. If the method for producing cocoa ingredients according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a sterilization step, the sterilization step is performed before the roasting step. The sterilization step is performed according to a method normally used for sterilizing cocoa ingredients.

[0020] The cacao raw material obtained by the method for producing a cacao raw material according to the embodiment of the present invention is preferably for use in chocolate. The cacao raw material obtained by the method for producing a cacao raw material according to the embodiment of the present invention is preferably blended into chocolate at 30% by mass or more, more preferably 40 to 80% by mass, even more preferably 55 to 70% by mass, and most preferably 55 to 65% by mass.

[0021] By using the cacao raw material obtained by the method for producing cacao raw material according to the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to reduce the unpleasant flavors and off-flavors of chocolate containing a large amount of cacao raw material.

[0022] The method for producing chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention is characterized by blending a cacao ingredient produced by the method for producing a cacao ingredient according to the embodiment of the present invention. In the present invention, the chocolate is not limited to chocolate as defined by the "Fair Competition Code for Labeling of Chocolates" (National Chocolate Industry Fair Trade Council) or other laws and regulations. In addition, chocolate in the present invention refers to a food product manufactured using edible fats and oils, sugars, cacao raw materials (cacao mass, cocoa powder, etc.), dairy products, flavorings, emulsifiers, etc. as raw materials, through a chocolate manufacturing process (all or part of a mixing process, a granulation process, a refining process, a molding process, a cooling process, etc.), in which fats and oils form a continuous phase and which is substantially free of water. In addition, the chocolate in the embodiment of the present invention preferably has a moisture content of 3 mass % or less.

[0023] In the chocolate manufacturing method of the embodiment of the present invention, the cocoa raw material produced by the cocoa raw material manufacturing method of the embodiment of the present invention is preferably blended in an amount of 30% by mass or more, more preferably 40 to 80% by mass, even more preferably 55 to 70% by mass, and most preferably 55 to 65% by mass.

[0024] In the method for producing chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention, the fats and oils are preferably blended in an amount of 28 to 50 mass %, more preferably 32 to 46 mass %, and even more preferably 35 to 42 mass %. In the present invention, the fats and oils refer to the total fats and oils contained in the chocolate. For example, when the chocolate contains cacao mass, whole milk powder, and fats and oils A, the fats and oils are a mixture of the cocoa butter contained in the cacao mass, the milk fat contained in the whole milk powder, and fats and oils A. In other words, the fats and oils in the present invention include the fats and oils (cocoa butter, milk fat, etc.) contained in the oil-containing raw materials (cacao mass, cocoa powder, whole milk powder, etc.) in addition to the fats and oils to be blended. The fats and oils used in the chocolate manufacturing method of the embodiment of the present invention are not particularly limited. In the manufacture of the chocolate of the embodiment of the present invention, edible fats and oils used in the manufacture of normal chocolate (cocoa butter, soybean oil, rapeseed oil, high erucic acid rapeseed oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, sesame oil, cottonseed oil, rice oil, olive oil, peanut oil, linseed oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, shea butter, illipe fat, monkey fat, milk fat, mixed oils of these fats and oils, processed fats and oils of these fats and oils or mixed oils (ester-exchanged oil, fractionated oil, hydrogenated oil, etc.) can be used.

[0025] In the method for producing chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention, the sugar content is preferably 10 to 40% by mass, more preferably 15 to 37% by mass, and even more preferably 25 to 34% by mass. In the present invention, the carbohydrate refers to carbohydrates excluding dietary fiber. Specific examples of carbohydrates include sugars, sugar alcohols (maltitol, xylitol, erythritol, sorbitol, lactitol, mannitol, reduced starch syrup, etc.), starch, oligosaccharides, dextrin, etc. In the present invention, the sugars refer to monosaccharides and disaccharides (glucose, fructose, galactose, sugar (sucrose), lactose, maltose, etc.). In the present invention, the carbohydrate refers to the carbohydrate itself, and does not include carbohydrates contained in other raw materials (e.g., powdered milk, etc.). The saccharide used in the chocolate manufacturing method according to the embodiment of the present invention is preferably a saccharide, more preferably sugar or lactose.

[0026] Other raw materials used in the manufacturing method of chocolate in the embodiment of the present invention include, for example, sweeteners such as aspartame, stevia, saccharin, etc., dairy products such as whole milk powder, skim milk powder, etc., soybean flour, soy protein, processed fruit products, processed vegetable products, various powders such as matcha powder, coffee powder, etc., gums, starches, emulsifiers such as sucrose fatty acid esters, glycerin fatty acid esters, polyglycerin fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters, lecithin, lysolecithin, enzymatically hydrolyzed lecithin, polyglycerin condensed ricinoleic acid esters, antioxidants, coloring agents, flavorings, etc.

[0027] The method for producing chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention uses a conventionally known method for producing chocolate, except that the cocoa raw material produced by the method for producing cocoa raw material according to the embodiment of the present invention is blended. The method for producing chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention uses fats and oils, sugars, cocoa mass, dairy products, flavors, emulsifiers, etc. as raw materials, and includes a mixing step, a micronization step (refining), a refining step (conching), a cooling step, etc. The method for producing chocolate according to the embodiment of the present invention preferably includes a micronization step.

[0028] According to the chocolate manufacturing method of the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to reduce the unpleasant taste and off-flavor of chocolate containing a large amount of cacao raw materials. Also, according to the chocolate manufacturing method of the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to reduce the unpleasant taste and off-flavor of chocolate containing a large amount of cacao raw materials in a never-before-seen way.

[0029] The chocolate produced by the chocolate producing method according to the embodiment of the present invention can be combined with other foods such as confectionery, bread, etc. Means for combining chocolate with other foods include wrapping, rolling, mixing, bonding, covering, sandwiching, pouring, embedding, topping, etc. EXAMPLES

[0030] The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to examples and comparative examples, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0031] [Production of cocoa raw materials] 600 g of fermented cocoa beans were placed in a tray (length 32.5 cm, width 26 cm, height 5.3 cm), and 500 mL of hard water (hardness: 1468 mg / mL, pH: 7.3, temperature: 20°C), tap water (soft water) (hardness: 65.1 mg / mL, pH: 7.2, temperature: 20°C) or distilled water (soft water) (hardness: 0 mg / mL, pH: 7.0, temperature: 20°C) was added and thoroughly stirred for 1 minute, after which the water was drained and the beans were washed. Washing was repeated three times. Each of the cocoa beans washed with water was roasted in a roaster at 100°C for 40 minutes, and then at 115°C for 40 minutes. After removing the shells from each of the roasted cocoa beans, the resulting cocoa nibs were ground in a grinder to obtain cocoa mass.

[0032] [Chocolate production and evaluation] Chocolate was produced using a mixture of 64 parts by mass of each cacao mass, 31 parts by mass of sugar, 5 parts by mass of cocoa butter, and 0.5 parts by mass of emulsifier, using a normal chocolate production method (mixing, pulverization, refining, cooling) (the content of the cacao raw material in the chocolate was 63.7% by mass, the content of oil and fat was 40% by mass, the content of sugar was 30.8% by mass, and the water content was 3% by mass or less.) As a control, a comparative chocolate was produced using cacao mass produced from cacao beans that had not been washed with water. A panel of eight experts tasted each of the obtained chocolates and evaluated the flavor of the chocolates. The flavor of the chocolates made using the cacao mass that had been washed with water was compared with the flavor of a control chocolate, and the evaluation was performed according to the following evaluation criteria. The results are shown in Table 1. The expert panel that evaluated the chocolate flavor regularly received training in sensory evaluation of chocolate flavor, etc., and there was little individual variation in the sensory evaluation results of the chocolate flavor, etc.

[0033] [Chocolate flavor evaluation criteria] ◎: Much less off-flavors and unpleasant flavors than the comparison chocolate. ○: Less unpleasant flavors and off-flavors than the comparison chocolate ×: No difference in flavor from the comparison chocolate.

[0034] [Table 1]

[0035] As can be seen from Table 1, by using a cacao ingredient produced using cacao beans washed with water, it was possible to reduce the unpleasant taste and off-flavor of chocolate containing a large amount of the cacao ingredient. It was also found that washing the cacao beans with hard water further reduced the unpleasant taste and off-flavor of chocolate.

Claims

1. A method for producing a cocoa raw material, comprising the step of washing cocoa beans with hard water.

2. 2. The method for producing a cacao raw material according to claim 1, wherein the cacao raw material is for chocolate, and the cacao raw material is blended in an amount of 30% by mass or more in the chocolate.

3. A method for producing chocolate, comprising blending 30% by mass or more of cocoa raw materials produced by the method for producing cocoa raw materials described in claim 1 or claim 2.

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