Method for producing cocoa-containing granules

Abstract

To provide a production method of a powder composition for a cocoa beverage that is excellent in dispersibility in cold water and has whitening suppressed in long-term storage.SOLUTION: A powder mixture is prepared by mixing cocoa powder and another powder raw material. A production method of cocoa-containing granules is characterized by granulating the powder mixture using a binder liquid obtained by mixing an emulsifier with an aqueous solvent. A method for improving dispersibility of cocoa powder in cold water is characterized by preparing a powder mixture containing cocoa powder and creaming powder and granulating the powder mixture using a binder liquid obtained by mixing an emulsifier with an aqueous solvent.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to cocoa-containing granules that have good dispersibility in cold water and are inhibited from blooming, and to a method for producing the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Cocoa is made by removing some of the fat from cacao beans, the seeds of the cacao plant (Theobroma cacao L.). After fermenting the endosperm of the cacao beans, it is roasted and ground to produce cocoa mass, and when the cocoa mass is pressed to remove the cocoa butter, it is called cocoa. Cocoa is ground into powder and is widely used as an ingredient in food and beverages. In particular, cocoa drinks, made by kneading cocoa powder with a small amount of hot water to make a paste and then thinning this paste with hot water, are a popular beverage enjoyed by children and adults alike. Cocoa has a strong bitter taste on its own, so adding sugar or thinning it with milk instead of hot water makes it easier to drink.

[0003] Powder compositions for cocoa drinks, which use cocoa powder as the main ingredient and can be prepared by dissolving it in liquids such as water or milk, have become very popular in recent years due to their ease of use. On the other hand, cocoa has a high fat content of about 10 to 25%, and has low water wettability. For this reason, even if cocoa powder is directly added to hot water and stirred, it is prone to clumping. Therefore, various methods have been attempted to improve the water compatibility of cocoa powder.

[0004] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a method for improving the solubility in water by forming cocoa powder into granules, spraying the granules with a lipophilic polyglycerol fatty acid ester and a hydrophilic polyglycerol fatty acid ester dissolved and dispersed in fats and oils, forming granules with the surface and inner pores covered with the lipophilic polyglycerol fatty acid ester and the hydrophilic polyglycerol fatty acid ester, and further discloses a method for improving the solubility and dispersibility of cocoa powder in water by coating the surface of the cocoa powder with an oil composition containing a medium-chain triglyceride (MCT), a diglycerol fatty acid ester, and a propylene glycol fatty acid ester having a specific viscosity.

[0005] In addition, Patent Document 3 discloses a method for granulating a mixture containing cocoa powder, milk powder, and powdered sugars using an aqueous solution of diglycerol fatty acid ester. In the granules obtained by this method, relatively soluble powders such as powdered sugars function as binders. In addition, it is described that diglycerol fatty acid esters are present at the boundary between the cocoa powder and other powders, and that the diglycerol fatty acid esters provide better dispersion and solubility, and also provide good storage stability. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 7-87892 [Patent Document 2] JP 2005-168366 A [Patent Document 3] JP 2015-104344 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] Although the methods described in Patent Documents 1 to 3 improve the water wettability of cocoa powder, their dispersibility in cold water is still insufficient.Furthermore, the cocoa powder and the powder composition for a cocoa drink containing the same do not sufficiently suppress the so-called blooming phenomenon, which is whitening during long-term storage.

[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a powder composition for cocoa beverages which has good cold water dispersibility and is inhibited from whitening during long-term storage. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] As a result of intensive research aimed at solving the above-mentioned problems, the inventors have discovered that when a powder mixture containing cocoa powder and creaming powder is granulated using a binder liquid in which an emulsifier is mixed with an aqueous solvent, the resulting granules have good dispersibility in cold water and are less likely to whiten when stored for long periods of time, and have completed the present invention.

[0010] [1] A method for producing cocoa-containing granules according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises preparing a powder mixture containing cocoa powder and other powdered raw materials, and granulating the powder mixture with a binder liquid prepared by mixing an emulsifier in an aqueous solvent. death, The emulsifier contains a sucrose fatty acid ester having an HLB value of 11 or more. It is characterized by: [2] The emulsifier is moreover The method for producing cocoa-containing granules according to [1] above, wherein the cocoa-containing granules contain one or more fatty acid esters selected from the group consisting of polyglycerol fatty acid esters, and sorbitan fatty acid esters. [3] The method for producing cocoa-containing granules according to [1] or [2] above, wherein the emulsifier comprises one or more fatty acid esters selected from the group consisting of lauric acid esters and oleic acid esters. [4] The emulsifier comprises a sucrose fatty acid ester and a polyglycerin fatty acid ester, 3

[0033] A method for producing cocoa-containing granules comprising any one of the following steps: [ 5 The other powder raw materials include a creaming powder. 4

[0033] A method for producing cocoa-containing granules comprising any one of the following steps: [ 6 The other powder raw materials include a crystal regulator. 5

[0033] A method for producing cocoa-containing granules comprising any one of the following steps: [ 7 The other powder raw materials include one or more selected from the group consisting of starch hydrolysates and sweeteners. 6

[0033] A method for producing cocoa-containing granules comprising any one of the following steps: [ 8 The granulation is carried out by fluidized bed granulation. 7

[0033] A method for producing cocoa-containing granules comprising any one of the following steps: [ 9 A method for improving the cold water dispersibility of cocoa powder according to a second aspect of the present invention comprises preparing a powder mixture containing cocoa powder and a creaming powder, granulating the powder mixture with a binder liquid prepared by mixing an emulsifier in an aqueous solvent, and The emulsifier contains a sucrose fatty acid ester having an HLB value of 11 or more. It is characterized by: [ 10 A method for suppressing whitening of cocoa powder according to a third aspect of the present invention comprises preparing a powder mixture containing cocoa powder and creaming powder, granulating the powder mixture with a binder liquid prepared by mixing an emulsifier in an aqueous solvent, and The emulsifier contains a sucrose fatty acid ester having an HLB value of 11 or more. It is characterized by: Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain cocoa-containing granules which have good dispersibility in cold water, are less likely to whiten during long-term storage, and have good storage stability. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] In the present invention and in this specification, the term "powder composition for a cocoa drink" means a composition that can be dissolved or diluted in a liquid such as water or milk to prepare a cocoa drink.

[0013] In the present invention and this specification, "powder" means a granular material (consisting of many solid particles with different size distributions, with some interaction between the individual particles). Also, "granules" are an aggregate of particles (granular granulated material) granulated from powder. Powder also includes granules.

[0014] In the present invention and this specification, "cold water" means water at 10°C or lower. Furthermore, when a powder is "cold water dispersible", it means that when the powder is put into cold water and manually stirred with a spoon or the like, the powder is dissolved or stably dispersed and does not precipitate. When a powder is "cold water soluble", it means that when the powder is put into cold water and manually stirred with a spoon or the like, the powder is dissolved and does not precipitate.

[0015] In the present invention and this specification, the "whitening" of cocoa powder refers to the phenomenon in which the lipids (cocoa butter) in the cocoa powder are coarsely crystallized (needle-like) and the surface is observed to be white, which is the so-called blooming phenomenon. Conventional powder compositions for cocoa beverages, which are prepared by simply mixing cocoa powder with other powdered ingredients, turn white due to the blooming phenomenon when stored for a long period of time. Whitening not only impairs the appearance, but also reduces dispersibility in cold water.

[0016] The method for producing cocoa-containing granules according to the present invention (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "production method according to the present invention") is characterized in that a powder mixture containing cocoa powder and other powdered raw materials is prepared, and the powder mixture is granulated using a binder liquid in which an emulsifier is mixed in an aqueous solvent. By combining the cocoa powder with other powders to form granules, the poor water compatibility of the cocoa powder is diluted, and its dispersibility in water is improved. Furthermore, by carrying out the granulation during granulation using a binder liquid in which an emulsifier is dissolved in an aqueous solvent, dispersibility in cold water in particular is improved.

[0017] The binder liquid used in the manufacturing method according to the present invention is obtained by dissolving an emulsifier in an aqueous solvent. The aqueous solvent may be any edible aqueous solvent, and may be water or various buffer solutions, with water being generally used. The emulsifier is preferably one that is easily soluble in water, and may be appropriately selected from hydrophilic emulsifiers among food emulsifiers. The hydrophilic emulsifier may be appropriately selected from polyglycerin fatty acid esters, glycerin fatty acid esters, polyglycerin condensed ricinoleic acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, propylene glycol fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters, enzymatically decomposed lecithin, organic acid monoglycerides, and the like. As the hydrophilic emulsifier to be dissolved in the binder liquid, it is preferable to use one or a combination of two or more from sucrose fatty acid esters, polyglycerin fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters, glycerin fatty acid esters, polyglycerin condensed ricinoleic acid esters, and enzymatically decomposed lecithin, because they have higher hydrophilicity; it is more preferable to use one or a combination of two or more from sucrose fatty acid esters, polyglycerin fatty acid esters, and sorbitan fatty acid esters; it is even more preferable to use at least one of polyglycerin fatty acid esters and sucrose fatty acid esters; and it is particularly preferable to use one or more sucrose fatty acid esters, or to use one or more sucrose fatty acid esters in combination with one or more polyglycerin fatty acid esters.

[0018] The fatty acid residues constituting the fatty acid esters such as sucrose fatty acid esters, polyglycerin fatty acid esters, sorbitan fatty acid esters, and glycerin fatty acid esters used as hydrophilic emulsifiers to be dissolved in the binder liquid are not limited as long as they are edible hydrophilic emulsifiers, and examples thereof include fatty acid residues of saturated or unsaturated fatty acids having 6 to 24 carbon atoms. Among them, one or more fatty acid esters selected from the group consisting of lauric acid esters and oleic acid esters are particularly preferred because they are more likely to exhibit an improvement effect in cold water dispersibility. In addition, among emulsifiers of the same type, the emulsifiers with a higher HLB tend to have higher hydrophilicity. For this reason, the hydrophilic emulsifiers used in the present invention preferably have an HLB value of 4.5 or more, more preferably 7 or more, even more preferably 8 or more, and even more preferably 11 or more. In addition, since the viscosity of the binder liquid is not too high, it is preferable to use a hydrophilic emulsifier that does not have a too high viscosity when dissolved in water.

[0019] The content of the hydrophilic emulsifier in the binder liquid is not particularly limited, so long as it has a viscosity that allows it to be used as a binder liquid and the content in the granulated cocoa-containing granules is an amount that does not impair the product quality, such as taste. For example, the content of the hydrophilic emulsifier in the binder liquid can be 0.1 to 5% by mass, preferably 0.1 to 3% by mass, and more preferably 0.1 to 1% by mass. When two or more types of hydrophilic emulsifiers are used, the total content of the hydrophilic emulsifiers can be 0.1 to 5% by mass.

[0020] When the hydrophilic emulsifier in the binder liquid is one or more types of sucrose fatty acid esters and one or more types of polyglycerin fatty acid esters, the total content of sucrose fatty acid esters is preferably greater than the total content of polyglycerin fatty acid esters, and the total content of sucrose fatty acid esters:total content of polyglycerin fatty acid esters (mass ratio) is preferably 5000:1 to 100:1, more preferably 2500:1 to 500:1.

[0021] The content of cocoa powder contained in the powder mixture is not particularly limited. For example, the content of cocoa powder contained in the powder mixture is preferably 10% by mass or more, more preferably 15% by mass or more, and even more preferably 20% by mass or more, so that the resulting cocoa-containing granules tend to contain a sufficient amount of cocoa powder. In addition, the content of cocoa powder contained in the powder mixture is preferably 80% by mass or less, more preferably 70% by mass or less, and even more preferably 60% by mass or less, so that powder ingredients other than cocoa powder can be easily contained in sufficient amounts to achieve the effects of the present invention.

[0022] In addition to the hydrophilic emulsifier, the binder liquid may contain one or more water-soluble components, as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired. Examples of the water-soluble components include salts (minerals), pH adjusters, sweeteners, excipients, etc.

[0023] In the present invention, the powder mixture, which is the raw material for granulation, may contain one type of powder raw material other than cocoa powder, or two or more types. The powder raw material other than cocoa powder for forming granules integrated with cocoa powder is not particularly limited as long as it is a powder. For example, in a conventional powder composition for cocoa beverage prepared by simply mixing cocoa powder with other powder raw materials, the powder raw materials such as sweeteners, creaming powders, dairy raw materials, pH adjusters, minerals, excipients, binders, flow improvers, flavors, emulsifiers, etc. can be appropriately used.

[0024] In the production method according to the present invention, the other powdered raw material to be mixed with the cocoa powder is particularly preferably creaming powder, since it produces cocoa-containing granules that have better cold water dispersibility and a high whitening suppression effect. Here, creaming powder is a dried powder of an oil-in-water emulsion containing vegetable oil, milk protein such as casein protein, and a powdered base material, which is used as a substitute for cream added to beverages such as coffee and tea.

[0025] The reason why the cocoa-containing granules obtained by granulating cocoa powder and creaming powder together in the present invention have excellent cold water dispersibility and whitening suppression is unclear, but it is presumed that this is because the creaming powder suppresses the coarse crystallization of the cocoa butter in the cocoa powder. When whitening is suppressed, the loss of cold water dispersibility can also be suppressed. In other words, the cocoa-containing granules obtained by granulating cocoa powder and creaming powder together do not whiten even after long-term storage, have good cold water dispersibility, and are excellent in long-term storage stability.

[0026] The creaming powder can be produced by selecting edible fats and oils such as coconut oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, soybean oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, rapeseed oil, milk fat, beef tallow, lard, etc.; carbohydrates such as sucrose, glucose, corn syrup, etc., starch hydrolysates; proteins such as sodium caseinate; dairy ingredients such as whole milk powder, skim milk powder, whey powder, etc.; and other ingredients such as sodium diphosphate, sodium citrate, emulsifiers, etc. according to the desired quality characteristics, dispersing them in water, homogenizing them, and drying them. The creaming powder used as the raw material for the creaming powder of the present invention preferably contains at least vegetable fats and oils, starch hydrolysates such as corn syrup, and milk protein, and may contain at least milk fat and milk protein.

[0027] Creaming powder can be produced, for example, by mixing raw materials such as edible oils and fats in water, then forming an oil-in-water emulsion (O / W emulsion) using an emulsifier such as a high-pressure homogenizer, and then removing the water. As a method for removing the water, any method can be selected from spray drying, spray freezing, freeze drying, freeze pulverization, extrusion granulation, etc. The obtained creaming powder may be classified, granulated, pulverized, etc., as necessary.

[0028] In the present invention, the creaming powder to be granulated together with the cocoa powder is preferably a cold water soluble creaming powder. By using a cold water soluble creaming powder, the cold water solubility and whitening suppression effect of the produced cocoa-containing granules can be improved. The cold water soluble creaming powder can be appropriately selected from known creaming powders that have been devised to improve their cold water solubility.

[0029] The content of the creaming powder contained in the powder mixture is not particularly limited. For example, the content of the creaming powder contained in the powder mixture is preferably 5 to 50% by mass, more preferably 10 to 40% by mass, because the effect of improving the cold water dispersibility and suppressing whitening is easily exhibited in the obtained cocoa-containing granules.

[0030] Sweeteners contained in the powder mixture, which is the raw material for granulation, include sugars such as sugar, sucrose-type liquid sugar, oligosaccharides, glucose-fructose liquid sugar, etc., sugar alcohols such as erythritol, trehalose, sorbitol, etc., and high-intensity sweeteners such as aspartame, acesulfame potassium, sucralose, stevia, etc. Sugar may be granulated sugar, white sugar, or powdered sugar.

[0031] The dairy ingredients contained in the powder mixture are other than creaming powder, and include whole milk powder, skim milk powder, whey powder, milk, low-fat milk, concentrated milk, skim concentrated milk, unsweetened condensed milk, sweetened condensed milk, unsweetened condensed skim milk, sweetened condensed skim milk, lactose, fresh cream, butter, etc. Note that whole milk powder and skim milk powder are obtained by removing moisture from milk (full fat milk) or skim milk by spray drying or the like, drying, and powdering the resulting product.

[0032] The pH adjuster contained in the powder mixture may be a sodium salt of an organic acid, a potassium salt of an organic acid, a sodium salt of an inorganic acid, a potassium salt of an inorganic acid, etc. Among them, sodium and potassium salts of citric acid, gluconic acid, succinic acid, acetic acid, lactic acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, phosphoric acid, and carbonate are preferred.

[0033] Examples of excipients contained in the powder mixture include starch, starch hydrolysates, sugars, dietary fiber, etc. Examples of starch include edible starches such as tapioca starch, glutinous rice starch, rice starch, potato starch, wheat starch, corn starch, waxy corn starch, taro starch, and sago starch, and these starches may be processed by hydroxypropylation, acetylation, phosphoric acid monoesterification, etc., or crosslinking. Examples of starch hydrolysates include powdered syrup, starch syrup, dextrin, maltodextrin, etc. Examples of sugars include lactose, maltose, sucrose, trehalose, oligosaccharides, etc. Examples of dietary fiber include indigestible dextrin, cellulose, etc.

[0034] Examples of antioxidants contained in the powder mixture include vitamin C (ascorbic acid), vitamin E (tocopherol), BHT (dibutylhydroxytoluene), BHA (butylhydroxyanisole), sodium erythorbate, propyl gallate, sodium sulfite, sulfur dioxide, chlorogenic acid, and catechin.

[0035] Examples of flow improvers contained in the powder mixture include processing preparations such as fine silicon oxide and tricalcium phosphate.

[0036] Examples of the flavoring contained in the powder mixture include flavorings that are generally added to cocoa drinks and chocolate, such as milk flavoring, cocoa flavoring, cinnamon, caramel, chocolate, and honey.

[0037] It is also preferable to add a crystal modifier to the powder mixture, which has been used to suppress whitening of cocoa powder, such as sorbitan fatty acid esters.

[0038] The powder mixture is granulated with the binder liquid to obtain cocoa-containing granules. The granulation can be performed by known wet granulation methods such as fluidized bed granulation, rolling granulation, and extrusion granulation, but fluidized bed granulation is preferred because it provides granules with sufficient voids inside and high water wettability. Fluidized bed granulation can be performed by a conventional method using a commercially available fluidized bed granulator.

[0039] The cocoa-containing granules produced by the method of the present invention may be used as a powder composition for a cocoa drink as it is, or may be mixed with other powders to produce a powder composition for a cocoa drink. The powder composition for a cocoa drink thus obtained has good cold water dispersibility, is inhibited from whitening, and has excellent long-term storage stability.

[0040] Other powders to be mixed with the cocoa-containing granules to produce a powder composition for a cocoa drink include sweeteners, creaming powders, dairy ingredients, pH adjusters, minerals, excipients, binders, flow improvers, flavors, emulsifiers, etc. As these powders, those listed above as powder ingredients used in the production method according to the present invention can be used.

[0041] The powder composition for a cocoa drink containing the cocoa-containing granules produced by the production method of the present invention can be individually packaged in a small pouch or the like so that a single serving is consumed, or the powder composition can be packaged in a container such as a bottle so that several servings are consumed by shaking the container or taking out the contents with a spoon when using the container.

[0042] The individually packaged type is a product that is filled with the contents for one cup of cocoa drink in a stick-shaped aluminum pouch, one-portion cup, etc. The individually packaged type has the advantage that it is easy to handle and hygienic because each cup is sealed. EXAMPLES

[0043] The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples. In the following examples, "%" means "% by mass" unless otherwise specified.

[0044] [Example 1] Cocoa-containing granules were produced according to the formulation in Table 1, and their cold water dispersibility and effect on whitening were investigated. In Table 1, sorbitan fatty acid ester was used as the "crystal regulator". Also, "other" in the table refers to sweeteners other than salt and sugar. A powder mixture was prepared by mixing the component (A) in the table, and then a binder liquid was prepared by dissolving the component (B) in the table in water to the concentration in parentheses, and fluidized bed granulation was carried out under conditions that achieved the binder water content in the table (the ratio (%) of binder liquid added to the powder mixture). The fluidized bed granulation device used was "FLO-1" (manufactured by Freund Corporation).

[0045] [Table 1]

[0046] The obtained cocoa-containing granules were placed in stick-shaped aluminum pouches in amounts sufficient for one cup of cocoa drink (approximately 4.58 g for Tests 1-2, approximately 10.5 g for Tests 3-4, approximately 9.7 g for Tests 5-6, and approximately 11.0 g for Test 7), and stored at room temperature (22°C) for 10 months. For Tests 1 and 2, creaming powder B, dextrin, and a sweetener were added to the produced cocoa-containing granules, and the resulting powder composition was mixed to approximately the same composition as that of Test 3 (10.5 g). The powder composition was also placed in stick-shaped aluminum pouches, sealed, and stored in the same manner. The cold water dispersibility and color change of each powder composition were evaluated at room temperature (approximately 22°C) before the start of storage (day 0) and at 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months, 5 months, and 10 months after the start of storage.

[0047] The color change due to blooming of the powder composition in each test group was measured by measuring the color difference (L, a, b) using a color difference meter (SE6000, manufactured by Nippon Denshoku Industries Co., Ltd.). * The measurement results are shown in Table 2. * " is the L on day 0 of storage * The difference from the value is shown, and "-" means not measured.

[0048] [Table 2]

[0049] As a result, the cocoa-containing granules in Test Areas 3 to 7, which were granulated together with the creaming powder, showed a greater L over time than the cocoa-containing granules in Test Area 1, which were granulated separately from the creaming powder. * The cocoa-containing granules in Test Area 2, which were granulated with a crystal regulator, showed a smaller change in L over time than the cocoa-containing granules in Test Area 1. * The change in L over time was small, and whitening was suppressed. In other words, the cocoa-containing granules in Test Areas 3 to 7 suppressed blooming, just like the cocoa-containing granules in Test Area 2, which were granulated with a crystal regulator. The cocoa-containing granules in Test Area 3, which did not contain a crystal regulator, showed a smaller change in L over time than the cocoa-containing granules in Test Area 4, which contained a crystal regulator. * This suggests that by granulating the creaming powder together with the creaming powder, it is possible to obtain an equally excellent blooming suppression effect without using a crystal regulator.

[0050] The cold water dispersibility was evaluated as follows. First, the cocoa-containing granules of each test group were placed in a beaker, and the weight (g) was measured (Tables 3 and 4, "Measured amount (g)"). Then, 180 mL of cold water at 5°C or 150 mL of cold milk at 5 to 7°C was poured into the beaker, and the beaker was stirred 25 times with a medicine spoon to prepare a cocoa drink. Then, each cocoa drink was poured into a mesh with an opening of 355 μm, and the moisture on the mesh was wiped off, and the weight (g) of the solids remaining on the mesh (lumps of powder that were not dispersed and became lumps) (Tables 3 and 4, "Residual amount (g)"). The ratio of the amount of solids remaining on the mesh to the total amount of cocoa-containing granules used to prepare the cocoa drink was taken as the dispersion ratio ([Residual amount (g)] / [Measured amount (g)]). In addition, the qualitative evaluation of cold water dispersibility was performed as follows: more than 85% and less than 100% of dispersed granules were rated as "excellent (◯)", more than 70% and less than 85% as "good (△)", and less than 70% as "poor (×)". The measurement results are shown in Tables 3 and 4. In the tables, "-" means that the measurement was not performed.

[0051] [Table 3]

[0052] [Table 4]

[0053] The cocoa-containing granules of all test groups had good cold water dispersibility after production and before storage. The cocoa beverage consisting only of the cocoa-containing granules of test group 1 had already deteriorated cold water dispersibility even after one week of storage. The cocoa beverage consisting of a powder composition in which the cocoa-containing granules of test group 1 were mixed with creaming powder had improved cold water dispersion stability compared to the cocoa beverage without creaming powder.

[0054] On the other hand, the cocoa-containing granules of Test Plots 2 to 7, which had suppressed blooming, had better cold water dispersibility after one week of storage than the cocoa-containing granules of Test Plot 1. The cocoa-containing granules of Test Plots 3 to 6 also had good dispersibility in cold milk. These results show that cold water dispersibility can be improved by granulating the creaming powder and cocoa powder together.

[0055] [Example 2] Cocoa-containing granules were produced according to the formula in Table 5, and their cold water dispersibility and effect on whitening were examined. As emulsifiers, the following were used: sucrose fatty acid esters: "L-1695", "S-1170", "S-570", and "O-1570" (all manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Foods Co., Ltd.); polyglycerin fatty acid esters: "L-10D", "SWA-10D" (all manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Foods Co., Ltd.), and "Poem DO-100V" (manufactured by Riken Vitamin Co., Ltd.); sorbitan fatty acid esters: "Poem P-10V", "Poem S-60V", and "Poem O-80V" (all manufactured by Riken Vitamin Co., Ltd.), and "Emersol L-10V" (manufactured by Kao Corporation); and organic acid monoglycerides: "Poem W-60" (manufactured by Riken Vitamin Co., Ltd.), and "Sunsoft No. 621B" (manufactured by Taiyo Kagaku Co., Ltd.).

[0056] [Table 5]

[0057] In Table 1, sorbitan fatty acid ester was used as the "crystal regulator". Also, "other" in the table refers to sweeteners other than salt and sugar. A powder mixture was prepared by mixing the component (A) in the table, and then a binder liquid was prepared by dissolving the component (B) in the table in water to the concentration in parentheses, and fluidized bed granulation was carried out under conditions that achieved the binder water content in the table (the ratio (%) of binder liquid added to the powder mixture). The fluidized bed granulation device used was "FLO-1" (manufactured by Freund Corporation).

[0058] The obtained cocoa-containing granules were placed in stick-shaped aluminum pouches in amounts equivalent to one cup of cocoa drink (10.5 g), sealed, and stored at 40° C. or room temperature (22° C. environment) for two weeks. After that, the cold water dispersibility and whitening resistance of the powder composition of each test group were evaluated.

[0059] Cold water dispersibility was evaluated as follows. First, the cocoa-containing granules of each test group were placed in a beaker, and 180 mL of cold water at 5°C or 150 mL of cold milk at 5 to 7°C was poured into the beaker, and the beaker was stirred 25 times with a spoon to prepare a cocoa drink. Then, each cocoa drink was poured into a mesh with an opening of 355 μm, and the moisture on the mesh was wiped off, and the weight (g) of the solids (lumps of powder that did not disperse and became lumps) remaining on the mesh ("amount of undissolved powder (g)" in Tables 6 to 9) was measured. The cold water dispersibility was evaluated as "good (◯)" when the amount of undissolved powder was less than 5.25 g (50%) and "poor (×)" when the amount of undissolved powder was 5.25 g (50%) or more.

[0060] [Table 6]

[0061] [Table 7]

[0062] [Table 8]

[0063] [Table 9]

[0064] As a result, there was no difference in cold water dispersibility between samples stored for two weeks at 40° C. and samples stored for two weeks at 22° C. Furthermore, all test plots in which fatty acid esters whose fatty acids were lauric acid or oleic acid were used as emulsifiers had better cold water dispersibility than test plots in which fatty acid esters whose fatty acids were stearic acid or palmitic acid were used as emulsifiers.

[0065] The color of the powder composition of each test group was measured by measuring the color difference (L, a, b) using a color difference meter (SE6000, manufactured by Nippon Denshoku Industries Co., Ltd.). The measurement results are shown in Tables 6 to 9. In the tables, "ΔL" indicates the difference between the L value after two weeks of storage at 22°C and the L value after two weeks of storage at 40°C. The larger the ΔL, the more likely the color is to change during storage.

Claims

1. preparing a powder mixture containing cocoa powder and other powder ingredients; The powder mixture is granulated using a binder liquid prepared by mixing an emulsifier in an aqueous solvent, 10. A method for producing cocoa-containing granules, wherein the emulsifier comprises a sucrose fatty acid ester having an HLB value of 11 or more.

2. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the emulsifier further comprises one or more fatty acid esters selected from the group consisting of polyglycerol fatty acid esters and sorbitan fatty acid esters.

3. 3. A method for producing cocoa-containing granules according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the emulsifier comprises one or more fatty acid esters selected from the group consisting of lauric acid esters and oleic acid esters.

4. A method for producing cocoa-containing granules according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the emulsifier comprises a sucrose fatty acid ester and a polyglycerin fatty acid ester.

5. The method for producing cocoa-containing granules according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the other powdered raw materials include creaming powder.

6. A method for producing cocoa-containing granules according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the other powdered raw materials comprise a crystal modifier.

7. The method for producing cocoa-containing granules according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the other powdered raw materials include one or more selected from the group consisting of starch hydrolysates and sweeteners.

8. A method for producing cocoa-containing granules according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the granulation is carried out by fluid bed granulation.

9. Preparing a powder mix containing cocoa powder and creaming powder; The powder mixture is granulated using a binder liquid prepared by mixing an emulsifier in an aqueous solvent, 10. A method for improving the cold water dispersibility of cocoa powder, wherein the emulsifier comprises a sucrose fatty acid ester having an HLB value of 11 or more.

10. Preparing a powder mix containing cocoa powder and creaming powder; The powder mixture is granulated using a binder liquid prepared by mixing an emulsifier in an aqueous solvent, 11. A method for inhibiting whitening of cocoa powder, wherein the emulsifier comprises a sucrose fatty acid ester having an HLB value of 11 or more.

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