CONFECTIONERY PRODUCT.

Abstract

The present invention relates to a confectionery material characterized in that it comprises a carbohydrate mixture derived from a dairy product, wherein the carbohydrate mixture is present in an amount greater than 0% by weight and less than or equal to 35% by weight of the confectionery material, and the carbohydrate mixture comprises galactooligosaccharides in an amount of 10-100% by weight of the carbohydrate mixture, wherein the confectionery material comprises at least 1.0% and less than 32.5% by weight of non-carbohydrate milk solids material, and at most 40% by weight of the carbohydrate mixture is lactose.

Description

The present invention relates to confectionery products comprising a mixture of oligosaccharides, preferably derived from milk, and the confectionery product is preferably a milk and fat-based confectionery product, preferably chocolate. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Any description of the above technique throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such above technique is widely known or forms part of the general common knowledge in the field. The growing interest in reducing sugar intake among health-conscious consumers has led to strong demand for food products with lower sugar content. However, sugar is a key food ingredient that, in addition to imparting natural sweetness, also provides bulk and therefore plays a significant role in the structure, volume, and mouthfeel of the finished product. Sugar is a natural sweetener that, as mentioned earlier, provides the sweetness in food products that consumers crave, but it is also high in calories. Therefore, there is a significant need for healthier, non-caloric or low-calorie sweetener alternatives. Many well-known approaches have been developed to replace or reduce sugars in food products, such as using artificial sweeteners to replace natural sugar. More specifically, for example, in fat-based confectionery products like chocolate, many attempts have been made to provide a sugar substitute using sugar alcohols or polyols. Other methods have included using bulking agents, such as non-caloric or low-calorie fibers, to replace sugar in chocolate formulations.However, these approaches have associated drawbacks. For example, polyols are well-known for their undesirable laxative effects, and these artificial sweeteners are not well-received by consumers who prefer clean-label products. There are also certain disadvantages related to the use of thickening agents to replace sugars in food products; this is primarily the undesirable effect on sweetness, usually a reduction in sweetness. Therefore, those experienced in food manufacturing techniques generally know that replacing or reducing sugar in a food product often has a negative impact on flavor and other flavor components. For example, sugar substitutes may have a slower onset of sweetness perception and a longer duration of sweetness compared to natural sugar, thus altering the flavor balance of a food product. In addition, sugar substitutes may not provide a sweet taste like natural sugar and may also leave metallic, refreshing, astringent, licorice-like, and bitter aftertastes. In another example, applying the solutions of the prior art, as mentioned above, to fat-based confectionery products can also produce similar disadvantages. For instance, the use of thickening agents, such as certain fibers in chocolate compositions, usually results in bitter aftertastes and adds undesirable bulk to the mixture, leading to increased viscosity. This, in turn, makes it difficult to carry out standard downstream processing of the mixture, such as coating and molding, which are essential steps in producing a finished chocolate product. Additionally, sugar imparts certain sensory and perceptual properties to products that are very difficult to replicate with the sugar substitutes mentioned above. Therefore, although the calorie content is reduced, the overall eating experience often suffers. Proposed solutions to overcome these problems frequently involve an increase in fat content, which counteracts any potential health benefits. Furthermore, in milk-based confectionery products, milk itself contains sugar, namely lactose. This also contributes to the sugar content of the confectionery product where milk is present. It is known that the lactose content of milk can be reduced using enzymes, for example. In fact, lactose-free chocolate is also available. However, to compensate for the loss of lactose, it is generally necessary to substantially increase the fat content and / or introduce other thickening additives, which, in turn, affect the processing, nutritional value, and organoleptic properties of the confectionery product, as described above. Therefore, the problem persists of providing alternative confectionery products that are low in calories or reduced in sugar without having a detrimental effect on the perception of sweetness and / or any of the problems associated with prior art solutions mentioned above. Therefore, there remains a need to find low-calorie sugar substitutes that can be used in food products or confectionery compositions such as chocolate, for example, that avoid the problems of loss or reduction of sweetness, bitter aftertaste and unpleasant flavors and maintain organoleptic properties. It is an objective of the present invention to improve at least one disadvantage of the prior art as mentioned above of the prior reduced or low calorie confectionery product alternatives. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Therefore, this need is met by the characteristics of the independent claims. The dependent claims further develop the central idea of ​​the invention. Therefore, in a first aspect, the present invention relates to a confectionery material comprising a mixture of carbohydrates, wherein the carbohydrate mixture is present in an amount greater than 0% by weight and less than or equal to 35% by weight of the confectionery material and the carbohydrate mixture comprises oligosaccharides, preferably galactooligosaccharides, in an amount of 10-80% by weight of the carbohydrate mixture. Therefore, the carbohydrate mixture can be used to replace sugar (e.g., sucrose), milk-based ingredients (e.g., skimmed milk powder), and combinations of these in a confectionery product. In a preferred embodiment, the carbohydrate blend is derived from a dairy product. In a preferred embodiment, the carbohydrate mixture is prepared from a milk substrate using an enzyme that has transglycosylation activity. Surprisingly, the inventors have discovered that the carbohydrate mixture, preferably derived from a dairy product, for use in the present invention can be used to replace sugar (such as sucrose) and / or milk-based ingredients in a confectionery product without detrimental effects on the sweetness or organoleptic properties of the food product, nor on the manufacturing processing conditions. This is a key advantage of the present invention: the reduction in sugar content without any loss of organoleptic properties, for example, without significant associated stickiness (i.e., adherence or glutinosity). In a further preferred aspect of the present invention, the confectionery product is chocolate. In a further aspect of the present invention, the use of a mixture of carbohydrates, preferably derived from milk, as a sugar and / or milk-based ingredient replacement composition suitable for the partial or total replacement of sugar and / or milk-based ingredients in a confectionery product, preferably in fat-based confectionery products, is provided. Advantageously, the particles of the present invention can be used as a low-calorie sugar alternative. Therefore, the present invention provides sugar reduction in food products without the need for conventionally known artificial sweeteners and / or thickening agents. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION AND PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As mentioned above, the present invention provides a confectionery material comprising a carbohydrate mixture, wherein the carbohydrate mixture is present in an amount greater than 0% by weight exclusive, and less than or equal to 35% by weight of the confectionery material, and the carbohydrate mixture comprises oligosaccharides, preferably galactooligosaccharides, in an amount of 10-80% by weight of the carbohydrate mixture. In a preferred embodiment, the confectionery material comprises 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% of the carbohydrate mixture on a dry weight basis based on the weight of the confectionery material. In a preferred embodiment, the confectionery material comprises less than 32.5%, less than 30.0%, less than 27.5%, less than 25.0%, or less than 20.0% of the carbohydrate mixture on a dry weight basis based on the weight of the confectionery material. For example, at least 1.0% and less than 32.5%. In a preferred embodiment, the confectionery material contains non-carbohydrate milk solids (e.g., fat and protein) in an amount greater than 0% by weight, 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% of the non-carbohydrate milk solids on a dry weight basis based on the weight of the confectionery product. In a preferred embodiment, the confectionery material comprises less than 35.0% by weight, less than 32.5%, less than 30.0%, less than 27.5%, less than 25.0%, or less than 20.0% of non-carbohydrate milk solids on a dry weight basis based on the weight of the fat-based confectionery product. For example, at least 1.0% and less than 32.5%. In a preferred form, the carbohydrate mixture is derived from a dairy product. Preferably, the mixture is obtained by treating a dairy product with an enzyme that has transglycosylation activity, e.g., a mechanism for the formation of glycosidic bonds, particularly during the synthesis of oligosaccharides and / or polysaccharides. In a preferred embodiment, the carbohydrate blend and the non-carbohydrate milk solids are of the same origin. In a preferred embodiment, the carbohydrate blend is derived from the treatment of a dairy product with an enzyme having transglycosylation activity. In a preferred form, the dairy product is skimmed milk. Skimmed milk may have a fat content of less than 1.5% on a dry weight basis, for example, less than 1.2%. The milk powder particles for use in the invention can have a moisture content of between 0.5 and 6%, for example, between 1 and 5%, or, as a further example, between 1.5 and 3%. The moisture content of the milk powder can be measured using known techniques, e.g., Karl Fischer titration. Preferred aspects of the invention are described in greater detail below. Oligosaccharide compositions and dairy product The invention preferably uses a mixture of carbohydrates as an ingredient in a confectionery material, preferably a fat-based confectionery product or preferably a milk-based confectionery product, most preferably a fat- and milk-based confectionery product. The carbohydrate mixture comprises oligosaccharides. In one embodiment, the confectionery material may contain carbohydrates from other sources, e.g., sucrose. Accordingly, in one embodiment, the present invention covers compositions where a mixture of carbohydrates within the scope of the claims is present independently of other carbohydrates. The term “oligosaccharide” refers to an oligomer of saccharides that contains a small amount of component monosaccharides (typically two to ten). Specifically, oligosaccharides (OS) are defined herein as those occurring naturally in animal milk and / or those produced synthetically and having a degree of polymerization (DP) ranging from 2 to 20. The term “synthetic” refers to a process using chemical and / or biological means (e.g., enzymes). These oligosaccharides may be soluble in milk. The invention uses a mixture of oligosaccharides, preferably derived from cow's milk, wherein the mixture has a weight ratio of oligosaccharides to lactose: a lactose-free 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, and more preferably less than 1:20.In one modality, the mixture used corresponds to a lactose content of 4 to 200 times decreased in the oligosaccharide mixture compared to the original milk, which is equivalent to an increase of the ratio of 4 to 200 times between oligosaccharides and lactose. The carbohydrate mixture for use in the invention preferably contains galactooligosaccharides (GOS), which preferably comprise β-GOS and / or α-GOS and mixtures of such linkages in GOS, which preferably result from the action of an enzyme, preferably one having transglycosylation activity, which also preferably acts as β-galactosidase, mainly on lactose and also optionally, but to a much lesser extent, on some of the soluble oligosaccharides present in milk. Therefore, in a preferred embodiment, galactooligosaccharides result from the action of β-galactosidase on lactose and milk oligosaccharides. The enzyme is preferably added during the production of the oligosaccharide mixture. The enzyme preferably has dual activity: it breaks down lactose into the monosaccharides galactose and glucose and, secondly, through transferase activity, catalyzes the subsequent formation of galactooligosaccharides. These oligosaccharides are preferably made from glucose and galactose monomers, have a DP of 2 to 10, preferably 3 to 10, or preferably 2 to 6, and preferably have prebiotic activity. In a preferred embodiment, the GOS used in the carbohydrate mixture of the present invention has the following composition (degree of polymerization DP, all wt. % based on the wt. % of DP2-6 measured using the method described in the examples): • a DP2 of between 20% and 40%, preferably between 25% and 35%, preferably between 27.5% and 32.5%; • a DP3 of between 25% and 55%, preferably between 30% and 50%, preferably between 35% and 45%; • a DP4 of between 7.5% and 27.5%, preferably between 12.5% ​​and 22.5%, preferably between 15% and 20%; • a DP5 of between 2.5% and 15%, preferably between 3% and 12.5%, preferably between 4% and 10%; and • a DP6 2.6% of between 0% and 10%, preferably between 1% and 5%, preferably between 1.5% and 4%. In a preferred form, the above DP2 content does not contain lactose, as is clear from the known definition of GOS. Alternatively, the carbohydrate mixture can be prepared from individual components or commercially available sources that match the profile required by the present invention. For example, Bimuno® GOS. In this case, if non-carbohydrate milk solids are also required, these can be provided, for example, by skimmed milk powder or lactose-free milk protein concentrate. Commercially available GOS may require further processing, e.g., drying, depending on the form in which it will be used in the confectionery product, e.g., chocolate products. The oligosaccharide profile can be characterized by HPLC, mass spectrometry, and other methods. According to a preferred HPLC method, the oligosaccharides present in the samples are extracted in water at 70 °C. The extracted oligosaccharides (OS) are fluorescently labeled by the reaction (2 h at 65 °C) of 2-anthranilic acid amide via the formation of a Schiff base. Subsequently, the double bond is reduced by reaction with sodium cyanoborohydride to produce a stable oligosaccharide aminobenzide derivative (OS-AB). The labeled extracts are diluted with acetonitrile before injection into an HPLC fluorometer equipped with a capture column. Separation is performed on a 4.6 x 150 mm Amida80 3 pm column, and the labeled OS is detected in a fluorometer at: Ex 330 nm, Em 420 nm.The quantification of the different OS is performed by calibrating the OS-2AB response with the external standard of maltotriose and using laminaritriose as an internal standard. In a preferred embodiment, at most 40% by weight of the carbohydrates in the mixture is lactose, preferably at most 30% by weight, and preferably at most 20% by weight based on the weight of the carbohydrate mixture. In another preferred embodiment, 0-30% by weight, preferably 0-20% by weight, of the total carbohydrates in the carbohydrate mixture is lactose. For example, in one formulation, lactose may constitute a maximum of 15% by weight or a maximum of 10% by weight of the total carbohydrates in the mixture. In another formulation, lactose may constitute 0% to 15% by weight or 2% to 10% by weight of the total carbohydrates in the mixture. In one embodiment, the oligosaccharide composition for use in the invention comprises DP2+ (degree of polymerization of 2 or more, i.e., 2 or more saccharide units), preferably DP3+, GOS in an amount of at least 20% by weight of the total carbohydrate mixture. In a preferred embodiment, at least 25% by weight of the total carbohydrates is DP2+, preferably DP3+, GOS, 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. Accordingly, in a preferred embodiment, the carbohydrate mixture comprises oligosaccharides, preferably galactooligosaccharides in an amount of 10-80% by weight of the carbohydrate mixture and 20-80% by weight of the total carbohydrates are DP2+, preferably DP3+, galactooligosaccharides. Therefore, in this preferred form, the oligosaccharide component is GOS. In a preferred form, 10-100% by weight, preferably 20-95% by weight, preferably 20-90% by weight, preferably 20-95% by weight, preferably 20-80% by weight, preferably 30-70% by weight, of the carbohydrate mixture is GOS. In one modality, 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. In one embodiment, the present invention uses a mixture of carbohydrates, which has the following carbohydrate composition expressed as a percentage by weight of the dry matter of the mixture: a. Lactose 0-40% b. Glucose 0-40% c. Galactose 0-40% d. Oligosaccharide, preferably comprising galactooligosaccharides, 10-100%, preferably 10-80%. In one embodiment, the present invention uses a mixture of carbohydrates, which has the following carbohydrate composition expressed as a percentage by weight of the dry matter of the mixture: a. Lactose 2-30% b. Glucose 5-30% c. Galactose 0-20% d. Oligosaccharide, preferably comprising galactooligosaccharides, 30-80%. In one embodiment, the present invention uses a mixture of carbohydrates, which has the following carbohydrate composition expressed as a percentage by weight of the dry matter of the mixture: a. Lactose 3-20% b. Glucose 10-30% c. Galactose 1-10% d. Oligosaccharide, preferably comprising galactooligosaccharides, 45-70%. In one embodiment, the present invention uses a mixture of carbohydrates, which has the following carbohydrate composition expressed as a percentage by weight of the dry matter of the mixture: a. Lactose 3-15% b. Glucose 10-25% c. Galactose 1-5% d. Oligosaccharide, preferably comprising galactooligosaccharides, 50-70%. In one embodiment, the present invention uses a mixture of carbohydrates, which has the following carbohydrate composition expressed as a percentage by weight of the dry matter of the mixture: a. Lactose 0-10% b. Glucose 10-30% c. Galactose 0-10% d. Oligosaccharide, preferably comprising galactooligosaccharides, 45-90%. It will be noted that the above amounts cannot exceed 100%, and the amount of one or more of the components a. to d. must be varied to ensure that the total amount does not exceed 100%, e.g., if component d. is 70%, component b. can only be 30% in the forms where a. and c. can be 0%. Additionally, in one form, the amounts of a. to d. are equal to 100%. In one embodiment, the mixture has a moisture content of less than 5%, preferably between 0.5% and 5% (for example, between 2% and 3%). This can be measured using Karl Fischer methods. As mentioned above, the carbohydrate mixtures for use in the present invention can be prepared from a dairy product. Accordingly, the dairy product for use in the invention can be concentrated milk, such as condensed milk or spray-dried concentrated milk. In a preferred embodiment, the dairy product is powdered milk, preferably skimmed milk powder. In one embodiment, the confectionery material comprises more than 0% by weight exclusive of the dairy product comprising the carbohydrate mixture based on the weight of the confectionery material, preferably more than 1.0% by weight, preferably more than 5% by weight, preferably more than 10% by weight, preferably more than 20% by weight, preferably more than 25% by weight or more than 30% by weight. In one embodiment, the confectionery material comprises less than 75% by weight of the dairy product comprising the carbohydrate mixture based on the weight of the confectionery material, preferably less than 65% by weight, preferably less than 60% by weight, preferably less than 55% by weight, preferably less than 50% by weight, less than 45% by weight, or less than 40% by weight. For example, more than 0% by weight (excluding 75%) and less than 75% by weight. In one embodiment, the dairy product comprises more than 10% by weight of the carbohydrate mixture in the dairy product, preferably more than 15% by weight, preferably more than 20% by weight, preferably more than 30% by weight and preferably more than 40% by weight. In one embodiment, 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, and preferably less than 55% by weight of the carbohydrate mixture by weight of the dairy product. For example, between 10% and 90% by weight. Therefore, in a highly preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a confectionery material, most preferably a chocolate product: • comprising a dairy product of the present invention in an amount greater than 0% by weight exclusive and less than 75% by weight, preferably greater than 15% by weight and less than 50% by weight, and • the dairy product comprises between 10% by weight and 90% by weight based on the weight of the dairy product of the carbohydrate mixture of the present invention, preferably between 30% by weight and 70% by weight and, more preferably, between 40% by weight and 55% by weight. 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 whole milk can be approximately 35% to 40% by weight of the solid content, and for skimmed milk powder, approximately 45% to 55% by weight. The treatment of the present invention transforms this lactose into a carbohydrate mixture; that is, it does not create bulk. 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. In one embodiment, the treated dairy product, preferably enzyme-treated, for use in the invention comprises at least 5% by weight of DP2+, preferably DP3+, GOS 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, and preferably at least 25% by weight. In a preferred embodiment, the dairy product comprises 5-60% by weight, preferably 10-50% by weight or 15-45% by weight, of DP2+, preferably DP3+, GOS based on the weight of the dairy product. In a preferred embodiment, the dairy product preferably comprises a total amount of lactose of no more than 20% by weight, preferably no more than 10% by weight, preferably no more than 5% by weight, based on the weight of the dairy product. The lactose content of the dairy product may be determined according to AOAC 930.28 (2000). In a preferred embodiment, lactose constitutes at most 50% by weight of the total carbohydrates in the dairy product, preferably at most 30% by weight, preferably at most 20% by weight, and, more preferably, at most 15% by weight. In another preferred embodiment, lactose constitutes 0-30% by weight, preferably 0-20% by weight, and, more preferably, 0-10% by weight of the total carbohydrates in the dairy product. In another scenario, lactose is a maximum of 15% by weight or a maximum of 12% by weight of the total free carbohydrates in the dairy product. In another scenario, lactose is 0-15% by weight or 2-12% by weight of the total free carbohydrates in the dairy product. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the dairy product is milk powder, preferably skimmed milk powder, comprising a total amount of at least 10% by weight of DP2+, preferably DP3+, GOS by weight of the milk powder, preferably at least 15% by weight, more preferably at least 20% by weight. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the dairy product is milk powder, preferably skimmed milk powder, comprising a total amount of 10-50% by weight of DP2+, preferably DP3+, GOS by weight of the milk powder, preferably 15-45% by weight or 15-40% by weight, more preferably 20-40% by weight. In one embodiment, the present invention uses a dairy product, which has the following carbohydrate composition expressed as a percentage by weight of the dry matter of the dairy product: a. Lactose 0-20% b. Glucose 0-30% c. Galactose 0-10% d. Oligosaccharide preferably comprising galactooligosaccharides, 5-60%. In one embodiment, the present invention uses a dairy product, which has the following carbohydrate composition expressed as a percentage by weight of the dry matter of the dairy product: a. Lactose 2-15% b. Glucose 5-20% c. Galactose 0-7.5% d. Oligosaccharide preferably comprising galactooligosaccharides, 10-50%. In one embodiment, the present invention uses a dairy product, which has the following carbohydrate composition expressed as a percentage by weight of the dry matter of the dairy product: a. Lactose 3-10% b. Glucose 7.5-15% c. Galactose 1-5% d. Oligosaccharide, preferably comprising galactooligosaccharides, 15-45%. In the above forms, preferably the remainder of the dairy product consists of milk solids that are not carbohydrates (e.g., fat and protein) to make a total of 100% by weight of the dairy product. In embodiments of the present invention, it will be appreciated that a sum of the above quantities cannot exceed the total amount of the carbohydrate mixture present in the milk powder nor exceed 100% of the milk powder. In the above modalities, the amount of carbohydrate mixture in the dairy product and the amount of dairy product in the confectionery product are selected so that the carbohydrate mixture is present in an amount greater than 0% by weight exclusive and less than or equal to 35% by weight of the confectionery material. As mentioned above, the carbohydrate and / or dairy composition is preferably in powder form, with a particle size comparable to standard milk powders. Accordingly, in a preferred embodiment, the carbohydrate and / or dairy composition has a d90 value between 100 and 300 micrometers, preferably between 150 and 250 micrometers. In a further preferred embodiment, the carbohydrate and / or dairy composition has a d10 value between 10 and 75 micrometers, preferably between 15 and 60 micrometers. The term dX represents a diameter where X% of the particle mass in the sample has a diameter below that value. Preferably, laser diffraction is used to measure the d90 or d10 particle size using a Malvern Mastersizer 2000, the Scirocco 2000 dry bonding method, and Fraunhofer dispersion theory. These particle sizes can be modified in chocolate manufacturing, for example, as described below with regard to refining. In one embodiment, the dairy product for use in the present invention has been optionally subjected to treatments known in the art, for example, pasteurization, demineralization, filtration, for example, ESL treatment or UHT treatment. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a confectionery material comprising: • a dairy product comprising a carbohydrate mixture in an amount of between 10% and 90% by weight of the dairy product, • the dairy product is present in an amount greater than 0% by weight excluding and less than 75% by weight of the confectionery product, • wherein the amount of carbohydrate mixture in the dairy product and the amount of dairy product in the confectionery product are selected such that the carbohydrate mixture is present in an amount greater than 0% by weight excluding and less than or equal to 35% by weight of the confectionery material, and • the carbohydrate mixture comprises oligosaccharide, preferably comprising galactooligosaccharides, in an amount of 10-100% by weight, preferably 10-80% by weight, of the carbohydrate mixture. Production of the carbohydrate mixture The invention preferably uses a method for producing a dairy product, comprising: (a) provide a milk substrate comprising a total solids content of between 40% by weight and 75% by weight, preferably wherein the milk substrate comprises at least 15% by weight of lactose based on a dry solids content; (b) treat the milk substrate with an enzyme having transglycosylation activity, and (c) optionally, totally or partially inactivate the enzyme. In a preferred embodiment, the milk substrate is used to provide a dairy product comprising the carbohydrate mixture used in the invention. In a method of the present invention, a dairy product is produced from a milk substrate by contacting the milk substrate comprising lactose with a transglycosylation enzyme that transforms the lactose in the milk substrate into GOS. The milk substrate to be used in the method is milk-based. The term “milk”, in the context of the present invention, is to be understood as the aqueous, lactose-based, protein- and fat-based secretion obtained by milking any mammal, such as cows, sheep, or goats. In one embodiment, the milk substrate is obtained from milk whose composition has been modified by adjusting the fat content, protein content, lactose content, and / or water content. The adjustment of the fat and / or water content may have been carried out by any method known in the art, e.g., by centrifugation, evaporation, condensation, or ultrafiltration. nanofiltration, freeze-drying, spray drying, reconstitution by adding water, etc. Illustrative methods are provided, for example, in “The Technology of Dairy Products”, edited by Ralph Early. In one embodiment, the milk substrate comprises at least 40% by weight, 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, of total solids. In a preferred embodiment, the total solids content of the milk substrate is less than 75% by weight, preferably less than 70% by weight, and preferably less than 60% by weight. In a preferred embodiment, the milk substrate is reconstituted milk powder, such as reconstituted skimmed milk powder, or concentrated milk, such as condensed milk, comprising at least 40% by weight, 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 of total solids. The milk substrate preferably comprises at least 15% by weight of lactose based on a percentage of dry matter of the solids present in the substrate. In a preferred embodiment, the milk substrate comprises at least 20% by weight, preferably at least 25% by weight or at least 30% by weight. In a preferred embodiment, the milk substrate is contacted with the enzyme for at least 15 minutes, preferably for at least 45 minutes, preferably for at least 55 minutes, preferably for at least 1 hour, preferably for 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. In a preferred embodiment, the milk substrate is brought into contact 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 milk substrate is brought into contact with the enzyme at a temperature equal to or less than 75 °C. In a preferred embodiment, the milk substrate is brought into contact with an enzyme at a temperature between 35 °C and 75 °C, for 45 minutes to 10 hours, preferably 2-5 hours. In a preferred embodiment, the enzyme is added in an amount of between 0.05% and 10% by weight of the lactose content, for example, between 0.1% and 7.5% by weight or between 0.25% and 5% by weight. The enzyme for use in the present invention is preferably one with β-galactosidase activity. The enzyme for use in the present invention is preferably one that catalyzes the transfer of a mono-, di-, or oligosaccharide entity onto a mono-, di-, or oligosaccharide substrate, resulting in the formation of saccharide entities of two or more subunits connected via glycosidic bond(s). In a preferred embodiment, the enzyme has transglycosylation activity. One enzyme or a mixture of more than one enzyme may be used in the present invention. Specifically, the enzyme is preferably a glycosidase (EC. 3.2.1.), preferably a β-galactosidase (EC. 3.2.1.23) or lactase (EC. 3.2.1.108), which catalyzes the transgalactosylation reaction of a d-galactose residue, a lactose molecule or a GOS (galactooligosaccharide) on a d-galactose residue obtained from lactose by a previous step of disconnection reaction of the glycosidic bond of lactose catalyzed by the same enzyme. Such enzymes are commercially available, e.g., Maxilact A4® (DSM), GODO-YNL 2® (DuPont), lactozyme®, etc. The enzyme can be used in any format, e.g., liquid, paste, or powder. Therefore, in one embodiment, the enzyme having transglycosylation activity is added at a concentration of 11,000 U per g of lactose, preferably 5–500 U per g of lactose, and more preferably 8–150 U per g of lactose. Thus, 1 U is defined as the amount of enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of one micromole of lactose per minute under the specified conditions of an analytical method. The U activity of a specific enzyme can be determined by direct measurement of the formation of galactooligosaccharides from lactose. The analytical method is preferably a 60% (w / v) skimmed milk powder solution in water, heated to 60 °C for 60 minutes. Preferably, 1 U is the amount of enzyme that will catalyze the conversion of one micromole of lactose per minute under the aforementioned conditions. Preferably, 1 U of enzyme will catalyze 0.342 mg per minute in a 60% (w / v) skimmed milk powder solution in water, at 60 °C for 60 minutes. The U activity of a specific enzyme can be determined by direct measurement of the formation of galactooligosaccharides from lactose using a method such as liquid chromatography. After the treatment period, the enzyme is preferentially totally or partially inactivated. The enzyme can be inactivated by any prior art method, for example, by heat treatment, pH reduction (e.g., below pH 4), or reduction of water activity. Inactivation may occur due to a step in the production process of the dairy or confectionery product, preferably pasteurization or spray drying. In a preferred embodiment, the enzyme is totally or partially inactivated by heat treatment, preferably between 75 °C and 100 °C for between 3 and 15 minutes. In a preferred embodiment, after enzymatic treatment, the resulting dairy product can be further processed by methods known in the art, preferably pasteurization, homogenization and / or drying, preferably spray drying. In a preferred embodiment, the solution prepared by steps (a) to (c) is dried to provide a solid for combination with other confectionery material ingredients. In an alternative embodiment, it is plausible that other known procedures may be used to carry out the process of the present invention, for example, foam drying, freeze-drying, tray drying, fluidized bed drying, vacuum drying, and the like. In one modality, the carbohydrate mixture can be provided by combining the individual components in the required amounts. In a preferred embodiment, the carbohydrate blend can be combined with other milk components to provide an alternative source of the dairy product. For example, in one embodiment, the dairy product is prepared by combining a carbohydrate blend made from a combination of individual components with a milk protein concentrate. In this modality, the % by total weight of the dairy product in the confectionery material is the sum of the milk protein concentrate and the carbohydrate mixture. In one embodiment, the milk protein concentrate may be present in an amount between 5% by weight and 30% by weight of the confectionery product, preferably between 7.5% by weight and 25% by weight and preferably between 10% by weight and 20% by weight. In one embodiment, the above quantities of milk protein concentrate are equally applicable to the protein content of dairy products prepared by the method of the present invention. Confectionery materials The present invention relates to confectionery materials containing milk, milk-derived ingredients, and combinations thereof. Preferably, fat-based confectionery products containing milk-derived ingredients. As is evident from the foregoing, in a preferred embodiment, the carbohydrate mixture of the present invention is derived from a dairy product typically used in confectionery. Accordingly, in one embodiment, the treated dairy product or corresponding components (e.g., milk protein concentrate, GOS, etc.) are added to the confectionery product to at least partially replace the milk ingredient in the confectionery material. Accordingly, in one embodiment, the substitution is between 10% and 100% by weight of fat-free milk solids in the confectionery material, preferably between 25% and 100% by weight, preferably between 50% and 100% by weight, and preferably between 75% and 100% by weight. For example, the present invention relates to chocolate, compound, pralines, water- or fat-based confectionery fillings, ganache, cajeta chew (“cajeta sweets”), fudge, caramel analogues (e.g., Caramac®), chocolate truffles, Scottish tablets, hard sweets (e.g., hard caramel sweets and milk chews), etc. In one embodiment, the fat-based confectionery material, preferably chocolate compositions, of the present invention comprises cocoa butter by weight of the confectionery material at least 5.0%, preferably at least 10.0%, preferably at least 13.0%, more preferably at least 15.0%, for example, at least 17.0% or at least 20%. The maximum preferred amount of cocoa butter present in the fat-based confectionery material, chocolate compositions, of the present invention is less than 35.0% by weight, preferably not more than 30.0% by weight, more preferably not more than 30.0% by weight, and most preferably not more than 25.0% by weight of cocoa butter in the confectionery material. For example, between 10.0% and 35.0% by weight of the confectionery material. Generally, the fat-based confectionery material, preferably chocolate compositions, of the present invention comprises at least 10.0% by weight, preferably at least 13.0% by weight, more preferably at least 15.0% by weight, and even more preferably at least 17.0% by weight of cocoa mass of the composition. The maximum preferred amount of cocoa mass present in the fat-based confectionery material, preferably chocolate compositions, of the present invention is less than 35.0% by weight, preferably not more than 30.0% by weight, and most preferably not more than 25.0% by weight. For example, between 10.0% and 35.0% by weight of the confectionery material. If the chocolate product is a white chocolate product, the amount of cocoa mass is less than above, preferably not present. The cocoa mass may be partially or totally replaced by the dairy product for use in the present invention. In one embodiment, the fat-based confectionery material, preferably chocolate compositions, of the present invention comprises at least 1.0% by weight, preferably at least 1.3% by weight, more preferably at least 1.5% by weight, and even more preferably at least 1.7% milk fat by weight of the confectionery material. The maximum preferred amount of milk fat present in the fat-based confectionery material, preferably chocolate compositions, of the present invention is less than 10.0% by weight, preferably not more than 7.5% by weight, more preferably not more than 6.0% by weight, and most preferably not more than 5.0% milk fat by weight of the confectionery material. For example, between 1.0% and 10.0% by weight of the confectionery material. Milk fat may be added separately to the composition and / or be present in any added milk-based product, e.g., milk powder. In a preferred embodiment, milk fat is present in the dairy product obtained by enzymatic treatment, as described above, and is also added separately. According to the present invention, the term "sugar," as used herein, refers to a sweet, crystalline substance conventionally obtained from various plants, especially sugar cane and sugar beets, and used as a sweetener in foods and beverages. In the context of the present invention, "sugar" is defined as follows and includes all mono-, di-, and oligosaccharides, preferably mono- and disaccharides, for example, sucrose, fructose, glucose, dextrose, galactose, allulose, maltose, equivalent high-dextrose hydrolyzed starch syrup, xylose, and combinations thereof. Accordingly, the sugar used within the invention may be selected from the group consisting of sucrose, fructose, glucose, dextrose, galactose, allulose, maltose, high dextrose equivalent hydrolyzed starch syrup, and any combination thereof. In the present invention, the objective is to reduce the sugar content of a fat-based confectionery product; however, the confectionery product may still contain sugar (e.g., sugar not derived from milk solids). In a preferred embodiment, the confectionery product comprises less than 40.0% by weight of sugar, 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, between 0.0% by weight and 40.0% by weight, or between 5.0% by weight and 40.0% by weight, or between 10.0% by weight and 40.0% by weight, preferably between 0.0% by weight and 20.0% by weight, and preferably between 0.0% by weight and 15.0% by weight. In a preferred embodiment, the fat content of the confectionery product is greater than 15% by weight of the confectionery product, greater than 20%, or greater than 25%. In a preferred embodiment, the fat content of the fat-based confectionery product is less than 45% of the confectionery product, less than 40%, less than 35%, or less than 30%. For example, between 15% and 45% by weight. The confectionery material of the present invention may contain a thickening additive. According to the present invention, the term bulking agent, as used herein, refers to a food additive that increases the volume or weight of food without affecting its usefulness or functionality. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, the thickening additives for use herein are additives with low or zero calorie content, which impart bulk and advantageously provide healthier alternatives to sugar, for example. According to conventional understanding, thickening agents can be used to partially or completely replace high-calorie ingredients, such as sugar, to prepare an edible formulation with reduced calories. Furthermore, bulking agents are useful as a source of soluble fiber for incorporation into foods and, unlike sugar, are not cariogenic. According to the present invention, the thickening additive may be selected from the group consisting of polyols (sugar alcohols, for example, isosomalt, sorbitol, maltitol, mannitol, xylitol, erythritol and hydrogenated starch hydrolysates), guar gum, psyllium husk, carnauba wax, glycerin, beta glucan, polysaccharides (such as starch or pectin, for example), dietary fibers (including soluble and insoluble fibers), polydextrose, methylcellulose, maltodextrins, inulin, milk powder (for example, skimmed milk powder) (this is different from the milk powder described above), whey, demineralized whey powder, dextrins such as soluble wheat or corn dextrin (for example, Nutrióse®), soluble fiber such as Promitor® and any combination thereof. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the bulking agent may be selected from the group consisting of maltodextrins, milk powder (e.g., skimmed milk powder (SMP)), demineralized whey powder (DWP), soluble wheat or corn dextrin (e.g., Nutriose®), polydextrose, soluble fiber such as Promitor®, and any combination thereof. In one embodiment of the present invention, amorphous sucrose may be present. In one embodiment, the amorphous sucrose is in the form of amorphous particles comprising sucrose, a thickening additive, and optionally a surfactant. In one embodiment of the present invention, the amorphous particles of WO2017093309 or WO2017093309, incorporated herein by reference, may also be included in the fat-based confectionery product. The thickening additive may be present in an amount of between 1.0% and 40% or 3.0% by weight and 30.0% by weight or 5.0% by weight and 20.0% by weight or 5.0% by weight and 10.0% by weight, for example. However, preferably, a thickening additive is not present, e.g., substantially not present, in confectionery compositions. According to the present invention, the confectionery material is prepared according to conventional chocolate-making processes, as will be well known and evident to a person skilled in the art. Additionally, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a confectionery material comprising the carbohydrate mixture described above, wherein the method comprises mixing the carbohydrate mixture described above 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 components; and mixing the refined mixture with more fat and optionally lecithin, and liquefying. The fat may be, for example, cocoa butter, cocoa butter equivalent, or cocoa butter substitute. Some or all of the milk powder, cocoa liquor, and granulated sugar may be replaced with chocolate flakes. In a preferred embodiment, liquefaction is carried out by conventional means known to a person skilled in the technique and refers to conching, a standard process in chocolate making. In a preferred embodiment, 15% to 30% of the total fat present after liquefaction is used in the final stage. In one embodiment, the chocolate composition of the present invention can be refined using known equipment, as appropriate. In a preferred embodiment, the chocolate is refined to ensure a non-granular texture. For example, the refining can be carried out to achieve a particle size (D90 measured by a Malvern Mastersizer 3000) of less than 50 micrometers, preferably between 15 and 35 micrometers. Preferably, a Malvern Mastersizer 2000, the Scirocco 2000 dry bonding method, and Fraunhofer dispersion theory are used. In one embodiment, the traditional conching process is used to prepare the chocolate. In a preferred embodiment, the temperature during the conching stage does not exceed 60°C, preferably not exceeding 57.5°C, and preferably not exceeding 56°C. By controlling the temperature during this stage, degradation of the carbohydrate mixture is prevented, and the texture of the final product is not grainy, nor is the flavor affected. In a preferred embodiment, the temperature is greater than 30°C, preferably greater than 35°C, or greater than 40°C, or greater than 45°C. In one method, the conching process is carried out for a period longer than 1.5 hours, preferably greater than or equal to 2 hours, and preferably greater than or equal to 2.5 hours. In another method, the conching process is carried out for a period shorter than 8 hours, preferably shorter than 6 hours. In one modality, the conching is carried out for a period between 1.5 hours and 8 hours at a temperature between 30 °C and 60 °C. In one method, the conching speed is between 200 rpm and 2000 rpm, preferably between 400 rpm and 1600 rpm. This may vary throughout the conching process. General definitions In one embodiment, the compositions of the invention may usefully be chocolate products (as defined herein), most usefully being chocolate or a chocolate compound. Regardless of any other legal definition that may be used, the compositions of the invention comprising a cocoa solids content of 25% to 35% by weight together with a milk ingredient (such as milk powder) may be informally defined herein as “milk chocolate” (the term also encompassing other analogous chocolate products, with similar amounts of cocoa solids or replacements thereof).Regardless of any other legal definition that may be used, the compositions of the invention comprising a cocoa solids content of more than 35% by weight up to 100% (i.e., pure cocoa solids) may be informally defined in the present description as “dark chocolate” (the term also encompassing other analogous chocolate products, with similar amounts of cocoa solids or replacements for these). The term “chocolate”, as used in this description, means any product (and / or component thereof if it is a product) that meets a legal definition of chocolate in any jurisdiction and also includes the product (and / or component thereof) in which all or part of the cocoa butter (CB) is replaced by cocoa butter equivalents (CBE) and / or cocoa butter replacements (CBR). The term “chocolate compound, as used in the present description (unless the context clearly indicates otherwise)” refers to chocolate-type analogues characterized by the presence of cocoa solids (including cocoa liquor / mass, cocoa butter and cocoa powder) in any quantity, although in some jurisdictions the compound may be legally defined by the presence of a minimum amount of cocoa solids. The term “chocolate product,” as used herein, means chocolate, compounds, and other related materials comprising cocoa butter (CB), cocoa butter equivalents (CBE), cocoa butter replacements (CBR), and / or cocoa butter substitutes (CBS). Therefore, the term “chocolate product” includes products based on chocolate and / or chocolate analogues and may, for example, be based on dark, milk, or white chocolate. In one form, the composition of the chocolate product comprises: 8-12% cocoa mass 34-58% sugar, preferably sucrose 18-25% cocoa butter 3.5-6.5% milk fat 15-30% of the dairy product of the present invention 0.3-0.5 of lecithin In one embodiment, the composition of the chocolate product comprises: 37-50% sugar, preferably sucrose, 18-24% fat-free milk solids, and 4-7% milk fat. 22-35% cocoa butter (optionally deodorized) 20-40% of the dairy product of the present invention 0.2-0.5 of lecithin Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, it shall also be appreciated that in the present invention, any chocolate product may be used to replace any other chocolate product, and the term "chocolate" or "compound" shall not be deemed to limit the scope of the invention to a specific type of chocolate product. The preferred chocolate product comprises chocolate and / or compound; more preferably, the chocolate product comprises chocolate; most preferably, the chocolate product comprises chocolate as legally defined in a relevant jurisdiction (such as Brazil, the EU, and / or the USA). The term 'chocolate coating,' as used herein (also referring to a 'chocolate coating'), indicates coatings made from any chocolate product. The terms 'chocolate coating' and 'compound coating' may be similarly defined by analogy. Likewise, the terms 'chocolate (or mass) composition' and 'chocolate composition (or mass)' indicate compositions (or masses) comprising, respectively, chocolate product, chocolate, and compound as a component(s) thereof, either wholly or in part. Depending on their component parts, the definitions of such compositions and / or masses may, of course, overlap. The term "chocolate confectionery," as used herein, means any food product comprising chocolate and optionally other ingredients, and may therefore refer to foodstuffs such as jams, wafers, cakes, and / or biscuits, whether the chocolate product comprises a chocolate coating and / or the majority of the product. Chocolate confectionery may comprise the chocolate product in any suitable form, for example, as inclusions, layers, nuggets, pieces, and / or drops. The confectionery product may also contain any other suitable inclusions, such as crunchy inclusions, for example, cereals (e.g., puffed and / or toasted rice) and / or pieces of dried fruit. The chocolate product of the invention can be used to mold a tablet and / or bar, to coat confectionery items, and / or to prepare more complex confectionery products. Optionally, prior to its use in the preparation of a chocolate confectionery product, inclusions can be added to the chocolate product according to the desired recipe. As will be evident to a person skilled in the art, in some cases, the product of the invention will have the same recipe and ingredients as the corresponding composition and / or mass, while in other cases, particularly when inclusions are added or for more complex products, the final recipe of the product may differ from that of the composition and / or mass used to prepare it. In a strongly preferred embodiment of the invention, the chocolate confectionery product comprises a chocolate tablet, a substantially solid molded chocolate bar, and / or a baked product surrounded by substantial amounts of chocolate product. These products are prepared, for example, by substantially filling a mold with chocolate product and, optionally, adding inclusions and / or a baked product to displace the chocolate product from the mold (so-called wet coating processes), if necessary, further filling the mold with chocolate product. For such strongly preferred products of the invention, the chocolate product forms a substantial or complete part of the product and / or a thick outer layer surrounding the inner baked product (such as a wafer and / or a biscuit laminate).Such solid products, where a mold is substantially filled with chocolate, must be contrasted with products comprising thin molded chocolate coatings that present different challenges. To prepare a thin-coated chocolate shell, a mold is coated with a thin layer of chocolate. The mold is then inverted to remove excess chocolate and / or stamped with a cold plunger to define the shape of the shell, and the mold is largely emptied. The resulting thin chocolate coating can then be combined with additional ingredients and fillings to form the inner body of the product. Unless the context in this description clearly indicates otherwise, a person skilled in the art will further understand that the term "chocolate confectionery," as used herein, can be readily replaced by and is equivalent to the term "chocolate confectionery" as used throughout this application, and in practice, these two terms, when used informally herein, are interchangeable. However, where there is a difference in the meaning of these terms in the context given herein, then "chocolate confectionery" and / or "chocolate compound" are preferred embodiments of the "chocolate confectionery" of the present invention, one preferred embodiment being "chocolate confectionery." The preferred chocolate confectionery product may comprise one or more ingredients, for example, 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 bar(s) and / or chocolate tablet(s) with or without inclusions, and / or products coated with chocolate material, such as biscuits, cakes, wafers, and / or other coated confectionery items. More preferably and / or alternatively, any of the above may comprise one or more cocoa butter replacements (CBRs), cocoa butter equivalents (CBEs), cocoa butter substitutes (CBSs), and / or any suitable mixture thereof. In chocolate confectionery, cocoa butter (CB) may be replaced by fats from other sources. Such products may generally comprise one or more fats selected from the group consisting of: lauric fat(s) (e.g., cocoa butter substitute (CBS) obtained from the kernel of the palm fruit); non-lauric vegetable fat(s) (e.g., those based on palm or other specialty fats); cocoa butter replacement(s) (CBR); cocoa butter equivalent(s) (CBE); and / or any suitable mixture thereof. Some CBEs, CBRs, and especially CBS may contain primarily saturated fats and very low levels of unsaturated omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids (with health benefits). Therefore, in one embodiment of the chocolate confectionery of the invention, such types of fat are less preferred than CB. One embodiment of the invention provides a multi-layered product comprising, optionally, a plurality of layers of baked food product (preferably selected from one or more layers of wafers and / or biscuits, and / or one or more layers of fillings between them with at least one coating layer located around this layered food product, the coating comprising a chocolate product of or prepared according to the invention. A further embodiment of the invention provides a chocolate confectionery product, further coated with chocolate (or equivalents thereof, such as a compound), for example, a praline, chocolate-covered product, and / or 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 coating or molding. The coating may comprise a chocolate product of or prepared according to the invention. Another embodiment of the invention provides a chocolate confectionery product of and / or used in the present invention, comprising a filling surrounded by an outer layer, for example, a chocolate coating product, praline. In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the food product comprises a multi-layered chocolate-coated product comprising a plurality of layers of wafer, chocolate product, biscuit, and / or baked food product, with filling interleaved thereon, with at least one layer or coating being a chocolate product (e.g., chocolate) of the invention. Most preferably, the multi-layered product comprises a chocolate confectionery (e.g., as described herein) selected from sandwich biscuit(s), biscuit(s), wafer(s), roll(s), extruded snack(s), and / or praline(s). An example of such a product is a multi-layer laminate of baked wafer and / or biscuit layers interleaved with filling(s) and coated with chocolate. The baked food products used in the invention can be sweet or savory. Preferred baked food products may include baked grain food products; this term includes food products comprising cereals and / or pulses. Baked cereal food products are especially preferred, with the highest preference being baked wheat food products, such as wafer(s) and / or biscuit(s). Wafers may be flat or shaped (e.g., in a cone or ice cream basket), and biscuits may have many different shapes, although the preferred wafer(s) and / or biscuit(s) are flat so that they can be usefully laminated with a confectionery product filling of the invention (and, optionally, a fruit-based filling). The most preferred wafers are unsalted wafers, for example, having a sweet or natural flavor. A non-limiting list of those possible baked food products that may comprise chocolate compositions comprising chocolate products of and / or used in the present invention are selected from: biscuits, cakes, breads, puff pastry and / or high-fat tarts; such as those included in the group consisting of: ANZAC biscuit, biscuit, oat biscuit, kurabiye, lebkuchen (gingerbread), leckerli (honey and almond biscuit), macaron, Bourbon biscuit, shortbread, digestive biscuit, custard, extruded snacks, Florentines, Garibaldi gingerbread, koulourakia (shortbread with egg glaze), kourabiedes (shortbread, typically with almonds), Linzer torte, pound cake, Oreo, coconut-flavored biscuit, peanut butter biscuit, polvorón, pizzelle (sweet egg biscuit), pretzel, croissant, shortbread, biscuit, fruit tart (e.g.(apple tart, cherry tart), moist lemon cake, banana bread, carrot cake, pecan tart, apple strudel, baklava, Berliner, lemon bichon and / or similar products. In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise indicated, the description of alternative values ​​for the upper and lower limits of the allowable range of a parameter related to an indication that one of said values ​​is preferred over the other, shall be deemed to be an implicit statement that each intermediate value of said parameter, which lies between the most preferred and the least preferred of said alternatives, is preferred over said least preferred value and, furthermore, that each least preferred value and said intermediate value are preferred over said intermediate value. For all upper and / or lower limits of any given parameter in this description, the limit value is included in the value for each parameter unless otherwise indicated; that is, “less than” means “less than and inclusive” and “greater than” means “greater than and inclusive but less than” and “exclusive” means that the limit value is not included. It shall be further understood that all combinations of preferred and / or intermediate minimum and maximum limit values ​​of the parameters described in this invention in various embodiments of the invention may also be used to define alternative ranges for each parameter for various other embodiments and / or preferences of the invention, regardless of whether the combination of such values ​​has been specifically described in this invention. Unless otherwise specified, % in this description refers to % by weight. It shall be understood that the sum total of any quantity expressed in the present invention as a percentage may not (except for rounding errors) exceed 100%. For example, the sum of all the components comprising the composition of the invention (or parts thereof) may, when expressed as a percentage by weight (or otherwise) of the composition (or parts thereof), total 100% except for rounding errors. However, when a list of components is not exhaustive, the sum of the percentages for each of such components may be less than 100% to allow for a specified percentage for additional quantities of any additional component that may not be explicitly described herein. The term “substantially” (or “essentially”) as used in this description may refer to a quantity or entity to denote a large amount or proportion thereof. When relevant in the context in which it is used, the term “substantially” may be understood to mean quantitatively (in relation to any quantity or entity to which it refers in the context of the description) comprising a proportion of at least 80%, preferably at least 85%, more preferably at least 90%, most preferably at least 95%, especially at least 98%, e.g., approximately 100% of the relevant whole. By analogy, the term "substantially free" or "free" may similarly denote that the quantity or entity to which it refers comprises no more than 20%, preferably no more than 15%, more preferably no more than 10%, most preferably no more than 5%, especially no more than 2%, e.g., approximately 0% of the whole relevant. The term “comprising” as used herein shall be understood to mean that the list that follows is not exhaustive and may or may not include any other suitable additional item, e.g., one or more additional features, components, ingredients, and / or substituents, as appropriate. Therefore, the words “comprising,” “comprising,” and the like should be interpreted in an inclusive sense as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive one; that is, in the sense of “including, but not limited to.” It should be noted that the modes and features described in the context of one aspect of the present invention also apply to the other aspects of the present invention. The invention will now be described in further detail in the following non-limiting examples. The following examples are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not in any way intended to limit the scope of the present invention. It should be understood that several changes and modifications to the preferred embodiments currently described herein will be evident 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 accompanying advantages. Therefore, it is intended that the appended claims cover such changes and modifications. Experimental section Examples The following examples are illustrative of the products and methods for manufacturing them that fall within the scope of the present invention. They should not be considered in any way limiting to the invention. Changes and modifications may be made to the invention. Those skilled in the art will recognize many possible variations in these examples to cover a wide range of compositions, ingredients, processing methods, and mixtures, and may adjust the natural levels of the compounds of the invention for a variety of applications. Preparatory Example 1 Skimmed milk powder is reconstituted to a total solids content of 55–60% and heated to 45°C for 20 minutes. An enzyme is then contacted with the milk substrate at 60°C for 1 hour. The enzyme is deactivated, and the solution is pasteurized at 80°C for 10 minutes. Homogenization is then carried out, and the solution is spray-dried to form a powder. The enzymes used were Maxilact® A4 from DSM. In Example 1, the enzyme was used at 3.2% by weight of the lactose content of the skimmed milk powder. In Example 1, the GOS yield was 26% by weight of the carbohydrate mixture. The GOS yield was measured according to AOAC 2001.02. Examples 2 and 3 and Reference Examples 1 to 3 The chocolate compositions were prepared using the following recipes: Ingredient Reference 1 Reference 2 Reference 3 Example 1 Example 2 Sugar 43.85 34.32 34.32 34.32 29.3 Cocoa butter 16.05 16 16 16 24.2 Skimmed milk powder 15.49 31.52 Lactose-free SMP 31.52 Powder from Example 1 31.52 39.3 Cocoa mass 13.4 13.4 13.4 13.4 Milk fat 4.43 4.2 4.2 4.2 6.5 Whey powder 6.22 0.1 Lecithin 0.51 0.51 0.51 0.51 0.6 The chocolates were manufactured using a standard technique. Example 4 A commercially available source of GOS from Clasado was analyzed using the method of the International Journal of Analytical Chemistry, Volume 2014, article id. 768406 and yielded the following saccharide distribution (% by weight): DP2 32.8%, DP3 39.3%, DP4 17.9%, DP5 7.4%, and DP6 2.6%, based on the DP2-6 content. Such a source of GOS can be used in the carbohydrate mixture of the present invention. Examples 5-6 and Reference Examples 4-10 The following recipes (all % by weight) were prepared using the following process and procedures: A 3-cylinder refiner was used to refine a mixture of the dry and solid milk ingredients. The refined mixture was then conched in a Lipp Conche with the following parameters: Before starting the conching stage, 15-20% of the cocoa butter was added to the conche, processed at 55°C for 10 minutes at 500 rotations / minute, and then the rotation was changed to 1200 rotations / minute. Process for 220 minutes. Add the remaining cocoa butter and the lecithin, change the rotation to 1500 rotations / minute, and process for another 10 minutes. Then, the chocolate was tempered to 29.8 °C by hand on a table with a marble surface. The commercially available powdered GOS source used was from Example 4. The samples were evaluated by a panel of trained panelists using the following procedure. The tasting was conducted in two 2-hour sessions. In the first session, the panelists evaluated the flavor of the 9 samples, and in the second session, the appearance and texture of the entire set. In the first session, panelists were given one square of each sample presented in a randomized design. They were asked to eat each piece completely to evaluate the flavor. The evaluation was conducted under red lights to mask any color differences. In the second session, the panelists were given 1 square and one half of each sample presented in a randomized design and were asked to eat each piece completely as follows: The full square to evaluate appearance and texture, and half a square to evaluate melting time and mouth coating. The panelists assigned a score of 0-10 to the samples, with higher scores for positive, beneficial properties and lower scores for negative properties. The data were evaluated using monadic methodology. As can be seen from the results below, the present invention offers a significant reduction in sugar content without a significant reduction in organoleptic properties. This is quite surprising given the established problems with replacing sugar and the expected problems with introducing a dietary fiber-based thickening additive into chocolate, a product where organoleptic properties, i.e., mouthfeel, are very important. The present invention yielded results comparable to or better than the reference examples with significantly higher sugar reduction values. > W > σ (D 7) ω ω ω ω o Q. φ Φ 2. Φ ω 0) 0) ω O Φ tn _ Φ co cr cr cr cr o ierente o 10S0 menuzable oo ω CL. ω ex ex φ ooo “S c en O o ω or unpleasant or salty or sweet or milky piety in GO CO in en fs. óo Φ en CO oo en bO en 00 Ferencia GO φκ CO en en oo en com O CO _k CO en en bb bü A CD 00 00 _k co co co —X 00 oo mplo 6 en CO _k bO en en o en A u> » bO 00 b ó en ob co en Φ en co 00 co 00 en Ference en CO en co —ko bo _k σ> bb _k K co ó bo en b Φ 00 en bO NO en coferencia CO bO en en en co oo bo bü ίο Ch bJ CO co b bo óo co b Φ G0 en en en _k en _k ferencia bü CO Jx CO en oo co « 73 CO en O) en b) en bO2 en b 23 .23 . _k eferencia ro en CO en en φχ O o O co tD •sj •«Sjó bü en fO ó __k 00 b Φ G0 oo en en büferencia GJ CO en en oo -> 2) bo en no no en co en en co __k .04 eferencia 0. 73 QO Γ O Γ O Γ“ 2 ω 3 educción de azúcar / % O ω lucosa actosa encentrado de proteína ( Φ o. 5' ω rasa de la leche asa de cacao ache descremada en pol anteca de cacao 0) o ω o ω ω grediente Φ φ o cr Φ O 39.76 15.80 19.18 0.42 4.30 13.0 17.9 29.40 Ejemp lo 5 O 0.42 5.39 13.0 23.74 00 b 39.45 Referencia 4 31.5 13.00 4.39 17.44 0.42 4.45 G> b 17.90 29.40 Example 6 9.2 0.42 5.39 13.0 33.89 17.9 29.40 Referencia 5 9.2 45.20 19.18 0.42 4.30 13.0 b Referencia 6 O 50.45 13.53 0.42 4.6 GJ b 00 b Referencia 7 o 11.00 13.53 0.42 4.60 13.0 00 ó 39.45 r, , · 1 Referencia 8 9.2 15.80 0.42 ¡ 4.30 13.0 17.90 29.40 Referencia i9____________ 9.2 19.18 0.42 4.3 13.0 17.9 45.2 Reference 10 Sl· οι 9k Sum of undesirable organoleptic properties Mouth coating Melting time Pasty 19.97 4.27 4.42 3.2 12.42 3.75 V8E 1.72 17.65 3.45 4.18 2.33 16.5 CD 00 4.2 3.02 23.33 5.25 5.11 at 21.5 5.79 4.71 6.35 15.58 3.85 4.61 1.74 00 or CD 3.59 4.56 1.64 16.94 GD 4.23 1.83

Claims

1. A confectionery material comprising a carbohydrate mixture, characterized in that the carbohydrate mixture is present in an amount greater than 0% by weight and less than or equal to 35% by weight of the confectionery material and the carbohydrate mixture comprises oligosaccharide, preferably galactooligosaccharides, in an amount of 10-100% by weight, preferably 10-80% by weight, of the carbohydrate mixture.

2. A confectionery material according to claim 1, characterized in that at least 1.0% and less than 32.5% by weight of the confectionery material is the carbohydrate mixture.

3. A confectionery material according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the confectionery material comprises at least 1.0% and less than 32.5% by weight of non-carbohydrate milk solids material.

4. A confectionery material according to any of claims 1 to 3 wherein at most 40% by weight of the carbohydrate in the mixture is lactose.

5. A confectionery material according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that from 0% by weight to 15% by weight of the total carbohydrates in the mixture is lactose.

6. A confectionery material according to any of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the carbohydrate mixture is a composition expressed as a percentage of dry matter by weight of the mixture: a. Lactose 0-40% b. Glucose 0-40% c. Galactose 0-40% d. Oligosaccharide, preferably galactooligosaccharides, 10-80%.

7. A confectionery material according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the carbohydrate mixture is a composition expressed as a percentage of dry matter by weight of the mixture: a. Lactose 3-20% b. Glucose 10-30% c. Galactose 1-10% d. Oligosaccharide, preferably galactooligosaccharides, 45-70%.

8. A confectionery material according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the confectionery material comprises a dairy product.

9. The confectionery material according to claim 8, characterized in that the dairy product comprises more than 10% by weight and less than 90% by weight of the carbohydrate mixture by weight of the dairy product.

10. The confectionery material according to claim 9, characterized in that the dairy product comprises more than 20% by weight and less than 60% by weight of the carbohydrate mixture in the dairy product, and the remainder of the dairy product is milk solids that are not carbohydrates.

11. A confectionery material according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the material is selected from the group consisting of chocolate, compound, pralines, water- or fat-based confectionery fillings, ganache, cajeta chewy, fudge, caramel analogues, chocolate truffles, Scottish tablet, and hard sweets.

12. A confectionery material according to any of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the confectionery material is a milk chocolate or a white chocolate.

13. A process for preparing a confectionery material comprising the steps of: (a) providing a milk substrate comprising a total solids content of between 40% by weight and 75% by weight, preferably characterized in that the milk substrate comprises at least 15% by weight of lactose based on a dry solids content; (b) treating the milk substrate with an enzyme having transglycosylation activity, and (c) optionally totally or partially inactivating the enzyme.

14. The process of claim 13, characterized in that the prepared solution is dried to provide a solid for combination with other confectionery material ingredients.

15. The process of any of claims 13 to 14, characterized in that the confectionery product of any of claims 1 to 12 is prepared using the process.