Chocolate Processing via Three-Phase Separation for Acetic Acid Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cocoa bean processing methods result in chocolate products with high acidity and bitterness due to insufficient acetic acid reduction, leading to energy-intensive conching processes and loss of antioxidants and vitamins, while also being inefficient in maintaining specific fermentation stages and consistencies.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the formation of a suspension with fermented or incubated cocoa beans, followed by wet grinding and heat treatment at 70° C or less, separating into three phases (water, fat, and solid), and separately processing these phases to neutralize and remove acetic acid, allowing for the separation of cocoa butter, powder, and aroma, which are then recombined and conched.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional cocoa bean processing methods are used, then acetic acid is present in the final product, but this results in high acidity and bitterness in the chocolate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes acetic acid from the cocoa bean processing system by separating it into a distinct phase during the three-phase separation process (water phase, fat phase, solid phase). The acetic acid concentrates in the water phase which is then removed, eliminating the harmful acidity and bitterness from the final chocolate product while preserving the desirable flavors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the cocoa bean processing into distinct phases (water phase, fat phase, solid phase) that can be separately handled. This segmentation allows selective removal of the water phase containing acetic acid while retaining the fat phase (cocoa butter) and solid phase (cocoa powder), thus resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and elimination of harmful factors.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If conventional processing is used to remove acetic acid, then acidity is reduced, but energy-intensive conching processes are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary removal of acetic acid during the three-phase separation process before the conching step. By extracting acetic acid in the water phase during separation, the need for prolonged energy-intensive conching to remove acidity is eliminated, significantly reducing energy consumption while achieving the same acidity reduction goal.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts acetic acid into the water phase during separation, removing it from the system before conching. This extraction approach eliminates the need for energy-intensive thermal processing during conching, directly resolving the contradiction between acidity reduction and energy consumption.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If conventional processing methods are used, then acetic acid is removed, but antioxidants and vitamins are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the processing into three distinct phases where antioxidants and vitamins remain in the fat and solid phases while acetic acid concentrates in the water phase. This segmentation allows selective removal of only the harmful acetic acid while preserving the beneficial antioxidants and vitamins in the retained phases, resolving the contradiction between acidity reduction and nutrient preservation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent selectively extracts acetic acid into the water phase for removal, while leaving antioxidants and vitamins in the fat and solid phases. This selective extraction approach removes the harmful substance without losing the beneficial nutrients, directly resolving the contradiction between acidity reduction and substance loss.
4Adaptability or versatility
If cocoa beans are processed at varying fermentation stages, then flexibility is increased, but maintaining specific consistencies becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the processing parameters (temperature, pH, separation conditions) to accommodate cocoa beans at varying fermentation stages. By adjusting these parameters during the three-phase separation process, the system can handle diverse fermentation stages while maintaining consistent product quality, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and manufacturing precision.
Data Source
AI summary
The method for processing fermented or incubated cocoa beans comprises the steps of: adding water to fermented or incubated cocoa beans or nibs to form a suspension; wet grinding said suspension; subjecting said suspension to a heat treatment at a temperature of 70° C. or less; separating the suspension into a water phase (heavy phase), a fat phase (light phase) and a solid phase, said fat phase comprising cocoa butter as a major component and solids and/or water as minor components and said solid phase comprising cocoa powder and water; and separately processing the three phases, which comprises: neutralizing and/or removing acetic acid formed during fermentation or formed or added prior to or during an incubation of the cocoa beans via the water phase, and optionally separating cocoa butter from the fat phase, separating cocoa powder from the solid phase, and separating cocoa aroma and a polyphenolic powder from at least the water phase.