Protein-Enriched Chocolate Processing for Smooth High-Protein Texture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing chocolate-making processes struggle to produce protein-enriched chocolate with more than 20% protein content without degrading organoleptic qualities, often resulting in a gritty texture and pronounced protein taste.
Innovation Solution
A process involving separate grinding and mixing of cocoa butter and protein, followed by heating and tempering, to create a chocolate with 20-40% protein content, using legume or a mixture of legume and dairy proteins, with a Casson viscosity less than 6 Pa.s, ensuring excellent organoleptic qualities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If chocolate is enriched with protein (above 20% by dry weight), then nutritional value is improved, but organoleptic quality deteriorates (gritty texture and pronounced protein taste)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the chocolate making process into separate stages: first preparing a protein-cocoa butter mixture, then separately preparing other chocolate ingredients, and finally combining them. This segmentation allows the protein to be incorporated in a controlled manner that prevents gritty texture while achieving high protein content (20-40% by dry weight).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-mixing protein with cocoa butter before incorporating other ingredients. This preliminary preparation ensures proper distribution and integration of protein particles, preventing them from creating a gritty sensation in the final product while maintaining the desired high protein content.
2Quantity of substance
If traditional chocolate-making process is used with high protein content, then protein enrichment is achieved, but organoleptic qualities are significantly degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies key process parameters including temperature control (mixing at 50°C, heating to 60°C), mixing sequence, and processing time. These parameter changes enable the incorporation of high protein content (20-40%) while maintaining smooth texture and pleasant taste by optimizing the physical and chemical conditions during manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses cocoa butter as an intermediary substance to facilitate the incorporation of protein. By first mixing protein with cocoa butter to form a homogeneous paste, then integrating this into the rest of the chocolate ingredients, the protein is properly dispersed without creating gritty texture or off-flavors, thus maintaining organoleptic quality.
3Quantity of substance
If protein content is increased above 30%, then nutritional benefits are enhanced, but sandy sensation appears upon tasting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the mixing process to first combine protein with cocoa butter separately, then integrate this mixture with other chocolate ingredients. This segmentation ensures that even at high protein content (above 30%), the protein particles are properly distributed and coated with cocoa butter, preventing them from creating a sandy sensation on the tongue.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent maintains continuous mixing and heating processes that ensure uniform distribution of protein throughout the chocolate matrix. The continuous action of mixing at controlled temperatures prevents protein aggregation that would otherwise create sandy texture, while maintaining the enhanced nutritional benefits of high protein content.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The process produces chocolate with improved texture and taste, lacking a sandy or pasty sensation, suitable for high protein content, and maintains sensory qualities comparable to standard chocolate.
Implementation Method 1
Heating of the two mixtures to approximately 60°C to obtain the melting of the mixtures
Implementation Method 2
Tempering brings the cocoa butter to its most stable crystalline form, giving the chocolate a glossy, smooth appearance, a characteristic hardness
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to chocolate products having an increased protein content yet exhibiting an excellent organoleptic quality, in particular without sandy or pasty sensations when tasting. The invention also relates to a method for producing chocolate products of this type.