Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Surface coating of a solid food with a liquid – By chocolate or theobroma cocoa derived
Reexamination Certificate
1997-01-11
2002-07-16
Bhat, Nina (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Surface coating of a solid food with a liquid
By chocolate or theobroma cocoa derived
C426S515000, C426S524000, C426S660000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06419970
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to methods of setting chocolates, chocolate-like compositions and products produced by same. More specifically, the invention relates to methods of setting chocolate using a rapid cooling step by the use of very low temperatures, high heat transfer rates and/or short cooling times, using a controlled moisture rewarm zone and/or using a broader range of temper to form set chocolate products. The invention also relates to novel chocolate products having improved bloom resistance, enhanced gloss and other advantageous characteristics.
2. Description of the Related Art
Documents and references pertaining to the field of this invention are cited in this disclosure with a full citation for each; and, each cited document is hereby incorporated by reference.
The unique flavor and mouthfeel of chocolate is a result of the combination of numerous components as well as the process of manufacture. Chocolate contains solid particles dispersed throughout a fat matrix (the term “fat” includes cocoa butter and milk fat). Similarly, chocolate-like compositions may also contain fats other than cocoa butter or milk fat. Accordingly, melted chocolate and chocolate-like compositions are suspensions of non-fat particles (e.g., sugar, milk powders and cocoa solids) in a continuous liquid fat phase. The fat phase of milk chocolate, for example, is typically a mixture of cocoa butter, a suitable emulsifier, and milk fat. Cocoa butter is typically the predominant fat in the chocolates.
Cocoa butter is a polymorphic material in that it has the ability to crystallize in a number of different crystal packing configurations (Wille and Lutton “Polymorphism of Cocoa Butter”,
J. Amer. Oil Chem. Society,
Vol. 43 (1966) pages 491-96). Six different polymorphic forms are generally recognized for cocoa butter. Forms I and II are produced, for example, by rapidly cooling melted untempered chocolate to low temperatures and are very unstable with low melting points. Forms III and IV melt at higher temperatures than Forms I and II but are not the most desirous forms for confectionery manufacture. Forms V and VI are the most stable forms of cocoa butter. It is desirable to have Form V as the predominant form in a well-tempered chocolate. Form V transforms slowly into Form VI after a period of time. Accordingly, chocolate processing is strongly linked to the crystallization and polymorphic behavior of the fat phase. Before chocolate can be satisfactorily processed from liquid to solid using conventional methods, it must be tempered after which it is gently cooled to form a set chocolate having a stable fat phase.
The most commonly used method of processing chocolate involves the following sequential steps:
A. complete melting of the chocolate fat phase;
B. cooling to the point of initial crystallization of the fat phase (i.e., below the melting point of the liquid fat phase);
C. crystallizing a portion of the liquid fat phase;
D. slight heating to melt out any unstable crystals that may have formed leaving from about 3 to 8 wt % as seeds for crystallizing the remaining liquid fat; and
E. gently cooling to set the chocolate, typically in a cooling tunnel.
During conventional chocolate processing, the chocolate mixture is initially melted at temperatures of about 45° C. and tempered by cooling with agitation to about 29° to 30° C. The tempering of the chocolate results in a chocolate dispersion having fat crystals dispersed throughout the liquid fat phase. The chocolate suspension may then be further processed prior to setting by, for example, enrobing the chocolate onto an edible center or molding the chocolate. The chocolate is finally set into a form sufficiently solid for wrapping by gentle, controlled cooling.
Conventional tempering is the controlled partial precrystallization of the fat phase which is believed to be necessary to produce a stable solid form of the fat in the finished product. Therefore, one important object of tempering is to develop a sufficient number of stable seed crystals so that under appropriate cooling conditions the fat phase of the chocolate is able to crystallize into a stable polymorphic form. Tempering plays a key role in ensuring that the cocoa butter crystallizes in the stable form. “Chocolate must be properly tempered. Undertempered chocolate causes delayed setting in the cooler and adhesion to [processing equipment such as a] conveyor belt, and ultimately bad chocolate color and fat bloom” (see
Chocolate, Cocoa and Confectionery: Science and Technology,
by Minifie, 3rd Ed., p. 218).
Although it is important that the chocolate is well seeded with stable forms of cocoa butter crystals, the tempered chocolate still contains a high proportion of liquid cocoa butter, estimated from about 92 to 97 wt % of the fat phase. This must be solidified in the cooling process so that the set chocolate can be wrapped and ultimately be completely solidified into a stable crystalline form. (see
Chocolate, Cocoa and Confectionery: Science and Technology,
by Minifie, 3rd Ed., p. 195).
In cooling tunnels used in commercial processing, the crystallization of the remaining liquid fat phase must take place without further treatment while the chocolate is setting. The setting of chocolate occurs when the material has already been enrobed or placed in a mold, for example. That is, the chocolate is set while not subjected to flow or mixing. It only takes a slightly lower temperature to complete the transition from the liquid to the solid state, since the tempered chocolate is already partially solidified (see
Industrial Chocolate Manufacture and Use
by S. T. Beckett, Second Edition, page 232). The purpose of conventional cooling tunnels is to make the chocolate sufficiently solid so that it may be wrapped at room temperature.
Conventional methods passively cool the chocolate to promote crystalline growth throughout the fat phase using cooling environments having operating temperatures between 10 and 20° C. It In fact, conventional wisdom dictates that the liquid chocolate must not meet very cold air because it is believed to make the remaining cocoa butter unstable (see
Chocolate, Cocoa and Confectionery: Science and Technology
by Bernard W. Minifie, Third Edition, pages 212-221, particularly page 212). It is currently believed that the chocolate must be allowed to cool gently and not be subjected to aggressive cooling through exposure to low temperatures, as this has the effect of quickly drawing the cocoa butter up to the surface of the product, resulting in fat bloom (see
Industrial Chocolate Manufacture and Use
by S. T. Beckett, Second Edition, page 232).
With colder air more unstable crystals will be formed and the possibility of subsequent bloom developing is greater. It has been recommended that for the conventional forced circulation tunnel the air be brought in at a temperature not lower than 45° F., preferably considerably higher. (Paper presented by Dr. Roy F. Korfhage, Ambrosia Chocolate Company, before the A.A.C.T. Atlanta Section, Feb. 24, 1967, pages 13-14.) It was previously believed that “too cold too soon” would result in products which would appear greasy as the warmer coating, under the prematurely hardened surface skin, will work its way to the surface in the heat transfer process. The preferred cooling system was a zoned system where the product entered the cooler at about 65° F. (
Principles of Cocoa Butter Crystallization,
by Dimick, 45th P.M.C.A. Production Conference, 1991).
Accordingly, conventional cooling is relatively passive in that the heat transfer rate is low. A typical cooling tunnel cools a chocolate from a temperature of about 29-30° to about 10-25° C. in a period of time typically greater than about 7 minutes.
One disadvantage of the requirement that the chocolate be set by gentle cooling is the extended period of time resulting from the slow cooling. This results in either the requirement that the chocolate move slowly through the cooling zone, reducing the speed and effici
Collins Thomas M.
Earis Frank W.
Harding William
Lee Ralph D.
Palmer Wallace R.
Bhat Nina
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
Mars Incorporated
LandOfFree
Methods of setting chocolate and products produced by same does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Methods of setting chocolate and products produced by same, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Methods of setting chocolate and products produced by same will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2832264