The Hershey Company

Hershey Foods Corporation

Brian Scott Baker

Gregory T Zerphy

Ashley L Boldt

B Douglas Brown

Krista L Cessna

William Jeffrey Hurst

Malathy Nair

Sharon Cin

Tim J Kohr

John A Latham

Gagan Mongia

Burton Douglas Brown

Xiaoying Wang

Jeffrey B Fine

Lori A Hornung

Dongming Tang

Brandt C Cook

Jeffrey Tl Smith

David Worthing

Maria J Perez Gonzalez

A process of forming a confectionery product includes heating a confectionery mixture comprising a sweetened milk product and fat while stirring until the confectionery mixture reaches a predetermined consistency. The process also includes forming the confectionery product upon cooling of the confectionery mixture. The confectionery product has a water activity of about 0.59 or greater, has a sugar content of about 87 degrees Brix or less, and has a shelf life of about three months or greater. A confectionery product includes a confectionery mixture. The confectionery product includes a sweetened milk product, butter, cocoa powder, a sweetener, and a preservative. The sweetener is corn syrup, inulin, tapioca syrup, maltodextrin, pear puree, and/or a combination thereof. The confectionery mixture has a water activity of about 0.59 or greater, has a sugar content of about 87 degrees Brix or less, and has a shelf life of about three months or greater.

High water activity confectionery product and process of making same

The invention provides, in one aspect, a method of producing a cocoa-containing beverage, or a nutritionally fortified or energy-sustaining cocoa beverage, containing beneficial cocoa polyphenols. Ready-to-drink compositions, concentrates, primary beverage components, and packets for producing the beverages are specifically disclosed and prepared from a cocoa water composition made from steeping a cocoa-containing product in water or an aqueous solution with an acid. A number of vitamins, minerals, supplements, and nutriceutical compositions can be added.

Steeped cocoa compositions and functional cocoa beverages made from them

The invention provides, in one aspect, a method of producing a cocoa beverage containing beneficial cocoa polyphenols. Ready-to-drink compositions, concentrates, primary beverage components, and packets for producing the beverages are specifically disclosed. Preferred sugar-free, low calorie, and calorie-free products and cocoa beverages are also disclosed.

Steeped cocoa beverages

The present process is directed to a method of crystallizing the lactose in milkfat which comprises (a) mixing the milk powder with water in an amount sufficient to initiate crystallization when subjected to shearing and heating, and (b) subjecting the product of (a) to shearing and heating under conditions effective to crystallize the lactose, said heating being conducted at a temperature greater than the glass transition temperature of the lactose and below the temperature at which the product will have a burnt flavor.

Process for crystallizing amorphous lactose in milk powder

The present invention is directed to a process for preparing a chocolate-like product containing non-tempering cocoa butter substitute and to the product prepared therefrom.

Process to prevent bloom in chocolate products that contain fat

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Millersburg, PA, United States of America

Brian Scott Baker