The Procter Gamble Company

Mark A Besserman

Lowen R Morrison, Jr

Vicki L Weber

Claudia A Smith

Daniel J Masterson

Cornelius H Japikse

An improved process is disclosed for preparing flavored confectionery compositions containing certain reduced calorie cocoa butter substitute fats. The improvement involves rapidly cooling such a composition from a non-crystalline state to a temperature of less than about 70.degree. F. (21.1.degree. C.) using a swept-wall, scraped-wall, or screw-type heat exchanger. The cooled composition is then conditioned for at least about 5 minutes by warming it to a temperature of about 70.degree. to 85.degree. F. (21.1.degree. to 29.4.degree. C.) in an agitated vessel before further processing into finished confectionery pieces. Under these dynamic tempering conditions, bloom-stable products can be produced much faster than with static tempering.

Process for preparing reduced calorie flavored confectionery

Countercurrent liquid/liquid extraction processse for fractionating complex triglyceride mixtures to selectively remove 'light' impurities (primarily MMM trglycerides) from MML/MLM triglycerides, or to selectively remove MML/MLM triglycerides from 'heavy' impurities (primarily MLL/LML and LLL triglycerides), wherein M is a C.sub.6 -C.sub.10 fatty acid residue or mixture thereof, and wherein L is a C.sub.18 -C.sub.24 fatty acid residue or mixture thereof, are disclosed. In the case of 'light' impurities, an oil stream containing MMM and MML/MLM triglycerides is passed countercurrently to a solvent stream containing a polar solvent or a supercritical fluid that is partially miscible with the oil stream to selectively remove the MMM triglycerides. In the case of 'heavy' impurities, an oil stream containing MML/MLM, MLL/LML and LLL triglycerides is passed countercurrently to the solvent stream to selectively remove the MML/MLM triglycerides.

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Cincinnati, OH, United States of America

Mark A Besserman