Hershey Foods Corporation

Robert A Martin, Jr

David M Stumpf

In an improved process for producing food products, such as confections, including milk and dark chocolate, a crystalline saccharide such as sucrose, and a fat such as cocoa butter, are blended with a minor amount of water. The blend is refined, such as by passing it through the nip of at least one pair of refining rolls, to produce particles having a size less than about 50 micrometers. The minor amount of water is effective to dissolve saccharide particles having a size less than about five micrometers. Subsequently, the refined product can be heated and agitated to evaporate the minor amount of water. The resulting semi-processed food ingredient is useful for producing food products having improved viscosity characteristics.

Process of refining saccharide crystals during food processing

In an improved process for producing food products, such as confections, including milk and dark chocolate, a crystalline saccharide such as sucrose, and a fat such as cocoa butter, are blended with a minor amount of water. The blend is refined, such as by passing it through the nip of at least one pair of refining rolls, to produce particles having a size less than about 50 micrometers. The minor amount of water is effective to dissolve saccharide particles having a size less than about five micrometers. Subsequently, the refined product is heated and agitated to remove the minor amount of water. The resulting semi-processed food ingredient is useful for producing food products having improved viscosity characteristics.

Growing community of inventors

Palymra, PA, United States of America

Robert A Martin, Jr