Beatrice Foods Co.

Salvatore F Ziccarelli

Peter P Noznick

Rey C Ramos

Robert M Brown

There is provided a process for producing reconstitutable natural coconut flavor by grinding coconut meat preferably from which the germ eye has been removed, until a pulp of coconut fiber and coconut flavor liquor is obtained. The pulp is separated into the flavor liquor and fiber, wherein the liquor has no more than 2% fiber therein. The liquor is heat treated under enzyme deactivation conditions, whereby any deleterious coconut enzymes in the liquor are deactivated. The liquor is concentrated by condensing the liquor to more than 25% solids or spray drying the liquor to a free-flowing powder. The concentrated coconut flavor may be reconstituted with an aqueous diluent to provide a liquid coconut flavor. The coconut flavor is a mixture of coconut fat and coconut protein/carbohydrate in ratios of 40-72:60-28 and the coconut flavor in the reconstituted form contains no more than 2% coconut fiber.

Coconut powder

There is provided a method for producing a chocolate candy, wherein the conventional candy ingredients of sugar, fat and cocoa are mixed in a high speed shearing and mixing device, as opposed to the conventional mixing and milling devices, the resulting mixed paste is conched to the finished candy, e.g., candy coating, by conching in a high speed shearing and mixing device. The shear component in both the mixing and conching step must be 75.degree. or greater. The temperature of the mixing step should not exceed about 120.degree. C. and the mixing time should be less than 5 minutes whereby the average particle size in the resulting paste mixture is 120 microns or less. In the conching step temperatures of between about 60.degree. C. and 160.degree. C. in conching times of 30 seconds or less are reached, whereby the average particle size of the conched mixture is reduced to 40 microns or less and the moisture content of the conched mixture is reduced to 8% or less.

Method for producing a fast mixed and milled conchable candy and product

A fruit-flavored, shelf-stable and self-preserving composition is prepared containing natural fruit-flavors or artificial fruit-flavors and finely dispersed fat particles having a melting temperature of 90.degree. to 124.degree. F enrobed in a fat enrobing agent that prevents coalescing of the fat particles by preventing fat-to-fat contact of the particles. The composition has a moisture content of no more than 5% and can be made to resemble bits of natural fruit meat. A preferred enrobing agent contains dried yeast and whey.

Fruit flavored composition

A fast conched candy coating is prepared by heating fat to above the melting point thereof and mixing the fat with sugar, optionally with milk solids, emulsifiers, flavoring, cocoa or cocoa butter. The mixture is maintained above the melting point of the fat but below 150.degree. F. The heated mixture is then conched in a high speed shearing and mixing device wherein the solid particles of the mixture are sheared to 40 microns or less and the mechanical energy imparted during the shearing and mixing raise the conching temperature to between 190.degree. F and 250.degree. F in less than 30 seconds.

Fast conched candy coating

A fast conched candy coating is prepared by providing a mixture of fat and sugar, optionally with milk solids, emulsifiers, flavoring, cocoa or cocoa butter, heating the mixture to a temperature above the melting point of the fat but below 150.degree. F, and conching the mixture in a high speed shearing and mixing device. The mechanical energy imparted during the shearing and mixing raise the conching temperature to between 150.degree. and 250.degree. F in less than 30 seconds.

Fast conched candy coating and method

A fast conched candy coating is prepared by heating fat to above the melting point thereof and mixing the fat with sugar, optionally with milk solids, emulsifiers, flavoring, cocoa or cocoa butter. The mixture is maintained above the melting point of the fat but below 150.degree.F. The heated mixture is then conched in a high speed shearing and mixing device wherein the solid particles of the mixture are sheared to 40 microns or less and the mechanical energy imparted during the shearing and mixing raise the conching temperature to between 190.degree.F and 250.degree.F in less than 30 seconds.

Growing community of inventors

Downers Grove, IL, United States of America

Salvatore F Ziccarelli