Kraft Foods R & D, Inc.

Stephen Pearson

Egidijus Bizys

Stephan Simbuerger

Hartmut Balzer

Konstantinos Paggios

Gabriele Kopp

Martin Thiele

Melis Abylov

Manoj Shah

Szymon Macura

Tadeusz Klaus

Julie Simonson

The present invention relates to a process for the manufacture of a chocolate product involving the use of hydrated salt, hydrated sugar or hydrated sugar alcohol in the underlying chocolate mass and comprising the steps of refining, conching and optionally tempering of the chocolate mass. The invention further relates to a chocolate product comprising a chocolate mass comprising certain weight proportions of hydratable salt, hydratable sugar or hydratable sugar alcohol, as obtainable by the process of the invention.

Chocolate product and process for producing the same

For producing an aerated confectionery mass, a raw confectionery mass is fed at a feed rate from a supply to an aeration unit for introducing gas into the confectionery mass and wherein the aerated confectionery mass is fed to a production line for the production of confectionery or tablets. The feed rate of the raw confectionery mass is controlled such that it corresponds to the demand of the production line, the amount of introduced gas is controlled in response to the feed rate of the confectionery mass so that the aeration level of the confectionery mass remains substantially constant and the temperature of the aeration mass within the aeration unit is controlled such that it remains substantially constant and independent from the feed rate. The aeration unit may include a rotor for stirring and kneading the confectionery mass containing the introduced gas, the rotational speed of the rotor being controlled such that it is enhanced for higher feed rates and reduced for lower feed rates in order to produce gas bubbles of approximately the same size independent from the feed rate. In order to keep the bubble size small during the depositing step, the depositing is realized via a pressurized manifold containing multiple nozzles.

Apparatus and method for producing aerated confectionery masses

A process for preparation of milled cocoa shell including grinding cocoa shell in a single unit operation in a short-duration manner without the need for moving mechanical parts. The milled cocoa shell product obtained from the grinding treatment has reduced heat degradation and avoids equipment maintenance concerns otherwise associated with mechanical milling of the cocoa shells while providing an edible granular product useful for food manufacture such as chocolate food production.

Process for milling cocoa shells

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Hohenbrunn, Germany

Stephen Pearson