The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 26, 2002
Filed:
Dec. 15, 2000
Masahiro Tanaka, Saitama, JP;
Masakazu Terauchi, Saitama, JP;
Meiji Seika Kaisha, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
The invention provides a treating process of cacao beans, and more particularly cacao powder rich in polyphenols, a process for the preparation thereof and a prepared cacao composed of the cacao powder. According to the invention, the polyphenol contained in the cacao beans is allowed to remain as much as possible, by setting initial water content in the roasting treatment to 3-10% by weight. Although polyphenols have various favorable biological functions of anti-oxidating action, anti-dental cariesing action, action for preventing arteriosclerosis and so on, but those are unfavorable from the view point of taste because of astringency and bitterness. In a conventional process for preparing cacao powder, therefore, an operation for removing polyphenols has been carried out, but in the invention, the astringency and bitterness are inhibited by setting water content of the cacao nib to 3-10% by weight in the alkali treatment prior to the roasting treatment. Therefore, the invention provides a high functional cacao powder with good taste.