# US 12,389,924 B2 · Water-containing chocolate-like confectionery and method for producing water-containing chocolate-like confectionery

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- Number: US 12,389,924 B2
- Document ID: US12389924B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/298,175
- Filed: 2019-11-29
- Published: 2022-04-21
- Granted: 2025-08-19
- Earliest claimed: 2018-11-30
- Assignees: Meiji Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Meiji Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Kazuya Inoue; Masamichi Tokunaga; Kaoru Higaki; Hiroyuki Utsunomiya
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12389924B2

## CPC

- A23G 1/0003: {Processes of manufacture not relating to composition or compounding ingredients}
- A23G 1/36: characterised by the fats used (containing dairy products A23G1/46)
- A23G 1/0026: {Mixing; Roller milling for preparing chocolate}
- A23G 1/32: characterised by the composition {containing organic or inorganic compounds}
- A23G 1/40: characterised by the carbohydrates used, e.g. polysaccharides (containing dairy products A23G1/46)
- A23G 1/46: containing dairy products
- A23G 1/48: containing plants or parts thereof, e.g. fruits, seeds or extracts (containing gums A23G1/40)
- A23V 2002/00: Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs
- A23G: COCOA; COCOA PRODUCTS, e.g. CHOCOLATE; SUBSTITUTES FOR COCOA OR COCOA PRODUCTS; CONFECTIONERY; CHEWING GUM; ICE-CREAM; PREPARATION THEREOF
- A23V: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND LACTIC OR PROPIONIC ACID BACTERIA USED IN FOODSTUFFS OR FOOD PREPARATION

## Abstract

A water-containing chocolate-like confectionery, which comprises an oil-in-water type emulsified mixture, wherein the mixture has a water content of 20% by weight or less, and a water activity of 0.7 or less.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for producing a water-containing confectionery, comprising:
a mixing step of kneading a chocolate raw material and a water-containing raw material with a cooling mixer to obtain an oil-in-water emulsified mixture, the cooling mixer operating such that the chocolate raw material and the water-containing raw material are kneaded at a temperature in a range of−20° C. to 20°° C.,
wherein the chocolate raw material comprises a cacao-derived component and fat,
wherein at least one of the chocolate raw material and the water-containing raw material comprises one or more sugars selected from the group consisting of a monosaccharide and a disaccharide,
wherein the oil-in-water emulsified mixture has a water content of less than 20% by weight, and has a water activity of 0.7 or less,
wherein the cooling mixer comprises a cooling kneading section for kneading the chocolate raw material and the water-containing raw material under cooling and a discharge port for discharging the mixture,
wherein the cooling mixer is an extruder having a single screw or multiple screws, and comprises a cooling unit, and
wherein the water-containing confectionery is produced by the oil-in-water emulsified mixture alone or by combining the oil-in-water emulsified mixture with an auxiliary raw material.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the oil-in-water emulsified mixture has plasticity at 20° C.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the oil-in-water emulsified mixture has a total content of microcrystalline cellulose and glycerol of 0.5% by weight or less.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the oil-in-water emulsified mixture has a content of the one or more sugars of less than 50% by weight.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein in the mixing step, the chocolate raw material and the water-containing raw material are kneaded in a state where the fat contained in the chocolate raw material is solidified by cooling.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1,
further comprising combining the oil-in-water emulsified mixture with an auxiliary raw material.