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US 2004/0071848 A1Published application
Process for producing cocoa butter and cocoa powder by liquefied gas extraction
AssigneeCargill, Incorporated
InventorsTodd W. Gusek, Bassam F. Jirjis, Ian C. Purtle
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Abstract
A process for treating cocoa mass which includes mixing cocoa mass with a saturated hydrocarbon solvent to provide a slurry and separating the slurry to provide a stream enriched in cocoa butter and a stream enriched in cocoa solids is provided. The mixing may advantageously be carried out under passive mixing conditions, at relatively low temperature, and/or with short mixing times.
Claims102
A process for treating cocoa mass comprising:
- passively mixing cocoa mass, which includes cocoa butter, with solvent comprising liquefied saturated hydrocarbon to provide a slurry, and
- separating the slurry to provide a stream enriched in cocoa butter and a stream enriched in cocoa-solids.
A process for treating cocoa mass comprising:
- mixing cocoa mass, which includes cocoa butter, with solvent comprising liquefied saturated hydrocarbon to provide a slurry, and
- separating the slurry to provide a stream enriched in cocoa butter and a stream enriched in cocoa-solids,
- wherein the mixing step is carried out with a mixing time before separation of no more than about 110 seconds.
A process for treating cocoa mass comprising:
- continuously mixing in a static mixer a stream of cocoa liquor, which includes at least about 45 wt. % cocoa butter, with a liquefied solvent stream comprising butane to provide a slurry, wherein the mixing is carried out so that the mixing time before separation is no more than about 110 seconds;
- and
- continuously separating the slurry in a pressurized belt filter to provide a stream enriched in cocoa butter and a stream enriched in cocoa-solids, the separation including washing the stream enriched in cocoa solids with a stream of liquefied solvent to form a wash stream;
- recycling at least some of the wash stream for further use in the continuous mixing, the washing, or both steps;
- wherein the total mass ratio between the mass of solvent and the mass of cocoa liquor is about 0.2:1 to about 1:1;
- and
- desolventizing the stream enriched in cocoa solids after washing to provide cocoa powder with a cocoa butter content of about 0.01 wt. % to about 13 wt. %.
4 more elements
A continuous process of treating cocoa mass comprising the steps of:
- passively mixing cocoa mass with solvent to form a slurry, the cocoa mass containing cocoa powder and 10 wt. % or greater cocoa butter, and the solvent comprising saturated hydrocarbon with a molecular weight of no more than 75;
- and
- separating the slurry into a solvent phase containing dissolved cocoa butter and a solids phase comprising cocoa solids.
A continuous process of treating cocoa mass comprising the steps of:
- mixing cocoa mass with solvent to form a slurry, the cocoa mass containing cocoa powder and 10 wt. % or greater cocoa butter, and the solvent comprising saturated hydrocarbon with a molecular weight of no more than 75, wherein the mixing is carried out with a mixing before separation time of no more than 110 seconds;
- and
- separating the slurry into a solvent phase containing dissolved cocoa butter and a solids phase comprising cocoa solids.
A continuous process of treating cocoa mass, said process including the steps of:
- (a) providing a cocoa mass,
- (b) passively mixing the cocoa mass with a solvent to provide a slurry, wherein the solvent comprises at least 90% by weight saturated hydrocarbon having a molecular weight of no greater than about 75, said slurry comprising:
- (i) a liquid solvent phase containing dissolved cocoa butter therein;
- and
- (ii) a solids phase comprising cocoa powder;
- (c) transferring the slurry to a separator system;
- (d) separating the solvent phase containing dissolved cocoa butter from the solids phase;
- (e) directing the solids phase into a solids phase evaporator to separate the solids phase into a reduced-fat cocoa product and a first gaseous solvent;
- and
- (f) directing the solvent phase into a solvent phase evaporator to separate the solvent phase into a cocoa butter product and a second gaseous solvent.
7 more elements
A continuous process of treating cocoa mass, said process including the steps of:
- (a) providing a cocoa mass;
- (b) mixing the cocoa mass with a solvent to provide a slurry, wherein the solvent comprises at least 90% by weight saturated hydrocarbon having a molecular weight of no more than about 75, said slurry comprising:
- (i) a liquid solvent phase containing dissolved cocoa butter therein;
- and
- (ii) a solids phase comprising cocoa powder;
- (c) transferring the slurry to a separator system;
- wherein a mixing time before separation is no more than 110 seconds;
- (d) separating the solvent phase containing dissolved cocoa butter from the solids phase;
- (e) directing the solids phase into a solids phase evaporator to separate the solids phase into a reduced-fat cocoa product and a first gaseous solvent;
- and
- (f) directing the solvent phase into a solvent phase evaporator to separate the solvent phase into a cocoa butter product and a second gaseous solvent.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.