Dark cocoa powder
AssigneeCargill, Incorporated
InventorsVincent Schoot UITERKAMP, Jan Pieter Hubert VAN IERSEL
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention relates to a continuous process for producing a dark cocoa powder, comprising: mixing a cocoa product with water in an amount of up to 50% by weight, based on the total weight of the mixture; heating the cocoa product and the water to a temperature of 90-160° C. until a moisture content of 5% by weight, based on the total weight of the mixture, or less is achieved; and recovering a cocoa powder; wherein the cocoa powder recovered in step (d) has an L value which is lower than that of the cocoa product of step (a). The invention further relates to cocoa powders produced by this method and to their use in food or beverage compositions.
Claims15
A continuous process for producing a dark cocoa powder, comprising:
- a) mixing a cocoa product selected from cocoa cake and/or cocoa powder with water in an amount of up to 50% by weight, based on the total weight of the mixture;
- b) heating the cocoa product and the water to a temperature of 90-160° C. until a moisture content of 5% by weight, based on the total weight of the mixture, or less is achieved;
- c) optionally grinding the product of step (b);
- and
- d) recovering a cocoa powder;
- wherein the cocoa powder recovered in step (d) has an L value which is lower than that of the cocoa product of step (a).
A cocoa powder characterized in that it has:
- an L-value of 11 to 17 and an a/b-value of 0.9 to 1.6;
- and
- a pH of 5.5 to 9.0;
- and
- optionally, an ash content of less than 15 FFDM.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.