CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Number 62/036,929, filed August 13, 2014, and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Number 62/049,563, filed September 12, 2014, the disclosures of each of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein, in their entireties.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In chocolate manufacturing, control of the viscosity of the liquid chocolate composition is considered very important. Flow behavior of the composition influences the ease of material handling, for example, its ability to flow into and fill molds and to apply liquid coatings to end products, for example, chocolate-covered cherries.

Cocoa butter (also known as "theobroma oil") is an edible fat extracted from the cocoa bean. The principal constituent of cocoa butter is triglyceride fat. Cocoa butter is an essential component of the chocolate composition; it is typically the principal source of fat in the chocolate composition. Cocoa butter functions to deliver the flavor of the chocolate around the mouth and it has a major effect on the viscosity of the chocolate composition, for example, in reducing its viscosity. Inasmuch as cocoa butter is

l relatively expensive, other less expensive materials have been included as additives in the chocolate composition to maintain or to reduce its viscosity during processing while maintaining or reducing the amount of cocoa butter. One example of such an additive is lecithin which can be synthesized or derived from various natural sources, for example, soy and sunflower seed. However, the use of lecithin is accompanied by the

disadvantage that it is an allergen. Other exemplary materials that have been used as viscosity modifiers for chocolate compositions are ammonium phosphatides and polyglycerol polyricinoleate.

Although cocoa butter is used very widely in chocolate compositions, there are other fatty materials that are used also, for example, as substitutes for cocoa butter. Coconut butter (source coconut oil) and shea butter (source African shea tree) are examples of such fatty materials which are triglycerides also.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In certain aspects, a phosphate ester is provided comprising phosphorylated mixed glycerides which are the product of transesterification of glycerol and triglycerides of the type present in palm oil or soybean oil.

One aspect of the present invention is the improvement in a process for formulating a liquid chocolate composition which has a predetermined viscosity and which comprises: (a) fatty butter in a predeternnined amount and sugar, and optionally cocoa solids and/or milk solids; and

(b) an additive which is effective in lowering the viscosity of the composition and which is different from fatty butter that itself is effective in lowering the viscosity of the composition; said improvement comprising:

(c) formulating the composition in the presence of said additive which is present in an amount that is effective to maintain the predetermined viscosity of the composition and to reduce the amount of fatty butter by at least about 3.5 wt. % relative to its predetermined amount.

Another aspect of the present invention is the provision of a chocolate

composition comprising:

(A) about 20 to about 90 wt. % of cocoa butter; (not including the amount of cocoa butter which may be present in cocoa liquor);

(B) about 5 to about 60 wt. % of sugar;

(C) about 0.1 to about 1 .0 wt. % of a phosphate ester (V-additive); and

(D) at least one or more of the following: cocoa liquor or milk solids in an amount of at least about 5 wt. %.

Still another aspect of the present invention is the provision of a method for processing a chocolate composition comprising: (A) providing a heated liquid chocolate composition which contains solid sugar particles and liquid chocolate, including liquid cocoa butter;

(B) processing the composition of (A) so that it has a uniform consistency in which the sugar particles and liquid chocolate are distributed evenly throughout the composition of (A) by subjecting the composition of (A) to conching in the presence of an emulsifier, namely V-additive, which is present in the composition in an amount at least sufficient to improve the flow characteristics of the composition of (A) and provide a liquid composition (hereafter "C") in which the liquid ingredients are distributed uniformly throughout the composition of (A).

An additional aspect of the present invention is the provision of a method for converting a liquid chocolate composition as defined in (C) above (hereafter a "(C) composition") into a solid composition by tempering a (C) composition, that is, cooling the composition under controlled conditions which promote the growth of a crystalline form of the cocoa butter in the (C) composition, said form being such that said solid composition is uniformly glossy and is not marred by the presence of bloom.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 shows the yield value of the compositions of each of Examples 1 and 2 compared to that for lecithin.

Figure 2 shows the plastic viscosity of the compositions of each of Examples 1 and 2 compared to that for lecithin. Figures 3A-B demonstrate the performance of the V-additive in preventing blooming.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In certain aspects, the present invention relates to improved means for modifying the viscosity of a liquid chocolate composition by use of an additive which is described hereafter.

In certain aspects, the present invention relates to the provision of a chocolate composition, to a method for formulating a chocolate composition and to the use thereof. In certain aspects, the present invention relates to an additive which is capable of modifying the viscosity of a liquid chocolate composition prior to its being formed into a chocolate product.

In embodiments, the use of the present invention is applicable also to chocolate compositions which contain coconut butter and/or shea butter. For convenience, the term "fatty butter" is used herein to mean -cocoa butter - or - coconut butter - or - shea butter-.

As used herein, unless stated otherwise, wt. % means % by wt. based on the total weight of the composition.

One aspect of the present invention is a process for formulating a liquid chocolate composition which has a predetermined viscosity, wherein the composition

comprises: (a) fatty butter in a predetermined amount and sugar, and optionally cocoa solids and/or milk solids; and

(b) an additive which is effective in lowering the viscosity of the composition and which is different from fatty butter that itself is effective in lowering the viscosity of the composition;

wherein the process comprises formulating the composition in the presence of said additive which is present in an amount that is effective to maintain the predetermined viscosity of the composition and to reduce the amount of fatty butter by at least about 3.5 wt. % relative to its predetermined amount.

In preferred form, the fatty butter is cocoa butter.

In embodiments, the additive of the present invention, as referred to in paragraph (b) above, is a phosphate ester. Briefly, the phosphate ester is prepared by phosphorylating a solution containing a mixture of mono-glyceride(s) and di- glyceride(s). The solution of glycerides can be prepared or provided from any suitable source, including from a natural source.

In preferred form, the natural sources of the glycerides are palm oil and soybean oil which are subjected to transesterification under conditions which produce both mono- glycerides and di-glycerides. In embodiments, and as described in detail hereafter, the phosphate esters of the present invention are prepared preferably by transesterifying glycerides which are present in palm oil and in soybean oil to produce mono- and di- glycerides which are phosphorylated to produce a phosphate ester which is a viscosity-modifying additive (for convenience, referred to also herein as "the V- additive").

Another aspect of the present invention, in its preferred form, is the provision of a chocolate composition comprising:

(A) about 20 to about 90 wt. %, preferably about 20 to about 35 wt. %, of cocoa butter; (not including the amount of cocoa butter which may be present in cocoa liquor which contains both cocoa butter and cocoa solids - there are chocolate products which do not contain cocoa solids);

(B) about 5 to about 60 wt. %, preferably about 30 to about 60 wt. %, of sugar;

(C) about 0.1 to about 1 .0 wt. %, preferably about 0.5 to about 1 .0 wt. %, of a phosphate ester (the V-additive) which is described in detail hereafter; and

(D) at least one or more of the following: cocoa liquor or milk solids in an amount of at least about 5 wt. %, preferably at least about 20 wt. %. As used herein, unless stated otherwise, wt. % means % by wt. based on the total weight of the composition.

As described below, the use of ingredients referred to in (D) above depends on the nature of the final product that is formed from the composition.

Another aspect of the present invention is the provision of a chocolate

composition comprising at least about 0.1 wt. % and preferably at least about 0.5 wt. % of a phosphate ester as described herein. Still another aspect of the present invention is the provision of a process for formulating a liquid chocolate composition in which the phosphate ester of the invention is present in an amount that is effective in reducing the viscosity of the composition.

Still another aspect of the present invention is the provision of a method for processing a chocolate composition comprising:

(A) providing a heated liquid chocolate composition which contains sold sugar particles and liquid chocolate, including liquid cocoa butter;

(B) processing the composition of (A) so that it has a uniform

consistency in which the sugar particles and liquid chocolate are distributed evenly throughout the composition of (A) by subjecting the composition of (A) to conching in the presence of an emulsifier, namely V-additive, which is present in the composition in an amount at least sufficient to improve the flow characteristics of the composition of (A) and provide a liquid composition (hereafter "C") in which the liquid ingredients are distributed uniformly throughout the composition of (A).

In embodiments, the amount of the emulsifier in the composition is at least about 0.25 wt. % based on the total weight of the composition and, in preferred form, the amount of the emulsifier is about 0.25 wt. % to about 1 wt. %.

An additional aspect of the present invention is the provision of a method for converting a liquid chocolate composition as defined in (C) above (hereafter a "(C) composition") into a solid composition by tempering a (C) composition, that is, cooling the composition under controlled conditions which promote the growth of a crystalline form of the cocoa butter in the (C) composition, said form being such that said solid composition is uniformly glossy and is not marred by the presence of bloom.

Advantages which are associated with the use of embodiments of the

present invention are described herein.

In embodiments, the additive of the present invention can be used effectively in processing a composition comprising chocolate which is one of the most popular of all food stuffs and which is available in a variety of forms, for example, as a solid, liquid, and paste. The ingredients which comprise chocolate products and proportions thereof vary from one product to the next, depending on the properties which are desired in the particular type of product being made. It is fair to say that most all products, but not all, contain cocoa butter (melting point about 34 to about 38° F) and sugar and many contain also cocoa liquor which is a source of cocoa solids and also cocoa butter. For convenience, "chocolate composition" is also referred to herein simply as -chocolate-.

An example of a chocolate composition to which the V-additive can be added comprises about 20 to about 50% cocoa liquor (including both cocoa solids and cocoa butter), about 20 to about 60% sugar, and optionally at least one of the following: milk solids, vanilla, flavorant, and other suitable constituents in an amount of at least about 20 wt. %. Each ingredient which is present in chocolate and the particular process which is used to make chocolate determines how the product melts in the mouth, the coating feeling on the tongue, the intensity of the chocolate flavor, how the flavor lingers, and its sweetness. It is accepted that one can definitely identify differences among chocolates which are produced from different sources whose recipes, as well as formulating techniques, can differ from one source to the next.

Set forth below are descriptions of various ingredients found in widely available chocolate compositions: (A) Cocoa Butter - cocoa beans are roasted then pressed. Liquid that results from pressing the beans is referred to as "cocoa liquor"; it comprises cocoa solids and cocoa butter which has a melting point of about 33° C (92° F). The presence of cocoa butter in chocolate imparts to the chocolate what is characterized as a "mouth feel"; it functions to deliver the flavor of the chocolate composition around the mouth. In formulating a high quality chocolate, it is common practice to add to the formulation an extra amount of cocoa butter; this tends also to decrease the viscosity of the formulation. (B) Lactose - also known as milk sugar, is the principal sugar found in milk and consists of glucose and galactose; it is only about 1/6 as sweet as sugar. In processing a chocolate composition, lactose is used primarily for control of crystallization in the liquid composition. In processing the composition, cocoa butter can tend to crystallize; this manifests itself as a dry, flakey appearance in the chocolate product. Lactose functions also as a humectant which is a substance that helps attract and hold water. For example, when chocolate is used in a coating application, the humectant functions to hold at least some of the water in the composition; this helps to maintain desired texture and moistness; (C) Soya Lecithin - (from soybeans) - - chemicals which are similar to phosphatides. The addition of lecithin to the composition reduces its viscosity; accordingly, the chocolate mass flows more readily and reduces the stress exerted on processing equipment. Another advantage of the use of lecithin is that it enables the formulator to reduce the amount of relatively expensive cocoa butter that is used in processing the chocolate mass. The less expensive lecithin can be used without sacrificing the product's flavor and texture while reducing processing costs. However, as disclosed above, lecithin is an allergen. (D) Dextrose - a sugar obtained by hydrolyzing (breaking up) starch, usually corn starch. Like lactose, it functions as a humectant. In addition, it provides some sweetness, being sweeter than lactose, but not as sweet as table sugar (sucrose). (E) Antioxidants - Examples are propyl gallate, citric acid, and ascorbyl palmitate. They function to deter or prevent coca butter from the undesirable effect of being oxidized.

The chocolate composition of the present invention can be prepared according to conventional methods, but as modified by the use of the V-additive according to embodiments of the present invention. The method used will depend on the particular type of chocolate being prepared and it will depend also on the particular form of the product comprising the composition, for example, in the form of a solid or a liquid.

Three major classes of chocolate products are dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and white chocolate. The basic ingredients comprising each of the products and the proportions thereof vary. For example, and speaking generally, each of the products contains typically cocoa butter, sugar, and often vanilla. Dark chocolate and milk chocolate comprise, in addition to cocoa butter, also cocoa liquor (also referred to as "chocolate liquor") which contains both cocoa solids (the contributor of the brown color to chocolate) and cocoa butter which is a fatty constituent. (The solids and butter are present in the liquor in about equal proportions.) As would be expected, milk chocolate, in addition to cocoa liquor, cocoa butter, sugar, and vanilla, contains also milk solids. And white chocolate typically contains ingredients that are present in milk chocolate except that it does not contain cocoa solids.

Examples of other chocolate compositions that can be used in the practice of the present invention are products known as "baking chocolate" and "compound coatings" which are chocolate-based.

Baking chocolate can be considered to be a precursor for making chocolate products by adding chocolate flavor to those products, for example, cookies, brownies, and cakes. The major ingredient of baking chocolate comprises fatty butter, preferably cocoa butter, for example, in an amount of about 70 to about 85 wt. % of the butter, and including also about 0.1 to about 1 wt. % of the V-additive, with the balance of the composition comprising less than about 15 wt. % of cocoa liquor.

There are various forms of baking chocolate, for example, bittersweet and semi- sweet baking chocolate. Examples of such compositions are set forth below in Table 1 .

TABLE 1

As stated above, the present invention can be used also in the formulation of compound coatings which contain chocolate. Such coatings are used popularly to coat, for example, the surfaces of fruit such as strawberries and bananas.

An example of chocolate-based compound coating composition is set forth below in Table 2.

TABLE 2

There follows a description of the preparation of the V-additive which is used in formulating a chocolate composition in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. As stated above, the V-additive comprises a phosphate ester which is prepared by phosphorylating a solution which comprises mixed glycerides.

In preferred form, the source of the mixed glycerides includes the product of the transesterification of a triglyceride with glycerol. Most preferably, the source of the triglyceride is palm oil or soybean oil, with palm oil being particularly preferred. A mixture of the oils can be used also.

The term "mixed glycerides" as used herein means the liquid product obtained by transesterifying a triglyceride (for example, as present in palm oil or soybean oil) with glycerol which is a liquid polyol known also as "1 ,2,3-propanetriol" and

"glycerine". A triglyceride is a triester which comprises a fatty acid portion and an alcohol portion. The three fatty acid portions of the triester can be derived from any suitable fatty acid, including, for example, a fatty acid having a chain length as follows: (A) a short chain (fewer than six carbon atoms); (B) a medium chain (six to 12 carbon atoms); and (C) a long chain (13 or more carbon atoms). The fatty acid portion can be derived from a saturated fatty acid, or a mono- or a poly- unsaturated fatty acid. The acid portion can comprise the same or different fatty acids.

Preferred triglycerides have fatty acid portions of both saturated and

unsaturated acids and of medium and long chain acids. As mentioned above, a natural-occurring product (palm oil or soybean oil) is the preferred source of the triglyceride(s) which are transesterified with glycerol.

The triglycerides can be derived from other sources also. For example, they can be synthetically prepared by reacting one or more suitable fatty acids with glycerol.

In its basic form, transesterification involves the reaction of: (A) a monohydric alcohol (ROH) with (B) a "simple" ester that is formed by reacting a monohydric alcohol (R'OH)with a monocarboxylic acid, for example, a fatty acid. This basic reaction produces a product which consists of: (A) a "new" monohydric alcohol in which its OH group is bonded to the R ^' group of the ester reactant; and (B) a "new" ester which includes the R group of the ROH reactant.

Compared to such a basic transesterfication, as described above,

the transesterification involved herein is more complicated.

For example, the reactants include a trihydric alcohol (the glycerol) and triester in the form of a triglyceride which includes residues of three acids which may be the same, but in preferred form are different. Also, a variety of numerous compounds can be produced. Some exemplary compounds are a-monoesters and a- and β-diesters which are formed from the glycerol and the triglyceride reactions and which have different carbon chain lengths, for example, from C8 to C22.

It is stated above that palm oil is a particularly preferred source of

triglycerides which are transesterified. In embodiments, the palm oil for use in the transesterification is palm mesocarp oil which is to be distinguished from palm kernel oil. The former is derived from the reddish pulp of the fruit of the palm whereas the latter is derived from the kernel of the palm. For convenience, the term "palm oil" is used hereafter to refer to - palm mesocarp oil - which is an edible vegetable oil that is naturally reddish in color because of a high beta-carotene content. Palm oil is one of the few highly saturated vegetable fats which contains several saturated and unsatured fats in the forms of glyceryl myristate (1 wt. %, saturated), palmitate (44 wt. %, saturated), and stearate (5 wt. %, saturated). Palm oil contains also glyceryl mono- and poly- unsaturated fatty acids, including oleate (39 wt. %, mono-unsaturated), linoleate (10 wt. %, polyunsaturated), and alpha- linolenate (0.3 wt. %, polyunsaturated).

Accordingly, the product of the transestehfication of palm oil includes new esters, for example, monoglycehdes of fatty acids and diglycerides of fatty acids such as, for example, palmitin (1 -palmitoyl-glycerol) and 1 -palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-glycerol. The product of transestehfication contains about 8 wt. % or less monoglycehdes and about 0.5 wt. % or less free glycerol with the remainder of the product being composed of diglycerides.

As stated above, another preferred source of triglycerides is soybean oil which includes esters having fatty acid portions which can be saturated, mono-unsaturated, and polyunsaturated, the last mentioned comprising about 55 wt. % of the total of the fatty acid portion of the triglyceride esters. Saturated fatty acid portions of the triglycerides comprise about 15 wt. % of the acids and include stearic and palmitic acid (about 5 wt. % and about 10 wt. % respectively). The unsaturated fatty acid portions of the triglycerides comprise the major proportion thereof (about 80 wt. %) and include, for example, oleic acid (mono-unsaturated - about 25 wt. %), whereas the polyunsaturated fatty acid portion comprises about 60 wt. % and includes linolenic acid (tri-unsaturated; about 10 wt. %) and linoleic acid (about 50 wt. %). This compositional information regarding the distribution of fatty acids in soybean oil can be found in numerous publications.

Accordingly, the product of the transesterification of soybean oil includes mono-glycerides, and diglycerides of fatty acids, for example, stearic, palmitic, oleic, linolenic, and linoleic.

The transesterification (TRESTF) involves the use of liquid reactants; it is conducted under conditions that produce a product which includes mixed glycerides in liquid form. Exemplary conditions of reaction include use of: (A) atmospheric pressure; (B) a temperature of about 350 to about 400°F; and (C) a time of about 4 to about 8 hours. The molar ratio of the triglyceride/glycerol reactants will have an effect on the weight ratio of the mono-diglycerides present in the product of the transesterification. For example, about 10 wt. % glycerol in the system will yield about 15% monoglycerides. As exemplified in Examples set forth below, it is preferred that an appropriate catalyst be used in the transesterification, examples of which include potassium carbonate, sodium carbonate, and potassium hydroxide.

In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, the mixed glycerides solution is subjected to phosphorylation, a known type of reaction. The term "phosphorylation" is used herein in the broad sense to include the addition of a phosphate group to an organic molecule. In the present development, the source of the organic molecule is a product(s) of the aforementioned TRESTF, for example, various glycerides, as described. The phosphorylation can be effected, for example, using phosphorous pentoxide (P2O5 which is known also as diphosphorous pentoxide, phosphorous (V) oxide, and phosphoric anhydride).

The amount of phosphorylating agent used in the phosphorylation should be sufficient to react with at least about 80 wt. % of the mono- and diglycerides present. In preferred form, the amount of the agent should comprise about 10 to about 12 wt. % of the composition comprising the product of the transesterification and the phosphorylating agent.

The phosphorylation should be carried out preferably under conditions which minimize moisture content. The phrase "under conditions which are substantially water-free" as used herein in the context of the phosphorylation means that the water content of the conditions is free of water or has a water content of no greater than about 0.2 wt. %. Other conditions which are exemplary of the phosphorylation include the use of: (A) under nitrogen purge; (B) a temperature ranging from room temperature to about 185°F; and (C) a time of about 4 to about 6 hours.

In addition to its ability to reduce the viscosity of a liquid chocolate

composition, the use of the present V-additive is accompanied by other beneficial effects. For example, its use does not have adverse effects: (a) on the health of the ingester (it is not an allergen); (b) on the taste or the desired mouth feel of the chocolate product; or (c) on the stability of the chocolate product (for example, on accelerating blooming). Furthermore, it facilitates preparation of a homogeneous mass of the composition.

In evaluating the effectiveness of a viscosity reducer in applications involving the manufacture of chocolate there are two viscosity parameters that are measured typically to provide information regarding the flow characteristics of the liquid composition. They are plastic viscosity (PV) and yield value (YV).

PV is a measure of the internal resistance to liquid flow expressed as

tangential shear stress in excess of the yield stress divided by the resulting rate of shear.

YV is related to the resistance to initial flow. It represents the stress required to start flow movement.

The measurement of PV and YV is described on the Brookfield Laboratories site at http://www.brookfieldenqineerinq.com/uk/education/applicatio ns/process- chocolate.asp, http://www.brookfieldenqineerinq.com/education/applications/ laborato rv-chocolate.asp and in the publication Manufacturing Confectioner, Minifie, B.W., 60(40), 47-50,1980.

The Example section below describes the preparation of two V-additives of the present invention. Examples 1 and 2 describe the phosphorylation of the transesterified products derived respectively from palm oil and soybean oil. The Example section describes also the evaluations of chocolate compositions containing the V-additives of Examples 1 and 2 and also, as a comparative

example, a chocolate composition containing ADM Soy Lecithin (Yelkin SS).

As explained above, one of the important steps in the manufacture of chocolate manufacture is the control of the viscosity of the liquid chocolate composition as it is being processed. The processing of chocolate includes also the step of conching in which the liquid chocolate composition is subjected to severe mechanical treatment with heavy rollers to impart to the composition a uniform consistency. The step of conching is used in substantially all processes which are used to convert the liquid composition to a solid product. In processing, the liquid chocolate moves past solid sugar particles and any other solid particles which are covered with fats as the ingredients are distributed evenly in the liquid composition during the conching process. Although not truly an emulsion, which itself consists of liquid drops dispersed in a continuous liquid medium, the industry uses the term "emulsifier" to describe an additive which is included in the liquid chocolate/solid particle composition as it is being "conched". The function of the emulsifier is to improve the flow characteristics of the "non-emulsion" chocolate composition by improving the uniform distribution of the liquid ingredients throughout the composition. Licenthin is an example of an emulsifier that has been used in the conching process.

In the conching process, the normally fatty solids are liquefied by virtue of its temperature being raised to an elevated level, for example, a temperature of about 40 to about 50°C. Once the liquid and solid ingredients of the heated liquid composition are mixed uniformly, the composition is cooled to room temperature to recover the solid chocolate product. Cooling of the composition is referred to as tempering and it can be a critical step in the in the manufacture of the solid products; for example, for particularly aesthetic purposes, it is important that the surface of the solid chocolate be uniformly glossy. If the tempering step is not implemented correctly, the surface of the product can be marred with a blooming appearance. Blooming manifests itself as an undesirable white powdery surface. It is believed that the cause of this is that, if the liquid chocolate composition is cooled improperly, moisture in the air condenses on the cooled surface and migrates into the chocolate to dissolve some of the sugar in the chocolate; when the chocolate product is re-warmed for example, for packaging, evaporating water leaves behind a white powdery surface. Accordingly, the hot chocolate composition should be cooled under controlled conditions to promote the growth of a crystalline form of the solid fatty constituents (for example, cocoa butter and/or milk fat to crystalline form V) that is, a form in which the blooming of the surface of the solid chocolate product is deterred or avoided substantially completely.

Improper tempering of the hot chocolate composition can give rise to other problems also. For example, a properly tempered chocolate, in addition to being "non-blooming", should be fast melting and have good snap when broken, and resist contracting improperly during molding, as this makes it difficult to "demold" the product. The use of the emulsifier according to embodiments of the present invention (the V-additive) in the chocolate composition as it is being tempered improves the interaction between cocoa butter and sugar and helps to reduce the amount of tempering time required for chocolate packaging. Certain examples provided herein are illustrative of the practice of aspects of the present invention as regards conching and tempering.

The following examples serve to further illustrate the present invention.

EXAMPLES

EXAMPLE 1

Preparation of a V-additive

One hundred sixty-one grams of a commercial grade of palm oil (Loders

Croklaan DURKEX NT 100), 6.7 grams of glycerol, and 1 .7 grams of potassium carbonate (catalyst) were weighed into a 1000 ml flask. This mixture was heated to

440° F for one hour thirty minutes with agitation and under a dry nitrogen blanket to provide solution A. Reaction products in solution A are mono- and di- glycerides.

The amount of mono-glyceride as measured by gas chromatography was found to be about 8 wt. % or less and free glycerol less than about 0.5 wt. %. Solution A was then cooled to 130° F. After cooling, 14.46 grams of phosphorus pentoxide were added to Solution A with agitation to form solution B. The temperature of solution B rose to 180° F due to the exothermic reaction between phosphorus pentoxide and residual moisture present in the solution. After an additional ten minutes, 1 .4 grams of deionized water were added to solution B and the temperature maintained at 185' F for 30 minutes under a nitrogen sparge and with agitation. After 30 minutes, the solution was brownish red and viscous. Another 14.46 grams of phosphorus pentoxide were added to Solution B, as well as an additional 1 .4 grams of water. The temperature was maintained at 185° F for three hours. The reaction product was then filtered through a 100-micron bag filter. The reaction product is a soft paste with a dark reddish-brown color and an acid value of 180-200.

EXAMPLE 2

Preparation of a V-additive

The same procedure described in Example 1 above was used to make the V-additive of Example 2.

One hundred sixty-one grams of commercial grade of refined, bleached and deodorized soybean oil from Archer Daniels, 6.7 grams of glycerol, and 1 .7 grams of potassium carbonate were weighed into a 1000 ml flask. This mixture was heated to 440° F for one hour thirty minutes with agitation and under a dry nitrogen blanket to provide solution A ¹ . Reaction products in solution A ¹ are mono- and di- glycerides. The amount of mono-glyceride as measured by gas chromatography was found to be about 8% or less and free glycerol less than about 0.5%. Solution A ¹ was cooled to 130° F. After cooling 14.46 grams of phosphorus pentoxide were added to Solution A ¹ with agitation to form solution B ¹ . The temperature of solution B ¹ rose to 180° F due to the exothermic reaction between phosphorus pentoxide and residual moisture present in the solution. After an additional ten minutes, 1 .4 grams of deionized water were added to solution B ¹ and the temperature maintained at 185° F for 30 minutes under a nitrogen sparge and with agitation. After 30 minutes, the solution was brownish red and viscous. Another 14.46 grams of phosphorus pentoxide were added to Solution B ¹ , as well as an additional 1 .4 grams of water. The temperature was maintained at 185° F for three hours. The reaction product was then filtered through a 100-micron bag filter. The reaction product is a soft paste with a dark reddish-brown color and an acid value of 180-200.

EXAMPLE 3

The performances of the V-additives of Example 1 and 2 were evaluated in dark chocolate and in low-, medium-, and high-fat milk chocolate. There are set forth in Table 3 below the ingredients comprising the low-fat milk composition that was the subject of the evaluations. The results of the evaluations, as reported below in Table 3, are representative of the results obtained in evaluations of other chocolate compositions.

TABLE 3

The evaluations of the above chocolate compositions involved measurements of the plastic viscosity (PV) and yield value (YV). As stated above, the evaluations involved also lecithin. Equipment used to measure viscosity include a Brookfield Engineering Laboratories (Middleboro, MA) Model DV-II+ Pro Viscometer - HA series, a TC-602 programmable water bath set to 104°F (40°C), a small sample adapter, 13RP sample holder, and SC4-27. Computer software converts measured viscosity at different spindle speeds to PV and YV.

In order to compare performance of the viscosity reducers (for example, lecithin versus Example 2), both PV and YV of the chocolate mass were measured at various levels of added reducers. The levels used in this investigation were 0.1 , 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1 .0, all wt. %. As the level of reducer in the chocolate formula is modified, the sugar content is adjusted and the amounts of other ingredients remain the same.

Graphs of plastic viscosity (Fig. 2) and yield value (Fig. 1 ) of both Examples 1 and 2 compared to lecithin are shown in Figures 1 and 2.

EXAMPLE 4

This example illustrates the use of the V-additive (emulsifier) in the conching of a liquid chocolate composition and also the use of the aforementioned lecithin emulsifier; the use of a control composition is described also.

A control composition consisting of milk chocolate was prepared. It comprised about 22.2 wt.% of cocoa butter, 52 wt.% of sugar, 12 wt.% of cocoa liquor, 13.3 wt.% milk solids, and very minor amounts of other constituents, for example, flavoring agents. Eight milk chocolate samples were prepared, four samples with no emulsifier and four with emulisifiers, the identities and amounts of which are identified below.

(a) milk chocolate - control, no emulsifier;

(b) milk chocolate and 0.25 wt.% of lecithin;

(c) milk chocolate and 0.50 wt.% of lecithin;

(d) milk chocolate and 0.25 wt.% of V-additive (emulsifier) of

Example 1 hereof (palm oil); and

(e) milk chocolate and 0.50 wt.% of V-additive (emulsifier) of

Example 1 hereof (palm oil).

For the purposes of evaluation, the above eight sample compositions were processed as follows.

One hundred fifty grams of the milk chocolate compositions (no emulisifier present) were placed in a tempering pan which was then covered with aluminum foil and thereafter stored in an incubator for 30 minutes at a temperature of 50° C to melt the milk chocolate composition. The tempering pan was placed into a tempering unit whose temperature was set at 48.9° C. The appropriate amount of emulsifier was added to each of the chocolate compositions (b) to (e) above. The emulsifiers, when used, were mixed thoroughly into the chocolate compositions by running each of the tempering units for ten minutes. Each of the eight sample compositions was transferred into a four-ounce glass jar and placed in the incubator for one hour at a temperature of 50° C. Each of the samples was then taken out of the incubator and cooled to room temperature. Photos of these samples were taken over time (as shown in Fig. 3) to observe the impact on blooming.

As shown in Figure 3, the degree of white crystalline formation shows that the chocolate samples without emulsifier experienced blooming early and severely.

Blooming was delayed in the chocolate samples with lecithin and V-additive

(emulsifier). Higher levels of emulsifier also delays blooming. V-additive (emulsifier) was observed to perform better than lecithin in preventing blooming.

It is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the particular processes, compositions, or methodologies described, as these may vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used in the description is for the purpose of describing some embodiments, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

Where features or aspects of the invention are described in terms of a Markush group or other grouping of alternatives, those skilled in the art will recognized that the invention is also thereby described in terms of any individual member or subgroup of members of the Markush group or other group.

Unless indicated to the contrary, all numerical ranges described herein include all combinations and subcombinations of ranges and specific integers encompassed therein. Such ranges are also within the scope of the described invention.

All references cited herein are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.