This invention relates to a confectionery composition, to a process for its production and to the use of defatted cocoa powder and a palm oil fraction. In particular, the invention relates to confectionery compositions that can be used as coatings.

Many confectionery products such as chocolate and chocolate-like products contain triglyceride fats. The fats impart beneficial textural and organoleptic properties to the products. For example, the flavour release and cool taste of chocolate is at least partly due to the melting profile of the triglyceride fats that it contains.

Chocolate contains cocoa butter as the main or sole triglyceride fat. However, there is a market for chocolate-like products in which the cocoa butter is partly or completely replaced by other triglyceride fats.

Bakery products such as donuts, cakes, cookies, biscuits and pastries are often coated with a layer of chocolate. The coating can be partial or complete. Although the coating can be of chocolate, it is sometimes preferable to use a chocolate-like composition that contains triglycerides. Coatings can also be applied to chocolate, fillings, nuts and used in other confectionery products.

Bloom is a problem in chocolate and is due to the recrystallisation of fats. Bloom develops on the surface of the chocolate, particularly if it has not been correctly tempered or if it has been stored at relatively warm temperatures. This makes the product visually unattractive and less desirable. Consumers tend to prefer a high gloss on chocolate and chocolate-like products.

GB-A-2297760 discloses behenic acid-containing fats for confectionery coatings. The fats contain at least 40% BOO triglycerides (i.e., having behenoyl groups at the 1- position in the triglyceride and oleoyl groups at the 2- and 3- positions). US 4292338 discloses a fat composition that is suitable for use as a confectioners' butter. The fat is based on triglycerides having randomly distributed C10-C18 fatty acids prepared by interesterification. US 7700146 relates to low trans fat compositions for confectionery. The compositions are based on blends containing an interesterified fat which are subsequently hydrogenated.

US 2010/0068369 describes a process for preparing hypoallergenic and reduced fat foods by treatment with liquid nitrogen or super-critical carbon dioxide.

US 4283436 describes hard fat replacers for cocoa butter which are mixtures of palm mid-fraction and SOS/POS fats (where S is stearic and P is palmitic).

EP-A-0378876 relates to low calorie confectionery products based on polyol fatty acid polyesters.

US 4276322 discloses hard fats for chocolate which are blends. The blends may comprise palm mid-fraction.

GB 893337 relates to fat bloom inhibitors for chocolate which comprise a mixture of fats.

There remains a need for chocolate-like confectionery compositions having a lower tendency to bloom and an improved retention of high gloss, as well as having good taste and texture. There is a particular need for such compositions which can be used as confectionery coatings.

According to the invention, there is provided a confectionery composition comprising defatted cocoa powder and fat, wherein the fat consists essentially of a palm oil fraction comprising at least 50% by weight of palmitic acid and at least 25% by weight of oleic acid, based on total C6 to C24 carboxylic acids present, and the palm oil fraction has an SOS content of at least 70% by weight based on total weight of triglycerides present, wherein S is saturated C6 to C24 fatty acid and O is oleic acid. The compositions of the invention, based on a specific palm oil fraction and defatted cocoa powder, exhibit surprisingly low bloom and high gloss on storage. It is believed that the advantageous effects are due to the specific combination of the palm oil fraction and the defatted cocoa powder.

In another aspect, the invention provides a process for producing the confectionery composition of the invention which comprises mixing the defatted cocoa powder and the palm oil fraction with any optional further ingredients and tempering. A further aspect of the invention is the use of defatted cocoa powder and a palm oil fraction comprising at least 50% by weight of palmitic acid and at least 25% by weight of oleic acid, based on total C6 to C24 carboxylic acids present, and having an SOS content of at least 70% by weight based on total weight of triglycerides present, wherein S is saturated C6 to C24 fatty acid and O is oleic acid, in a confectionery composition for reducing bloom.

Yet another aspect of the invention is the use of defatted cocoa powder and a palm oil fraction comprising at least 50% by weight of palmitic acid and at least 25% by weight of oleic acid, based on total C6 to C24 carboxylic acids present, and having an SOS content of at least 70% by weight based on total weight of triglycerides present, wherein S is saturated C6 to C24 fatty acid and O is oleic acid, in a confectionery composition for improving gloss.

It will be appreciated that the reduced bloom and improved gloss will typically be observed after storage, for example after about 4 weeks at 25 °C.

The palm oil fraction that is used in the invention is preferably a palm mid-fraction (PMF). Palm mid-fractions are obtained from palm oil by fractionation and are commercially available. The precise chemical composition of a palm oil mid-fraction may depend on the process conditions that are used for its production.

The palm oil fraction is preferably the only fat that is included in the composition with the only other fat present being any small amount of fat derived from residual fat in the defatted cocoa powder. Therefore, the palm oil fraction preferably constitutes greater than 99 % by weight of the total triglycerides present in the composition. Preferably, the palm oil fraction has not undergone hydrogenation at any stage during its extraction and production i.e., it is non-hydrogenated. Incomplete hydrogenation of unsaturated fatty acids in triglycerides leads to the formation of trans isomers of fatty acids which are thought to be undesirable for health reasons.

The palm oil fraction preferably has a trans fatty acid content of less than 1 % by weight, based on total C6 to C24 carboxylic acids present. More preferably, the palm oil fraction has a trans fatty acid content of less than 0.5% by weight, based on total C6 to C24 carboxylic acids present.

The term fatty acid, as used herein, refers to straight chain saturated or unsaturated (including mono- and poly- unsaturated) carboxylic acids having from 6 to 24 carbon atoms (C6 to C24). The compositions of the invention are preferably free of polyol fatty acid polyesters.

The palm oil fraction is preferably non-interesterified. Interesterification randomises the fatty acid acyl groups on the glycerol backbone in triglycerides and alters the ratio of SOS to SSO triglycerides. In natural products, the relative proportion of SOS compared to SSO triglycerides is relatively high.

As used herein, SOS refers to triglycerides having S at the 1- and 3- positions in the triglyceride and O at the 2- position. SSO refers to triglycerides having S at the 1 - and 2- positions in the triglyceride and O at the 3- position. S is saturated C6 to C24 fatty acid and O is oleic acid. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the numbering of the 1 - and 3- positions is interchangeable. Similar nomenclature is used for other triglycerides.

The palm oil fraction used in the compositions of the invention preferably has an SOS:SSO ratio of at least 10: 1 , more preferably greater than 12: 1 such as greater than 13: 1 .

Preferably, the palm oil fraction has a behenic acid content of less than 1 % by weight, more preferably less than 0.5% by weight, based on total C6 to C24 carboxylic acids present. The palm oil fraction typically comprises from 25 to 40% by weight oleic acid, based on total C6 to C24 carboxylic acids present. More preferably, the palm oil fraction comprises from 28 to 35% by weight oleic acid, based on total C6 to C24 carboxylic acids present.

The palm oil fraction preferably has a palmitic acid content of from 50 to 70% based on total C6 to C24 carboxylic acids present.

The stearic acid content of the palm oil fraction is preferably in the range of from 2 to 10% by weight based on total C6 to C24 carboxylic acids present.

The total palmitic and oleic acid content of the palm oil fraction is preferably at least 80%, or at least 85%, based on total C6 to C24 carboxylic acids present. The palm oil fraction preferably has an SOS content of greater than 75% by weight based on total weight of triglycerides present.

The SSO content of the palm oil fraction is preferably in the range of 2 to 10% by weight based on total weight of triglycerides present.

The SSS content of the palm oil fraction is preferably in the range of 1 to 5% by weight based on total weight of triglycerides present.

The SOO content of the palm oil fraction is preferably in the range of 1 to 5% by weight based on total weight of triglycerides present.

Preferably, the palm oil fraction has a saturated fatty acid (SAFA) content of from 50 to 80% by weight, more preferably from 60 to 70% by weight. The confectionery composition of the invention comprises defatted cocoa powder. The defatted cocoa powder preferably contains less than 0.5% by weight fat. Defatted cocoa powder is available commercially and contains up to 3 % by weight fat, for example up to 2 % by weight fat or up to 1 % by weight fat. Confectionery compositions of the invention may comprise, in addition to the palm oil fraction and the defatted cocoa powder, at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of cocoa-derived materials and sugars. The cocoa-derived materials are preferably selected from the group consisting of chocolate flavours and colours. Sugars include sucrose, fructose and glucose. Sucrose is preferred. Other optional components of the compositions include dairy powders, such as skimmed milk powder, salt and emulsifiers such as lecithin.

The confectionery composition preferably comprises or consists of, in addition to the palm oil fraction and defatted cocoa powder, components such as sweeteners, preferably sugar (e.g., sucrose) and/or emulsifier such as lecithin. A preferred confectionery composition of the invention consists of from 10 to 30% by weight defatted cocoa powder, from 20 to 50% by weight of the palm oil fraction (comprising at least 50% by weight of palmitic acid and at least 25% by weight of oleic acid, based on total C6 to C24 carboxylic acids present, wherein the palm oil fraction has an SOS content of at least 70% by weight based on total weight of triglycerides present, wherein S is saturated C6 to C24 fatty acid and O is oleic acid) and from 20 to 70% by weight sugar and optionally up to 1% by weight lecithin.

Another preferred confectionery composition of the invention comprises from 10 to 30% by weight defatted cocoa powder, from 20 to 70% by weight sugar and optionally up to 1 % by weight lecithin and from 20 to 50% by weight of a palm oil fraction comprising at least 50% by weight of palmitic acid and at least 25% by weight of oleic acid, based on total C6 to C24 carboxylic acids present, wherein the palm oil fraction has an SOS content of at least 70%, an SSO content in the range of 2 to 10% by weight, an SSS content in the range of 1 to 5% by weight and an SOO content in the range of 1 to 5% by weight based on total weight of triglycerides present, wherein S is saturated C6 to C24 fatty acid and O is oleic acid, wherein the palm oil fraction is the sole added fat.

The confectionery composition of the invention is preferably a coating. For example, the coating may be applied to a confectionery or bakery product. It is preferred that the compositions are used as coatings on products that are sold and/or consumed at ambient temperature (i.e., from 5 to 30 °C).

The term "bakery products", as used herein, refers to products that are typically produced or sold in a bakery and which have preferably been baked or fried, although they can be produced in other ways. The coating can be partial or complete and, when the coating is complete, the composition will encapsulate the bakery product. The bakery products are preferably made using flour. Examples of bakery products are donuts, cakes, biscuits, pastries and cookies. Donuts optionally contain jam or jelly.

Coated bakery products can be produced by heating the composition to around or above the melting point of the composition (e.g., above 35 °C), applying the composition to an uncoated bakery product (e.g., by pouring the composition onto the uncoated bakery product or by immersing the uncoated bakery product in the composition) and lowering the temperature to below the melting point of the composition by allowing it to cool (or by forced cooling). Suitable methods are well-known to those skilled in the art.

The coated bakery products may be further decorated with ingredients that adhere to the coating of the composition such as icing and/or chocolate strands or chips or sugar strands (which can be of a single colour or multi-coloured). Coatings made using the composition may have good gloss and/or bloom resistance. The compositions may have the further advantage of easier processing to form coatings, for example improved viscosity for enrobing. Further advantages include better heat resistance, improved demoulding properties and improved eating qualities. Confectionery products may also be coated with a composition of the invention. Suitable confectionery products include chocolates, chocolate-like products and jellies.

A preferred coating on a confectionery or bakery product consists of from 10 to 30% by weight defatted cocoa powder, from 20 to 50% by weight of the palm oil fraction (comprising at least 50% by weight of palmitic acid and at least 25% by weight of oleic acid, based on total C6 to C24 carboxylic acids present, wherein the palm oil fraction has an SOS content of at least 70% by weight based on total weight of triglycerides present, wherein S is saturated C6 to C24 fatty acid and O is oleic acid) and from 20 to 70% by weight sugar and optionally up to 1% by weight lecithin.

Another preferred coating on a confectionery or bakery product comprises from 10 to 30% by weight defatted cocoa powder, from 20 to 70% by weight sugar and optionally up to 1% by weight lecithin and from 20 to 50% by weight of a palm oil fraction comprising at least 50% by weight of palmitic acid and at least 25% by weight of oleic acid, based on total C6 to C24 carboxylic acids present, wherein the palm oil fraction has an SOS content of at least 70%, an SSO content in the range of 2 to 10% by weight, an SSS content in the range of 1 to 5% by weight and an SOO content in the range of 1 to 5% by weight based on total weight of triglycerides present, wherein S is saturated C6 to C24 fatty acid and O is oleic acid, wherein the palm oil fraction is the sole added fat.

The following non-limiting examples illustrate the invention and do not limit its scope in any way. In the examples and throughout this specification, all percentages, parts and ratios are by weight unless indicated otherwise.

Examples

Example 1

Coatings were prepared according to the following recipes:

The PMF (palm mid-fraction) had the following silver phase analysis:

where L=linoleic acid, 0=oleic acid, S= saturated C6 to C24 fatty acid and

3plus=triglycerides having 3 or more double bonds

The PMF had the following fatty acid profile by FAME analysis:

C6:0 0.0 %

C8:0 0.0 %

C10:0 0.0 %

C12:0 0.4 %

C14:0 0.9 %

C15:0 0.0 %

C16:0 56.7 %

C16:1 0.0 %

C17:0 0.1 %

C18:0 6.1 %

C 8:1 31.9 %

C18:2 3.1 %

C18:3 0.1 %

C20:0 0.4 %

C20:1 0.0 %

C20:2 0.0 %

C22:0 0.1 %

C22:1 0.0 %

C24:0 0.0 %

C24:1 0.0 %

Total 100.0 %

Saturated 64.9 %

Mono unsaturated 32.0 %

Poly unsaturated 3.1 %

Trans fatty acids 0.0 %.

The coatings of Example 1 and Comparative Example 1 were tempered under the following conditions:

The compositions were slab tempered using standard procedure known in the art.

The compositions were poured onto a marble table at a temperature of 40 °C. They were then slab tempered at 23.5°C. The moulding temperature was 30.8°C. The moulds were then stored at 15°C, 20°C or 25°C for several weeks.

The results are set out in the following table: Temperature 15°C 20°C 25°C

Example Comparative Example Comp. Example Comp. 1 Example 1 1 Example 1 1 Example 1

Weeks

1.5 5A 5A/B 3A/B 3B/C 4A/B 1 C

3.5 5A 5A/B 3A/B 3C 4A/B 1 C

5.5 5A 4 A/B 3B 1 C 4B 1C

A = no bloom

B = beginning of bloom

C = much bloom

1 = no gloss

2 = little gloss

3 = gloss

4 = a lot of gloss

5 = very much gloss

The composition of the invention showed high gloss and low bloom even after storage at high temperature for several weeks.