The invention relates to a method for replacing cocoa or peanuts in food. The invention further relates to a method for manufacturing a food product having chocolate or peanut flavour and to food products obtained with this method.

In today's society, consumers are becoming more and more aware of the environmental costs of consuming certain foods. Increasingly, the sustainability of products is being considered. One of the aspects that plays a role is the distance that foods or ingredients have to travel before they reach the consumer. Consumers prefer locally produced products.

With certain food products the issue arises that they are grown and harvested in specific climatic zones, such as in tropical areas. Examples are cocoa beans and peanuts. So there is a need to replace such ingredients with local products and flavours.

In addition, people struggle more and more with allergies to certain ingredients, like peanut, preventing families of enjoying peanut flavoured dishes together at home.

Therefore, the present invention provides a method for replacing cacao and peanuts in a food product, characterized in that malt or malt extract is used.

The use of malt in foods is known. Malt is mainly used in brewing beer. In the malting process, cereal grains, in particular barley, are allowed to germinate. Then the germinated cereal grains (the malt) are dried. Drying can take place at different temperatures in one or more steps, so that different types of malt are obtained.

The malts obtained are characterized by taste and colour. Colour is measured in EBC (European Brewery Convention) units. The darker the malt, the higher the EBC value.

Malts which are particularly suitable for the invention are chocolate malt, amber malt and caramel malt.

Amber malt is a malt that is slowly dried at a temperature of 130-160 °C. According to the invention, an amber malt is preferably used having a colour value EBC of 40-60. The amber malt is used to replace peanuts. Chocolate malt is a malt that is roasted at 200-250 °C. According to the invention, preferably a chocolate malt is used having a colour value EBC of 800- 1000. The chocolate malt is used to replace cocoa.

Caramel malt is a green malt (malt that is not dried after germination) that is dried at 170-190 °C. According to the invention, a caramel malt is preferably used having an EBC colour value of 200-240. The caramel malt is used in combination with chocolate malt to replace cocoa.

The malt can be used as such in the food product, the malt being preferably ground into a malt flour and this malt flour subsequently sifted. This grinding can be carried out, for example, in a coffee grinder.

In addition, malt extract can be used. To this end, the malt is brought into contact with a milk product and heated, whereby the milk product takes on the malt flavour, resulting in a malt extract. The malt can also be extracted into water. Subsequently, the mixture of milk product or water and malt is sifted, the malt extract being further used in the food product. The milk product can be an animal milk product, such as animal milk or cream, in particular from cows or goats. The milk product can also be a vegetable milk product, such as almond, soy, oat or coconut milk.

FIRST ASPECT OF INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the invention, malt or malt extract is used to replace peanuts. For this method, the amber malt is mixed with a milk product. The milk product can be an animal or plant milk product and can be a milk, cream or butter, or combinations thereof. In particular, the amber malt is used to make an amber malt extract in (animal or plant) milk or cream. To this end, the amber malt is crushed, heated in the milk product at a temperature of 40 to 90 °C for 10 minutes to 1 hour. The amount of amber malt is 15-40% by weight based on the total weight of amber malt and milk product.

The amber malt is then removed by sifting, leaving a milk product with amber malt extract. This milk product can then serve as a basis for sauces. Conventional flavourings and thickeners are added for this purpose. Examples of flavourings are red pepper (chili), lime, coconut and ginger.

The invention also relates to a peanut flavoured food product containing amber malt or amber malt extract, wherein the amber malt has a colour value EBC of 40-60, and wherein the food product contains less than 5 wt.%, preferably less than 1 wt.%, of peanuts, based on the weight of the food product. Most preferably, the food product does not contain peanuts (0% by weight).

The peanut taste can be determined by using a taste panel. This means that a number of test subjects taste the food and write down their experience. Optionally, a food with a comparable composition that does contain peanuts can be used for comparison.

In particular, the invention relates to a peanut flavoured food product, which is a satay sauce, comprising (plant) milk with amber malt extract, flavourings and thickener, wherein the food product contains less than 5% by weight, preferably less than 1% by weight, based on the weight of the food product, peanuts.

SECOND ASPECT OF INVENTION

According to a second aspect of the invention, malt or malt extract is used to replace cocoa. Thus, the invention also relates to a method for replacing cocoa in a food product, wherein a chocolate malt having a colour value EBC of 800-1000 is used. The chocolate malt having an EBC colour value of 800-1000 can be combined with a caramel malt having an EBC colour value of 200-240.

The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a chocolate flavoured food product in which chocolate malt having a colour value EBC of 800-1000 is ground and sifted and then mixed with a sweetener, a milk product and optionally a fat. The sweetener can be any sweetening agent suitable in food, and is preferably selected from sugar, honey and stevia. The milk product can be an animal milk product, such as animal milk or cream, in particular from cows or goats. The milk product can also be a vegetable milk product, such as almond, soy, oat or coconut milk. The optional fat can be animal fat such as butter. It can also be a vegetable fat or oil. Combinations of different fats are also possible.

The chocolate taste can be determined using a taste panel. This means that a number of test subjects taste the food and write down their experience. Optionally, a food with a comparable composition that does contain cocoa can be used for comparison.

The invention also provides a chocolate flavoured food product containing chocolate malt having an EBC colour value of 800-1000, the food product containing less than 5% by weight, preferably less than 1% by weight, of cocoa, based on the weight of the food product. Most preferably, the food product does not contain cocoa (0% by weight). The food product may also contain caramel malt having an EBC colour value of 200-240.

A particular embodiment is a chocolate flavoured food product which is a brownie, comprising chocolate malt having an EBC colour value of 800-1000, fat, sweetener, flour and proteins, wherein the food product contains 5-20% by weight chocolate malt having a colour value EBC of 800-1000 and contains less than 5% by weight, preferably less than 1 % by weight of cocoa, based on the weight of the food product. The fat and sweetener can be as described above. The flour can be wheat flour, but can also be a gluten free flour such as almond flour. The protein can be egg protein or plant protein such as aquafaba. Preferably, the brownie comprises butter (as the fat), sugar (as the sweetener), wheat flour and eggs (as the protein). The eggs can be whole eggs, egg white or egg yolk, or combinations thereof.

Another embodiment is a mousse, comprising chocolate malt having a colour value EBC of 800-1000, fat, sweetener and protein, wherein the food product comprises 5-20% by weight of chocolate malt having a colour value EBC of 800-1000 and less than 5% by weight, preferably less than 1% by weight, of cocoa, based on the weight of the food product. Fat, sweetener and protein can be as described above for the brownie. Preferably butter, sugar and eggs are used.

A further embodiment is a chocolate milk, containing chocolate malt having a colour value EBC of 800-1000, caramel malt having a colour value EBC of 200-240, sweetener and a milk product, wherein the food product comprises 1 to 5 wt.% chocolate malt having a colour value EBC of 800-1000, 2-10 wt.% caramel malt having a colour value EBC of 200 to 240 and contains less than 5 wt.%, preferably less than 1 wt.% cocoa, based on the weight of the food product. The sweetener and milk product can be as described above. Preferably the milk product is cow’s milk.

The food product according to the invention can also be a biscuit or bar. The combination of chocolate malt and amber malt can be used in a bar with a taste comparable to the peanut / chocolate bar Snickers®.

As mentioned, this application is not limited to cow’s milk, normal malts, sugar, and/or meat and meat based stocks. Anywhere in this application where the use of milk, cream or butter is mentioned, also vegan friendly and/or allergen free versions of milk or cream, like oat milk, goat milk or coconut oil, can be used, in any kind of mix. Anywhere in this application where the use of malt or flour is mentioned, also allergen free versions of malt or flower, like gluten free malt or flower, or for example almond flower can be used, in any kind of mix. Anywhere in this application where the use of sugar is mentioned, honey, stevia, aspartame, or another known sugar replacement can be used, in any kind of mix. Anywhere in the application where meat, eggs, or meat based stocks are being mentioned they can be replaced by a vegan and/or allergy free alternative like tofu, aquafaba, or vegetable stock.

Examples

Example 1 : Sauce with peanut flavour

1.5 litres of milk and 0.5 kg of crushed amber malt (Swaen © Amber) were combined and heated over low heat. After half an hour, the mixture was sifted into a malt fraction and a milk fraction.

The milk fraction (approx. 1.2 litre) was mixed with 40 g chili sauce, 60 g ginger syrup, 25 g chicken stock powder, 10 g garlic pulp, 80 g soy sauce, 20 g red curry paste, 10 g lime juice. The whole was heated until all ingredients were mixed Then the sauce was thickened with 30 g of brown roux.

The sauce was judged by a tasting panel and characterized as having a deep peanut flavour.

Example 2 Brownie

350 gr butter, 300 gr sugar, 150 gr honey, 150 gr ground and sifted chocolate malt (BlackSwaen © Chocolate B) and a pinch of salt were melted in a pan over low heat. 150 g of flour was added and mixed. The pan was taken off the heat and then 6 whipped eggs at room temperature were added to the mixture and mixed until a homogeneous mass was obtained. A brownie of the mixture was baked in a 20x20 cm baking tin at 190 °C for 25 minutes.

The brownie was judged by a tasting panel and having a deep chocolate flavour.

Example 3 Chocolate Flavoured Mousse

200 gr of butter and 100 gr of ground and sifted chocolate malt (BlackSwaen® Chocolate B) were mixed at room temperature until a smooth mixture. 75 grams of sugar and 150 grams of egg white were beaten until stiff peaks. 75 g of sugar and 4.5 dl of cream were beaten to a fluffy mass. The three mixtures (butter, egg white and whipped cream) were gently mixed with a spatula until a homogeneous mass. The mixture was then placed in a refrigerator at 4 °C until a firm mousse had been formed.

The mousse was judged by a tasting panel and characterized as having a deep chocolate flavour.

Example 4 Chocolate flavoured milk

50 gr of ground and sifted caramel malt (GoldSwaen © Brown), 25 gr of ground and sifted chocolate malt (BlackSwaen © Chocolate B) and 75 gr of sugar were ground to a powder. 20 gr of the powder was dissolved in 200 ml of warm milk. The milk was judged by a tasting panel and characterized as having a deep chocolate flavour.