Continuous Tempering for Chocolate Production

A machine for tempering small volumes of cocoa butter used in chocolate production. The machine allows precise temperature control and mixing of cocoa butter to achieve proper tempering. It uses a peltier device instead of resistive heaters to provide accurate temperature control. The machine has a digital thermostat, current regulator, and mixer to precisely temper and mix small volumes of cocoa butter.

Source

A method for predicting the tempering level and/or viscosity of tempered chocolate to improve control, variability, and throughput of the chocolate tempering process. The method involves using a computer to predict the tempering level and/or viscosity of the tempered chocolate based on parameters like temperature, particle size, and shear rate during tempering. By predicting the tempering and viscosity, it allows real-time adjustments to optimize the tempering process and maintain quality. This compensates for ingredient variability and temperature fluctuations during tempering.

Source

Preparing heat-resistant chocolate products using a unique process that involves specific steps and ingredients. The process involves providing a mixture containing sugar, cocoa components, and optionally reducing sugars. The mixture is heated, cooled, and then reheated if desired. This creates a chocolate product that can withstand higher temperatures without melting or becoming sticky compared to conventional chocolate. The heat resistance is due to sugar crystallization and cocoa fat solidification during cooling. Aging the chocolate further enhances heat resistance. The resulting heat-resistant chocolate can be used in foods to prevent melting in hot conditions.

Source

Continuous chocolate tempering machine for improving chocolate quality during processing. The machine uses a heated tank with a rotating stirrer and scrapers to continuously agitate and scrape the chocolate. This prevents chocolate from sticking to the tank walls and overheating, which can degrade quality. Steam heating circulates water in the tank, condensing to remove heat. A motor rotates the stirrer and scrapers to agitate the chocolate. Temperature sensors monitor the tank and adjust steam temperature to maintain constant chocolate temperature. The scrapers prevent chocolate from sticking and overheating.

Source

Chocolate syrup tempering device to prevent agglomeration during chocolate processing. The device has a tank to hold the chocolate syrup, a heating section to raise the temperature, and a cooling section to lower the temperature. The key innovation is a wall contact feature where the cooling section has a section that contacts the tank wall. This allows rapid cooling by transferring heat directly to the tank instead of just the syrup. This prevents agglomeration by quickly bringing the temperature down if it rises too high. The heating section has a section that contacts the tank wall for fast heating as well. This allows rapid temperature adjustment to prevent agglomeration. The tank has insulation to prevent heat loss.

Source

Continuous tempering machine for chocolate processing that provides uniform heating and scraping to prevent chocolate from sticking and degrading during tempering. The machine has a heating tank with a rotating rod inside. Stirring rods on the rod agitate the chocolate. Side and bottom scrapers move against the tank walls to remove chocolate that sticks. The chocolate is heated by steam generated from condensed water that circulates in a closed loop. Temperature is monitored and controlled by adjusting the steam supply.

Source

Cold plasma processing as a new technique for pre-crystallization in chocolate production. Cold plasma involves exposing food to a non-thermal, non-destructive gas discharge containing reactive species. The plasma conditions can be adjusted to modify food properties. In chocolate, cold plasma is applied to promote crystal nucleation during crystallization instead of traditional tempering. By exposing the melted chocolate to cold plasma, it facilitates nucleation of stable cocoa butter crystals without requiring long tempering times or equipment. The cold plasma treatment can also be combined with seeding chocolate with pre-formed beta V or VI crystals for synergistic effects.

Source

Predicting and controlling tempering of chocolate and other fat-containing crystallizable masses to improve batch-to-batch consistency, reduce waste, and enhance quality. The method involves using temperer process parameters to predict the temper level and viscosity of the tempered mass. This allows real-time adjustment of the tempering process to maintain the predicted values and mitigate variability from ingredients, processing, and external factors.

Source

Chocolate molding and tempering device that improves efficiency and reduces molding time compared to traditional methods. The device has a larger container inside a housing that contains an evaporator for cooling and a heater. A touchscreen allows setting temperatures. Before molding, a fluid is added to the housing to ensure uniform heat extraction. The molding elements contact the evaporator to rapidly extract heat. This allows faster, more efficient molding compared to separate heating and cooling steps.

Source

A versatile and efficient machine for making chocolate and other fillings that allows making a wide variety of products beyond just chocolate. The machine has a tank for initial heating of the product to a chocolate melting temperature, and a sealed processing cylinder for further heating steps. This allows making different products with different temperature requirements. The cylinder can also be isolated for continuous processing. The heating is done using a thermodynamic cycle heat exchanger instead of direct heating elements. This provides more precise and consistent temperature control. The machine can also be connected to a thermal treatment plant for further heating steps.

Source

A chocolate tempering apparatus that improves hygiene and simplifies design compared to conventional chocolate tempering machines. The apparatus circulates chocolate through pipes instead of using a separate pump and stirrer. It has a heat exchanger inside one or both of the pipes to regulate temperature. This eliminates the need for a separate pump motor and stirrer motor, reducing complexity and size. It also allows better cleaning since the pipes can be disassembled for thorough sanitizing. The chocolate circulates through the pipes without external exposure, preventing contamination from air or foreign objects.

Source

Automated and efficient method for producing high-quality 72% dark chocolate. The method involves grinding the cocoa powder, cocoa butter, sugar, milk powder, and lecithem together in a continuous high-shear mixer to create a homogenous slurry. This slurry is then pumped into a refiner where it is continuously agitated and refined to the desired particle size. The refined chocolate is then tempered, molded, and cooled to create the final chocolate bar. The automated process eliminates manual grinding steps and allows for consistent, high-quality chocolate with improved efficiency and reduced labor costs.

Source

Chocolate tempering machine with improved efficiency and faster tempering times compared to conventional machines. The key innovation is a scraping system near the temperature and screw transfer tower that prevents chocolate film buildup. This prevents sealing and allows better heat transfer for faster chocolate tempering. The scraping system has vanes next to the tower that continuously remove chocolate from the gap between the tower and the vanes. This prevents a thin film from forming that seals the cooling and hinders temperature transfer. The scraping vanes ensure consistent contact between the chocolate and the cooling surfaces to speed up the tempering process.

Source

Efficiently tempering fats and oils like cocoa butter for chocolate production using a crusher instead of adjusting temperature. The method involves treating the melted fats and oils with a crusher to form stable crystal structures. The stress from crushing contributes to efficient crystal nucleation and alignment. This avoids the need for seeding agents or expensive temperature control equipment.

Source

A simplified and automated process, apparatus, and computer program for continuous tempering of crystallizable masses like chocolate, nougat, or creme. The process involves cooling the mass in two stages: pre-cooling to a temperature above crystallization and then cooling further to crystallize. The apparatus has a touch-screen interface that allows easy adjustment of key parameters like mass flow rate, pre-cooling temperature, and crystallization rate. The computer executes the steps of the process based on these user inputs, automating the tempering control. It provides a simple, user-friendly way to achieve consistent, high-quality tempering without expertise in chocolate crystallization theory.

Source

A method to produce chocolate that has improved upper limit temperature for automatic temper recovery without softening the chocolate. The method involves adding a seed agent containing stable BOB crystals to the melted chocolate dough. The dough also contains an emulsifier with specific fatty acid composition. The BOB crystals seed the chocolate to set and the emulsifier prevents softening at higher temperatures. The emulsifier has 50% saturated fatty acids with 16-24 carbon atoms, with behenic and stearic acids preferred. This allows the chocolate to have an automatic temper recovery temperature of 37°C or higher without compromising snap.

Source

A professional chocolate tempering machine that can consistently produce high-quality tempered chocolate without requiring constant monitoring by a skilled chocolatier. The machine uses sensors to automatically adjust parameters like temperature, agitation, and chocolate flow rate to achieve the desired chocolate consistency. The sensors monitor factors like viscosity, weight, and torque, and the machine's controller uses this data to optimize the tempering process. The machine also has a user interface to display sensor readings and set parameters. This allows reproducible chocolate quality without needing constant supervision.

Source

A manufacturing method for chocolates that allows high temperature resistance without compromising crispiness. The method involves adding a small amount of behenic acid-containing seed crystal to tempered chocolate during production. The seed crystal stabilizes the chocolate's crystal structure when it cools, preventing blooming at high temperatures. To enable high temperature resistance while preserving crispness, the chocolate base contains an emulsifier with an HLB of 7 or less. This allows dispersing the seed crystal without thickening the chocolate. The seed crystal and emulsifier prevent blooming at temperatures up to 45°C, while the low HLB emulsifier preserves chocolate crispness.

Source

Automated chocolate tempering machine that uses a rotating plate with scraper to efficiently temper chocolate. The machine heats chocolate in a tank using a water bath. As the chocolate reaches the right viscosity, a rotating plate coated with chocolate scrapes against an upper scraper to discharge the tempered chocolate. This allows continuous tempering without needing to remove and replace the chocolate.

Source

A method to produce tempered chocolate with improved snap property and high temperature stability without blooming. The method involves using an emulsifier with an HLB of 7 or less when seeding chocolate with BOB (behenic acid and oleic acid triglyceride) crystals. The low HLB emulsifier helps prevent BOB seed crystals from dissolving in the chocolate during tempering and storage. This preserves undissolved BOB crystals at temperatures up to 37-45°C, allowing the chocolate to automatically recover without blooming when cooled after high temperature exposure. The low HLB emulsifier also reduces BOB dissolution in the chocolate fats, preventing snap property loss.

Source

Continuous chocolate tempering machine that accurately controls chocolate temperature for improved quality. The machine has a stirring tank with a circulating pump, heating layer, and temperature sensors. The sensors monitor the chocolate temperature inside and outside the tank. A controller adjusts the heating and pump speed based on the sensor readings to maintain precise chocolate temperature during tempering. This prevents overheating or decomposition while ensuring even cooling and crystallization. The stirring prevents chocolate from settling.

Source

A continuous tempering apparatus for chocolate and similar fatty materials that allows higher capacity and lower energy consumption compared to conventional tempering columns. The apparatus has a stacked column of interconnected mass and water chambers. The cooling stage is replaced with a heat exchanger having parallel plates sealed between the chambers. Mass flows through alternate channels, with common inlets and outlets. This allows efficient heat exchange without the need for very low chamber temperatures. The reduced energy requirements and compact size vs tall columns make it suitable for high fat content materials like nougat and raw chocolate.

Source

A continuous chocolate tempering machine that accurately controls chocolate tempering temperature and prevents chocolate from sticking to the bottom of the tank. The machine has a stirring tank, temperature control system, pump, and controller. The temperature control system has a heating layer around the tank and sensors inside. The controller regulates the heating based on the sensors to maintain precise chocolate tempering. The pump circulates the chocolate to prevent sticking.

Source

Chocolate production system that uses heat-transfer pipes to avoid chocolate coagulation during transportation between mixing, grinding, and refining machines. The pipes have inner tubes for chocolate and outer tubes filled with hot water. The pipes are connected in sections with sandwich insulation. This allows heating the chocolate while transporting it between machines to prevent coagulation. The pipes also have connectors with tapered ends and rubber hoses for disassembly convenience.

Source

A modular tempering machine for chocolate that allows customization and scalability of chocolate tempering capacity. The machine consists of stackable modular elements that can be added or removed to increase or decrease the tempering capacity. Each module has a heating and cooling fluid piping system to regulate the chocolate temperature. This allows uniform chocolate cooling and flexibility in capacity without the complex vase design of traditional machines. The modular design also simplifies cleaning and reduces costs compared to fixed-size machines.

Source

A tempered chocolate printing system that allows 3D printing of chocolate confections with desirable crystalline structures. The system uses a specialized setup to maintain the chocolate in the right temperature and crystal structure range for printing. The setup includes separate chambers for untempered and tempered chocolate, a syringe pump, a valve, and a nozzle. The untempered chocolate is kept at 100-120°F in one chamber, while the tempered chocolate is kept at 84-92°F with 0.5-3% type V crystals in another chamber. The syringe pump draws chocolate from the tempered chamber, then extrudes through the nozzle. This allows direct flow of tempered chocolate with the desired crystalline structure for 3D printing.

Source

A chocolate tempering homogenizer with integrated heating, cooling, and stirring functions to improve efficiency and quality of chocolate processing. The homogenizer has a single vessel with a rotating impeller for stirring, a heating section inside the vessel, and a jacketed cooling section around the outside. This allows simultaneous heating, stirring, and cooling of the chocolate during processing. The integrated design prevents temperature fluctuations and uneven heating that can affect chocolate quality.

Source

A method for making chocolate with improved bloom stability. The chocolate composition has a specific fat blend with certain characteristics. It contains cocoa butter, symmetrical triglycerides with saturated fatty acids in positions 1 and 3, oleic acid in position 2, and a small amount of emulsifier not being lecithin. The method involves melting and tempering this chocolate composition using specific conditions to create chocolate with reduced bloom formation. The chocolate can be made using a kit or automated tempering system. The fat blend composition can include sources like palm oil, shea butter, and sunflower oil in addition to cocoa butter. The fat blend composition is kept between 22-40°C during processing.

Source

A heat sink workstation for maintaining tempered chocolate at the correct temperature for extended periods without melting out the crystals. The workstation has a heated base to keep the chocolate above 85°F for 60 minutes after removal from a tempering machine. A cover prevents air contact when not using the chocolate. This allows housing multiple chocolate types with different final tempering temperatures in the same workstation. The workstation can be mounted on an adjustable table to accommodate different user heights. The design aims to provide a stable, accessible, and controllable chocolate source in a retail environment.

Source

A process for stabilizing cocoa butter or equivalent fats by adding hardfats like crambe, palm, cotton and soy oils. The stabilized fats can be used in chocolate production instead of traditional tempering. The hardfats increase consistency, melting point, and crystal formation. They can also improve chocolate tempering by accelerating crystallization and reducing defects. The hardfats act as seed crystals to stabilize cocoa butter crystallization during processing.

Source

A chocolate tempering machine that provides homogeneous chocolate with consistent texture and quality. The machine has a combined heating and cooling section with a stirring conveyance. The heating section has a stirring vessel that can be rotated to mix the chocolate. The cooling section has a jacketed barrel connected to the bottom of the heating vessel. This allows continuous heating and cooling of the chocolate without transferring between separate devices. The machine also has an auger in the barrel and discharge pipe to move the chocolate through the system.

Source

Chocolate tempering device with precise temperature control during the tempering process to improve the quality of chocolate products. The device uses a temperature-controlled water mixer, primary and secondary cooling barrels, and a heating barrel. The primary and secondary cooling barrels have control components with mixers, inlet valves, and sensors. The heating barrel has a control component with an inlet valve and sensor. This allows precise temperature regulation during cooling and heating stages by using the mixer to produce constant-temperature water, periodic pulsation of the inlet valves, and feedback from sensors.

Source

Chocolate tempering device that allows continuous chocolate flow without stopping the pump during tempering to prevent temperature fluctuations. It achieves this by adding a bypass valve in the chocolate outflow pipe that can be manually operated using a pedal. The bypass allows interrupting the chocolate flow at any time without stopping the pump. It also has an additional drain pipe leading back to the chocolate tank, so chocolate can be returned there if needed. This allows controlled stopping and starting of the chocolate flow during tempering to maintain consistent temperature.

Source

Continuous chocolate tempering method and apparatus that automates the chocolate tempering process for improved efficiency and consistency without requiring specialized operator knowledge. The method involves calculating and regulating the temperatures at specific stages of the tempering process to reach the desired output temperature in 5-10 minutes. This allows immediate production start without manual adjustments or sample testing. The apparatus uses touch screen input of the desired output temperature and internally calculates and regulates the cooling amounts for each stage.

Source

A one-step process to efficiently temper chocolate and other cocoa butter containing substances without requiring complex equipment or subsequent heating steps. The process involves reducing the temperature of the chocolate from an initial temperature of 53-57°C to a final temperature of 30-34°C in a single step. This is done using a specially designed tank with a scraper and impeller that guide the chocolate downwards as it cools. The impeller helps mix the chocolate during cooling to ensure uniform crystallization. The scraper prevents sticking and ensures all the chocolate cools evenly. The one-step process allows forming the most stable crystal form VI of cocoa butter, which provides better chocolate texture and stability.

Source

Method and apparatus for processing chocolate items to improve solidification quality during line stops. The method involves cooling chocolate items using temperature-controlled chambers that can vary the cooling profile independently of the processing line speed. This allows slowing or stopping the cooling process when the line is stopped without affecting the chocolate quality. The chambers have temperature controllers to provide predetermined temperatures over treatment periods. They can be conveyed along the line while the temperature profile is adjusted. This enables items to be cooled properly even if the line is stopped for any reason. The chambers can also have humidity controllers. The apparatus may have a carousel to convey the chambers and park them for flexibility.

Source

Continuous tempering method and apparatus for chocolate that allows for efficient tempering of chocolate masses with crystals already present, such as lactose or sugar crystals. The method involves dividing the chocolate into two streams. One stream is cooled to create fat crystals, while the other stream is kept at a temperature that maintains the initial crystal content. The two streams are then combined. This prevents overcooling and excessive crystal formation in the entire chocolate. The apparatus has a branching device to divide the chocolate, cooling section for fat crystallization, and mixing section to combine the streams.

Source

Plastic chocolate flow with reduced blooming and graining when heated compared to conventional non-tempered chocolate flows. The plastic chocolate flow contains a specific amount of tempered chocolate to provide desired flavor and texture while suppressing blooming and graining. It achieves this by using a chocolate composition with a specific range of SOS triglycerides (13-22%) and adjusting the chocolate to flow in a specific temperature range. This prevents the chocolate from solidifying and separating when heated, reducing blooming and graining.

Source

Continuous chocolate tempering process that allows production of chocolate with stable crystal structure without the need for batch tempering. The process involves cooling the chocolate to below 37°C, influencing crystal growth, and stabilizing crystal growth. A portion of the chocolate from the stabilization step is fed back to the crystal influencing step to continuously seed and improve crystal quality. This allows continuous production of chocolate with improved crystal stability and fat bloom resistance compared to traditional tempering methods.

Source

A method and apparatus for continuously tempering chocolate-like masses to achieve a consistent crystal structure and quality. The method involves controlling the temperature of the cooling surfaces during tempering, regardless of variations in mass temperature or flow. This is done by adjusting the cooling medium flow or temperature to ensure the surface temperature stays below a predetermined maximum value that creates crystals. This prevents fluctuations in crystal content due to surface temperature changes. The apparatus has sensors and control valves to regulate the cooling medium flow and temperature based on surface temperature feedback. This ensures consistent crystal formation in the chocolate mass.

Source

Continuous tempering apparatus for chocolate that provides more consistent crystal formation by controlling shear forces on the chocolate mass. The apparatus has a cylindrical tempering column with interconnected chambers separated by heat exchange chambers. The chambers have rotating disc-shaped stirring elements. The clearance between the disc edges and chamber walls increases radially to maintain consistent shear force across the mass. This prevents high shear at the edges and low shear at the center like in conventional disc stirrers.

Source

Continuous tempering process for chocolate-like masses that provides a consistent crystal structure to achieve desired chocolate properties. The process involves primary cooling, secondary cooling for crystal formation, and final reheating. The key innovation is precise temperature control in both cooling sections to maintain a constant crystal content. This prevents fluctuations in crystal formation areas due to varying surface temperatures. It involves actively regulating the cooling medium temperatures in the primary and secondary sections independently, rather than just responding to the mass temperature.

Source

Method for continuously tempering chocolate paste in a tempering machine with multiple cooling and heating stories. The method involves maintaining a constant temperature at the cooling surfaces of the last cooling story facing the heating story, independent of input temperature and throughput. This is achieved by controlling the temperature of the cooling water in the preceding stories instead of adjusting it based on instantaneous cooling needs. This creates a crystallization area at the end of the last cooling story where the surfaces have a constant temperature for optimal crystal formation.

Source

Continuous tempering of chocolate mass with controlled crystal formation and size for high quality chocolate. The method involves tempering chocolate mass in a device with three adjacent heat exchangers. The chocolate is continuously circulated through the exchangers to supercool it, then brought back to temperature. This allows crystal formation and size control. The chocolate is agitated by spiral scrapers in the exchangers to ensure homogenous tempering. The exchangers connect to a storage tank with an agitator, allowing continuous chocolate production. The circulating chocolate returns to the tank between tempering stages. This enables consistent crystal structure and size in the final tempered chocolate.

Source