Cocoa mass

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Process overview:
production of cocoa mass
and cocoa powder

The cocoa mass is obtained by grinding cocoa bean fragments. The main component of cocoa mass is cocoa butter with up to 54% . For further processing, a large part of the cocoa butter has to be separated from the remaining solids.

history

The beginnings

A drink was mainly made from cocoa, which had nothing in common with today's drinking chocolate or cocoa drinks apart from the taste. The prepared cocoa was a thick and foamy drink because the cocoa used contained a lot of fat. The fat settled on the surface of the drink after a short time. To counteract this in production, the ground cocoa mass was heated so that at least part of the cocoa butter could be skimmed off. This process was laborious and the result was not satisfactory.

Invention of the hydraulic press

It was only after the invention of the hydraulic press by the Dutchman Coenraad Johannes van Houten around 1820 (patent 1828) that it became possible to remove around half of the cocoa butter from the cocoa mass in the manufacturing process. This invention made cocoa an easier to prepare and more digestible drink.

The Dutch Process

To improve the solubility of the cocoa powder produced in liquids, Coenraad J. van Houten developed a process for treating cocoa with alkalis, known as dutching, in 1828 . Van Houten was able to significantly improve the water solubility of cocoa. With the invention of this process, the foundation stone for the later mass suitability of cocoa was laid.

The Broma Trial

Other cocoa manufacturers were also looking for methods to de-oil the cocoa. It wasn't until 40 years later that coincidence came to the rescue of the cocoa producer Ghirardelli in San Francisco . The Broma process was invented. According to the story, a sack of broken cocoa nibs was accidentally left in a warm warehouse. After a while it was found and it was found that the cocoa butter had seeped out of the mass without any further action. This process has been improved and made industrially usable. The cocoa butter content in the cocoa nibs was reduced by almost 20% by using this process.

Cocoa mass

Manufacturing

The fermented cocoa beans are usually dried, roughly broken and pre-cleaned in the country of manufacture. This saves transport space and costs. The first step in the process at the cocoa producer is the roasting of the cocoa beans after an incoming inspection.

Finishing

Broken cocoa nibs contain some undesirable taste and odor substances (including acetaldehyde, acetone, i-butanol, ethanol, i-propanol, ethyl acetate, acetic acid, i-pentanal, methanol, diacetyl). Based on the fact that the unwanted substances are easier to remove from the solid cocoa nibs than from the cocoa mass, in which the substances are enclosed by the cocoa butter, the cocoa nibs are already refined. The refinement takes place in a special pressure reactor. With certain types of cocoa, e.g. B. With the Forastero variety , which develops a strong acidity and bitterness, an alkali solution can be added to the cocoa nibs during refining in the reactor (see alkalizing). The finishing process is completed by drying to less than 2% H 2 O.

Advantages of finishing

The refinement can greatly reduce the time and energy- consuming conching at the end of the chocolate manufacturing process. The taste of the chocolate can be improved. Mold and yeast as well as microorganisms are largely destroyed.

Unlock

Roasting

In order to achieve even roasting, the cocoa beans are broken down to an even size, the nibs . The roasting takes place normally at temperatures between 100 and 150 ° C, with fine cocoa it is only up to 120 ° C. It takes about 30 minutes. The roasting process gives the cocoa bean its characteristic taste. At the same time, the remains of the peel, the roots and the enclosed silver membranes detach from the broken beans. Any pests in and on the kaoca bean pieces are also killed.

cleaning

In the following mechanical methods are coarser than Siebketten admixtures, about Luftstromseparatoren the silvery and light components and means Trieur separated the remaining radicle. At the same time, the broken beans are cooled down quickly, stopping the roasting process.

Alkalize

Untreated cocoa kernels are generally quite acidic (around pH 5.0–5.5) after the indispensable fermentation . Because this is against a good taste impression, the alkalization is carried out. The fragments of the cocoa kernels are preferably treated before roasting. Alkaline solutions are added at temperatures between 70 and 100 ° C ( dutching ). The unpleasant, sour taste components of certain cocoa varieties are softened by the alkalization

Result

The alkalized cocoa has better water solubility, a darker color and a softer and less acidic taste. The cocoa fat is also easier to remove from the mass. Through this process, the cocoa reaches a neutral pH value and is no longer acidic like natural cocoa. The pH value rises from a natural 5.5 to 7 to 8. To prevent a possibly soapy taste impression, the pH value is corrected to around pH 7 with food acids (citric or acetic acid).

Grinding

Old style cocoa grinder

The cocoa nibs are crushed by means of rollers and / or mills (individually or in combination). The grinding process heats up the mass so much that a viscous liquid consisting of cocoa butter and the solid components is created. This mass is called cocoa mass (English cacao liquor ). During the grinding process, care must be taken that the temperature does not rise above 90 ° C, as this has a negative effect on taste and color. The intended use of the cocoa determines the degree of grinding:

  • Use in chocolate: particle size of 100 µm
  • Use as cocoa powder: particle size <30 µm

Result

After grinding, the cocoa mass consists of:

  • Cocoa butter: 50–58%
  • Dry cocoa components (protein, starch, minerals, tannins, theobromine, caffeine): 40–45%
  • Water: approx. 1%

It has an intense cocoa smell and taste with slightly bitter and sour notes.

Typical flavorings

substance taste
3-methylbutanol malty
3-ethyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazine potato chip like
2-methylbutanoic acid sweet
3-methylbutanoic acid sweet
5-methyl- ( E ) -2-hepten-4-one hazelnut-like
1-octen-3-one mushroom-like
2-ethyl-3,6-dimethylpyrazine nutty, earthy
2,3-diethyl-5-methylpyrazine potato chip like
( Z ) -2 nonenal green, sebum
( E , E ) -2,4-decadienal greasy, waxy
( E , E ) -2,4-nonadienal greasy
( R ) - δ-decalactone sweet, peachy
2-methyl-3- (methylthio) furan Roasted aromas (meat)

use

The cocoa mass is the basis for almost all cocoa-containing products. By adding z. B. spices, cocoa butter, cocoa powder and milk powder are produced in chocolates . In order to produce cocoa powder of all kinds, the cocoa butter content of the cocoa mass is reduced by pressing.

Press

Press cake of cocoa mass

The cocoa mass is heated to 70 to 90 ° C and then poured into the press. With working pressures of up to 900 bar (90 MPa), the fat content is reduced to 10 to 20% depending on further use. The result is cocoa butter and a hard press cake that consists of up to 90% cocoa. The press cake is hard and brittle when cold.

The cocoa butter is collected and used for other processes in the manufacture of chocolate products.

Cocoa powder

The press cake is ground to cocoa powder for further use . This creates cocoa powder with different fat contents, according to the previous work steps and the intended use.

Broma process

In order to describe the common methods of cocoa powder production, the old Broma process should be mentioned here. The process only served to reduce the fat in cocoa powder so that the beverages made from it were more digestible. In this process, up to 25% fat was removed from the cocoa bean breakage under the influence of heat and by centrifugation (previously only by gravity). After the process was completed, the broken beans were ground directly into cocoa powder. This still contained at least 20% fat. Thanks to the improved pressing technology, non-alkalized cocoa ( undutched cacao ) can now also be produced in excellent, highly de-oiled quality using the intermediate product cocoa mass. The Broma process has lost its former importance in manufacturing.

See also

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Invention of the cocoa press. Retrieved January 5, 2020 .
  2. ↑ The Dutch Trial. The Chemistry School, accessed January 5, 2020 .
  3. ↑ Homborg finest food: Processing of cocoa pods, 9th cocoa seed processing. Retrieved February 5, 2020 .
  4. ↑ Stephen T. Beckett: The Science of Chocolate . 2nd Edition. Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge 2008, ISBN 978-0-85404-970-7 , Section 3.4.1: Alkalising (Dutching) , pp. 54-55 .
  5. ^ Heinrich Fincke: Handbook of cocoa products . Ed .: Albrecht Fincke. 2nd Edition. 1965, p. 60 ( limited preview in Google Book search).
  6. ↑ Invention of alkalizing. Retrieved January 5, 2020 .
  7. ↑ Worldwide Consumption Rates - Nutritional Information of Chocolate. November 2003, accessed on January 29, 2020 .
  8. ↑ Waldemar Ternes: Scientific basics of food preparation . Behr, Hamburg 2005, ISBN 978-3-89947-422-0 , pp. 1053 ff .
  9. ↑ Overview of chemicals and their properties (search page). In: PubChem. US National Library of Medicine, accessed February 11, 2020 .
  10. ↑ Robert Ebermann, Ibrahim Elmadfa: Textbook food chemistry and nutrition . Vegetable fats. 2nd Edition. Springer, Vienna / New York 2008, ISBN 978-3-211-48649-8 , pp. 526 ff ., doi : 10.1007 / 978-3-211-49348-9_13 .
  11. ↑ Production of cocoa powder (overview). Retrieved February 7, 2020 .