Process for preparing crumb products

A process for the manufacturing of crumb products by preparing a first raw material flow F1 containing components or part flows f1-f4, of which f1 contains liquid milk or milk products at a dry solids content of 2-70% by weight, f2 contains sugar raw materials in the form of tetroses, pentoses, hexoses, sugar alcohols, disaccharides, partially hydrolyzed starch, syrup products, or different combinations thereof, f3 contains dry protein raw materials at the same dry solids contents as stated for f1, f4 contains one or more amino acids and a second flow F2 consisting of part flows f5 and optionally f6, of which f5 contains fatty components and f6 consists of an emulsifier for the fat phase and that the flow f1 at a dry solids content of 20-70% by weight and a pH in the range of 4-8, preferably 6.5-7.5, is heat treated at a temperature of 100.degree.-130.degree. C. during a period of time of about 7-2 minutes for performing a Maillard reaction, and subsequently is cooled to a temperature of suitably 80.degree.-95.degree. C.; whereupon the flow f1 at the said temperature and f2 at a temperature of 65.degree.-75.degree. C. are metered into an emulsifying vessel for the formation of an emulsion of f2 in f1, which emulsion is submitted to a homogenizing treatment, whereupon the crumb emulsion formed is either used directly or dried to the formation of a powder which can be submitted to a further heat-treatment for a completing Maillard reaction, further drying and sieving.

TECHNICAL FIELD 
The present invention relates to an improved process for the preparation of 
crumb products. So-called "crumb" is generally used as a raw material in 
the manufacturing of milk chocolate and other chocolate products. 
PRIOR ART 
The crumb usually contains all components of the chocolate except the cocoa 
powder and cocoa fat. Further information regarding crumb is given in the 
Swedish patent application No. 7210811-1 which is incorporated herewith as 
a reference. 
The present invention relates to a development of previously known 
processes for the preparation of crumb and the products obtained according 
to the invention have, compared with previously known products, improved 
taste, consistency and appearance. 
THE INVENTION 
The product of the invention, viz. crumb for chocolate manufacturing and 
similar purposes, is prepared according to a process which comprises 
preparing of a first flow containing the essential components of the crumb 
except the fatty part, which is submitted to a heat-treatment, whereupon 
the so-treated first flow with the aid of a metering device is admixed 
with a second flow consisting of the fatty phase. The mixture of crumb 
components so obtained, i.e. the crumb slurry, is submitted to a 
homogenization, whereupon the homogenized slurry is dried in a manner 
known per se, and subsequently the dried product is heat-treated, dried 
and cooled and preferably separated into fractions of product material 
with the desired particle size, fine components ("fines") and coarser 
components ("oversize"). 
All steps in the process are performed with the use of commerically 
available apparatus. 
The process according to the invention enables the preparation of crumb 
products for different uses and depending of the intended use for the 
product different types of natural and synthetic foodstuff raw materials 
are used in the process. 
As is well-known from the prior art different types of milk products, fatty 
raw materials, sugar raw materials and protein materials are used as raw 
materials for the crumb preparation. 
As the milk raw material one may use whole milk, partly or completely 
defatted milk, whey, completely or partly desalted whey, butter milk, 
casein or caseinate with different protein contents, whey protein 
concentrates and different combinations of the above-defined products. 
The content of fat, protein and milk sugar can be varied in view of the 
desired end product. Lactose present in the milk products can be 
completely or partly hydrolyzed, e.g. enzymatically, so that lactose is 
transferred to corresponding amounts of glucose and galactose since the 
presence of these sugars is advantageous for the desired Maillard 
reaction. 
The fatty raw material used in the products according to the invention can 
be milk fat such as in the form of cream, butter oil or butter, vegetable 
or animal fats, meals of different fat-rich vegetables such as natural or 
completely or partly defatted soya meal, peanut meal, rape seed meal, 
etc., cocoa butter and so-called cocoa mass. 
As the sugar raw material in the products according to the invention one 
may use many different sugar products such as tetroses, pentoses, hexoses, 
sugar alcohols, disaccharides, dextromaltoses, partially hydrolyzed starch 
with a suitable DE value, Lykasin.RTM., wheat syrup, starch syrup, xylitol 
and different combinations of the materials enumerated above. 
The products according to the invention also contain protein materials, 
such as in the form of natural or completely or partly defatted soya meal, 
soya concentrate, soya isolates, natural or completely or partly defatted 
meal of nuts and beans, yeast and yeast concentrates, protein from green 
herbs, rape protein and similar. Usually and preferably additives of 
different amino acids are used. 
By a suitable choice of raw materials according to the enumeration above it 
is possible to vary the taste, the appearance and the usability of the 
crumb as desired. For conventional milk chocolate the crumb should thus be 
composed of whole milk or defatted milk, cream or butter and sugar. For 
the preparation of milk chocolate the milk crumb prepared is admixed with 
cocoa mass, cocoa butter and further sugar and the mixture is then 
processed to milk chocolate in a manner known per se. 
When the crumb is intended to be used for chocolate products such as 
"couverture" of when it is desired to completely or partly replace the 
cocoa raw material therein the crumb is suitably prepared from whey, 
desalted whey, defatted or whole soya meal, a suitable vegetable fat and 
sugar. The product so obtained is, as a matter of fact, a cocoa substitute 
and the couverture is manufactured by mixing 15-30% of the product with 
0-10% of cocoa powder, 20-40% of a suitable vegetable fat, sugar and aroma 
substances, calculated on the weight. 
Chocolate crumb is a product which is manufactured with the use of a 
suitably composed mixture of the above-mentioned raw materials, which 
mixture is submitted to a Maillard reaction, viz. a carbonyl/amino 
reaction. This well-known chemical reaction gives the mixture a taste and 
colour which is desired for confectionary products. The storage properties 
of the product are also considerably improved. It is well-known that the 
reaction products of the Maillard reaction in fats and fat-containing 
products act as a completely innocuous natural anti-oxidation agent. The 
amino groups present in proteins and amino acids take part in the Maillard 
reaction by reacting with the present reducing sugars. The intensity of 
the reaction and the taste and colour of the end product is greatly 
advanced by the presence in the liquid crumb slurry of free amino acids 
such as lysin, valin, glutamic acid, alanin, phenyl alanin, etc. The 
so-called highly reactive sugars such as dextrose, glucose and fructose 
are also very important for the formation of different aroma substances 
and colouring substances. Other reaction parameters in the Maillard 
reaction is the dry solids content of the slurry, its pH, the 
reaction/drying temperature.

As indicated in the flow diagram according to FIG. 1 partial flows f1-f4 
are first prepared, which are combined to a common flow F1. A second flow 
F2 is formed from the fatty raw materials and an optional emulsifying 
agent. 
The flow f1 consists of fresh milk which is submitted to concentration by 
evaporation and optionally hyperfiltration. The flow f2 consists of an 
aqueous solution of the sugar raw materials. The flow f3 consists of dry 
raw materials such as dry milk, whey powder, butter milk powder, vegetable 
protein and similar which are dissolved in water in a mixing vessel and 
submitted to a treatment in a colloid mill. The flow f4 consists of an 
aqueous solution of reducing sugars and amino acids. 
As can be seen in FIG. 2 flow F1 is introduced at a temperature of 
65.degree.-75.degree. C. in a heating step and transferred to a holding 
cell at a temperature of 100.degree.-130.degree. C. and subsequently to a 
cooling step where the temperature is decreased to 80.degree.-95.degree. 
C. and transported to a balance vessel, viz. a storage vessel from which 
it is fed by a metering pump which suitably is common for flows F1 and F2, 
to a mixing vessel or a slurry tank and therefrom to a homogenizer which 
optionally also can function as a metering pump for transport of the 
slurry to a spray drier or a similar device. The powder obtained from the 
spray drier is fed to a heat-treating sieve device from which the product 
is obtained, the fine components ("fines") being recircled to the spray 
drier and coarser material is submitted to grinding and further sieving. 
FIG. 3 shows diagramatically an apparatus used for performing the process 
according to the invention, essentially as has been indicated in FIGS. 1 
and 2. The finished flow F1 is thus at a temperature of about 70.degree. 
C. fed to a heat-treatment step and at a temperature of 
100.degree.-130.degree. C. transferred to a storage container or holding 
cell, wherein the flow is kept at a temperature of 100.degree.-130.degree. 
C. for a period of 7-2 minutes, whereupon the product is transferred to a 
cooling step and therefrom to a balance vessel at a temperature of 
80.degree.-95.degree. C. From the balance vessel the flow F1 is fed with 
the metering pump parallelly with the flow F2 in desired proportions to a 
mixing vessel where the both flows F1 and F2 are admixed and, after an 
optional control of the water content, fed to a homogenizer or metering 
pump which feeds the slurry under pressure to a conventional spray drier, 
preferably provided with a spreader disc and a so-called air knife. The 
powder obtained from the spray drier is submitted to drying and 
heat-treatment in a flowing bed which in the horizontal direction is 
subdivided in a reaction zone and a subsequent drying zone and finally a 
cooling zone. After the cooling zone the product is submitted to a sieving 
for subdivision of the product in fine components ("fines") and coarser 
particles. The fines are preferably recircled to the spray drier, whereas 
the coarser particles are further ground and sieved. The fines are 
recircled as indicated above. 
The process according to the invention consists of different steps, viz. 
manufacturing of a crumb slurry; partial or complete Maillard reaction, 
suitably in a heat-exchanger; drying and a finishing Maillard reaction; 
and sieving. 
THE PREATION OF THE CRUMB SLURRY 
The raw materials selected for the product type to be prepared, e.g. fresh 
milk for milk chocolate crum, are concentrated by treatment in a three or 
multi-step evaporator or a combination of a hyperfilter and an evaporator 
to a dry solids content of 20-70% by weight, suitably 30-45% by weight. 
The concentrate from the evaporator is at a temperature of about 
55.degree. C. fed through a plate heat-exchanger of a suitable size and 
the temperature is therein increased to 70.degree.-75.degree. C. The hot 
concentrate from the heat-exchanger is then fed to a jacketed vessel of a 
suitable size, which is provided with an effective stirrer and apparatus 
for pH-control which governs a metering pump for addition of a suitable 
amount of diluted sodium hydroxide or acid (lactic acid) for adjustment of 
the pH of the slurry within the range 4-8, suitably 6.5-7.5. In this 
vessel the remaining required raw materials are added, such as cane sugar 
or beet sugar which by effective stirring are dissolved in the hot 
concentrate. The sugar content can be up to 70-75 % by weight, calculated 
on the finished dry product, suitably 15-35% by weight. At this stage 
suitably one or several of the reactive amino acids are added. The content 
of the added amino acids can be up to 4% by weight, suitably 0.05-0.5% by 
weight. Also at this stage some or several of the reducing sugars should 
be added. The content thereof can be up to 20% by weight, suitably 5-7% by 
weight, calculated on the finished product. 
TIAL OR COMPLETE MAILLARD REACTION IN THE HEAT-EXCHANGER 
The concentrate from the batching tanc is fed at a temperature of about 
70.degree. C. to a heat-exchanger, e.g. a plate heat-exchanger (ex 
Alfa-Laval, Sweden) or of the type "Contherm" the temperature being 
increased up to 130.degree. C., suitably 105.degree.-115.degree. C. The 
heat-exchanger is suitably connected to a so-called holding cell for 
keeping the slurry at the high temperature during a period of time up to 
about 10 minutes, suitably 5-6 minutes. Directly connected to the holding 
cell is a second heat-exchanger for cooling of the product to a 
temperature of about 65.degree.-95.degree. C., suitably 
75.degree.-86.degree. C. When defatted milk is used for the slurry 
manufacturing, which is suitable for durability reasons, the crumb slurry 
which at this stage is yellow-brown is combined with the aid of a metering 
pump with a suitable amount of the chosen fatty raw material, e.g. cream 
with a fat content of 12-35%, butter oil or some other animal or vegetable 
fat. The fat content of the slurry can be about 50- 55%, suitably 15-30%, 
calculated on the finished product. When cream is not used as the fatty 
raw material a suitable emulsifier should be used so as to obtain an 
emulsion of the fat. The amount of emulsifier, e.g. glycerol monostearate 
or similar, can be up to 10% by weight, suitably 1-5% by weight, 
calculated on the fat. The slurry from the metering pump is fed at a 
temperature of about 70.degree. C. to a mixing vessel and further to a 
homogenizer, suitably a two-step pressure homogenizer. The pressure in the 
homogenizer should be 180-190 kp/cm.sup.2 subdivided in 120 kp/cm.sup.2 in 
the first step and 60 kp/cm.sup.2 in the second homogenizing step. After 
the homogenization of the crumb slurry it is finished for drying in some 
type of gas drier which suitably is connected to a fluidized drying and 
cooling bed. For the drying it is suitable to use a spray drier of the 
"Niro" type provided with a spreader disc and a so-called air knife and 
further the spray drier should be directly connected to a vibrating 
fluidized bed, suitably comprising several steps. The fluidized bed is of 
importance for the finishing of the Maillard reaction and for the final 
drying of the product to a moisture content which is suitable from the 
usage point of view, suitably 1.5-6% by weight, suitably 2-3.5% by weight. 
The use of the vibrating fluidized bed is also of advantage from a 
manufacturing/economical point of view. It is thus well-known that in 
spray drying the removal of the last amounts of moisture requires the 
greatest amount of energy. Due to the fact that the heat transfer between 
the product particles and the drying medium in a vibrating fluidized bed 
is more effective than in the spary drier only a fraction of the energy 
amount which would be required in a spary drier is consumed. 
DRYING AND FINISHING OF THE MAILLARD REACTION 
The drying of the slurry prepared as indicated above can be made in 
different manners and with the aid of different types of apparatus and 
driers. The drying can be performed stationary or continuously. Stationary 
drying is performed with the aid of different types of stationary 
fluidized beds, e.g. a bed of the so-called anhydro type, but such are 
usually somewhat more expensive in use than apparatus for continuous 
drying such as the common spray driers. 
A spray drying process can in principle be performed in two somewhat 
different ways, viz.: 
(a) drying without agglomeration and separation of "fines" and recircling 
the same. This process is well-known and suggested parameters which can 
vary to some extent depending on the composition of the crumb slurry, are 
about as follows: 
Alternative (1) when the drier is connected to some type of subsequent 
drier such as a vibrating fluidized bed, the water content of the product 
emanating from the spray drier is adjusted to 6-10% by weight, suitably 
7-8% by weight. It is desirable to maintain this value which then will 
govern the other process parameters such as the temperatures of the 
in-going and out-going drying medium and the rpm of the spreader disc. A 
common temperature for the in-going drying medium in this type of drying 
is 170.degree.-200.degree. C. and the temperature of the out-going medium 
is 80.degree.-95.degree. C. This means that the temperature difference 
should be about 95.degree.-110.degree. C. The commonly used speed for the 
spreader disc is suitably 13,000-16,000 rpm. This type of drying is 
advantageous especially due to the fact that the capacity of the spray 
drier is used to an economical advantage and due to the fact that the 
above-mentioned water content of 7-8% by weight is advantageous since the 
Maillard reaction then can be finished with a very great intensity in the 
subsequent drying. It is thus well-known that the reaction velocity in the 
Maillard reaction has its maximum value at about the said water contents. 
The drying in the subsequent drier should be performed in such a manner 
that the product can be maintained at the optimal water content for 5-10 
minutes, whereupon it is dried to a final moisture content of 2-5% by 
weight, usually 2.5-3.5% by weight. 
Alternative (2) This alternative comprises drying without any possibility 
to a subsequent drying. Such a drying can be performed in the apparatus 
mentioned above but the process will be less advantageous both from the 
product quality point of view and from the economical point of view, for 
instance due to the fact that the Maillard reaction almost completely has 
to be performed when the crumb slurry is in the heat-exchanger, which 
means that the possibility to be subsequent reaction is very small or 
non-existent. Further, in this type of drying it is of disadvantage that 
the temperature difference between the in-going and out-going drying 
medium is considerably lesser which will cause a considerably lessened 
capacity than would be the case if the apparatus were provided with a 
subsequent drier. 
(b) Spray drying via so-called "straight-through" agglomeration. 
This process comprises separation of fines and recirculation of the same to 
the spray drier in the wet zone. The recircled fines have a very great 
importance for the agglomeration. The fine particles partly function as 
agglomeration centra for the finely divided slurry particles which adhere 
to the surface of the particles and this process is repeated until a 
desired particle size and particle structure has been obtained. The drying 
parameters are also different in relation to those according to the 
above-mentioned process, viz. drying without recirculation of fines. In 
general the temperature of the in-going drying medium is about 
10.degree.-20.degree. C. lower and simultaneously the outgoing temperature 
is likewise 10.degree.-20.degree. C. lower than the temperature in drying 
without separation of fines and agglomeration. This means that the 
temperature difference between the in-going and the out-going temperatures 
for the drying medium is of about the same magnitude as in the first 
drying process. The rpm for the spreader disc is considerably lower, viz. 
about 10,000-11,000 rpm as compared to 13,000-16,000 rpm for drying 
without agglomeration. The product obtained with agglomeration has 
considerable advantages both from a production point of view and from a 
user point of view. Thus, the product forms a more porous product layer on 
the vibrating fluidized bed which enables a more easy and effective final 
drying. It is easier to mix the crumb so prepared with the other 
components in the manufacturing of chocolate or other products. Also, this 
is achieved without any problems due to dusting or loss of products. It 
should be noted that this type of drying always presupposes that the spray 
drier is directly connected to at least one effective subsequent drier. 
In practice the process according to the invention is suitably performed in 
an apparatus which is elucidated in the flow diagrams in FIGS. 1 and 2. As 
can be seen a flow f1 is prepared by concentration of liquid fresh milk 
raw materials which through a volumeter is fed into a batching tank or 
slurry preparation tank. Into this tank also the other components are fed, 
viz. the sugar raw materials (f2) which are weighed and dissolved by 
effective stirring in the hot concentrate. Dry raw materials, viz. 
vegetable protein, dry milk solids, whey powder or butter milk powder are 
at first suitably admixed with a minor amount of water and fed through a 
colloid mill as the flow f3 into the slurry tank. The flow f3 can partly 
or completely replace the flow f1. When a more intensive Maillard reaction 
is desired, viz. a more intensive browning and a more significant change 
of taste than can be achieved with the reactive components naturally 
present in the concentrate, viz. lactose and the different proteins in 
milk and vegetable products, it is suitable to add a chosen species and 
amount of amino acid and reducing sugar dissolved in water as the flow f4. 
If, for economical reasons, it is desired to save the greatest amount 
possible of natural cocoa raw material and replace this with a cheaper 
crumb product a more heavy browning reaction is advantageous and in such 
case it is suitable to add up to 0.5% by weight of lysin and up to 10% by 
weight of dextrose. 
When it is desired to achieve a special rounded taste by the Maillard 
reaction--except the characteristic toffee taste--another amino acid is 
chosen, e.g. up to 0.5% by weight of valin which gives a cocoa taste, or 
up to 0.2% by weight of phenyl alanin, which gives a certain fruity taste, 
and of course glucose or dextrose in the amount indicated above. 
The slurry consisting of the different part flows has suitably a dry solids 
content of 40-85% by weight and it can be submitted to a partial or a 
complete Maillard reaction at an increased temperature such as in a plate 
heat-exchanger or a "scraped surface" heat-exchanger (e.g. of the type 
"Contherm"). In the heat-exchanger the slurry is heated from 
65.degree.-75.degree. C. to 100.degree.-130.degree. C. and with the use of 
a holding cell the increased slurry temperature shall be maintained for 
5-15 minutes. It should be noted that the reaction temperature as well as 
the reaction time shall be chosen and adjusted in relation to the desired 
intensity for the Maillard reaction. It is important to note that the same 
reaction intensity can be achieved at a considerably lower temperature and 
during a shorter reaction time when the slurry contains the part flow f4. 
After being kept in the holding cell the hot crumb slurry must be cooled 
in a directly connected heat-exchanger to a temperature of 
80.degree.-95.degree. C. and fed into a jacketed intermediary storage tank 
or mixer provided with an effective stirrer and of a suitable size. In 
relation to the desired product properties the composition as well as the 
part steps before the drying can be varied to a certain extent, such as 
the emulsion formation. When a low-fat crumb is to be prepared the crumb 
slurry is thus finished after the adjustment of the dry solids content at 
a value between 40 and 60% by weight. Fat crumb can either be made from 
cream or with the use of a water-free animal or vegetable fat. When fat 
crumb is to be manufactured from cream the flow F1 of the crumb slurry at 
a temperature of 80.degree.-90.degree. C. is admixed with the aid of a 
metering pump with a suitable amount of cream such as so-called coffee 
cream when the dry solids content of the slurry is as high as 75-85% by 
weight and with cream with a higher fat content, so-called whipping cream, 
when the dry solids content of the slurry is lower. The cream then forms 
the flow F2 and its temperature should be about 65.degree. C. In the 
mixer flows F1 and F2 are admixed to the formation of a homogeneous 
product in the form of an emulsion of the type oil-in-water which is ready 
to feed to the drier. Fat crumb can also be manufactured with the use of a 
flow F2 which consists of a water-free or almost water-free animal or 
vegetable fat, e.g. butter, butter oil or a vegetable fat. In this case 
the flow must after the mixing vessel be submitted to an effective 
homogenization with the use of a suitable homogenizer such as an 
ultrasonic or pressure homogenizer. After homogenization the slurry is 
ready for drying. 
Fat crumb can also be made with the use of a flow F2 containing a dry fatty 
meal such as soya meal. In this case the flow F1 is admixed with a 
required amount of a dry flow of F2. In the mixing vessel the flow F2 is 
admixed with the flow F1 by stirring to the formation of a homogeneous 
consistency. In this case it is suitable to grind the flow in a colloid 
mill before it is fed to the drier. It is obvious that in all instances 
the dry solids content of the finished slurry should be adjusted as 
indicated by addition of hot water to an optimal value from the drying 
point of view. 
The drying of a crumb slurry prepared as described above is performed in a 
spray drier, optionally in combination with a fluidized bed drier as 
described above. 
The process according to the invention has been described in relation to 
the preparation of a dry product, viz. conventional crumb of the type 
which is conventionally used for the preparation of milk chocolate. 
However, the process according to the invention can be used for the 
preparation a "crumb" of the emulsion type, viz. an end product with a 
pasty or syrupy consistence. In that case the Maillard reaction must be 
finished in the holding cell, viz. during the first heat-treatment of the 
product at a temperature of 100.degree.-130.degree. C. 
The dry crumb product prepared according to the invention is conventionally 
used for the preparation of chocolate, nougat and other conventional 
confectionary types. For manufacturing of chocolate with the use of crumb 
according to the invention the crumb is admixed with other required 
amounts of sugar, suitably so-called powder sugar, and fat with suitable 
melting properties. The dry product according to the invention can further 
be used for the preparation of cola and chocolate drinks of the instant 
type and for the manufacturing of creams and similar for filled 
chocolates. The pasty or syrupy product can also be used for the 
manufacturing of toffee and finished drinks of the cola and chocolate 
types. 
Toffee is usually manufactured in batches and the components such as 
fat-free or fat condensed milk, finely ground sugar, glucose and fat are 
admixed in a suitable mixer to a rather homogeneous suspension. From the 
mixing vessel the toffee slurry so prepared is transferred to a cooking 
vessel in which the heating is continued to a dry solids content of 
93-94%. This very time-consuming and ineffective method has other great 
disadvantages such as for instance an uneven and very coarse distribution 
of the fat in the toffee mass which very much contributes to the 
stickiness and roughness of the toffee. The use of the crystalline 
conventional toffee slurry strongly delimits the possibility of using raw 
materials such as whey, desalted whey and similar without risk for 
obtaining an end product which is coarse and completely crystallized. 
Addition of whey dry solids to toffee would otherwise be advantageous from 
a nutritional point of view and also for taste and economical reasons. 
There is thus a great commercial interest in achieving a suitable, 
flexible, free-flowing, complete toffee emulsion which enables a more 
rational manufacturing of an improved toffee product in a considerably 
simpler continuous process. The above-mentioned product according to the 
invention--the toffee emulsion--gives considerable advantages in the 
product and also in the process for the manufacturing of toffee and 
similar confectionary products due to the fact that the product is a 
completely homogenized emulsion containing all the required components 
except the optional flavouring and colouring additives such as liquorice 
paste which are required for the manufacturing of toffee. A toffee product 
prepared on the basis of the toffee emulsion according to the invention 
has a considerably more advantageous consistence and a more agreeable 
taste. Dry milk solids and sugar can in the toffee emulsion according to 
the invention completely or partly be replaced with whey dry solids 
without any risk for lactose crystallization. Depending on the mode and 
field of the use different types of natural foodstuff raw materials and 
foodstuff products be used as a raw material for its manufacture. The raw 
materials used are essentially the same as indicated above in connection 
with the dry crumb product and the choice of the components of the 
emulsion decides the nature and the use of the product. For the 
preparation of conventional cream toffee the emulsion should thus 
preferably be prepared from full milk or skimmed milk, cream or butter, 
sugar, glucose and vegetable fat such as rape fat or peanut fat. With the 
right choice of proportions between the different components the toffee 
emulsion will undergo the above-described Maillard reaction upon boiling 
or heat-treatment. 
The toffee slurry is prepared in the same manner as described above, viz. 
fresh milk raw materials such as skimmed milk, whole milk, whey (each per 
se or in admixture) are concentrated in a three or multi-step evaporator 
or in a combination of an evaporator and a hyperfilter to a dry solids 
content of 20-70% by weight, suitably 30-35% by weight. The concentrate in 
the evaporator which usually has a temperature of about 35.degree. C. is 
heated in the above-described heat-exchanger to a temperature of 
70.degree.-75.degree. C. The hot concentrate is fed into a directly 
connected jacketed slurry tank of a suitable size. In another vessel 
provided with a stirrer or in a so-called solvomate the required amount of 
sugar is dissolved, suitably partially refined sugar, in water at 
90.degree.-95.degree. C. to a dry solids content of 40-80% by weight, 
suitably 70-80% by weight. Starch syrup (glucose) is then added and the 
highly reactive components, i.e. free amino acids dissolved in warm water 
at about 50.degree. C. are added to the solution. The content of the added 
amino acids can be up to about 4% by weight and is suitably about 0.5% by 
weight. The thick and as regards the sugar content almost saturated 
solution is heated to a temperature of 75.degree.-80.degree. C. before it 
is fed into the slurry tank. The fat is warmed in any suitable manner to a 
temperature of 70.degree. C. whereupon the emulsifying agent, e.g. 
glycerol monostearate, is dissolved therein. The required amount of 
emulsifier which is calculated on the amount of the fat used, can vary to 
a certain extent depending on the type and protein content of the milk raw 
material. If for instance the aqueous phase contains milk dry solids a 
lesser amount of emulsifier is required than when it contains whey. The 
amount of the emulsifier must, however, be sufficient to make the finished 
emulsion stable and with the oil phase in the aqueous phase. The required 
amount of emulsifier is usually between 1 and 5% by weight, calculated on 
the fat. The fat content of the slurry can be up to 30-40%, suitably 
20-25% by weight. The warm fat-free concentrate is admixed with the warm 
fat containing the emulsifier with the aid of a metering pump which 
simultaneously can be used as a feeding pump to the homogenizer. 
The finished slurry is homogenized so as to obtain a product with a unitary 
consistence and particle size. The size of the fat particles after the 
homogenization should be below about 5 .mu.m. Immediately after the 
homogenization step the emulsion should be rapidly cooled, suitably in a 
heat-exchanger of the "scraped surface type", to a temperature lower than 
20.degree. C. and suitably lower than 15.degree. C. A rapid cooling is 
usually required so as to avoid a crystallization of lactose or 
saccharose. Such crystals are difficult to redissolve during subsequent 
product manufacturing and as a result thereof the toffee product may be 
coarse. In practice the process according to the invention is performed in 
a manner and in a device of the same type and composition as shown in the 
flow diagrams in FIGS. 1 and 2. As indicated the flow f1 is prepared by 
concentration of liquid fresh milk raw materials which through a volumeter 
is fed into a slurry preparation tank. Into this tank also the other 
components present in the continuous phase or aqueous phase are fed. Thus, 
refined sugar raw materials or suitably partially refined saccharose and 
glucose (starch syrup) are dissolved in a solvomate and fed as flow f2 
into the slurry tank at a temperature of 75.degree.-80.degree. C. 
Depending on the intended product and its use it is suitable to add free 
amino acids in the concentration mentioned above. In this case they are 
suitably dissolved in water at about 50.degree. C. and introduced into the 
slurry tank as the flow f3. Then the combined flows f1 plus f2 plus f3 are 
admixed by effective stirring and heating to 70.degree.-75.degree. C. 
before the hot flow of F2, i.e. the fat, is added. It is suitable to use 
vegetable or animal fat at a temperature of 70.degree. C. in admixture 
with a suitable amount of a suitable emulsifier. The emulsifier and the 
fat thus form a clear melt at a temperature of about 70.degree.-75.degree. 
C. The both flows F2 and F1 are metered with the aid of a metering pump 
and fed into a directly connected homogenizer. After the homogenization 
the homogeneous emulsion formed (temperature about 65.degree.-70.degree. 
C.) wherein the fat is evenly dispersed in the form of fat particles with 
a size lesser than 5 .mu.m, must be rapidly and effectively cooled. This 
is suitably made in a scraped surface heat-exchanger cooled with ice 
water. By the cooling the temperature of the emulsion should be lowered 
from the starting temperature 70.degree. C. to about 10.degree.-12.degree. 
C. Depending on the composition of the emulsion and the homogenization 
process used it is in certain cases necessary to removed enclosed air from 
the emulsion before cooling. Removal of enclosed air can be made with the 
use of a conventional vacuum device. 
The cold toffee emulsion is transferred directly in the cold condition to 
suitable transport vessels which suitably should be filled completely 
without any air left therein after closure. 
The toffee emulsion prepared according to the invention can be used as such 
for the manufacturing of toffee and similar sweet products or enriched 
with different types of flavour additives before it is used for toffee 
manufacturing. 
The invention is further elucidated with the following non-limiting 
examples. 
EXAMPLE 1 
In a three-step evaporator with a so-called final thickener 5,850 kgs 
skimmed milk (dry solids content 8.9%) were evaporated to a dry solids 
content of 52% by weight. This concentrate which weighed 1,000 kgs was 
used as the flow f1 (temperature about 55.degree. C.) and fed into a 
jacketed slurry tank with the volume 2,000 liters and provided with an 
effective stirrer. 200 kgs of partially refined beet sugar was added as 
the flow f2 and 70 kgs of glucose (80%) but no amino acid was added as the 
flow f4. The first flow F1 thus consisted of f1+f2+f4=1,270 kgs with a dry 
solids content of 61.5%. 
The slurry was heated during the batching with a heating medium consisting 
of water of 95.degree. C. until a temperature of 70.degree. C. was 
reached. After the preheating the concentrate was transferred to a 
heat-exchanger consisting of two verticle heat-exchangers of the scraped 
surface type (Alfa-Laval's Contherm type 6.times.2, hydraulically 
powered). 
In the first heat-exchanger the temperature of the slurry was increased to 
110.degree. C. with the use of a suitable pressure. After the heating the 
slurry temperature was kept at 110.degree. C. during 6 minutes in a 
holding cell before it was fed into a second heat-exchanger for cooling to 
85.degree. C. The yellow-brown crumb slurry, viz. the flow F1, was then 
admixed with the aid of a metering pump with a flow F2 consisting of 650 
kgs of whipping cream preheated to a temperature of 65.degree. C. The flow 
from the metering pump F, which consisted of F1+F2, was 1,885 kgs with a 
dry solids content of 53% and was fed into a jacketed mixer with the 
volume 2,500 liters. The finished flow was fed into a spray drier (type 
"Niro.RTM.") with a capacity corresponding to 250 kgs water removal per 
hour. The product was spray dried without agglomeration to a dry solids 
content of 93%. From the spray drier the product was introduced into a 
directly connected vibrating fluidized bed for finishing the Maillard 
reaction and removal of further about 5% of water. 
The product obtained was powderous and yellow-brown and tasted well and was 
extremely well suited for the preparation of milk chocolate and other 
confectionary products. 
The product had the following composition: 
______________________________________ 
% by weight 
______________________________________ 
Dry solids content 
97.9 
Protein 18.2 
Fat 20.1 
Ash content 5.1 
Carbohydrates 56.6 
whereof 
saccharose 20 
glucose 6 
lactose 30.6 
______________________________________ 
The product according to this example was used for the preparation of milk 
chocolate with the following composition: 38% milk crumb according to the 
example; 33% powdered sugar; 7% cocoa mass (neutral roasting); 7% cocoa 
butter. The components were mixed in a mixer (type "Zeta") to a 
homogeneous texture whereupon it was rolled in two steps to a particle 
size lesser than 15 .mu.m and after addition of further 15% cocoa butter 
it was conched for 24 hours at 50.degree.-55.degree. C. 
Nougat mass was manufactured from milk crumb according to the example from 
the following components: 23% milk crumb, 21% finely ground crokant 
(caramellized sugar), 10% powdered sugar, 15% roasted nut mass, 2.4% cocoa 
powder (10/12) and 0.3% salt. The components were mixed in a Zeta mixer. 
So as to make the mass rollable 12% of peanut butter with the melting 
point 32.degree. C. were added. The mixed nougat mass was coarsely rolled 
and finely rolled on a common chocolate roller. The rolled mass was 
admixed with further 18% of peanut fat with the melting point 32.degree. 
C. and 0.3% natural vanilla flavour. The nougat mass obtained was used for 
the manufacturing of sweets and nougat pieces in a conventional manner. 
EXAMPLE 2 
In a three-step evaporator 2,850 kgs of whey solution and 34,020 kgs of 
desalted whey solution were concentrated to a dry solids content of 32%. 
This concentrate which weighed 1,160 kgs was used at a temperature of 
55.degree. C. as the flow f1 and was fed into a mixing vessel with the 
volume 2,500 liters and provided with an effective stirrer (Ultra-Turrax, 
type Honke Kunkel KG, TP 115/4) and a jacket. The whey slurry was admixed 
with 350 kgs of debittered fat soya meal (fat content about 20%, protein 
content about 41%) as the flow f3. The mixture was effectively dispersed. 
The slurry was heated in the mixing vessel to 75.degree. C., whereupon 220 
kgs of sugar were added as the flow f2 and as the flow f4 70 kgs of 
glucose and 1 kg of lysin were added, both dissolved in 10 liters of 
water. The flow F1 thus consisted of f1+f2+f3+f4 corresponding to a weight 
of 1,676 kgs with a dry solids content of 59.7%. The finished flow F1 was 
fed in the Contherm apparatus mentioned in Example 1 and heated to 
125.degree. C. The holding time in this experiment was also 6 minutes, 
whereupon the concentrate was cooled to 85.degree. C. At this temperature 
the slurry was thick and too viscous for spray drying. For this reason the 
crumb slurry was admixed with 650 kgs of water of 85.degree. C. to a dry 
solids content of 43%. The spray drying was formed in the same spray drier 
and in the same manner as mentioned in Example 1. The product obtained was 
powderous, its colour brown, it had a good taste and was extremely well 
suited for the preparation of confectionary products. It was also very 
well usable as a cheap alternative to cocoa raw materials which this 
product thus could completely or partly replace. The product was suitable 
for couverture uses and for the preparation of fillings for wafers and 
similar products. The product had the following composition: 
______________________________________ 
% by weight 
______________________________________ 
Dry solids 97.2 
Protein 18.1 
Fat 7.8 
Ash content 5.5 
Carbohydrates 68.6 
whereof 
saccharose 22 
glucose 6 
lactose 26.3 
other (mostly high 
16.3 
molecular sugars) 
______________________________________ 
100 kgs of couverture were prepared in which 60% of the cocoa constituents 
were replaced with the crumb according to this example. The product 
obtained was completely comparable to a conventional product. For the 
preparation of the couverture 40 kgs of powdered sugar were used and 18 
kgs of crumb, 8 kgs of cocoa powder and 12 kgs of vegetable fat, which 
ingredients were mixed in a mixer to a homogeneous structure, whereupon 
the mass was coarsely rolled and finely rolled to a particle size lesser 
than 15 m, whereupon it was conched after the addition of further 22 kgs 
of vegetable fat. 
The product was compared by a test panel with conventional so-called dark 
couverture and the experiment showed that the product prepared with the 
crumb according to the example was directly comparable to and in some 
respects better than the conventionally prepared couverture. 
A filling for wafers and similar products was prepared from the product 
according to this example, which filling had the following composition: 31 
kgs of powdered sugar, 30 kgs of crumb, 12 kgs of peanut butter with the 
melting point 32.degree. C. The components were mixed to a homogeneous 
mass and after coarse rolling and fine rolling further 25 kgs of peanut 
fat were added in a conventional conch. The product was flavoured with 
about 2% of flavouring substances (fruit, coffee, cocoa, etc.). 
EXAMPLE 3 
The experiment in Example 1 was repeated, viz. the preparation of milk 
crumb, except that flow f4 was increased with 60 gs of phenyl alanin 
(0.006%) and 500 gs of valin (0.05%) dissolved in 5 liters of water. The 
so obtained flow F1 was fed into the Contherm heat-exchanger for 
performing the partial Maillard reaction. The slurry was heated to 
110.degree. C. with a holding time of 5 minutes, whereupon the slurry was 
cooled to 85.degree. C. After the cooling the crumb slurry was diluted 
with 400 kgs of water before it was admixed with 220 kgs of flow F2 
(consisting of 215 kgs of butter oil and 5 kgs of glyceryl monostearate 90 
at the temperature 75.degree. C.). The complete flow F=F1+F2 was 
transferred via a balance vessel with the volume 150 liters to a one-step 
homogenizer and was treated at 180 kp/cm.sup.2. The crumb slurry was then 
ready for spray drying which was performed as described in Example 1. 
The product obtained was extremely tasty and in comparison with the product 
according to Example 1 more strongly brown-coloured and had a more 
distinguished toffee taste. It was especially suitable for the preparation 
of milk chocolate and as a chocolate mass for candies. The composition of 
the product corresponded with that according to Example 1. 
Crumb prepared according to the invention is very suitable for the 
preparation of so-called instant drinks, viz. products in the powderous 
form which are dissolved in cold or hot milk or water for obtaining a 
nutritionally correct and tasty drink. For this purpose the crumb is 
suitably prepared without agglomeration and with a moisture content which 
is 1-1.5% higher than would be the case if the crumb would be used for 
chocolate manufacturing. For manufacturing of the different types of 
instant drinks the crumb is dry-blended with in such products common 
components such as finely ground sugar, dextromaltose, milk powder, malt 
extract, cocoa powder and different flavouring components such as vanilla, 
fruit powders, etc. Further, suitable types and amounts of vitamins and 
mineral salts can be added as desired. The mixture of the components is 
remoistened and "instantized" in any of the conventional ways. 
EXAMPLE 4 
A drink product in the powder form, intended to be dissolved in hot or cold 
low-fat milk, is prepared according to the following composition: 
______________________________________ 
Crumb according to Example 1 
40% 
Dextromaltose 57% 
Malt extract 3% 
______________________________________ 
The components are dry-mixed and instantized batchwise in an instantizer of 
the type "Aromatic". 100 kgs of a mixture with a composition given above 
were weighed into the agglomeration chamber of an instantizer device. 
Pressurized, heated air in the calorifer of the agglomerator at a 
temperature of 50.degree. C. was introduced through the perforated bottom 
of the chamber for obtaining an optimal agglomeration by fluidation. The 
well-fluidized batch was moistened with an emulsion of lecithin in water 
(temperature 50.degree. C.), which was introduced into the chamber in the 
form of a finely divided mist which was formed with the aid of a suitable 
pump and nozzle. A satisfactory agglomeration of the batch was obtained by 
the addition of 15 kgs of an emulsion of lecithin in water consisting of 
14 kgs of water (temperature 55.degree. C.) and 1 kg of lecithin. 
The agglomerated batch was dried with hot air with a temperature of 
72.degree. C. to a final moisture content of 3%, whereupon it was cooled 
with cold air (temperature about 10.degree. C.). 
The product obtained was pourable, immediately soluble in hot or cold 
aqueous media and excellently suitable for adding to milk so as to obtain 
a tasty drink. Since the product did not contain natural cocoa it was 
especially suitable for small children and generally for people who are 
allergic to cocoa and products containing cocoa. 
The data for the product were as follows: 
______________________________________ 
% by weight 
______________________________________ 
Dry solids content 
97 
Protein content 8 
Fat content 8 
Ash content 5 
Carbohydrates 76 
whereof 
saccharose 8 
______________________________________ 
F 
In a three-step eva) weraporated to a dry solids content of 42% by weight. 
This concentrate which weighed 520 kgs was used as the flow f1 
(temperature about 50.degree. C.) and was fed into a jacketed slurry tank 
with the volume 4,000 liters and which was provided with an effective 
stirrer. In another vessel provided with a stirrer 345 kgs of water were 
introduced at a temperature of 95.degree. C. In the water 980 kgs of 
partially refined beet sugar were dissolved and 1,010 kgs of 80% glucose 
solution were added in portions. 
The solution was heated to 78.degree. C. by recirculation through a scraped 
surface heat-exchanger. The smooth solution of sugar and glucose (2,335 
kgs) with a dry solids content of 80% by weight was metered into the milk 
concentrate in the slurry tank as the flow f2. 
The first flow F1 was formed by f1+f2=2,855 kgs and it had a dry solids 
content of 70% by weight and a temperature of 72.degree. C. In a third 
vessel with the volume 1,000 liters 350 kgs of hardened rape seed fat were 
heated as the flow f5 to which 10 kgs of tastless soya lecithin and 6 kgs 
of glycerol monostearate were added, i.e. together 16 kgs of emulsifier as 
the flow f5. The second flow F2 thus consisted of f5+f6=366 kgs at a 
temperature of 68.degree. C. The hot flows F1 and F2 were metered into a 
two-step pressure homogenizer. The flow F=F1+F2=3,225 kgs had a 
temperature of 71.degree. C. and was homogenized at 90 kp/cm.sup.2 and 60 
kp/cm.sup.2 in the second homogenizing step. After homogenization the 
product was a stable emulsion with an average fat particle size of 2.5-3 
.mu.m. After homogenization the emulsion was cooled in an ice-water-cooled 
scraped surface heat-exchanger to 12.degree. C. 
The finished product had a dry solids content of 73.7% by weight. It was 
white, smooth, tasty and extremely well suitable for continuous toffee 
manufacturing. The product had the following composition: 
______________________________________ 
% by weight 
______________________________________ 
Dry solids content 
73.7 
Protein content 
3.3 
(calculated on the dry solids) 
Fat 15 
(calculated on the dry solids) 
Ash content 2.6 
(calculated on the dry solids) 
Carbohydrates 29.1 
whereof 
saccharose 40.3 
lactose 4.8 
hexoses and other 
34 
______________________________________ 
The product according to this example was used for continuous toffee 
manufacturing in an apparatus consisting of the following devices: (1) A 
scraped surface heat exchanger ("Contherm CHTH") with a counterpressure 
valve. In this the emulsion was heated to 110.degree. C. (2) A holding 
cell in which the slurry temperature was maintained at 110.degree. C. for 
6 minutes. After the holding cell the brown-coloured toffee slurry had the 
characteristic well-known toffee taste. (3) Final evaporator ("Convap", 
Alfa-Laval). (4) A scraped surface heat-exchanger as a cooling step for 
cooling of the finished toffee mass to a temperature of 
60.degree.-65.degree. C. At this temperature the toffee slurry could 
directly be fed to a so-called toffee extruder which is used for 
manufacturing toffee bits. 
EXAMPLE 6 
A mixture of 1,667 kgs of skimmed milk (dry solids content 8.9%) and 3,133 
kgs of whey solution (dry solids content 6.9%) were fed into a three-step 
evaporator and treated to a dry solids content of 42%. This concentrate 
which weighed 867 kgs was used as flow f1 (temperature about 50.degree. 
C.) and fed into the slurry tank. Sugar/glucose solution was prepared in 
the same manner as in Example 5 with the following modifications: In 210 
kgs of water at 95.degree. C. were dissolved 830 kgs of partially refined 
beet sugar and 1,000 kgs of 80% glucose. The smooth solution of sugar and 
glucose which weighed 2,040 kgs and had a dry solids content of about 80% 
and a temperature of 80.degree. C. was fed into the slurry tank as the 
flow f2. The first flow F1 thus consisted of f1+f2 and weighed 2,907 kgs 
and had a dry solids content of 69% by weight. The flow F2 was prepared in 
a similar manner and in the same amount ratios as the flow F2 in Example 
5. The complete flow F=F1+F2 weighed 3,273 kgs. 
The other steps such as homogenization, cooling and packaging were made in 
the same manner as in Example 5. The finished product was white and tasty 
and equally well suitable as the product according to Example 5 for 
continuous toffee manufacturing. The product had the following 
composition: 
______________________________________ 
% by weight 
______________________________________ 
Dry solids content 
70.4 
Protein content 
3.7 
(calculated on the dry solids content) 
Fat 15 
(calculated on the dry solids content) 
Ash content 2.6 
(calculated on the dry solids content) 
Carbohydrates 
80.7 
(calculated on the dry solids content) 
whereof 
saccharose 35 
lactose 11.6 
hexoses, etc. 
34.1 
______________________________________