This thickens the chocolate and imparts the right flow properties for filling the moulds. This complex operation is performed in the tempering plant and is necessary to give the final chocolate product a delicate composition, a uniform structure and a well-rounded flavour. The storage life is also increased in this way. The still warm conched chocolate is placed in a tempering machine so that it can be slowly and steadily cooled. Cooling chocolate at a fixed rate keeps the flavor from being compromised, and prevents separation when the chocolate is poured into bar molds.
Temporary storage is of the liquid chocolate is necessary.
Conches are always filled with the largest amounts of chocolate for efficiency, the molding machines can only accept small amounts of chocolate paste at one time, in order to shape it into bars, chocolates and other products. Chocolate is is frequently shipped in a liquid state to other food manufacturers, or it can be stored for short periods of time. For longer periods, it is solidified, usually in the form of hundredweight blocks. These blocks must be reheated before further processing so that they liquefy again. Automation has moved in on the chocolate industry.