Patent ID: 8349383

Claim:
A process for the production of seed crystals for chocolate products, which process comprises the following steps: A. heating and melting cocoa butter until a liquid is produced, or heating and melting chocolate masses until a suspension or liquid is produced, B. mixing the suspension or liquid with a supercritical fluid under pressure, wherein the mixing ratio of suspension or liquid to supercritical fluid is 1:1 to 2:1 relative to the mass of the fluid and of the suspension or liquid substance, and C. expanding the obtained solution in an expansion apparatus so that the formation of powder particles of cocoa butter or chocolate is effected, and D. separating the cocoa butter particles or chocolate powder particles from the gas, E. storing the cocoa butter particles or chocolate powder particles for a time period of at least 2 days at a temperature between 15° C. to 25° C., wherein the cocoa butter powder or chocolate powder contains at least 50 wt. %βV crystals relative to the crystalline components, wherein steps A to D are repeated.