Patent ID: 8372456

Claim:
A method for producing a soluble cocoa product from cocoa powder comprising the steps: a) preparing an aqueous suspension of cocoa powder, b) optionally treating said suspension with one or more degrading enzymes, c) treating the suspension obtained in step b) for at least 2 hours at a pH of at least 10, a temperature of at least 100° C., and a pressure which is at least 1 bar higher than the ambient pressure, d) optionally bringing the pH of the suspension obtained in step c) to a pH value corresponding with the pH of the suspension obtained in step a), e) treating the suspension obtained in step c) or d) with one or more degrading enzymes, f) separating the suspension obtained in step e) into insoluble material and a soluble part, and g) obtaining soluble cocoa components from the soluble parts.