European Food Research and Technology

, Volume 236, Issue 5, pp 863–872 | Cite as

Impact of fat content during grinding on particle size distribution and flow properties of milk chocolate

Original Paper
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Abstract

Consumer acceptance depends on taste and mouth feeling. Processing can generate varying particle size distributions (PSD), which again influence flow parameters. Chocolate can be produced by roller refining and conching or alternatively by ball milling. Fat content during milling is an important parameter of both processes. The aim of this project was to elucidate relationship between this processing parameter, PSD and flow properties, so they can be controlled. Milk chocolate samples were produced in pilot scale and measured. The results showed that varying fat contents influences PSD for both processing types. Higher fat contents resulted in bimodal distributions for roller refining. Small particles fill voids between big ones, improve packing density and liberate fat for flowing. Nevertheless, fat content during refining should not be too high either, as downstream conching requires low initial content. Pre-dried raw materials were used for ball milling, since this process offers few possibilities to evaporate water and undesired volatiles, unlike conventional conching. Samples showed narrower, multi-modal PSDs. The lack of fine particles decreases packing density and results in higher viscosity at medium and high shear rates. Viscosity at low shear can be less than for roller refined products, which is a consequence of reduced specific surface. Unlike roller refiners, the PSDs became broader at lower fat contents. Almost bimodal PSDs were achieved in lab scale at very low fat contents. Under industrial conditions, the mass must be pumpable for milling. This is a restriction for influencing properties via PSD and needs further optimization.

Keywords

Fat content Milk chocolate Roller refiner Ball mill Particle size distribution Flow properties 
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Notes

Acknowledgments

This research paper was sponsored by the research fund of the University of Applied Sciences Neubrandenburg. Student thesis by André Heuer and Christian Langkrär provided significant contributions. We would also like to thank Dipl.-Ing. Rita Schäpe for her support.

Conflict of interest

None.

Compliance with Ethics Requirements

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects.

Supplementary material

217_2013_1944_MOESM1_ESM.pdf (404 kb)
Supplementary material 1 (PDF 404 kb)

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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Hochschule NeubrandenburgUniversity of Applied SciencesNeubrandenburgGermany

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