The European Patent Office has awarded Barry Callebaut Group its patent EP 2 152 091 on reduced fat chocolate, enabling the company to broaden its innovation-based product offering of reformulated products.
The company says it can offer its customers an additional solution for products with a better energy balance and an improved composition – without compromising on taste.
The patented process makes it possible to manufacture milk chocolate with only 25% of fat by weight (a similar milk chocolate has 36% of fat).
The process consists of a means to refine fat-coated particles before the traditional conching step.
Barry Callebaut can apply this newly developed processing technique for products used in applications like enrobing (bars and biscuits) and molding (tablets, pralines).
The patent on reduced fat chocolate is a new addition to the Barry Callebaut Group’s portfolio of now more than 30 international filed patents.
Calorie management
“Some consumers are looking for ways to reduce their calorie intake. Finding their favorite indulgence with fewer calories is high on the wish list,” says Marijke De Brouwer, program manager authenticity and permissibility.
“Reducing the fat content has bigger impact on calories than reducing sugar.”
“Calorie reduction is an even bigger challenge in chocolate as both fat and sugar reduction is needed. It is all about finding the right balance,” she says.
“With the new processing technique we continue to offer to our customers solutions that will help them to reformulate their products without compromising on taste.”
