More Related Content
What's hot
What's hot (19)
Similar to Conquering Shelf Life Issues Blommer
Similar to Conquering Shelf Life Issues Blommer (20)
Conquering Shelf Life Issues Blommer
- 1. Conquering Shelf Life Issues Blommer Chocolate Company
- 2. What is Shelf Life? Period of time during which a product will retain acceptable: – appearance – aroma – flavor – texture
- 3. Key Elements of Shelf Life for the Confectioner Microbiological Safety Eutetics –Bloom – Fat or sugar Migration – Moisture or Fat Loss of Texture Rancidity
- 4. What is Chocolate? Chocolate Matrix An intimate mixture of solid particles Cocoa butter suspended in fat. Sugar Milk Cocoa
- 5. Unique Properties to Consider Chocolate contains cocoa butter and sometimes milk, milk fat – Fast flavor release – Melts at Body temperature – Natural Antioxidants Compound Coatings contain veg fats – Slower Flavor release – Heat resistant, many types – Short Chain Fatty Acids
- 6. Categories of Confectionery Shelf Life Inherent in the Product – CANNOT be prevented Dependent on Environment – MAY be controlled
- 7. Microbiological Safety AOAC/BAM Methods Raw nuts may contains pathogens Milk products may contain Listeria Raw Material and Finished Product testing – Prevent water contamination Hold/Release Program critical for product safety
- 8. Formulations – #1 Eutetics or Softening Incompatible fats blended together can decrease shelf life Cocoa Butter and Palm Kernel Oil are not compatible General rule of Thumb is to not mix more than 4% PKO with cocoa butter
- 9. #2 Graining If sugars are not dissolved before completion of cooking cycle Need 25% Moisture Heat to 160-180F while agitating Have More corn syrup than sucrose solids
- 10. #3 Moisture Migration - Loss of Texture Thin corners could lead to: – Exposed center – Center may dry out – Risk of premature bloom Dry inclusions/change texture Meltaways may need to be tempered
- 11. #4 Fat Migration Equilibrium – Everything goes to a balanced state Center fats will rise to surface-soften chocolate and harden center Milk fat added to prevent FormV to VI
- 12. #5 Oxidative Rancidity High fat centers susceptible to rancidity Exposed nuts will bloom first Causes a stale / cardboard flavor
- 13. Manufacturing by Hand or Factory Equipment Conditions must be maintained to maximize shelf life Properly tempered chocolate Mold design critical Cooling tunnel parameters critical
- 14. Enrobers Curtain of Chocolate Double enrobe if centers vulnerable If cooled too Rapidly – Chocolate could crack If cooled too Slowly – Discolor and soft May emerge Later in Distribution Process
- 15. Liquid Chocolate requires “TEMPERING” WHY?
- 16. Tempering Improperly tempered chocolate will continue to stabilize – May lead to softening and bloom – May cause Lack of contraction – Dull appearance – Poor snap – Longer setting times
- 17. Tempering Sequence 50oC Melt Cool - no crystallization Form mix of crystals temperature Melt out unstable polymorphs 32oC 30-32oC 27oC time
- 18. Tempering on a Marble Slab Must temper properly to maximize shelf life
- 19. Solid Moulding Improper designed molds can lead to poor quality –How intricate are they? Warm molds can delay onset of crystallization Cold molds can shock chocolate forming incorrect crystals
- 20. Enrobing High Moisture center- short shelf life Centers too warm can detemper chocolate Uneven surfaces, center could be exposed Viscosity alters coverage rate and could increase feet
- 21. Cooling – Quality depends on how well products are cooled, not just how long – Properly zoned to Avoid Initial Over Cooling and “Dew Point” effects as Product leaves cooler – Know tunnel temperatures at specific locations – Long enough to give time for Adequate Cooling
- 22. Cooling – Chocolate and Compounds require different cooling tunnel parameters – Chocolate needs to be cooled gently with moderate air • 55-60F – Compound are best cooled in cooler tunnels because they spontaneously solidify in a stable crystal form • 40-45F – All tunnels should increase to room temp at exit to prevent condensation.
- 23. Cooling Tunnel Problems Inadequate air blowing Air “shadowing” of product Over running tunnel Too cold exit temperature, condensation, sugar bloom Lack of temperature probes in tunnel Air conditioning coil drains become clogged (high moistures in tunnel)
- 24. Packaging Packaging types influence stability Goal is to keep flavor and texture in and moisture out Moisture can cause cracking of pretzels Consult supplier
- 25. Packaging considerations Heat sealing-be careful not to cause fat bloom due to excessive heat High Moisture pieces loose and trap moisture – Wax paper is semi permeable – an option for high moisture pieces that give off moisture - fudge Off odors can occur from inks and type of packaging and also from where packaging is stored
- 26. Shelf Life Testing Robinson Test 20 cm X 20 cm Test Material 15 g grated chocolate not in contact 48 hrs in the Dark 20C(68F), 75% RH Compare to Control Approx equivalent to nine months of shelf life
- 28. Storage Conditions Temperature & Humidity – Maintain correct temperatures to Allow Coating to Stabilize • Not too cool • May inhibit Chocolate from crystallizing into Stable Form – Storage temperatures should be based on expected shelf life • For longer shelf life, use lower temperature and humidity
- 29. Chocolate Storage Constant temperature is best Recommend 60-70°F, 50% RH max. Free of all strong odors Be particularly aware of “air conditioning” odors First in — First Out stock rotation Teach personnel how to read code dates
- 30. Storage Issues – Points to Consider If products stored too cold, condensation could form creating sugar bloom If Freezing candies to halt center oil migration and preserve freshness, care must be taken during rewarming Compound Coatings more heat resistant due to higher melt points
- 31. Moisture Absorption/ Flavor Integrity in Storage Type of chocolate or compound makes a difference – Dark << Milk << White Issue of temperature and relative humidity RH less than 50% highly recommended Form is important - – 10 lb. Bars << wafers or ribbons or chunks Protect with packaging / air tight containers
- 32. Distribution
- 33. Shipping Finished Goods Beware of possible temperature problems – Staging on warm docks (bloom from heat damage) – Movement from cold room to warm humid dock (condensation and sugar bloom) – Loss of temperature control in shipment During warm months refrigerated, sealed containers would be required Check temperature and humidity records
- 34. Distribution Light in display cases can influence quality – White chocolate susceptible to light-induced degradation of flavor due to lack of antioxidants – Exposed nuts would also be susceptible to light- induced rancidity Infestation – Examine vehicles, keep temp. controlled – Seal packages to deter insects from penetrating packaging
- 35. Recommended Shelf Life Category of Product Temperate Conditions Tropical Conditions Milk Chocolate 16 months 12 months Dark Chocolate 24 months 24 months White Chocolate 16 months 12 months Fondant Cream filled 18 months 12 months chocolates Chocolate with Nuts, etc 12 months 9months Wafer/cereal centered 12 months 9 months product Longest Life recommendations if properly stored for “Best Before” Date. This can be used as a guide for new product.
- 36. Bloom Stability Potential Hold samples at 30C for approx. 12 hrs Hold samples at 20C for approx 12 hrs. Continue this cycling until bloom is observed Assumption – One Week of Cycling=One Month Shelf Life
- 38. Bloomed Candies- no barrier coating
- 39. Bloomed Candies cut in half
- 40. Candy with Barrier Coating Not Bloomed
- 41. Candy with Barrier Coating Not Bloomed - Cut in Half
- 42. Bloom Fat Bloom – Fat crystals on the surface causing gray appearance Sugar Bloom – Moisture condenses, dissolves sugar and dries on surface causing a whitish film
- 43. Issue Enrobers trap crumbs, nut pieces, tails from centers – These interact with the chocolate – Lead to softening – Affect flow properties
- 44. Remedies The Solution? – Include screeners in the process – Position them before the chocolate is subjected to high sheer mixing or pumping stages • This keeps the crumbs, etc., from being homogenized in the chocolate
- 45. Oil Migration Remedies The only solution is to slow the rate of oil migration – Non-fat ingredients • Appear to slow migration • Just an illusion – Critical process considerations – Use well-tempered chocolate coating to produce the best crystalline matrix in a barrier coating
- 46. Barrier Coatings: Chocolate Coatings Chocolate with a very fine granular structure works well. – Start with well-tempered chocolate – Don’t subject it to too many heating and cooling cycles prior to application – Cool the finished product under optimum tunnel conditions.
- 47. Barrier Coatings: An Example Visualize particles in a sand bed – 10 lbs of sand holds 2 lbs of water – If ground into smaller particles, that same 10 lbs of sand will hold 4 lbs of water Created more surface area Smaller cocoa butter crystals will work the same way More oil held to minimize oil migration – Stronger structural integrity=more heat stable
- 48. Storage Issues Storage Conditions Odors Problem: – Odors are more volatile than flavors – Diffuse through packaging materials Solution: – Store chocolate products only in a confectionery warehouse – Avoid storing non-mint and mint flavored products – Use dry, odor-free pallets
- 49. Summarize Understand fat system of your product – Cocoa butter and veg fats are not compatible Milk fat in dark chocolate aids in bloom resistance Compound coatings are heat resistant Minimize migration by designing resistance into the process Taste everything
- 50. Fountain of Youth We can all try to get there somehow!