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Shelf Life Issues for the Confectioner
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Conquering Shelf Life Issues
Blommer Chocolate Company
What is Shelf Life?
Period of time during which a product will retain acceptable:– appearance– aroma– flavor– texture
Key Elements of Shelf Life for the Confectioner
Microbiological SafetyEutetics–Bloom – Fat or sugar
Migration – Moisture or FatLoss of TextureRancidity
What is Chocolate? Chocolate Matrix
Sugar Milk Cocoa
An intimate mixture of solid particles suspended in fat.
Cocoa butter
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
Categories of Confectionery Shelf Life
Inherent in the Product– CANNOT be prevented
Dependent on Environment– MAY be controlled
Microbiological SafetyAOAC/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
Formulations –#1 Eutetics or Softening
Incompatible fats blended together can decrease shelf lifeCocoa Butter and Palm Kernel Oil are not compatibleGeneral rule of Thumb is to not mix more than 4% PKO with cocoa butter
#2 Graining
If sugars are not dissolved before completion of cooking cycleNeed 25% MoistureHeat to 160-180F while agitatingHave More corn syrup than sucrose solids
#3 Moisture Migration -Loss of Texture
Thin corners could lead to:– Exposed center– Center may dry out– Risk of premature
bloomDry inclusions/change textureMeltaways may need to be tempered
#4 Fat Migration
Equilibrium –Everything goes to a balanced stateCenter fats will rise to surface-soften chocolate and harden centerMilk fat added to prevent FormV to VI
#5 Oxidative Rancidity
High fat centers susceptible to rancidityExposed nuts will bloom firstCauses a stale / cardboard flavor
Manufacturing by Hand or Factory Equipment
Conditions must be maintained to maximize shelf lifeProperly tempered chocolateMold design criticalCooling tunnel parameters critical
Enrobers
Curtain of Chocolate Double enrobe if centers vulnerableIf cooled too Rapidly– Chocolate could crack
If cooled too Slowly– Discolor and soft
May emerge Later in Distribution Process
Liquid Chocolate requires “TEMPERING”
WHY?
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
Tempering Sequence50oC
32oC
27oC
30-32oC
time
tem
pera
ture
MeltCool - no crystallizationForm mix of crystalsMelt out unstable polymorphs
Tempering on a Marble Slab
Must temper properly to maximize shelf life
Solid Moulding
Improper designed molds can lead to poor quality –How intricate are they?Warm molds can delay onset of crystallizationCold molds can shock chocolate forming incorrect crystals
Enrobing
High Moisture center-short shelf lifeCenters too warm can detemper chocolateUneven surfaces, center could be exposedViscosity alters coverage rate and could increase feet
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
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.
Cooling Tunnel Problems
Inadequate air blowingAir “shadowing” of productOver running tunnelToo cold exit temperature, condensation, sugar bloomLack of temperature probes in tunnelAir conditioning coil drains become clogged (high moistures in tunnel)
Packaging
Packaging types influence stabilityGoal is to keep flavor and texture in and moisture outMoisture can cause cracking of pretzelsConsult supplier
Packaging considerations
Heat sealing-be careful not to cause fat bloom due to excessive heatHigh 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
Shelf Life Testing
Robinson Test20 cm X 20 cm Test Material15 g grated chocolate not in contact48 hrs in the Dark20C(68F), 75% RHCompare to ControlApprox equivalent to nine months of shelf life
Storage of Confections
Storage ConditionsTemperature & 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
Chocolate Storage
Constant temperature is bestRecommend 60-70°F, 50% RH max.
Free of all strong odorsBe particularly aware of “air conditioning” odors
First in — First Out stock rotationTeach personnel how to read code dates
Storage Issues – Points to Consider
If products stored too cold, condensation could form creating sugar bloomIf Freezing candies to halt center oil migration and preserve freshness, care must be taken during rewarmingCompound Coatings more heat resistant due to higher melt points
Moisture Absorption/ Flavor Integrity in Storage
Type of chocolate or compound makes a difference– Dark << Milk << White
Issue of temperature and relative humidityRH less than 50% highly recommendedForm is important -– 10 lb. Bars << wafers or ribbons or chunks
Protect with packaging / air tight containers
Distribution
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 requiredCheck temperature and humidity records
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
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 chocolates
18 months 12 months
Chocolate with Nuts, etc 12 months 9months Wafer/cereal centered product
12 months 9 months
Longest Life recommendations if properly stored for “Best Before” Date. This can be used as a guide for new product.
Bloom Stability Potential
Hold samples at 30C for approx. 12 hrsHold samples at 20C for approx 12 hrs.Continue this cycling until bloom is observedAssumption– One Week of Cycling=One Month Shelf Life
Moisture Absorption
Bloomed Candies- no barrier coating
Bloomed Candies cut in half
Candy with Barrier Coating Not Bloomed
Candy with Barrier Coating Not Bloomed - Cut in Half
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
Issue
Enrobers trap crumbs, nut pieces, tails from centers– These interact with the chocolate– Lead to softening– Affect flow properties
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
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
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.
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 waterCreated more surface areaSmaller cocoa butter crystals will work the same wayMore oil held to minimize oil migration– Stronger structural integrity=more heat stable
Storage ConditionsOdors
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
Storage Issues
Summarize
Understand fat system of your product – Cocoa butter and veg fats are not compatible
Milk fat in dark chocolate aids in bloom resistanceCompound coatings are heat resistantMinimize migration by designing resistance into the processTaste everything
Fountain of Youth
We can all try to get there somehow!
Thank you!
QUESTIONS!
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