We have extensive experience with the processing of chocolate and other cocoa products. Some specific examples include:

. Milk, white and dark chocolate
. Chocolate-based coatings and frostings
. Chocolate beverages
. Cocoa mass or liquor
. Cocoa butter
. Cocoa powder
. Pectin for jams and marmalades

We offer the chocolate processing industry a wide variety of filters for Food and Beverage processes:

Water is introduced many times in the beginning processing stages to filter out shells, dirt, bugs and larvae.

The water is recycled many times and then re-circulated - our filtration systems can help to make this process more efficient and more complete.

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We offer a wide variety of filters for Food and Beverage processes:

F-Series
Tubular Backwashing Filtration Systems

A-Series
Tubular Backwashing Filtration Systems

Recommended Food and Beverage Equipment Literature:

Food and Beverage Market

Product Specifications

Once removed from the trees, the cocoa pods are split open to release the beans that are embedded in a pulp.

When the pods are broken the beans and pulp are sterile, but they become contaminated with a variety of microorganisms from the pods, laborers hands, insects, vessels used for transport etc.

During fermentation complex chemical changes take place in both the pulp surrounding the seeds and within the seeds themselves, and the chocolate flavor is developed.

The pulp surrounding the beans develops the color and flavor of the beans.

The beans are cleaned and can then undergo a form of thermal pre-treatment to separate the shell from the bean.

One form of thermal pre-treatment uses infrared technology in which the beans undergo infrared radiation on a ' fluidized' bed or vibrating conveyor.

Water accumulates on the surface of the bean and bursts the shell.

The beans are then separated from the shells. Water is introduced many times in this stage to filter out shells, dirt, bugs and larvae.

The water is recycled many times and then recirculated.

The nibs are ground to make cocoa liquor.

There are two stages of the grinding process. In the first stage, the beans are ground using various methods and will produce liquid mass called cocoa liquor.

There are two possible ways to continue to the second stage: either the cocoa liquor is further processed into cocoa butter and cocoa powder (usually only done with low-quality beans), or chocolate.

When the nibs are ground, the resulting liquid produced by the friction is called cocoa liquor.

Giant presses squeeze cocoa butter from the liquor then refined.

Typically cocoa butter extraction is done through a solvent, then refined and deodorized.

However, if it is extracted by any other method, a strong cocoa aroma will be present. If this odor is undesirable, the addition of a deodorizing process is necessary.

This process is usually completed using superheated steam under a vacuum.

The steam strips and distills volatile substances from the butter. This process takes anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 hours depending on the deodorization requirements.

This two stage process (dry and liquid) involves the heating of the chocolate to a pre-determined temperature to add viscosity.

It is also used to eliminate any unnecessary remaining moisture. Many times the following liquid stage necessitates the addition of cocoa butter.