According to ADM, using real chocolate in products like dairy desserts and ice creams has been problematic in the past due to the trickiness of handling and melting chocolate. Manufacturers have tended to use a combination of coca powder and chocolate, but Simon Godden, NPD manager at ADM Cocoa, said: “This has proven unsatisfactory, as neither product alone gives the optimal impact”.
The new ingredient, called deZaan Chocolate Microflakes, combines the best qualities of each in one solution. The company has not elaborated on the technology underlying it, with Godden telling FoodNavigator.com only that: “To develop the microflakes, our experts at ADM Cocoa combined advanced knowledge of the technical properties of both cocoa powder and chocolate to create this unique product.”
In ice creams and desserts the ingredient can be dissolved directly into milk or cream without melting. For artisan confectioners, it is said to offer easier handling and higher output as it enables products to cool and set faster.
The microflakes are being launched internationally, but Godden expects they will have particular appeal in key European markets “where the product lends itself perfectly to application in premium indulgent products such as artisanal ice creams and chilled mousse, as well as truffles, ganaches, and other high quality confiseur chocolates”.
Choc technology all the rage
Overcoming challenges of using chocolate and cocoa in liquid formulations looks to be an imperative for ingredient manufacturers at present.
ADM’s announcement follows the news from rival Cargill last week of a breakthrough in cocoa powder technology which enables faster and improved dispersion in cold drink mix application.
Cargill says it has patents pending for its cocoa technology and, like ADM, is keeping the underlying technology a closely guarded secret. The result of Cargill’s innovation is said to be improved speed at which cocoa powder disappears below the surface of cold liquid.