Remove hydrogenated fats from chocolate with CristalGreen, says Loders Croklaan

CristalGreen is a crystallization starter that is used to give structure to Loders Croklaan’s filling fats, compound coatings and lauric coatings, which are used in chocolate confectionery and chocolate spreads.

The ingredient won confectionery innovation of the year at last week’s FiE awards, ahead of Barry Callebaut’s Cocoart Collection and AAK’s Chocofill 

Crystallization starters are commonly used in the industry but they are mainly hydrogenated, whereas CristalGreen is non-hydrogenated.

Clean label​

Krish Bhaggan, R&D manager at Loders Croklaan and the inventor of CristalGreen told ConfectioneryNews: “If you use CristalGreen you don’t have to label it.” ​

Confectioners will still have to declare vegetable fat, but the label becomes clean as there is no requirement to mention hydrogenation.

EU labeling laws set to enter force in December 2014, which will be directly applicable to all member states will require the expression "fully hydrogenated" or "partly hydrogenated” to indicate a hydrogenated oil or fat

This will override a 2000 directive, which was not directly applicable on member states, which required the adjective ‘hydrogenated’ to accompany the indication of a hydrogenated oil or fat.

“Globally, ‘hydrogenated’ is seen at a consumer level as bad. You want to avoid hydrogenated fats,”​ said Bhaggan.

What about palm stearin?​

CristalGreen is a derived from palm using enzyme technology and a patented fractionation process.

Bhaggan said that palm stearin was an alternative non-hydrogenated crystallization starter. “But you have to use more, which gives you poor sensory properties.”​

Shelf Life​

“It also gives some stability in terms of blooming, which means longer shelf-life,”​ added Bhaggan

Loders Croklaan conducted a six –month stress test comparing tablets containing palm-kernel stearin compound coating with either CristalGreen or a hydrogenated product at 25°C. It found that the tablet containing hydrogenated crystallization starter showed fat bloom after six months, while the bars with CristalGreen were still intact.

Bhaggan said CristalGreen mimicked a hydrogenated product and resulted in no negative flavors, colors or textures in the final product.

Loders Croklaan claims that CristalGreen fats match hydro fats for improving the crystallization speed.