According to the patent, the process could cut the sugar in chocolate products by up to 50% while keeping the sweet taste consumers expect and without having significant impacts on the composition of the chocolate.
Applications could include chocolate bars as well as fillings inside a chocolate shell or inclusion in baked goods such as biscuits, pastries or cakes, the patent noted. The new composition could also be used for chocolate coatings, take the form of sprinkles or flakes, or be used in nut spreads.
"Consumers and public health bodies are becoming increasingly concerned about the sugar content of foods and in particular, about the sugar content of confectionery products such as chocolate," the patent said.
"Confectionery products comprising less sugar and/or fewer calories, which may be termed 'light' and/or 'sugar free' products, are therefore growing in popularity."
Cadbury portion control on children’s classics
In another move by the confectionery giant, Mondelēz is fulfilling its pledge to bring all its Cadbury chocolate and wider biscuit products typically bought by parents for children to under 100 calories, by the end of this year.
The company says it builds on Mondelez’s strong track record of offering more portion control options to help consumers manage their calorie intake, with the move seeing billions of calories removed from the UK market.
Favourite Cadbury bars Fudge, Curly Wurly and Chomp as well as Barny sponge bears, chocolate and strawberry, will be brought under 100 calories over the next few months, followed by the Barny Milk variant in October. This follows in the footsteps of some of the other brands in the portfolio, including Cadbury Mini Fingers and Cadbury Animals, which were brought under 100 calories in 2019.
Additionally, 2019’s sweet snacking product launch - Cadbury Dairy Milk Freddo Treasures - has launched a new Space series for the brand, with only 76 calories per pack.
The initiatives underscore Mondelēz's commitment to help tackle childhood obesity, with a focus on portion control being recognised as one of the most effective ways of helping people balance their calorie intake.
Louise Stigant, UK managing director at Mondelēz International, said new pack designs will roll out across the portfolio, including singles and multipacks, to include a striking flash highlighting the under 100 calories messaging to help make the portion size clear to consumers.
“We believe this is the right approach in terms of helping parents control the calories, when wanting to treat their children.
“We feel strongly about playing our part in tackling childhood obesity and are focusing on the areas where we can make the greatest impact, this being one of them.
“Our brands have been around for hundreds of years and play a special role in people’s lives as treats to be enjoyed in moderation. We feel we have a responsibility to support parents when they choose to give their children a treat and introducing this calorie cap will make it simpler for them to find one under 100 calories that children will enjoy,” she told ConfectioneryNews.
List of products that will be under 100 calories
- Cadbury Dairy Milk Freddo
- Cadbury Dairy Milk Freddo Caramel
- Cadbury Dairy Milk Buttons
- Cadbury Dairy Milk Little Bar
- Cadbury Chomp
- Cadbury Curly Wurly
- Cadbury Fudge
- Cadbury White Buttons
- Cadbury Mini Fingers
- Cadbury Animals
- Barny Sponge Bears
- Cadbury Little Bar (Chocolate, Strawberry and Milk)
- Cadbury Dairy Milk Freddo Treasures
- Cadbury Dairy Milk Freddo Treasures White