Diseño de una planta de elaboración de chocolate negro y chocolate con leche a partir del licor de cacao

Abstract

This research aims to design a plant for the production of milk and dark chocolates from cocoa liquor, and assess the changes during the conching process, as critical operation in the preparation of chocolates. Dry and fermented domestic variety of cocoa almonds were processed to obtain cocoa liquor, which was used in the formulation of the two types of chocolates. The conching process was conducted using a 22 factorial designs with variable speed motor conche (1 000 rpm and 1500 rpm) and conching time (12 and 16 h). The conching effect was evaluated by measuring parameters such as moisture, pH, acidity, particle size, yield stress at a shear rete of 5 s-1 and apparent viscosity at 40 s-1. The parameter that most changes during the conching was the particle size; a decrease in the sensory perception of smell, taste, acidity and grittiness in milk and dark chocolates was also found. The production plant was designed in U shape, the equipment was selected by catalog in order to process 1 900 800 bars of 50 g. The economic study indicated that the project implementation is feasible.