Oils from cocoa beans

Other applications of liquid-solid fluidized beds that have been suggested or put into practice include the leaching of vegetable oils from seeds (Epsfein, 2003), fhe freeze concentration of solutions (Rios et al., 1985) and osmotic drying (Marouze et al., 2001). Fluidization is also the basis of fhe hydraulic fransport of vegetables (McKay et al., 1987). Three-phase fluidized beds have been employed for the fermentation of cocoa beans (Jacquef et al, 1981 Rios et al, 1985). 

Chocolate is a solid-in-oil (S/O) suspension of non-fat partides (of about 10-100 (im diameter) of sugar and cocoa (cacao) in a continuous phase of cocoa butter, which is the natural fat from the cocoa bean [215]. When cocoa beans are cleaned, roasted, cracked and ground, chocolate liquor results, a suspension of cocoa powder in cocoa butter. Depending on how much cocoa butter is removed (by pressing) one can make, in decreasing order of cocoa butter content bitter, unsweetened, baking... 

Acrolein has been identified in foods and food components such as raw cocoa beans, chocolate liquor, souring salted pork, fried potatoes and onions, raw and cooked turkey, and volatiles from cooked mackerel, white bread, raw chicken breast, ripe arctic bramble berries, heated animal fats and vegetable oils, and roasted coffee (Cantoni et al. 1969 EPA 1980, 1985 IARC 1985 Umano and Shibamoto 1987). Sufficient data are not available to establish the level of acrolein typically encountered in these foods. Trace levels of acrolein have been found in wine, whiskey, and lager beer (IARC 1985). Further information regarding the occurrence of acrolein in food and related products is provided by EPA (1980). 

Food industries are looking for alternative fats to cocoa butter (CB) from natural matrices that are denoted as cocoa butter replacers (CBRs), cocoa butter equivalents (CBEs) and cocoa butter substitutes (CBSs) fat [41 83], CBRs are defined as non-lauric fats that could replace cocoa butter either partially or completely in the chocolate or other food products. On the other hand, a cocoa butter equivalent (CBE) is a type of fat that has a very similar chemical composition, but its triglycerides derive from other source than cocoa beans, such as palm kernel oil, palm oil, mango seed fat, kokum butter, sal fat, shea butter, illipe butter, soya oil, rape seed oil, cotton oil, ground nut oil and coconut oil [43]. 

These oils are pressed or extracted from a variety of plant seeds. Of primary importance as sources of edible oil on a world basis are soybeans, cottonseed, peanuts, corn germ, olives, coconut, rapeseed (canola), sesame, sunflower, safflower, cocoa beans, and various oil palms. 

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