VegVoMiPu4Choco

Problem definition:
The demand for vegan alternatives to animal products is growing steadily as consumers become more aware of the environmental impact of the dairy industry and ethical concerns, in addition to nutritional reasons such as allergies and intolerances. Replacing milk powder in chocolate with a comparable product quality is therefore of great economic interest. As the milk powder in chocolate is responsible for a number of technological properties in addition to the unmistakable milky taste, a plant-based alternative must meet various requirements. Depending on the milk drying process, the resulting particles differ from each other and therefore have a decisive influence on the processing and flow properties as well as the taste of a chocolate. The particles of spray-dried milk powder are spherical and the fat is bound within the particles. In contrast, roller-dried milk powder particles are larger, flaky and the fat is largely free on the surface. A small particle size generally results in a softer chocolate, but too many very small particles (smaller than 1 to 2 µm) can lead to a greasy sensory impression. Small particles also have a negative impact on cost, as a lot of fat is bound to their large surface area and more cocoa butter has to be added to reduce the viscosity. As the type of drying has a significant influence on the particle morphology and size and thus on the properties of the chocolates produced, the research project aims to produce vegan milk powder substitutes using different drying technologies and to incorporate them into chocolates.

Solution:
In a first step, proteins, carbohydrates and fats from local raw materials are dissolved in whole milk powder and then dried using different drying technologies and the resulting powders are characterized. The powders are then incorporated into chocolate using traditional production methods and then characterized.