Separator's Digest - GEA Westfalia Separator Group

Transparent production
in the SchokoladeWerk, Zotter Schokoladen
Manufaktur allows the numerous visitors to get
to know all production stages of chocolate
production in a type of glass production, from
roasting and refining right through to conching,
and also allows them to taste intermediate
products such as cocoa nips and refining
powder.
The cocoa beans are first roasted. in the roasting
process, the cocoa develops its typical aroma, and
the beans are then treated to remove bacteria. in
the crusher, the shells of the freshly roasted hot
beans are removed, and the beans are broken
down into small pieces, known as cocoa nibs. The
nibs are conveyed to the cocoa mill, where they
are broken down into their components. The
cocoa butter is extracted, and melts as a result of
the friction heat. This results in a liquid mass
which looks very much like chocolate although it
is not yet chocolate. The downstream ball mill
improves the consistency of this cocoa mass even
further.
The decanter as a key
component in the production
chain
The GEA Westfalia Separator CD 305 decanter
operates as one of the new key components in
the centre of the production chain. The most
important step in the process of creating the taste
of chocolate is that of conching. The cocoa mass
requires appropriate consistency in order to be
able to ensure an optimum conching process. The
fat content as well as the grain size distribution
are key aspects in this respect. As a result of the
centrifugal separating properties of a decanter, it
is possible to obtain a high-fat phase with very
fine particles on the liquid side and a low-fat
phase with coarser particles which is as solid as
possible on the solids‘ side. The CD 305 decanter
reduces the fat content from between 50 and
56 percent to between 40 and 44 percent. The
fat phase, the cocoa butter, can be recycled back
into the process subsequently during conching.
Due to the two-gear regulating facility patented by
GEA Westfalia Separator, with variable bowl and
differential speed as well as a torque regulating
facility, Zotter has maximum flexibility with regard
to the machine settings. This results in a very large
number of possible recipes which previously were
not possible in this form. in the past, for instance,
the consistency of the cocoa mass had to be
GEA Westfalia Separator Process
27
adjusted by adding sugar for binding fat; this
generally had a limiting effect on the production
of dark chocolate.
This is followed by the mix. Enormous pressure
in the refiner results in the ideal combination, the
fine melt, and the aromas, until eventually only
a trace of chocolate remains in the form of a
fine powder. The refiner is a playing ground for
creative persons and of course particularly for
Josef Zotter.
The decanter makes it possible
The cocoa powder obtained is now processed in
the conche. The chocolate in this way receives
its final finish. The fine and dry powder is stirred
for up to 20 hours in heatable conches. The fine
aromas of the cocoa bean are completely released
by these hours of treating the cocoa mass with
various admixtures in very defined programme
stages with precisely defined temperatures. The
heat releases the aromas, any humidity and
unwanted aroma constituents escape, and the
cocoa butter liquefies again, thus permitting
particularly fine distribution of the sugar and fat
particles. The chocolate is finished.
DECAnTEr CD 305
Zotter was able to commence operation with
the new production line in mid-2008: Dark
chocolates with a very high cocoa content,
for which demand is constantly increasing.
The decanter makes it possible – and has also
demonstrated this ability at other chocolate
makers.
Separator’s Digest 3 | 2008