Dairy Ingredients for Food Processing

Dairy Ingredients in Chocolate and Confectionery Products 507

present as roughly spherical particles, rather

than diffuse structures associated with the

surface of sucrose crystals as was observed

for crumb chocolates. The sucrose particles

also show irregular fracture edges resulting

from breaking during the milling operation

instead of the regular geometric crystal facets

observed in the crumb chocolate.

Anhydrous Milk Fat

In milk chocolates made using SMP as the

principal dairy source, additional milk fat

must be added to meet the local standard of

identity and to prevent the milk chocolate

from becoming excessively hard. Milk fat

sources such as dried cream are used on a

very limited basis in the chocolate industry,

but in general, the preferred source of milk

fat is anhydrous milk fat (AMF). AMF is

widely available in many parts of the world,

and if handled properly (e.g., stored in

cool conditions, protected from light and

oxygen), has a shelf life of 12 months or

more. In addition, AMF has the advantage of

existing entirely as free fat in chocolate,

tively low cost, make SMP an attractive dairy
source for many chocolate makers. SMP is
generally available in low - , medium - , and
high - heat varieties; these designations refer
primarily to the heat treatment that the milk
is subjected to prior to and during drying
(Anon., 2003 ). The most widely available
and most commonly used SMP is the low -
heat variety, although SMP produced using
higher heat treatments can possess some of
the cooked and caramelized fl avors that are
desirable in crumb chocolates. Therefore, the
SMP heat treatment can have an infl uence on
the fi nal fl avor profi le of the chocolate.
Caramelized milk powder also is commer-
cially available. In this product, the fl uid milk
is combined with sucrose, heated for an
extended period of time to develop the cara-
melized fl avors and brown color, and then
dried and packaged. The use of these milk
powders in chocolate can impart some of the
caramelized notes normally found in crumb
chocolates.
A scanning electron micrograph of a
typical milk powder chocolate is shown in
Figure 19.5. The image shows milk solids

Figure 19.5. SEM image of milk powder chocolate showing milk present as discrete particles and sucrose
particles exhibiting fracture edges resulting from the milling process.

Milk powder

particles

Sucrose Fracture edge