It is difficult to find a person who would be indifferent to chocolate - this is both a wonderful delicacy and a product that promotes the production of endorphins, which can improve mood. The technology of making chocolate at the best confectionery factories is constantly being improved, and using various ingredients, tiles of the required color and taste are obtained.

The process of making real chocolate

How is chocolate made in a factory, and what ingredients are needed to make this amazing delicacy? According to the correct technology for the production of chocolate, the seeds of the evergreen cocoa tree, originating from the subequatorial regions of America, are used. The plant, whose scientific name is Theobroma cacao, belongs to the Sterculaceae family and is widespread in the tropics.

Today, cocoa, which is called the chocolate tree in our country, is also grown on other continents. But in the wild it can be found on the coast of Mexico, in Central and South America. The height of the tree depends on the place of growth and ranges from 10 to 20 meters. In cultural cultivation, the height is adjusted by trimming, and it rarely reaches 7 meters. Cocoa leaves are thin, oblong-elliptical, up to 30 centimeters long, the flowers are small, waxy, pinkish-white, appear on the surface of the trunk and large branches. The fruit, the ripening of which lasts four months, is small in cocoa, and its length ranges from 20–38 centimeters. In appearance, it resembles a large cucumber or small melon, with a leathery, slightly woody shell of red, reddish-brown, green or yellow, changing in the process of ripening. In one cocoa fruit there are from 20 to 50 beans immersed in a viscous, sticky liquid that hardens in the open air. A single seed (bean) is covered with an oily skin.

According to the place of growth, cocoa beans for real chocolate are divided into American, African and Asian, and the largest exporters of cocoa beans are countries such as Côte d'Ivoire, Venezuela, Indonesia, Ghana, Cameroon, Brazil and Ecuador.

The Criollo group of varieties, characterized by a mild taste, is considered to be the best. It is bred in Venezuela, Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Varieties of the Forastero group are most common among producers and exporters. The group of cocoa beans of the Ca-labacillo variety is the cheapest of all, but at the same time the lowest quality.

The right way to make chocolate

What is chocolate made from in modern factories? For the production of chocolate, cocoa beans of all three varieties are used. They are cut from tree trunks with large, long knives (machetes) and collected in baskets. Then the harvest is piled up, and the fruits are cut into several pieces. The next step in the chocolate-making process is to separate the cocoa beans from the pulp - an experienced carver opens up to five hundred fruits of the chocolate tree within one hour.

In the process of making chocolate, cocoa beans are laid out on pallets and left for several days to ferment - under the action of natural yeast and enzymes, they darken and acquire a bright chocolate smell and taste. Upon completion of this process, according to the correct technology for making chocolate, the fruits are dried in the sun and roasted, removing the husk. They are then sorted and packaged for further processing.

At the next stage in the manufacture of chocolate in the factory, cocoa beans are ground to a paste-like mass, called cocoa liquor. Interestingly, the fats that make up the cocoa beans melt when heated and after grinding the cocoa liquor is obtained in liquid form, but thickens and hardens during cooling. Now the product is suitable for the production of chocolate, as well as use in cosmetic and pharmacological products.

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The most valuable product obtained by pressing cocoa liquor is cocoa butter. It is not only one of the essential ingredients of chocolate, but is used to make ointments in cosmetics. Cocoa butter is what gives chocolate its unique taste. But it also has some unique properties, as it consists of three types of fats. One of them is identical to the fat of olive oil. The second is a type of so-called saturated fat, which is converted in the liver into a fat similar to that of olive oil. The third type of fat helps to strengthen the cell membranes of our body. All this suggests that the fat contained in cocoa butter is not harmful to humans.

The dry residue obtained during the preparation is ground, and the well-known cocoa powder is obtained, which is used in the confectionery industry and for the preparation of a cocoa drink.

Watch a video of how chocolate is made in modern factories:

Chemical composition and nutritional value of chocolate from cocoa beans

Chocolate tree cocoa beans contain up to 300 different nutrients. The approximate chemical composition of chocolate from cocoa beans is as follows: fats are 54%, proteins - 11.5%, cellulose - 9%, starch and polysaccharides - 7.5%, tannin - 6%, water - 5%, minerals and salts - 2.6%, organic acids - 2%, saccharides - 1% and caffeine - 0.2%. Among the substances contained in cocoa beans, one can note: anandamide, arginine, dopamine, epicatechin, histamine, cocohil, serotonin, tryptophan, tyramine, phenylethylamine, polyphenol, salsolinol, magnesium.

Given the chemical composition of chocolate, the nutritional value of the product is very high. The calorie content of 100 g of finished chocolate bar is about 550 kcal.

Numerous studies have noted that the fats contained in cocoa beans belong to the so-called saturated fats, but at the same time they do not have a harmful effect on the human body - chocolate does not increase blood cholesterol levels. The composition of cocoa beans is such that the elements included in it organically complement each other. For example, chromium is involved in the breakdown of glucose, maintaining normal blood sugar levels, and promotes fat metabolism. All this is necessary for us both in cosmetology and with proper nutrition.

Read also:

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Recipe for chocolate balls for cake decoration
Boiled chocolate biscuit recipes in the oven and slow cooker
Chocolate recipes on sour cream at home

The main ingredients for the production of muesli bars are cereals and fruits, as mentioned above.

In addition to the main raw materials, additional ingredients are used to form the structure: vegetable fats, molasses, invert sugar syrups.

The cereals that make up the bars are muesli, i.e. cereals that have been pre-treated for suitability for consumption.

The organization of muesli production is a rather expensive and difficult project. The main components of the success of the enterprise for the production of muesli are the high quality of products, as well as the creation of a trademark and its promotion to the state of a brand.

The determining factor of competitiveness is the quality of raw materials. Domestic producers of muesli do not experience any special problems with the supply of raw materials today. Large combines of bakery products offer a sufficient amount of cereal flakes.

The production technology is not as simple as it might seem: during the production of flakes, each grain is exposed to several technological procedures.

The quality of the final product directly depends not only on the quality of the feedstock, but also on the exact observance of the established process parameters.

The grain is further steamed, pre-cooked, flattened, expanded, extruded, and the like. One of the most effective preparation methods is swelling. Moistened grain is quickly heated using either high frequency currents or a powerful infrared radiation flux. Swelling also occurs with a sharp pressure drop from high to normal or even extremely low.

For the production of Hercules oat flakes, the seeds are cooled, then flattened on a roller machine with smooth rolls. The thickness of the resulting flakes should not exceed 0.5 mm.

Extrusion (from late lat. extrusio- extrusion) - a technology for obtaining products by forcing a viscous melt of a material or a thick paste through a forming hole. It is used in the food industry (pasta, noodles, corn sticks, etc.), by forcing the molded substance through the molding hole of the extruder head.

During the process, under the influence of significant shear rates, high speeds and pressure, mechanical energy is converted into thermal energy, which leads to changes in depth in the quality indicators of the processed raw materials, for example, protein denaturation, starch gelatinization and gelatinization, as well as other biochemical changes.

Food extruder products

traditional chewing gum

dumplings

corn sticks

stuffed pillows and tubes

crispbread and straws

curly breakfast cereals

corn flakes and other cereals

instant cereals

children food

curly chips

extrusion croutons

small ball of rice, corn, buckwheat, wheat, for filling and sprinkling chocolate products, ice cream and other confectionery products

food bran

swelling flour, breading

by-products of bread processing

soy products: soy texturate, concentrate (used in the production of sausages, sausages, meatballs, etc.), lumpy soy products (minced meat, goulash, steak, stew, etc.)

animal waste products

modified starch

There are the following types of extrusion:

Figure 1.1 - Scheme of the extruder

In addition to conventional extrusion, co-extrusion is used in food technology - this is an extrusion process aimed at obtaining a product that combines two different textures: that is, two different materials are extruded to obtain one combined product. For example, a crispy cereal outer shell can be co-extruded along with a sweet or savory filling.

Figure 1.2 - Scheme for introducing the filling during co-extrusion

The quality of cereal flakes is controlled by 10-12 parameters, the main of which are moisture, flouriness (the ability of flakes to turn into flour during transportation and packaging) and digestibility. It is the complexity of the process of technological processing of grain that forces muesli producers to purchase ready-made flakes so as not to bother with such a complex production.

The main technological process of preparation of fruit crumbling is the drying of pre-washed and chopped fruits. The highest quality is provided by the technology of sublimation (dehydration) of raw materials. But this is an expensive pleasure, and manufacturers are limited to conventional drying at high temperatures.

There are also problems with automatic packaging of dried fruits. Figs, for example, are almost impossible to pack in a machine: anything sticks to the berries and the mechanical packer cannot do the job.

Currently, one of the most common methods of drying products is the convective drying method.

This method of drying products is based on the transfer of heat to the product being dried due to the energy of the heated drying agent - air or a vapor-gas mixture.

With this drying, moisture evaporation occurs only from the surface, which leads to the appearance of a film that makes drying difficult and worsens the quality of the dry product: the color, taste and natural aroma of the product changes, and its reducibility during soaking decreases. High temperature and long drying time contribute to the development of oxidative processes and lead to the loss of vitamins and biologically active substances of the dry product, and does not contribute to the suppression of the primary microflora

The conductive method of drying food products is based on the transfer of heat to the product being dried by direct contact with the heated surface of the drying equipment. For drying food, this method is not often used. The high quality of the final dry product cannot be achieved due to the uneven moisture content of the final product; the product in contact with the heated surface during the drying period is overdried, which leads to the irreversibility of the recovery processes, and due to the high temperature (320-340 degrees Celsius) in the drying equipment chamber, the final dry product loses 30-40% of vitamins and biologically active substances and becomes brittle

The acoustic method of drying products is based on the impact of intense ultrasonic waves on the dehydrated product.

The principal feature of the method is that the drying of the products proceeds without increasing the temperature of the products. "Cold" drying is implemented. This circumstance removes all the negative consequences associated with the thermal impact on the dry product.

Drying products with the acoustic method differs from conventional methods in terms of the rate of production of a dry product. For example, when drying enzymes (which are destroyed at a temperature of 40 degrees Celsius) in an acoustic field, the drying rate of products in comparison with the vacuum method increases by 3-4 times.

The microwave drying method is based on the impact on the dehydrated product of an intense electromagnetic field of microwave frequencies.

Microwave drying of vegetables and fruits is characterized by short time and relatively low temperature of the process, which, in relation to food products, leads to a very high preservation of useful substances and vitamins.

However, distribution in the food industry has not received.

Infrared drying of food products, as a technological process, is based on the fact that infrared radiation of a certain wavelength is actively absorbed by the water contained in the product, but is not absorbed by the fabric of the dried product, so moisture can be removed at a low temperature (40-60 degrees Celsius), which makes it possible to almost completely preserve vitamins, biologically active substances, natural color, taste and aroma of dried products

Drying products using this technology allows you to keep the content of vitamins and other biologically active substances in a dry product at the level of 80-90% of the original raw material. With a short soak (10-20 minutes), the dried product restores all its natural organoleptic, physical and chemical properties and can be used fresh or subjected to any type of cooking.

Compared to traditional drying, vegetables processed by infrared drying after recovery have a taste that is as close as possible to fresh.

The dried product is not critical to storage conditions and is resistant to the development of microflora.

Freeze drying of food (vacuum freeze drying, also known as lyophilization or sublimation) is the removal of moisture from freshly frozen food under vacuum. Currently, this method of drying products is the most perfect, but at the same time the most expensive.

The principle of freeze drying is based on the physical fact that at atmospheric pressure values ​​​​below a certain threshold - the so-called. "triple point" (for pure water: 6.1 mbar at 0 degrees Celsius), water can only be in two states of aggregation - solid and gaseous, the transition of water to a liquid state under such conditions is impossible. And if the partial pressure of water vapor in the environment is lower than the partial pressure of ice, then the ice of the product is directly transferred to the gaseous state, bypassing the liquid phase

In food production, vacuum-freeze drying is used as a means of preservation by freezing fresh products and removing liquid from them, which allows them to almost completely, up to 95%, retain nutrients, trace elements, vitamins and even their original shape, natural taste, color. and smell for a long time (from two to five years) at varying ambient temperatures (from -50 to +50 degrees Celsius).

One of the most important advantages of vacuum drying of products is the low shrinkage of the original product, which makes it possible to avoid their destruction and quickly restore sublimated dry products that have a porous structure after drying by adding water.

An analysis of existing drying methods showed that the most effective is the freeze-drying method, but it is the most expensive. And the most common and affordable for the mass production of food concentrates is the convection method, but it does not allow to preserve the organoleptic characteristics, biological value and is ineffective in relation to microbiological indicators. Of interest is infrared drying, which makes it possible to obtain products with a quality level close to sublimation. At the same time, there is a possibility of overheating of the product when the waves are superimposed (this happens when there are shortcomings in the calculation of the apparatus)

Dried fruits are offered by many companies: "Alifar Agroimpeks" Republic of Uzbekistan, Tashkent, st. Nukus 73; Gummy PO CJSC Plant of Food Ingredients Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod region; Tav LLC Village of Komsomolskoe, Republic of Chuvashia; BioResource LLC Cheboksary, Republic of Chuvashia.

In particular, the company "Alifar Agroimpeks" substantiates the chemical, mineral and vitamin composition.

Auxiliary raw materials.

Molasses (dextrinmaltose, maltodextrin) is a product of incomplete acid (dilute acids) or enzymatic hydrolysis of starch. Formed as a by-product in the production of sugar and starch. There are two main types of molasses - white molasses (starch, from corn, potato and other starch), and molasses, black molasses (beet-sugar).

In its pure form, starch syrup has no color. Its consistency is similar to young liquid honey. Chemical composition:

dextrin - from 0% to 70%

glucose - from 0% to 50%

maltose - from 19% to 85%

Often, molasses refers to various sugary syrups, including dark molasses (molasses) and light molasses (eng. golden syrup), a type of invert sugar, as well as types of starch syrup such as glucose syrup (eng. glucose syrup), maltose syrup, starch syrup and corn syrup. In the everyday sense, molasses can mean different types of syrups, not necessarily obtained as a result of the hydrolysis of starch.

Vegetable oils (vegetable fats) are fats extracted from various parts of plants and consisting mainly (95-97%) of triglycerides of higher fatty acids.

The main source of vegetable oils are various oilseeds. The most common vegetable oils are sunflower, olive, cocoa butter, rapeseed, linseed, etc. Palm oil has recently become popular, the harm and benefits of which are discussed on this page below, under the appropriate heading.

Like animals, plants store fat in order to store some energy for future purposes. The difference is that the animal usually does this for itself (anticipating a period of malnutrition), while the plant does it for future generations. Those. in order for the future generation to survive, the parent plant accumulates and transfers energy to the embryo, including in the form of fat. Based on this, it is not difficult to assume that the main amount of fat in plant material will be found mainly in seeds or fruits.

Oils are obtained from plant material by pressing (under pressure, the liquid part of the plant material flows out, after which it is collected) or by extraction with organic solvents or liquefied carbon dioxide (after extraction, the extractant is distilled off, and the remaining vegetable oil is collected). After that, the vegetable oil is subjected to purification, or, in other words, refining.

An important aspect of the production of vegetable oils for the consumer is such a stage as deodorization (literally means odor removal: des - "removal", odor - "smell"). During this stage, vegetable oils are purified from substances that give it flavor.

Thus, if the vegetable oil is “refined, deodorized, cold-pressed”, then this means that the oil was isolated by pressing at a low temperature (done to separate from the vegetable fat fraction with a high melting point), after which it was subjected to purification, as a result which it became transparent (without suspended solids) and practically odorless.

The fatty acid composition of vegetable fats varies depending on the type of plant.

The main difference between vegetable fat and animal fat is the higher content of unsaturated fatty acids (primarily oleic and linoleic). So, in sunflower oil, the content of unsaturated fatty acids is more than 70%. Among the unsaturated fatty acids, the most important essential fatty acids (vitamin F), such as linoleic (omega-6) and linolenic (omega-3) acids, are separately isolated (now also omega-9 acids, such as oleic acid).

These fatty acids, unlike animal fats, cannot be formed in the human body as a result of certain chemical reactions of metabolism, but are essential for the normal functioning of the cardiovascular system, as well as for the regulation of inflammation processes in the body. Thus, these acids must be ingested with food. All vegetable oils are rich in them to one degree or another. However, the most valuable sources of these acids are vegetable fats such as wheat germ oil, linseed, camelina, mustard and soybean oils, and walnut oil.

Another positive aspect of vegetable oils is the almost complete absence of cholesterol (this is true for any vegetable oil, not just the one that says “0% cholesterol!” on the label). So the replacement of animal fats with vegetable oils to some extent helps to reduce cholesterol in human blood, thereby providing an additional preventive effect on the cardiovascular system.

It should be noted that non-traditional fats, such as palm oil, which are often used in the food industry, have recently become the subject of sharp criticism due to its “danger” to human health. This is not true. The harm of palm oil is often exaggerated. The whole problem with palm oil is that it contains more saturated fatty acids than other vegetable oils and is therefore not an important source of unsaturated fatty acids. That is, palm oil is not harmful in the truest sense of the word, it is only biologically less valuable than, for example, olive oil. But it also has positive qualities - for example, the oil becomes rancid as a result of the oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids by atmospheric oxygen. If there are no or few of them in fat, then there is practically nothing to be oxidized. This property is often used in the confectionery industry to increase shelf life. Relatively speaking, palm oil is a natural analogue of margarine. As you know, margarine is a hydrogenated vegetable fat (from unsaturated made saturated), and palm oil is naturally saturated. It resembles margarine and outwardly.

On the other hand, there are problems with the quality of the palm oil itself. Thus, there is often a situation when non-edible (technical) palm oil is imported into the country. This allows you to save on customs payments, in addition, it is cheaper in itself. It is assumed that this oil will be further processed and brought to the level of food. But some unscrupulous manufacturers don't bother with it and use it as is. What harm will be from such palm oil, one can only guess. On the label of food products with such oil, most often they simply write “vegetable fat” or “confectionery fat”, without an exact indication of the source plant.

It cannot be said that this is typical not only for palm oil - the culture of food production in our country is still quite low, and similar phenomena are typical for many components of food products.

Trans fats are a type of unsaturated fat that is in the trans configuration, that is, having an arrangement of hydrocarbon substituents on opposite sides of the carbon-carbon double bond (the so-called trans configuration). Hydrogenated fats are produced by hydrogenation

Trans-fatty acids can be natural and artificially created. Natural trans fats are formed as a result of the vital activity of bacteria in the multi-chamber stomach of ruminants and are stored in meat and dairy products in an amount of 5-8%. Artificial trans-isomers are formed during the industrial hardening (hydrogenation) of liquid oils.

In the 1990s, a number of publications appeared indirectly indicating an increase in the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) from the consumption of trans-fatty acids (in particular, 20 thousand deaths were reported annually in the United States from the consumption of trans fats), which provoked debate around this issue in academic circles.

Recent studies have confirmed a positive correlation between the consumption of trans-fatty acids with LDL concentration and the risk of ischemic coronary artery disease. The World Health Organization and world experts recommend that the population reduce the consumption of trans fats. The simple measure of reducing trans fat intake to 1% of total energy expenditure would prevent 11,000 myocardial infarctions and 7,000 deaths in England alone each year.

There are thousands of different isomers of fatty acids and their isolated effect on the body is more or less known only for individual isomers. Some of them have beneficial effects, such as rumenic acid, which is an isomer of linoleic acid and is present in milk fat. The main trans-isomer of milk and beef fat - vaccenic acid - can be converted into rumenic acid in the human body.

There is also evidence linking trans fats with cancer, diabetes, liver disease, depression, and Alzheimer's disease.

According to WHO recommendations, the human body should receive no more than 1% of the daily intake of total energy intake from trans fats (about 2-3 grams of trans fats). In 2009, the WHO revised this recommendation and recommended the complete elimination of industrial trans fats from food. WHO experts note that the question of whether natural trans fats should be rationed is still open, due to the small number of clinical data. The composition of natural trans fats is different from industrial ones.

In many countries, industrial trans fats are either banned or severely restricted. In Russia, there is currently no norm for trans fats in food products. According to the Technical Regulations for fat and oil products (TR TS 024/2011) [from 2015, the content of trans isomers in fat and oil products should not exceed 8% (for hard margarines no more than 20%), and from 2018 - 2%. After the adoption of the Technical Regulations of the Customs Union, the action of national GOSTs (as GOST 52100-2003 on the content of trans-isomers in spreads) is not mandatory and is advisory in nature.

Table 1.1 - The content of trans-isomers in various fats.

Thus, considering the methods of obtaining raw materials for the production of muesli bars, we can conclude that the currently used raw materials cannot be recognized as intended for a healthy diet.

Chocolate is not just a product, but a real joy that children and no less adults experience in anticipation of feeling the taste of a delicate delicacy melting on the tongue. He is able to cheer up on a gloomy day, energize during a break, help out on almost any holiday, and even become a kind of "bribery" when you need to ask someone for something.

Like it or not, chocolate makes people happier. Do you want to give joy to others, and even get paid for it? Open your own chocolate production. This business will always be in demand, and people will not stop eating sweets even in times of crisis.

What does a chocolate manufacturer need to know?

The presence of a large number of competitors will not affect your products if you strive for high quality and do not save on components by replacing them with cheap analogues. It is better to make a product more expensive than cheap and poor quality. Few will skimp on pleasure, and chocolate is for most.

The use of various additives "dilutes" the cost of the finished tile, reducing it by 20-40%. Therefore, do not be afraid to introduce chocolate with various fillings into the assortment, thinking that this will increase costs (rather, it will be the other way around).

Just starting a business, focus on one product - choose either the production of chocolate bars or the production of bars. This will allow you to save on the necessary equipment, carefully consider one recipe (in different variations) and buy less raw materials than if you produced everything at once.

"Chocolate technology": stages and processes

Chocolate production begins with the primary processing of cocoa beans. They are sorted, cleaned, subjected to thermal procedures and crushing, then the cocoa well (shell) is removed. Thus, cocoa mass is obtained. Then it is pressed, broken and sieved. As a result of processing, two components are obtained - cocoa powder and butter. Then proceed to the dosing and mixing of the components according to the recipe. The resulting mixture is subjected to rolling - it is crushed in specially designed mills.

Conching: stages

After that, the main stage of production begins - conching. This process is very important and largely determines the taste and quality of the finished product. It consists in continuous mixing of the chocolate mass for a long time. At least a day, but this is in the case of making cheap tiles. On average, the process takes three days, and in the production of elite varieties it takes up to 5 days. This stage is implemented in three approaches:

1. Mixing cocoa powder and powdered sugar, that is, dry ingredients.
2. Removal of excess moisture from the mixture.
3. Adding cocoa butter and kneading the already prepared heated chocolate mass.

The described procedure is carried out in special conche machines, as a result of which a homogeneous thick mass is obtained - it is called homogenized.

Termination Processes

The next step is the formation of chocolate masses in the form of bars, bars or sweets and their filling, if provided by the manufacturer. You can add various nuts, raisins and candied fruits, puffed rice, cereals, waffles, liquid and cream fillings, etc. to chocolate. These components allow you to expand the product range without using additional recipes.

The finished masses are poured into molds (special forms) and kept at a temperature of 33 degrees for half an hour. The process is called tempering. Finally, the fully cooled products are removed from the mold and sent for packaging.

Chocolate factory equipment

In addition to the main question of how to produce chocolate, there is another, no less important and more financially significant - what to produce. Equipment in this business is the main cost item, but you can’t do without it. According to various estimates, it will take about 10-15 million rubles to purchase all the necessary equipment. Naturally, they will pay off, and more than once. But first you have to invest.

Equipment for the production of chocolate is a fully functioning line, consisting of the following mandatory attributes:

• ball mill - here the rolling process takes place;
• conche machines - for the conching procedure;
• fat burning boiler - for kindling cocoa butter;
• tempering machine;
• cooling tunnel;
• conveyor line;
• aeration installations, heated pipelines;
• stamping machine for making molds;
• packaging machines;
• thermostats, extractors.

As you can see, you need a lot of things. Equipment for the production of chocolate is not limited to two or three basic items. At the same time, each car is important at some stage, so you can’t do without something. There are, of course, a number of auxiliary installations that will be needed in the case of the production of a certain range. For example, equipment for caramel (if you use it as a filling for bars or tiles). But at the initial stage, such acquisitions can be dispensed with.

Raw materials for quality chocolate

The basic composition of a chocolate bar is not a secret. It is enough to look at any package where well-known components are painted. These are cocoa butter, cocoa mass and powder, powdered sugar, sometimes flavoring (vanillin). In addition, depending on the specific type, there are other ingredients (for example, nuts, raisins and other fillings).

But not everything is so simple, many manufacturers, in order to save money, replace high-quality components with cheaper counterparts. For example, carob is used instead of cocoa powder or palm oil, vegetable fat instead of cocoa butter (or together with it). This allows you to reduce the cost of chocolate bars at times, but the taste will suffer.

If you care about long-term reputation and the presence of regular customers, then it is better not to use such tricks. Offer customers quality chocolate, albeit more expensive. If the product is really tasty, then the demand for it will always be.

At the same time, you will not be at a loss. So, for example, the production of a kilogram of high-quality dark chocolate (from cocoa powder, cocoa butter and powdered sugar) will cost about 400-500 rubles. At a price of 80-100 rubles per 100 grams, you will earn 2 times more than you spend.

Requirements to be aware of

Each entrepreneur, of course, is concerned about compliance with all the norms and rules of legislation applicable to his type of activity. Chocolate production belongs to the food industry, so communication with the authorities of Rospotrebnadzor and the sanitary and epidemiological station cannot be avoided. First, let's say a few words about the premises for the organization of production. Basic requirements for the workshop and warehouse:

• availability of exhaust and ventilation;
• installed air conditioning system (to maintain air humidity at 75%);
• temperature in the warehouse - 16-18% (this is important for preserving the properties of raw materials such as cocoa beans);
• water supply, sewerage.

As for specific documents, a technological instruction will be required for approval by Rospotrebnadzor, a certificate of conformity for the manufacture of chocolate products, registration documents, health books for all employees. If you comply with sanitary rules, fire safety, production technology, then there will be no problems with supervisory authorities.

Conclusion

Organizing chocolate production is both simple and difficult at the same time. All the main processes have long been known and worked out, making a recipe and setting up production is within the power of every entrepreneur. However, at the initial stage, you will have to decide on a number of important points regarding the raw materials used, the purchase of all necessary equipment, and the collection of documents for starting a business.

All this will require considerable effort and time, but the idea is worth it. If you correctly draw up a business plan for the production of chocolate, you will soon be able to recoup the costs and begin to make a very good profit. And how much new joy in the form of chocolate bars you will give people!

Today, food quality criteria are changing significantly in favor of their naturalness. Highly valued are those products that do not contain synthetic additives, or, in extreme cases, have a small amount of them. Particularly popular are those products that were made exclusively from fruits or vegetables. Among them is a novelty - fruit bars, which are gradually replacing the more familiar, but less useful to us refined chocolate bars.

Manufacture of muesli fruit bars

Today, food quality criteria are changing significantly in favor of their naturalness. Highly valued are those products that do not contain synthetic additives, or, in extreme cases, have a small amount of them. Particularly popular are those products that were made exclusively from fruits or vegetables. Among them is a novelty - fruit bars, which are gradually replacing the more familiar, but less useful refined chocolate bars.

There are two main new popular technologies that allow you to make a fruit bar: "wet" and "dry". It is on which of them was used in production that the final taste of the product will largely depend.

Features of the production of "dry" fruit bars

Very promising is the production of tasty and nutritious fruit bars using the "dry" technology, which is the following sequence of steps:

1. Thorough washing of raw materials, represented mainly by prunes and dried apricots.

2. Removal of large inedible inclusions - seeds and all kinds of debris that got into the fruit during assembly, storage, drying, transportation.

3. Additional drying of raw materials.

4. Grinding to a homogeneous mass in an industrial-type meat grinder.

5. Simultaneous cooking and mixing of the crushed mass with sugar, apple pieces, coconut flakes, berries and other additional ingredients. This stage is performed at a temperature of 110-120 degrees, and the final moisture content of the product is 12-14%.

6. Cooling of raw materials up to 40-60 degrees. After lowering the temperature, the mixture is placed in a molding machine of the "Former" type, due to which the "gentle" molding of fruit bars into sheets 500 mm wide takes place.

7. After molding (pressing out), the bars are cooled to room temperature in air, and also dried by fans.

8. Cutting bars of the required size is carried out on a special guillotine.

9. Each product is individually packed on a special machine.

10. Well-packed products are placed in cardboard boxes.

This modern technology, if necessary, can be upgraded in several directions:

Mechanization of the washing stage by installing a washing device;

Replacing small plates by continuously placing the strips on a spiral conveyor and then cooling them;

Automatic cutting of bars on the conveyor.

To date, the described innovative technology has already been successfully used by some manufacturers, who note a quick payback on the cost of purchasing and installing equipment.

How to organize your own production?

In order to organize a line of “dry” production of fruit bars, a certain amount of cash investments will be required, consisting of the following categories (the calculation was made for May 2016, the dollar exchange rate is 66 rubles):

30-50 thousand rubles - an industrial-type meat grinder with a capacity of 200-300 kg / h;

150-270 thousand rubles - a 100-liter digester equipped with an oil jacket, as well as a reinforced agitator;

RUB 1,550,000 – Formovatel machine for molding bars using a “dry” technology;

1400-1700 thousand rubles - horizontal packaging machine;

50-100 thousand rubles - additional equipment (fans, sinks, sheets, carts).

The total cost of such a list of devices will be 3180-3670 thousand rubles.

Fruit bars - the main nuances of "wet" technology

The “wet” production technology is somewhat different. It includes the following steps.

1. Washing the fruit mixture (prunes and dried apricots, as well as a small amount of other ingredients).

2. Removal of large inclusions - bones and various debris.

3. Grinding the finished mixture.

4. Mixing fruits with each other with the additional addition of various ingredients, such as apples, berries, flavors, preservatives, etc.

5. The wet mixture of fruits is sent to the molding machine, where it is laid on mesh sheets in long strips of the desired width and height.

6. Placement of sheets on trolleys, and then in a vacuum oven, where drying takes place at a temperature of 50-70 degrees.

7. Cutting fruit strips into pieces of a certain size.

8. Glazing of fruit bars, if it is provided for by the technological process.

9. Packing in a special machine for finished products.

10. Packing products into cardboard boxes.

With a certain degree of conventionality, production lines can be divided into automated and automatic.

Automatic type has a clear performance framework. Such a line is able to perform its work with minimal operator participation. The equipment independently weighs the raw materials, mixes it in the right proportions, etc. You can buy a similar set of devices from a very limited number of manufacturers. For example, in Germany it will cost at least 3-4 million euros.

are separate devices that are placed in the desired order. In this case, the employee will require much more effort and time. Such systems can be significantly improved, bringing to the desired degree of automation.

Calculation of cash costs for the launch of the line

1. The total price of a complete set of equipment for launching a novelty - "wet" production of fruit bars, depends on a number of factors:

2. Desired productivity of the line and the possibility of its increase in the future. For example, if the plans include a doubling of productivity, then it would be rational to immediately buy a filling machine of the appropriate capacity, since its price will be almost the same.

3. Product range. So, for example, the presence of an enrobing machine will increase the overall cost of the line.

4. Equipment manufacturer country: For China, Russia and Italy, the price of, say, a filling machine will differ several times.

The lowest productivity of the line is 50 kg/h, which is determined by the capabilities of one vacuum furnace. Increasing the number of furnaces will increase the speed of production.

You can also save on washing and sorting raw materials. If manual labor is used for this stage of production, then the cost of the line will be 7-10 million rubles. If you create a line with a capacity of 200-250 kg / h, then the equipment will cost 20-25 million rubles (prices are presented taking into account the dollar exchange rate of 32 rubles).

If you decide to create your own production for the production of fruit bars, then contact us and we will help you in the following steps:

Development of technical specifications for the production line;

Preparation of a production plan;

Providing devices for purchase;

Installation and start-up of equipment, its verification;

Development of the production process with a technologist.

Do you want to establish your profitable business with the help of innovative technologies? The production of fruit bars is a very promising area with a fairly low level of competition so far, which allows you to achieve quick positive results. Such production of environmentally friendly products is especially relevant in the Krasnodar Territory, where it is not difficult to obtain raw materials, because it is here that the issue of processing the harvested fruits and berries is always acute.

In any area, be it trade, services or production, a business can be launched only when the area (more precisely, demand) grows. It's simple: when demand grows, each new player will be able to join it at minimal cost. But if the industry is stagnant, in which case a new player needs to snatch customers from existing companies in order to get into it, and this is actually very difficult.

And one of those areas in which there is growth, despite the crisis in the country, is sports nutrition.

And one of the ideas that is spinning in my head is the “production” of these same proteins.

In general, I didn’t accidentally put “production” in quotation marks. The fact is that this entire industry consists of two groups of companies:
- the first produces the raw material itself;
- and the second, buys these raw materials in bags from the first, adds flavors, packs them in beautiful packages and throws them on sale.
That is why this business is not something complicated.

1. Regarding the producers of raw materials, there are both Russian and Western ones. Below is an overview of the main producers of raw materials.

1.1. Arla's products

The brand name of the whey concentrate is Lacprodan®. The largest concern with factories around the world: Denmark, Argentina, Switzerland, Norway.
ARLA also produces whey isolates, and unlike other manufacturers, hydrolysates. Hydrolyzate - partially "decomposed" (by hydrolysis) into its constituent whey protein. The most technologically complex product of the range of whey proteins, and the most expensive - many times more expensive than concentrates. The advantage of the hydrolyzate is its rate of absorption. The absorption time depends on the degree of hydrolysis, in ARLA products it ranges from 6-10% to 30%.
ARLA products are packaged in 15 and 20 kg bags.
Concern website www.Arla.com

1.2. Whey Protein Hochdorf

Factory: Hochdorf (Switzerland)
Product: LEDOR 80
Factory website www.hochdorf.com
Swiss Whey Protein Concentrate 80% The sweetest of all with almost 9% lactose
Chemical properties per 100 gr.
Protein - 76.5-86.3%
Water (102°C) - max.5.0%
Fat - max.6.39%
Carbohydrates (lactose) - max. 9.81%
Color: white cream
Smell: milky
Taste: milky sweet

One of the most popular factories in Switzerland, the factory is owned by German shareholders. The price of a factory bag is around 10.5 euros per 1 kg. The main direction of the plant is a healthy diet. Founded in 1895. The product is very high quality and stable in protein content, like the well-known Swiss banks.
Hochdorf imposes high quality standards on its products, process control, reliability of packaging processes, as well as storage conditions and delivery times, in order to fully satisfy customer needs. In addition, Hochdorf adheres to strict environmental regulations regarding production, packaging, energy consumption and disposal methods.
The proof of this is the certificate of the International Organization for Standardization 9001/14001.

The high quality of Hochdorf products is confirmed by:
DIN ISO 9001/14001 Milk Hygiene Regulation (HACCP)
Quality control for suppliers of ingredients for animal feed (QC-PDV) QS, a control system on all steps of food processing including the raw materials.

1.3. Whey protein Milei 80

Milei 80 is a natural water-soluble whey protein concentrate made from fresh whey and air-dried. It is a high quality dietary protein product with many functional properties: water binding, emulsifying, providing viscosity, forming a gel. Due to the diverse combination of protein fractions, Milei whey can be used in baby and diet food, in the dairy industry, in the production of gourmet products, confectionery and bakery products, and in meat products.

About Milei
Milei has been working with dairy products for more than 30 years, focusing on various nutritional, organoleptic and functional properties, with ever-increasing demand in various areas of the food industry.

Milei imposes high quality standards on its products, process control, reliability of packaging processes, as well as storage conditions and delivery times to fully meet customer needs. In addition, Milei adheres to strict environmental regulations regarding production, packaging, energy consumption and disposal methods. The proof of this is the certificate of the International Organization for Standardization 9001/14001.

The high quality of Milei products is confirmed by:
DIN ISO 9001/14001
Milk Hygiene Regulation (HACCP)
Quality control for suppliers of ingredients for animal feed (QC-PDV)
QS, a control system on all steps of food processing including the raw materials.

Product composition per 100 g
protein - 80%
lactose - 5%
fat - 5%
minerals - 3%
water - 5%
pH - 6.3

1.4. Whey protein Hilmar 8000, 9410.

Hilmar 8000 and 9410 (the numbers indicate the percentage of protein in the mixture of 80 and 94% respectively) is another cheap ultra-filtered whey protein from the American company Hilmar, which is used in more than 150 food products (drinks, groceries, baby food, sports supplements, etc. .). The most modern technologies are used in the production of this product.

Hilmar products have gained a worldwide reputation for exceptional product quality that meets the most stringent industry standards. The company has been certified by the International Organization for Standardization 9001:2008. All Hilmar products are safe for health, so they are actively used even for the production of baby food.
Composition of Hilmar 8000 product per 100 g
Protein - 78%
Lactose - 5%
Fat - 5%
Minerals - 3%
Water - 4.5%

1.5. Whey Protein Concentrate Lactomin 80.

The content of pure protein is 80%. Produced by the largest German manufacturer - LACTOPROT Deutschland GmbH. In many ways, Lactomin is similar to Milei, with a higher lactose content, which makes it taste slightly sweet. This product is used in dairy, confectionery, bakery products. It is used as a raw material for the production of sports nutrition. It dissolves well in water. Read more: Lactomine
Lactomin 80 is packaged in 15 and 20 kg bags. In Russia, Lactomin 80 is officially supplied only in 20kg bags, but there is an import of 15kg bags through intermediary firms.

LACTOPROT Deutschland GmbH also produces proteins:
Whey Protein Concentrate:
Lactonat EN (Sodium Caseinate, extruded)
Lactonat EC (Calcium Caseinate, extruded)
Lactonat EP (Potassium Caseinate, extruded)
Lactonat HV (Sodium Caseinate, high viscosity)
PROTEVIT (Caseinate, attrition-dried)
Rovita FN 5 U / Rovita FN 5 S (Sodium Caseinate, roller-dried)
Plasvita / Plasvita U (Calcium Caseinate, roller-dried)
Plasvita E (Calcium Caseinate, roller-dried, improved dispersibility)
Rowi K / Rowi K 20 (Potassium Caseinate, roller-dried)

Casein:
acid casein
Rennet casein

1.6. Meggle products.

Meggle is a private dairy, founded in 1887 in Germany, exporting dairy products to many countries of the world. On the net you can find whey protein from Meggle (80%), less often a milk mixture (whey protein + casein).

The activities of the company are divided into three main parts:
— Dairy products for the end consumer
— Food ingredients for production
— Lactose for the pharmaceutical industry
The most common Meggle products in Russia are butter, yoghurt and baby food.

1.7. Whey Protein Textrion Progel 800.

Factory: DMV International Frisland Campina (Holland)
Product: Textrion Progel 800
Factory website www.dmv.nl

Chemical properties per 100 gr.
Protein - 80%
Water (102°C) - max.5.0%
Fat - max.4.8%
Carbohydrates (lactose) – max.6.5%
Color: white cream
Smell: milky
Taste: milky salty

The manufacturer is DMV International, a large organization based in the Netherlands. Produces whey protein, caseins and many other nutritional components.
Textrion Progel 800 is a whey protein concentrate designed for use in the food and dairy industries.

According to the manufacturer, the product has exceptional quality characteristics that allow it to be used in a wide variety of food products. It is ideal for increasing the viscosity of beverages and for creating the shape and texture of solid foods. Textrion PROGEL 800 is added to bakery, meat, dairy and other food products.

1.8. Belarus. Shchuchinsky KSB.

Whey Protein KSB80UV
Plant: OJSC "Shchuchinsky MSZ" (Belarus)

Product: QSB80UF
Factory website www.schuchin-cheese.by

Chemical properties per 100 gr.
Protein - 80% Water (102°C) - max. 5.0%
Fat – max.10%
Carbohydrates (lactose) – max.2%
Color: yellowish
Smell: milky
Taste: milky neutral

In 2009 JSC "Shchuchinsky MSZ" mastered the production of whey protein concentrate with a mass fraction of 80%. The germinating capacity of the product does not exceed 10 thousand CFU/cm3.

From the negative, the following composition is very granular, unlike all European proteins, which indicates poorer digestibility. The color, unlike all European proteins, is very yellow, which indicates a high fat content. Underweight in factory bags 100-400g.

Whey protein concentrate is made by drying the whey concentrate obtained by ultrafiltration. The concentrate is packed in paper bags with 15 kg liners, stored at a temperature of 0 to 25 C and a relative humidity of no more than 85%. The shelf life of the concentrate under the specified storage conditions is 413 days from the date of manufacture.

The retail price for Shchuchinsky protein is 7,500 rubles per 15 kilograms (one bag)
Protein quality is also confirmed by international ISO certificates
Almost all sports nutrition companies that are produced in Russia use this particular protein.
The low price is due to the fact that Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan have a free trade zone, and such taxes are not paid as on imports from other countries.

1.9. Ukraine. Buchatsky KSB70.

Also recently began the production of whey protein concentrate and Buchatsky Cheese Plant LLC (Ukraine). Protein concentrate with a mass fraction of 70%.

Energy value: (calorie content) 100g of product: 383.5 kcal.
Nutritional value of 100g of product:
fats - 3.5 g,
proteins - 70g,
carbohydrates - 18g.
The concentrate is supplied in thick paper bags with cellophane liners of 7kg and 8kg, at a price of $80 per 8 kg (retail price of Buchatsky CSB as of 06/01/2014). The shelf life of the concentrate is 8 months from the date of manufacture at a temperature of 0 to 18 degrees, and a relative humidity of no more than 80%.

2. Table comparing some types of technical protein

So, we have more or less decided on raw materials.
However, here it is very important to buy not just anywhere, but to approach the choice of a supplier very seriously, since there are a lot of fakes.

3. Next we need:
3.1. Entity. VAT INCLUDED. OOO preferred.
3.2. Come up with a name, for example, Profprotein (this is an example). (I'm sorry, I liked this name so much that I just registered the profprotein.ru domain myself)
3.3. Internet site, with a direct phone number (or even 8-800).
3.4. Room. It must be dry and clean. I also recommend UV lamps to kill all bacteria - this will increase the shelf life and reduce the likelihood of problems with packaged products.
3.5. Measuring spoons. I think you can find food-grade plastic for a penny.
3.6. Packing container. Plastic jars will cost a lot, so you can order bags branded for your company.
3.7. Kitchen scales.
3.8. Flavor additives.
3.9. Milk.
3.10. Water.
3.11. Stickers for finished products. More on this later.
3.12. Straight arms.
3.13. Brain.

4. At first, we buy a bag of each product.
4.1. Experimenting with flavors. You have to spend a lot of time to get good tastes.
It is important to remember that the taste is highly dependent on whether you mix it with water or milk. For example, I usually mix with milk and therefore, I usually feel a not pleasant cloying taste. Therefore, it makes sense to make two main groups, for mixing with water and milk.
4.2. We package and send products for certification. For example, at the Research Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences. I can’t say right off the bat how much certification costs, but if you contact them directly, without intermediaries, then I think it’s quite adequate money.

4.2. After you receive a certificate, you begin negotiations with retailers.
First of all, look for sports nutrition distributors and retail stores. Here I would like to tell you right away that no one will buy products from you for money, and you have only one option: ship your products to them with payment upon their sales. Do not try to sell your product on your own through your website - you will ruin your business.
After you get their consent to ship your products to them, you buy the required number of bags of raw materials and start packing.

5. Main concept: high business transparency.
5.1. That is, you do not need to talk about whether your protein is the best in the world, that it contains some secret formulas, etc. - this will only scare everyone away from your products. You say directly:
We take, for example, Laktomin-80, add such and such a flavoring additive and package it in packages. Everything. Nothing more!
In this case, you can even use the names of your products, something like:
Profprotein Lactomin 80
Profprotein Hilmar 8000
etc.
And you write about it directly on your website, with links to raw material producers!

5.2. Further, we use the Nokia-Samsung concept in marketing, when a large assortment of products with the same characteristics is produced. For instance,
5.2.1. We use 6 types of proteins.
5.2.2. We use 8 types of flavoring additives
In total, we get an assortment of 48 products.
5.2.3. Creating products to mix with water and milk
We get 48 x 2 = 96 types of products.
5.2.4. Four types of packages: 125 gr, 250 gr, 500 gr, 1000 gr.
We get 96 + 4 = 384 types of products.

6. Marketing.

As soon as you start shipping to retail stores and distributors, you start hidden marketing.
There are a bunch of methods, for example:

6.1. We go to Yandex.Market, we select all sports nutrition stores and draw good reviews for them, something like:
“Order in the store three packs of Profprotein Hilmar 800 with different flavors. The store delivered the next day. A check on the manufacturer's website showed that the products are original! I highly recommend this store." And when you leave such reviews to a hundred stores, moreover, with a certain frequency (1 review per week for each store), this will begin to generate interest in your products.

6.2. We go to the sites of the largest sellers of sports nutrition and we leave positive reviews under the name of our products. You don’t need to write, they say, in a week you got muscles like Schwarzenegr, but you write directly: high-quality protein without left impurities, made from the best raw materials, which can be consumed without fear of left-wing chemistry.

6.4. Be sure to form RRP price tags and make sure all stores comply with them.

6.5. Create a "Where to buy" section on your website and post a list of recommended stores there. In that list, add all the stores that comply with the RRP price tag.

6.6. Send your person to fitness centers, having come to which, they must find local trainers and simply give them "probes" - packages of 125 grams.
By the way, in terms of packaging, volumes of 125 and 250 grams were not chosen by chance. Such a small volume will allow you to offer your products at the lowest prices: for a person who has never drunk proteins and wants to start somewhere, it is easier to buy a sample of 125 grams for testing, 250 rubles, than a large package, more expensive.

6.7. Negotiate with major retail chains so that they throw an ad in their stores and send their salespeople to you for a half-hour training. To do this, you can rent a room for presentations for some small money, where you will tell the sellers what raw materials you use, how you pack (of course, you won’t talk about what you pack at home, in the kitchen) and let them try different tastes of your products. At first, yes, you will have to pack everything at home, in the kitchen. However, a little later, when sales start, be sure to rent a separate room for this that meets sanitary requirements. As an additional motivation for salespeople to come to you for training - give each 500 gr. packaging (whatever you want according to tastes and composition).
The fact is that often, a person who has never drunk proteins comes to a retail store and asks the seller what kind of protein he should try.

6.8. Create an affiliate program both for online stores and for sellers in stores.
For example, an online store that has placed your products on its website - it does not have to actually buy it, it can send you an order and you will send the order to the buyer yourself, and credit the store with a certain amount to the balance, which he will be able to pick up either with products or alive money.

And here you can have 2 balances: financial and commodity.
For example, the financial balance is 10% of the order amount, and the commodity balance is 20% of the order amount (if you need to describe in more detail the difference between the financial balance and the commodity balance, write in the comments, I will tell you).

6.9. Motivation for sellers. Quality assurance.
Attach a special sticker with a serial number to each package. What is the serial number on the back of the sticker

Serial number two.
The first for the buyer, by which he can check the originality of the products on your site.
The second one is for the salesperson (or trainer at the fitness center) or anyone else.
Under the second serial number and registering on your site, registering this serial number, the seller will be able to receive additional. bonuses, say 5% cash balance or 10% commodity balance.
What do you think, with such a motivation, if a person comes to the store with a request to advise him on which protein is better to buy, what products will the seller try to sell him?

True, it will be necessary to immediately think over the mechanism so that the sellers do not tear off the stickers immediately after the batch of products has arrived at their store! Let's say some additional inscription under the sticker. Moreover, such a policy will allow you to conduct a deeper analysis in which regions of Russia how many of your products are sold to end customers: after all, you will not be able to get this information from the distributor to whom you shipped your goods.

7. How much money do you need?
Relatively not much, count for yourself.
The risks are small, since the costs of organizing a business are relatively low, the main costs are products that can always be sold.

Do you have any questions?
Write, I will try to answer.