Choco Tec

Attendees, exhibitors & solutions

Who this event is for

Industry trends

Key trends shaping this market and its wider industry.

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Frequently asked

Glossary

1

Conching

A prolonged mixing and aeration step that reduces moisture and volatile acids in chocolate mass and rounds off particle edges, softening flavour and lowering viscosity. Conche capacity and cycle time are among the first questions buyers ask at a chocolate technology show.

2

Tempering

Controlled heating and cooling of chocolate to stabilise the desired cocoa butter crystal form (Form V) so the finished product sets with gloss and a clean snap. Continuous tempering units and temper meters are core equipment categories at the fair.

3

Enrobing

Coating a centre - praline, biscuit, nut or bar - by passing it through a curtain of tempered chocolate. Enrober lines are judged on curtain stability, coating weight consistency and the handling of the surplus chocolate.

4

Moulding

Filling shaped moulds with tempered chocolate, then vibrating, cooling and demoulding. Distinguish shell moulding (hollow figures, pralines with filling) from book moulding and one-shot depositing.

5

One-shot depositing

Depositing shell and filling in a single stroke using a concentric nozzle, removing the separate shelling step. Valued for higher output and fewer process steps, especially on filled praline and bar lines.

6

Depositing

Metered dosing of chocolate mass or filling into moulds or onto a belt using piston, roller or servo-driven depositors. Accuracy and drip control determine weight consistency and giveaway.

7

Panning

Building up layers on a core in a rotating pan or drum by alternately adding syrup or chocolate and drying air. Used for dragées, coated nuts and chocolate lentils; pans, air handling and coating cycles are a distinct equipment family.

8

Refining

Reducing particle size of cocoa mass, sugar and milk solids, usually in a five-roll refiner or ball mill, to reach the mouthfeel target. Particle size and specific surface area drive downstream conching time and viscosity.

9

Winnowing

Cracking roasted cocoa beans and separating nib from shell by size and density. Winnower efficiency directly affects nib yield and shell content in the subsequent grinding step.

10

Alkalisation (Dutching)

Treating cocoa nib, liquor or powder with an alkali to modify colour, flavour and pH. Buyers at a technology show compare dosing control, colour consistency and the effect on downstream viscosity.

11

Cocoa butter equivalents (CBEs)

Non-cocoa vegetable fats that are compatible with cocoa butter and used in compound coatings or to adjust chocolate behaviour within permitted rules. Relevant to tempering and cooling specifications and to labelling compliance.

12

Fat bloom and sugar bloom

Two visible surface defects: fat bloom from unstable cocoa butter crystallisation or warm storage, sugar bloom from moisture dissolving and recrystallising sugar. Cooling tunnel design, tempering and packing humidity control are the usual fixes.

13

Cooling tunnel

A temperature and humidity controlled tunnel that sets chocolate after depositing or enrobing. Retention time, air velocity and dew point are the parameters discussed when comparing tunnels.

14

Viscosity and yield value

Rheological measures of how chocolate flows: plastic viscosity and yield value set coating thickness, pumping behaviour and mould filling. Measured with a rotational viscometer under a defined method, often reported alongsideCAOb butter content.

15

HACCP and hygiene zone design

Hazard analysis and critical control point planning, translated into machine design: cleanable surfaces, food-grade materials, zoning between raw and finished areas, and validated cleaning procedures. Food-safety documentation is a routine exhibitor question at confectionery technology fairs.

16

Cold stamping

A moulding variant where a cooled stamp presses a design into the chocolate surface, giving sharp relief without separate shelling. Common for seasonal and premium tablet designs.

17

Aerated chocolate

Chocolate mass dosed with gas under pressure so it expands in the mould, producing a lighter texture and lower density. Requires careful tempering and pressure control at the depositor.

18

Polyols and sugar-free chocolate

Chocolate sweetened with maltitol, erythritol or similar polyols instead of sucrose. These masses behave differently in refining, conching and tempering, so recipe changes usually mean line parameter changes.

19

Changeover time

The interval needed to switch a line from one product, mould or recipe to another, including cleaning and recipe loading. For contract moulding plants it is often a stronger buying criterion than headline hourly output.

20

Traceability and batch documentation

The ability to link finished chocolate to ingredient lots, process parameters and cleaning records. Increasingly requested through line software and audit-ready reports, and a frequent comparison point between machine suppliers.