Process Innovation for accurate chocolate deposition (PINNACLE)

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The project addresses the need for a controlled process for precisely depositing formulated food products, allowing for optimisation in a sustainable and stable manner. Pinnacle will focus on one key product during the project, chocolate, a complex formulated product consisting of cocoa, fat, sugar and proteins which undergoes crystallization to form the solid product. Deposition of molten chocolate is critical in the manufacturing process to achieve and maintain the crystalline form and is a key element of product formulation and flavour development. Currently, deposition is an uncontrolled, non-scientific black-art with little known about its influence on formulation. Depositing systems are outdated and inefficient, lacking the flexibility required to adapt new global, standardised approaches to chocolate manufacturing and regional variation in formulation. Pinnacle will utilise state-of-the-art simulation techniques, in-process sensing technology and advanced manufacturing processes to develop a step change in depositing technology, capable of monitoring and adapting to changes in the ingredients, providing a foundation for future optimisation of chocolate formulation.