To address growing demand for top quality, small-batch production needs, Bühler has developed a new processing solution incorporating a bead mill, a mixer, and a conche: the SmartChoc system. The combination of those elements allows manufacturers to produce a variety of chocolate and compound masses.

With one or two ShearMix mixers and the Cenomic bead mill, the system is ideal for processing a wide range of end products such as compound chocolate or fat-based masses for coatings, fillings and creams, with a throughput of 90 to 400 kg per hour.

The SmartChoc system not only satisfies the most stringent flexibility requirements, its design also makes it highly cost efficient. 

By using an ELK –Light conche combined with a PLC control unit, SmartChoc Plus becomes a chocolate production system with a throughput of 60 to 300 kg per hour. Thanks to the light conching process, an individual flavor can be developed for each recipe.

 The conching process is the key to producing real chocolate. As a variation to the classical conching process where the conching follows the grinding step, the Bühler light conching process is applied before grinding and is specially designed for ball mill applications.

Light conching can be applied to recipes based on crystalline or powdered sugar. This important process step in the ELK-Light conche allows flavor treatment of the chocolate mass. Light conching generates the unique taste of chocolate products by removing acids and humidity from the mass.

During the light conching process the ingredients are mixed, aerated, kneaded and heated to an individually adjustable temperature. As a result the chocolate mass can develop various tastes, such as a caramel taste at high temperatures or a natural, milky taste at lower process temperatures. By reducing humidity, a lower viscosity of the end product can also be achieved.

 For more information, visit www.buhlergroup.com.