Palsgaard
Creating the all-round solution for chocolate - Palsgaard® PGPR 4120
PGPR (E476) is a well-known ingredient in the chocolate industry. When considering the use of PGPR in chocolate most will think of the possible cost savings associated with this. Nevertheless, PGPR can offer much more than cost savings – such as a much less complicated day to day production in a chocolate factory for one. In this article other processing advantages by using PGPR will be explored. To benefit from these advantages, it is, however, necessary that the PGPR is of high quality. Palsgaard® PGPR 4120 offers the stable functional effect in chocolate that is needed in this respect.
PGPR (E476) is a well-known ingredient in the chocolate industry. When considering the use of PGPR in chocolate most will think of the possible cost savings associated with this. Nevertheless, PGPR can offer much more than cost savings – such as a much less complicated day to day production in a chocolate factory for one. In this article other processing advantages by using PGPR will be explored. To benefit from these advantages, it is, however, necessary that the PGPR is of high quality. Palsgaard® PGPR 4120 offers the stable functional effect in chocolate that is needed in this respect.
‘Standard’ Palsgaard® PGPR 4120 is a new PGPR specifically developed to meet the needs of the chocolate manufacturer. This co-emulsifier is developed to give the chocolate manufacturer a standard PGPR with consistent quality and functionality. When developing this product Palsgaard has looked at the optimal raw material composition as well as studied the involved production processes to develop a cost effective standard PGPR (Poly Glycerol Poly Ricineolate) for chocolate applications. Standard Palsgaard® PGPR 4120 all in all offers a highly competitive product produced and checked according to the highest quality standards for the chocolate industry.
Have you ever wondered why the total fat content (TFC) of chocolate used in ‘easy’ moulds with less complicated decorations is lower than in a chocolate with a ‘difficult’ mould with a lot of small details in the decoration? In the ‘easy’ moulds the TFC is often approx. 31%, whereas the ‘difficult’ moulds often have a TFC of approx. 34%. For taste reasons? No! The chocolate recipe with a TFC of 31% has a good taste. The answer will most likely be that the high TFC is needed to get the ideal chocolate flow properties needed to fill the difficult moulds without creating air bubbles, while a lower TFC is sufficient to fill decorations in a less detailed mould.
It is possible to reduce the TFC in a chocolate from 34% to 31%, while maintaining the same flow properties. This can be achieved by adding 0.15 – 0.20% Palsgaard® PGPR 4120, and the chocolate manufacturer will still be able to use the chocolate for the same chocolate applications in later stages of production. See comparative recipes in table 1 below.
Shell moulding (pralines) vs. tablet moulding – typically these applications require different recipes. The shell moulding recipe will in most cases have a higher TFC than the tablet moulding recipe. Since the taste of the tablet moulding chocolate with a lower TFC is perfectly acceptable, it would make sense not to add the extra 3-4% of expensive cocoa butter or vegetable fat into the shell moulding recipe to achieve correct flow properties. Instead the required flow properties can be achieved by adding 0.20% Palsgaard® PGPR 4120 into the chocolate recipe. A tablet moulding recipe can thus be sufficient for the application.
Another example is moulding recipes with and without inclusions. The moulding recipe without inclusions can have a TFC of 31%, while the TFC of the moulding chocolate with inclusions is often around 33%. Again the taste is not the problem – both chocolate recipes have very good taste. For both applications it is possible by adding Palsgaard® PGPR 4120 to adjust the flow properties to use similar recipes with 31% TFC for both moulding chocolates with and without inclusions.
What implications can the above examples have in a chocolate factory? By taking the above approach to cut down on the number of recipes, it will lower the complexity in the factory. The lower the number of recipes the easier it is to plan and run the production. Fewer changes and less time is used, resulting in a more rational production overall. A way to master this approach is to share identical chocolate recipes until the conching step in the production. In the conching step it is possible to adjust the flow properties according to the final application. This can be done with the help of emulsifiers like Palsgaard® AMP 4448 (Emulsifier YN), lecithin and co-emulsifiers like Palsgaard® PGPR 4120. This will create less complexity and more flexibility in the production, important effects that can be seen on the bottom line.
One production challenge that can occur when ice-cream needs to be coated with chocolate in a continuous production process is keeping the chocolate viscosity constant. Palsgaard® PGPR 4120 has an excellent ability to help keep the viscosity in control during a production where ice-cream sticks are continuously dipped into a chocolate ‘bath’. The ice-cream may leak into the chocolate coating during ‘dipping’, leading to an increase in viscosity due to the increased moisture level in the coating. This viscosity increase could mean a thicker coating layer leading to increased costs, irregular product quality, pin holes and more product waste as well as other production and quality challenges. By adding Palsgaard® PGPR 4120 together with Palsgaard® AMP 4448 or lecithin, it is possible to control the coating viscosity and avoid these negative consequences.
Many chocolate applications need a low yield value or a controlled yield value to meet the desired product quality. Palsgaard® PGPR 4120 can help solve many challenges in moulding, enrobing and spinning productions. For moulding purposes PGPR can help the chocolate flow easier in the moulds, leading to less need for vibration. PGPR also makes it easier to cover inclusions, and to vibrate air bubbles out of the chocolate to create more regular products. For enrobing purposes PGPR can provide better flow in the enrober, better control of the coating layer and help coat difficult centres. Thinner coating layers are possible and air bubbles can more easily be avoided. PGPR also gives excellent properties for spinning application like Easter bunnies or other hollow figures that require a low yield value to be able to cover moulds with a detailed design.
When something goes wrong in chocolate production, it is nice to have a tool that can solve the problems. One problem that typically occurs is that the wrong yield value is achieved after the end of the conching step. Palsgaard® PGPR 4120 helps solve the problem if the yield value of the chocolate is too high compared to the desired viscosity of the recipe. Many chocolate manufacturers use PGPR as a final adjustment tool to make sure that the product reaches the desired yield value, leading to the correct appearance of the product, correct quality and in the end consumer satisfaction.
Another example where Palsgaard® PGPR 4120 may serve as a processing tool is cases where it is discovered that the chocolate viscosity has changed after the chocolate has been stored in a tank for a longer period of time. A viscosity which was according to specifications when analysed at the end of conching. After storage in a tank viscosity has increased or thickened, and as a result the chocolate no longer meets the specifications for its final application. Recreating the correct viscosity of the chocolate is easily done with Palsgaard® PGPR 4120 together with lecithin or AMP.
Many chocolate manufacturers use PGPR for its cost reduction potentials. As mentioned earlier it is possible to achieve the requested flow properties of a chocolate with a reduced amount of cocoa butter fat or other types of vegetable fats by adding Palsgaard® PGPR 4120. Typical reductions by adding Palsgaard® PGPR 4120 to the chocolate recipe can be up to 2% in enrobing applications and up to 3-4% in moulding applications depending on the chocolate recipe. A chocolate with 32% TFC can in other words be transformed into a chocolate with 28% TFC + PGPR and meet the same viscosity specifications. The difference in the cost of these mentioned recipes will depend on the cost of the cocoa butter or vegetable fat used in the chocolate at the time of comparison.
PGPR can be used in different applications to help achieve a strong emulsion, used in low fat margarine spreads, as well as an ingredient in pan release agents in bakery applications and also for chocolate. Most PGPRs are not designed specifically for one of these applications, but designed according to the principle ‘one fits all’. In most cases this means that the product does not have a consistent functionality when dosed in a chocolate production.
Palsgaard has recognized the different needs of the industries using PGPR, and has subsequently designed different PGPRs with different functionalities according to the functionality requirements of the industries. ‘Standard’ Palsgaard® PGPR 4120 is designed specifically for chocolate production.
It is of utmost importance that the chocolate manufacturer is able to calculate the dosage needed in the chocolate when manufacturing chocolates according to precisely calculated viscosities. An important quality parameter for Palsgaard is to secure that the ‘Standard’ Palsgaard® PGPR 4120 gives the same effect in the chocolate with each batch of PGPR supplied. For this purpose Palsgaard has developed the Viscosity Reducing Power (VRP) method. With this method each batch of PGPR is analysed in a small chocolate batch to make sure that the quality and functionality of the PGPR is consistent. If Palsgaard did not safeguard the PGPR functionality in chocolate, it would be difficult for the chocolate manufacturer to use the PGPR as a processing agent in applications as varied as mentioned in the examples above. With Palsgaard® PGPR 4120 the chocolate manufacturer is assured that at least one viscosity changing ingredient has the same effect in the chocolate production.
Chocolates are sensitive to off flavours. These off flavours can stem from many of the ingredients used in the chocolate recipe. Palsgaard knows the importance of only sourcing and supplying quality ingredients. The main ingredient used in PGPR is castor oil. With any vegetable oil it is important to source from the best suppliers and handle the raw materials according to the highest standards. If the castor oil used in PGPR is not sourced and ‘cleaned’ properly, the PGPR has a potential to give chocolate an off taste. Palsgaard® PGPR 4120 is manufactured so carefully that it is transparent and has a neutral smell and taste. In addition, the product has a shelf life of minimum 24 months from date of production.
Should you be interested in learning how Palsgaard’s chocolate emulsifiers can help in your day to day challenges in the production or create more cost effective recipes, please visit www.palsgaard.com to locate your local Palsgaard office for exploring the opportunities.
By Peter Poulsen, International Sales Manager, Bakery & Confectionery, Palsgaard A/S.