WO2007116429A1

WO2007116429A1 - Food, dietary or nutraceutical compositions based on nut paste, flour or meal and their use in the production of dragees and the like

Info

Publication number: WO2007116429A1
Application number: PCT/IT2007/000262
Authority: WO
Inventors: Daniele Giovannone; Andrea Nocera; Carlo De Angelis
Original assignee: Daniele Giovannone; Andrea Nocera; Carlo De Angelis
Priority date: 2006-04-10
Filing date: 2007-04-06
Publication date: 2007-10-18
Also published as: ITRM20060202A1

Abstract

Food, dietary or nutraceutical compositions comprising at least 10% of paste, flour or meal of almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, pistachios or other nuts, or coffee and at least 10% of hydrogenated fatty acids and/or their glycerides, mono- or disaccharide sugar preferably consisting of inverted and/or fondant sugar, polyalcohols, soy lecithin, cocoa butter, gum arabic and maltodextrin, as well as other possible additional ingredients such as flavourings, colorants and antioxidants, such as coenzyme QlO, reduced glutathione or vitamin K2. The aforesaid compositions can be used to reconstruct cores totally like the corresponding whole nuts, for use in the production of pralines, dragees and other confectionary, food or nutraceutical products of good conservation stability and palatability. The invention also concerns a procedure for the production of these cores starting from the said composition, and their use for the production of pralines, dragees.

Description

FOOD, DIETARY OR NUTRACEUTICAL COMPOSITIONS BASED ON NUT PASTE, FLOUR OR MEAL AND THEIR USE IN THE PRODUCTION OF

DRAGEES AND THE LIKE

The present invention concerns food, dietary or nutraceutical compositions based on nut paste, flour or meal, and their use in the production of dragees and the like. More specifically, the invention concerns the formulation of mixtures essentially based on flour, paste or meal of almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, pistachios or other similar products, through which it is possible to reconstitute cores completely like those of a whole nut, in order to manufacture pralines, dragees or other confectionary, food or nutraceutical products of optimum stability as regards conservation and palatability.

The term "dry fruit" is used to mean both fruit with a shell, such as walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios and pine-seeds, and also pulpy fruit such as figs, grapes, peaches and the like, that is then dehydrated in various ways. In both cases, the product is "dry" and thus easily preserved over time. Nuts are used whole, ground or floured in recipes in order to decorate the outside of cakes and biscuits, and also as ingredients in cake mixes. Besides having a hard shell, walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts are covered by a film-like skin and can be used either skinned or with the skin on. Many recipes require hazelnuts and almonds to be lightly roasted before use.

"Shell" dry fruit (hereinafter simply referred to as "nuts") is a lipid food rich in calories and fats, while fresh fruit is a glycidic food rich in carbohydrates. Nuts are found in poor people's diets because of their high calorie content, while they are not recommended in slimming diets because they do not contribute any particular energy benefits. The calories obtained with nuts are exactly the same as those obtained from bread and noodles. They are, however, essential ingredients in the confectionary and ice-cream industry, especially in the autumn, so that many kinds of different fruits and nuts can even be found in the same recipe. In these preparations, it is a good idea to use low-fat ingredients, such as skimmed milk, in order to balance the high fat content of nuts. Nuts contain bioactive substances, which are components of non-vital importance for the body but which especially influence metabolic processes, thereby contributing towards a balanced healthy diet. Nuts are also rich in useful components including proteins, fibre, "good" fats, mineral salts, iron, calcium, phosphorous and vitamins E, A, Bi and B₂.

The lipid content of nuts is of an oily kind and is rich in unsaturated fats (particularly polyunsaturated ones such as α-linolenic acid, of the family of the well-known omega-3 fats), that are precious for the body; their proteins contain an abundance of an amino acid of considerable preventive value - arginin (which yields nitroxide, a substance that can prevent and combat atherosclerosis); moreover, nuts contain non-negligible amounts of food fibre and lesser compounds (vitamins and mineral salts), which round off the nutritional profile of these products.

The beneficial effects of the lipid and protein components of nuts are added to those of other lesser components, not devoid of interest: vitamin E or tocopherol, which is an antioxidant and thus able to control the unfavourable effects of free radicals; folic acid, which enables controlling concentrations, in the bloodstream, of one of the coronary risk factors, homocysteine; and magnesium and food fibre. In view of the above, it is evident that nuts, also in the form of paste, flour or meal, can be useful for food and nutrition not only for their pleasant taste, but also for their appreciable biological effects. Eaten with moderation, they can help prevent some common diseases, such as heart disease.

Considering each kind of nut in turn, almonds are especially used in the confectionary industry, to make sweets such as nougat, sugared almonds and almond cakes. They have a high fat content, which also yields an oil called sweet almond oil used in pharmacy. Almonds can be considered to be a natural dietary supplement for their wealth of nutritional contents, including a high level of calcium and magnesium, a high content of unsaturated fats, vi- tamin E and vegetable proteins of good quality. That is why sweet almonds are an ideal food for vegetarians and in cases of convalescence, asthenia, demineralisation, dermatosis and constipation, and can effectively strengthen the nervous system. For their high calorie content they should be considered an outright food.

Walnuts are eaten both in a fresh and dry staterand they are also rich in good quality oil. However, great care must be taken to preserve them for a long period to avoid them going rancid, since their oil tends to go rancid in a short time. The properties of the walnut, thanks to its wealth of mineral salts and polyunsaturated fatty acid content, have become very important in preventing heart disease. More specifically, walnuts contain significant amounts of essential fatty acids including, specifically, α-linolenic acid (of the omega-3 series) and linoleic acid (of the omega-6 series), of which they are one of the main sources.

Moreover, walnuts contain an important amount of arginin that, as already noted, helps to prevent atherosclerosis and dilates the blood, vessels. Hazelnuts are another kind of nut widely found in all temperate re- gions of the boreal hemisphere, and have been used since ancient times as an important source of nutrition. They are used with cocoa to make gianduia chocolate. The hazelnut is a highly digestible oily seed characterised by a low cholesterol content. Of its great quantity of fats, 85% are unsaturated - which is a particularly high percentage (unlike with other nuts), and consist of mono- unsaturated fatty acids such as oleic acid. This makes hazelnut oil composition very similar to that of olive oil, and confirms its nutritional properties.

Hazelnuts also contain the highest amount of vitamin E, besides vitamins of groups A and B, and thus have antioxidant properties. They are also an excellent source of fitosterols, substances considered important for the prevention of heart disease.

Chestnuts are also very common and were once a staple for their high energy content. Both chestnuts and maroons (a larger and normally sweeter variety having a lighter-coloured streaked skin) are widely used in the kitchen and in the confectionary industry: fresh or dried, they are used in recipes for soups and creams, or as an accompaniment to game and meats in general, while when roasted they are the famous "roast chestnuts". The confectionary industry uses maroons, for their sweeter taste, in recipes for marron glace and chestnut cake. The main characteristic of chestnuts is their high starch content and thus their high calorie value, which makes them unsuitable for overweight people and diabetics. Moreover, because they are difficult to digest, chestnuts are not suitable for very young children or for people with problems of diges- tion.

Another widely used nut is the pistachio, which is original of ancient Asia Minor and is commonly used in the confectionary industry and food industry in general, in order to aromatise and flavour many foods, particularly cold meats and sausages. More specifically, pistachios are used by confec- tioners to prepare nougats and ice-creams, for their aromatic taste and characteristic green colour. In the natural state, and sometimes salted, pistachios are eaten with aperitifs. From a nutritional standpoint, pistachios have a considerable fat content (about 48% of their weight), but no cholesterol, and also contain appreciable quantities of calcium, potassium, phosphorous and mag- nesium, as well as vitamins A, B₁ and B_2.

Finally, also pine-seeds, from the domestic pine tree, that have a characteristic aromatic flavour can be considered within the food category of nuts, since they are used in many recipes such as Genoese pesto, and in confectionary products. Pine-seeds also have a high fat content, about 45% by weight of a sweet oil, as well as albuminoid proteins and fibre.

One of the most typical and widely used confectionary products using nuts are sugared almonds or dragees. A typical sugared almond has an internal core, also called a "soul", traditionally consisting of an almond, preferably of the Avola variety, originally from the area of Syracuse (Sicily), that is char- acterised by having a thin elongated shape, or consisting of a Spanish almond or even another kind of nut, such as hazelnut, pistachio, chestnut or walnut - used whole, shelled and skinned. The core is coated with several layers of sugar through successive "washes" by means of equipment called "bassine" (basins), consisting of round cauldrons, preferably made of copper or steel, with a circular mouth, that are continuously rotating about their own axis, slightly inclined with respect to the vertical. In these cauldrons the almonds (or other nut variety) are processed with sugar and coated with successive layers of sugar syrup which, on solidifying, creates a white compact coat reproducing the overall shape of the almond itself, smoothing its edges. The outside surface of the finished sugared almond is smooth and white with a porcelain appearance. Its weight and size varies according to the calibre of the almond used and also according to the thickness and quality of the sugar coating. The best sugared almonds, besides being made from the highest quality almonds, are coated with very fine sugar which preserves their tenderness and does not smother their taste.

It must be noted that in the traditional production of sugared almonds, dragees and pralines, the core can also consist of other ingredients besides the nuts already mentioned: such as, for instance, the well-known dragees with cinnamon, chocolate, coffee, dried or candied fruit core, coated with sugar and/or chocolate. Another particular example consists of almonds coated with an inner chocolate layer and then an outer sugar layer. Another feature of traditional sugared almonds but of more recent origin is their external colouring: besides white, which is used for events such as weddings, other specific colours conventionally correspond to a particular ceremony, event or commemoration.

The industrial manufacturing of sugared almonds, which dates back to the last century in Italy, is continually seeking innovations that can improve the quality of the product or simplify production methods, or introduce new variants or qualities of the product itself, while still keeping unchanged those fundamental characteristics that make sugared almonds and the like a traditional product of reference. For example, European patent EP 1347686 describes a method for making multiple-layered sugar coatings on cores, preferably consisting of almonds, which method is addressed to solving the problem of the release of the external colour (in the case of coloured products) when the product is touched by the hands. In this case, the document suggests using the conventional equipment (cauldrons) of the core coating stages, wherein the coating phase with a coloured syrup is followed by a coating phase with one or more layers of colourless (transparent) syrup and then a layer of glazing syrup. The aforesaid document does not pay particular attention to the constitution of the nut core, which is of a conventional type and particularly consists of a whole almond.

Sugared-almond producers have for years been trying to use almond - or other nut - paste and/or flour in order to make a sufficiently hard and substantial core for it to undergo coating treatment in the cauldrons. There are several reasons for this research: on the one hand, the increasing cost of raw materials (of nuts, in general, and of almonds, in particular) while, on the other, the difficulty- in obtaining uniformly shaped almonds as well as the appeal of being able to obtain a new and particular kind of product comparable to a chocolate-core item, from a sugared-almond market standpoint.

To date, there are no known industrial methods for reconstituting the cores of almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios or other nuts starting from the corresponding paste and/or flour. Some attempts have been made in the past to use the conventional tablet production process, by means of tablet-making apparatus, and possibly supplementing the nut paste or flour with smaller quantities of the excipients commonly used in the production of pharmaceutical tablets. However, such attempts could not yield cores that were of acceptable quality as regards hardness and friability, in order to withstand the successive coating process in the cauldrons. The compression production technique met with considerable difficulties: firstly, owing to an evident poor cohesion and hardness of the core obtained, caused by the high oil content of nut paste or flour, and secondly, owing to the high operating cost, which would increase the price of the finished product out of all reasonable proportions. Another non-negligible nega- tive aspect of such a process is the poor stability of the compressed cores in terms of an excessive exposure of the paste or flour to oxidative processes that spoil the product, thereby worsening its palatability, in a relatively short time. In effect, nut paste and flour are very poorly workable by direct compression, and are discretely unstable at temperatures above 1 O⁰C or in the pres- ence of humidity, so that while whole nuts can be stable for up to one year, nut paste and/or flour has a stability of not more than six months when properly stored. A further inconvenience, certainly a non-negligible one, of the process for reconstituting nut cores by direct compression treatment is the fact that the core composition would be too different from the natural nut composition (of walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts etc.), since the excipients normally used in tablet production (such as gelatine, starch, alginates, magnesium stearate, micro- crystalline cellulose, etc.) are different with respect to the composition of these foods. It is evident that a non-negligible amount of binding agents and excipients extraneous to the natural composition of nuts cannot but have an adverse effect on the mechanical and rheological properties of the cores ob- tained, as well as on their organoleptic properties, and particularly their substance and palatability.

Therefore, mixtures based on nut paste and/or flour, if not formulated according to particular procedures and with specific precautions, yield cores with problems of instability and fragility, with evident negative repercussions on the sugar coating process (breakages of the cores) and on the final product storage even for short periods of time.

In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive procedure for obtaining a product based on the paste, flour or meal of almonds, chestnuts, pistachios, walnuts, hazelnuts and nuts in general, having a shape, substance, mechanical and rheological characteristics, as well as organoleptic characteristics similar to the original product consisting of whole dry seeds.

According to the invention, it has been found that adding a combination of hydrogenated fatty acids and inverted and/or fondant sugar, as well as lesser quantities of soy lecithin, one or more polyalcohols, cocoa butter, gum arabic and maltodextrin, to the paste and/or flour and/or meal of almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, chestnuts or other nuts in general, gives a better stability and a decreased hygroscopicity of the nut paste, flour and/or meal, also favouring a stabilising synergy regarding any additions of other antioxidants. In fact, the choice and dosage of the ingredients to be added to the raw material coming from nuts are such as to make the obtained cores easily processable in cauldrons, to be coated without incurring any breakages, as well as giving the resulting product a substance comparable to that of the corresponding whole seed. Moreover, the presence of hydrogenated fatty acids makes the mixture little hygroscopic and thus provides greater ^"protection both in the aqueous coating phase and against atmospheric agents (humidity, oxidative processes). Stability actually increases three-fold with respect to that of the corresponding flour or paste, with the possibility of protracting the preservation period of the finished product.

Therefore, the present invention specifically provides a food, dietary or nutraceutical composition based on nut paste, flour or meal including from 10% to 90% by weight of nut flour, paste and/or meal, from 10% to 90% by weight of hydrogenated fatty acids and/or their glycerides, and also mono- or disaccharide sugar, one or more polyalcohols, soy lecithin, cocoa butter, gum arabic and maltodextrin. Specifically, the nut flour, paste and/or meal may be the flour, paste and/or meal of almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, pistachios, chest- nuts or pine-seeds, but it is not to be ruled out that the same composition and procedure according to the present invention can be adopted to make cores for pralines and dragees based on the flour or meal of other vegetable products, particularly seeds, such as coffee beans.

Preferably, in the proposed composition, the said mono- or disaccha- ride sugar is chosen from among inverted and/or fondant sugar, sucrose, glucose, fructose or their mixtures, and is preferably inverted and/or fondant sugar. In this case, the formulation according to the present invention preferably includes from 5% to 90% by weight of inverted and/or fondant sugar.

Preferably, in the proposed composition, the said one or more polyal- cohols are chosen from the group consisting of erythritol, isomaltol, lactol, maltitol, mannitol, sorbitol and xylitol; the formulation according to the present invention preferably includes from 5% to 90% by weight of erythritol.

According to some preferred embodiments of the proposed composition, the tenor of soy lecithin is from 1 % to 3% by weight, the cocoa butter is from 2% to 30%, while the tenor of gum arabic and maltodextrin, independently of one another, is from 0.5% to 3% by weight.

To produce the cores to be used as the basis for making dragees similar to traditional ones, the composition according to the present invention preferably includes from 10% to 90% by weight of coffee or nut flour, paste and/or meal, from 20% to 60% by weight of hydrogenated fatty acids and/or their glycerides, from 5% to 90% by weight of inverted and/or fondant sugar, from 1 % to 3% by weight of soy lecithin, from 2% to 30% of cocoa butter, from 5% to 90% by weight of polyalcohols, from 0.5% to 3% by weight of gum ara- bic, and from 0.5% to 3% by weight of maltodextrin. Preferably, the said hydrogenated fatty acids and/or their glycerides are selected from the group consisting of: hydrogenated vegetable oils, hydrogenated soy oil, hydrogen- ated coconut oil, hydrogenated palm-seed oil, hydrogenated castor oil, cocoa butter, triglycerides of lauric or dodecanoic acid (C-|₂:0), triglycerides of myris- tic or tetradecanoic acid (Ci₄:0), triglycerides of palmitic or hexadecanoic acid (Ci₆:0), triglycerides of stearic or octadecanoic acid (Ci₈:0), triglycerides of arachic or eicosanoic acid (C₂o:O), triglycerides of behenic or docosanoic acid (C₂₂:0) - all hydrogenated - and their mixtures. Preferably, the said hydrogenated fatty acids and/or their glycerides used according to the present invention are hydrogenated soy oil or mixtures of triglycerides of palmitic and stearic acid, such as the product marketed under the brand name of VGB 4S by Gat- tefosse, which is defined as a hydrogenated soy oil, mainly composed of triglycerides of palmitic and stearic acid, with lesser quantities of oleic acid and its isomers (Ci₈: 1), and still lower quantities of other fatty acids.

According to some preferred embodiments of the present invention, the proposed composition also includes antioxidants, preferably chosen from among Q10 coenzyme and reduced glutathione (GSH) and their mixtures. Moreover, the said composition can optionally also include at least one other active ingredient, preferably chosen from among NADH, resveratrol, vitamin K₂ or other antioxidants and acceptable for use in foods.

The compositions according to the present invention are considerably less hygroscopic compared to hitherto known compositions based on nut paste and/or flour, as reported in the following Tables. TABLE 1 Hygroscopicity of the compositions according to the invention

permanence at 40⁰C, 75% R.H.

TABLE 2 Hygroscopicity of traditional nut flour compositions

* permanence at 4O⁰C, 75% R.H.

In general, the compositions according to the present invention can be presented in the form of a bar, tablet, capsule or granule, but are preferably in the form of an almond-, hazelnut-, walnut-, pistachio-, pine-seed- or chestnut- shaped core, or can be spherical, lens-shaped, oval or cylindrical. Preferably, the proposed compositions are realised in the form of a whole almond or walnut, so that they can then undergo sugar coating or dragee production. The choice of ingredients of the compositions according to the present invention makes it possible to easily create cores in the form of almonds or walnuts, for example, or in any other shape suitable for a food, dietary or nutraceutical composition to be taken orally, simply by pouring the melted mixture and then solidifying it on cooled rollers, using suitable moulds, after mixing while hot. The cores thus obtained can then be coated.

For the purposes of the present description, the term "sugar-coating" generally means a process by means of which the cores ("souls"), consisting of whole nuts or other elements, are coated with a sugary layer in order to obtain the traditional type sugared almonds/nuts. The cores are loaded inside particular vessels - the basins (mentioned above) - equipped with an automatic system for feeding the sugary solution and also an air ventilation and suction system. The cores are made to rotate inside the cauldrons and a wa- ter and sugar solution is added at intervals. This solution is distributed uniformly on all the cores before hot air is inputted to dry them and remove the humidity. This operation is carried out several times until the required thickness of sugary coating is obtained.

Still for the purposes of the present description, the term "sugar film- coating" generally means an operation that is carried out in the same aforesaid cauldrons by a continuous input of sugary solution. The difference with the aforesaid "sugar-coating" process is that in this case the syrup feed takes place in a continuous manner with the forming of extremely fine particles, and hot air is also fed in continuously to dry the cores, in order to form uniformly thin layers of sugary coating.

Optionally, suitable colouring or falvouring agents, in quantities normally from 1% to 2% by weight, can be added to the sugary solutions used for coating the cores.

The elements making up the cores can also be coated with an under- coat based on water varnishes preferably containing shellac and/or its salts (Shellac™), or titanium dioxide, talcum, glycerine, polyvynilpyrolidone, hy- droxypropylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose and/or their mixtures. The varnish may be present in a quantity ranging from 2% to 50% by weight, with respect to the total weight of the core. During film-coating with water var- nishes, an essential oil of almond or hazelnut can be added, in a quantity from 0.01% to 0.5% by weight, calculated on the total core weight.

The present invention further specifically provides cores for producing bars, tablets, capsules or granules, or elements of a spherical, lens, oval or cylindrical shape, or shaped like almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, pistachios, pine-seeds, chestnuts or coffee bean, coated by sugar film-coating or by sugar-coating, including the aforesaid defined composition.

More specifically, the present invention concerns cores for producing pralines or dragees shaped like almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, pistachios, pine- seeds, chestnuts or coffee beans, coated by sugar film-coating or by sugar- coating, including the aforesaid defined composition.-Preferably, the cores according to the present invention are shaped like almonds, hazelnuts, wal- nuts, pistachios or pine-seeds and are coated by sugar-coating.

According to another aspect therof, the present invention concerns the corresponding final products, that is, pralines or dragees shaped like almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, pistachios, pine-seeds, chestnuts or coffee beans, coated by sugar film-coating or by sugar-coating, including, as cores, the aforesaid defined composition.

The present invention further concerns a procedure for the production of cores for the production of pralines or dragees, or bars, tablets, capsules or granules based on nut paste, flour or meal or coffee, including the following consecutive steps: a) melting the hydrogenated fatty acids and/or their glycerides in quantities of 10%-90% of the total weight of the said cores; b) mixing the melted product obtained in step a) with coffee or nut flour, paste and/or meal or in quantities equal to 10%-90% of the total weight of the said cores, and with mono- or disaccharide sugar, soy lecithin, gum arabic and maltodextrin, and other optional additional ingredients; c) shaping the dragees, pralines or other elements by pouring the melted mixture obtained in step b) between two opposed counter-rotating mould rollers that have cavities shaped like the required dragees, pralines or other elements; d) cooling the shaped elements obtained in step c); e) removing the waste and imperfections from the shaped elements obtained in step d).

As already noted, the mono- or disaccharide sugar is preferably inverted and/or fondant sugar, and is mixed in the said step b) in quantities ranging from 5% to 90% of the total weight of the said cores. Still according to the preferred solutions, the soy lecithin, cocoa butter, polyalcohols, gum arabic and maltodextrin are mixed in step b) in quantities ranging between 1 %- 3%, 2%-30%, 5%-90%, 0.5%-3% and 0.5%-3%, respectively, of the total weight of the said cores.

Still according to the^" preferred formulations in the production process of the present invention, the said coffee or nut flour, paste and/or meal is mixed in step b) in quantities ranging from 20% to 90% of the total weight of the cores, and the hydrogenated fatty acids and/or their glycerides that are initially melted in operation a) are in quantities ranging from 20% to 60% of the total weight of the said cores.

According to the various applications of the production process of the present invention, the said pralines or dragees that must be created, starting from the cores produced as stated above, are of a spherical, lens, oval or cylindrical shape, or shaped like almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, pistachios, pine-seeds, chestnuts or coffee beans, and the said cavities envisaged on the said mould rollers of step c) are shaped accordingly. According to certain preferred embodiments of the process of the present invention, during the first phase of the process according to the present invention (step a) the hydrogenated fatty acids and/or their glycerides are added in a heated stainless steel vessel equipped with a paddle stirrer. Depending on the melting temperature of the product used, the temperature is then set at which the vessel must be kept, normally in the range between 5O⁰C and 100⁰C, and preferably between 60°C and 90°C. The mixture is then left under stirring until the fat has completely melted, and until a liquid consistency is obtained. The rotating speed of the stirring system is from 10 and 50 rpm, and preferably between 10 and 20 rpm. Once the fatty acid has completely liquefied, the nut flour, paste and/or meal as well as all the other ingredients from step b), along with any other additional ingredient, are added to the vessel still under stirring, and the whole mixture is left under stirring for about 5-10 minutes, at a stirring speed within the aforesaid limits, until all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed to- gether.

In step c) of the procedure according to the present invention, still according to some of its preferred embodiments, the liquid mixture from the vessel is conveyed on the shaping line and poured through two parallel steel rollers, one rotating clockwise and the other anticlockwise, at a speed ranging between 5 and 30 rpm, and preferably between 6 and 15 rpm. The rollers contain cavities of the desired shape (almond-shape, oval, etc.). The rollers are cooled at a temperature ranging between -4O⁰C and 20⁰C, and preferably between -1O⁰C and 10°C, in order to favour cooling of the liquid mass. The liquid that is poured hot between the two rollers goes to fill the cavities and comes out at the bottom in the required shape. In step d) the shaped cores formed on exiting the two rollers fall onto a conveyor belt to then be taken into a cooling tunnel fed with forced air at a temperature ranging between 0°C and 1O⁰C, and preferably 4-5 ⁰C. The cores are thus further cooled inside the tunnel until they become hard and compact.

Since the shaped and cooled cores obtained in step d) of the proposed process still contain some slight imperfections along their edges, due to small pieces of mix, the cores are passed inside rotating cylinders (at a speed ranging between 5 and 30 rpm, and preferably between 7 and 12 rpm), where the continuous rotation and resulting remixing files away at the edges thereby conferring a regular and uniform shape.

As already noted, the cores formed in this way can be packaged and sold as they are for their subsequent use in other processes, or can undergo the aforesaid sugar-coating and/or sugar film-coating processes.

For the sugar-coating process, the cores obtained with the process according to the present invention are loaded into the cauldrons and heated at a temperature ranging from 25°C and 6O⁰C, and preferably from 30⁰C and 35⁰C. The cores are made to roll inside the cauldrons while a water, sugar and polyalcohol solution is added at regular intervals. The concentrations of the solution range between 50°bx and 80°bx, and preferably between 70°bx and 78°bx. The cores coated with this solution are then dried in hot air at a flow ranging between 10 mm H₂O and 40 mm H₂O, and preferably between 30 mm H₂O and 40 mm H₂O, until all the humidity is removed. This operation is carried out several times until the required thickness of the sugar and/or polyalcohol coating is obtained, with an increase in weight ranging from 30% to 70%, and preferably from 30% to 50%.

For the sugar film-coating procedure, the cores are treated in the same cauldrons, but with a continuous input of sugary solution at a flow rate ranging from 100 and 1000 g/min, and preferably from 300 and 600 g/min. The temperature of the cores is between 30°C and 50⁰C, and preferably between 35⁰C and 45⁰C.

As already noted, the sugar-coating or sugar film-coating phase can also optionally envisage the addition of one or more excipients, including όol- orants or flavourings, to the film-coating or sugar-coating mixture. Moreover, the final coating of the core, either by film-coating or by sugar-coating, may be preceded by an intermediate phase wherein an undercoat is applied, preferably consisting of shellac and/or its salts (Shellac™). This step allows reducing the hygroscopicity of the core produced according to the present invention and brings considerable advantages in the possible subsequent step of sugar film- coating in an aqueous phase.

The specific features of the present invention, as well as its advantages and relative operational methods, will be more evident with reference to the detailed description presented merely for exemplificative purposes below, along with the results of the experiments carried out on it. EXAMPLE 1

Cores of 1010 mg Basic composition: hydrogenated soy oil (VGB 4S Gattefosse) 380 g soy lecithin 15 g gum arabic 10 g maltodextrin 100 g inverted and/or fondant sugar 50 g almond flour 455 g

1010 g The cores of the aforesaid composition are prepared according to the following procedure. The hydrogenated fatty acid is first melted at a temperature ranging between 6O⁰C and 90⁰C and then the almond flour is mixed into the melted hydrogenated fatty acid, forming a fluid mix that is..kept under stirring by means of a paddle system inside a stainless steel vessel. A surface active agent is then added to the oily liquid. Finally, all the other ingredients are added while the melted mix is kept under constant stirring, preferably by means of stainless steel paddles.

The fluid paste is then poured between two slowly rotating rollers cooled at a temperature ranging between -1O⁰C and 10⁰C to favour cooling of the liquid mass and to increase the hardness of the cores being formed.

The cores thus formed, after further cooling and treatment inside the rotating cylinders in order to remove the process imperfections, can be sold as they are or undergo a further processing (sugar-coating or sugar film-coating).

Humidity according to the Karl Fischer method: < 10.0% The standard yield of the process (ratio between the weight of the cores produced and overall weight of the initial raw materials): 97%.

The stability trials on uncoated cores were carried out only at 40⁰C and 75% R.H. for six months and per single batch, because the uncoated cores were not a finished product. The samples were stored in polyethylene bags. The data reported in the Table 3 below show the excellent stability of the cores produced.

TABLE 3 Batch 001 : cores of 1010 mg - composition of Example 1

/f In the first phase of coating by film-coating, the temperature of the cores is kept at 40⁰C for about 40 minutes; then, at regular intervals, it is lowered to 35⁰C in the final phase. After the protected cores- are coated, they are left to dry for another 10 minutes still at 50⁰C. Finally, the temperature is al- lowed to fall to 30-35°C in order to start emptying the cauldron, taking care to properly store the dragees in suitable damp-proof bags. No increase in the percentage of aqueous content was found in the cores thus produced.

EXAMPLE 2 Cores of 1010 mg Basic composition: hydrogenated soy oil (VGB 4S Gattefosse) 50 g soy lecithin 15 g gum arabic 1O g maltodextrin 10O g inverted and/or fondant sugar 38O g almond flour 455 g

_____

The quantities refer to the preparation of a standard industrial batch of 250 kg of cores. The cores were prepared according to the procedure de- scribed in Example 1 , by using the aforesaid ingredients and quantities.

EXAMPLE 3 Cores of 1010 mg Basic composition: hydrogenated soy oil (VGB 4S Gattefosse) 250 g hydrogenated fatty acids 60 (Igor 60) 130 g maltodextrin 100 g soy lecithin 15 g gum arabic 10 g inverted and/or fondant sugar 50 g almond flour 455 g

1010 g ^~~~ The quantities refer to the preparation of a standard industrial batch of 250 kg of cores. The cores were prepared according to the procedure described in Example 1 , by using the aforesaid ingredients and quantities.

EXAMPLE 4 Cores of 1010 mg

Basic composition: hydrogenated soy oil (VGB 4S Gattefosse) 280 g cocoa butter 100 g soy lecithin 15 g gum arabic 10 g maltodextrin 100 g inverted and/or fondant sugar 50 g almond flour 455 g ϊoϊόg The quantities refer to the preparation of a standard industrial batch of

250 kg of cores. The cores were prepared according to the procedure described in Example 1 , by using the aforesaid ingredients and quantities.

EXAMPLE 5 Cores of 1010 mg Basic composition: hydrogenated soy oil (VGB 4S Gattefosse) 470 g soy lecithin 15 g gum arabic 10 g maltodextrin 10 g inverted and/or fondant sugar 50 g almond flour 455 g

Here, too, the cores were prepared according to the procedures described in Example 1 , by using the aforesaid ingredients and quantities. The data reported in Table 4 below show the excellent stability of the cores produced. TABLE 4 Batch 002: cores of 1010 mg - composition of Example 5

^■.Temperature (°C)/time (months); : % of substance referred to 100 g of dry edible material

EXAMPLE 6

Cores of 1010 mg

Basic composition: hydrogenated soy oil (VGB 4S Gattefosse) 250 g hydrogenated fatty acids 60 (Igor 60) 130 g soy lecithin 15 g gum arabic 10 g maltodextrin 10 g inverted and/or fondant sugar 50 g glucose syrup 50 g almond flour 495 g

1010 g

The cores were prepared according to the procedure described in Example 1 , with the aforesaid ingredients and quantities.

EXAMPLE 7 Cores of 1010 mg

Basic composition: hydrogenated soy oil (VGB 4S Gattefosse) 440 g soy lecithin 25 g gum arabic 20 g maltodextrin 20 g inverted and/or fondant sugar 50 g almond flour 455 g

1010 g

Here, too, the cores-were prepared according to the procedures de- scribed in Example 1, by using the aforesaid ingredients and quantities. The data reported in Table 5 below show the excellent stability of the cores produced.

TABLE 5 Batch 003: cores of 1010 mg - composition of Example 7

^•.Temperature (°C)/time (months); : % of substance referred to 100 g o ry e ible material

EXAMPLE 8

Cores of 1010 mg

Basic composition: hydrogenated soy oil (VGB 4S Gattefosse) 460 g soy lecithin 15 g gum arabic 20 g maltodextrin 10 g inverted and/or fondant sugar 50 g almond flour 455 g

— - 101O g

The cores were prepared according to the procedures described in Example 1, by using the aforesaid ingredients and quantities. The data reported in Table 6 below show the excellent stability of the cores produced. TABLE 6 Batch 004: cores of 1010 mg - composition of Example 8

.Temperature (°C)/time (months); : % of substance referred to 100 g of dry edible material EXAMPLE 9

Cores of 1010 mg Basic composition: hydrogenated soy oil (VGB 4S Gattefosse) 480 g soy lecithin 15 g gum arabic 10 g maltodextrin 10 g inverted and/or fondant sugar 40 g hazelnut, pistacchio, chestnut or almond meal or coffee granules 455 g 1010 g

The cores were prepared according to the procedures described in Example 1 , by using the aforesaid ingredients and quantities.

EXAMPLE 10 Cores of 1010 mg Basic composition: hydrogenated soy oil (VGB 4S Gattefosse) 400 g gum arabic 2O g soy lecithin 15 g maltodextrin 10 g inverted and/or fondant sugar 6O g dextrose 5O g almond flour 455 g

1010 g --

EXAMPLE 11 Cores of 1010 mg Basic composition: hydrogenated soy oil (VGB 4S Gattefosse) 400 g gum arabic 20 g soy lecithin 15 g maltodextrin 10 g inverted and/or fondant sugar 50 g modified rice or flour starches 10 g dextrose 50 g almond flour 455 g hazelnut, pistachio, chestnut or almond meal or coffee granules 455 g

1010 g

The cores were prepared according to the procedures described in Example 1, by using the aforesaid ingredients and quantities. The data reported in Table 7 below show the excellent stability of the cores produced.

TABLE 7 Batch 005: cores of 1010 mg - composition of Example 11

EXAMPLE 12

Cores of 1010 mg

Basic composition: hydrogenated soy oil (VGB 4S Gattefosse) 38O g gum arabic 2O g soy lecithin 15 g maltodextrin 10 g inverted and/or fondant sugar. 5O g modified rice or flour starches 10 g dextrose 5O g almond flour 455 g hazelnut, pistachio, chestnut or almond meal or coffee granules 475 g 1010 g

EXAMPLE 13 Cores of 1010 mg Basic composition: hydrogenated soy oil (VGB 4S Gattefosse) 400 g gum arabic 20 g soy lecithin 15 g maltodextrin 10 g inverted and/or fondant sugar 50 g cocoa 10 g dextrose 50 g hazelnut, pistachio, chestnut^* or almond meal or coffee granules 455 g 1010 g

The cores were prepared according to the procedures described in Example 1, by using the aforesaid ingredients and quantities. EXAMPLE 14

Cores of 1010 mg

Basic composition: hydrogenated soy oil (VGB 4S Gattefosse) 150 g cocoa butter 250 g gum arabic 20 g soy lecithin 15 g maltodextrin 10 g inverted and/or fondant sugar 50 g cocoa 10 g dextrose 50 g hazelnut, pistachio, chestnut or almond meal or coffee granules 455 g

1010 g

The cores were prepared according to the procedures described in Example 1 , by using the aforesaid ingredients and quantities. The data reported in Table 8 below show the excellent stability of the cores produced.

TABLE 8 Batch 006: cores of 1010 mg - composition of Example 14

hydrogenated soy oil (VGB 4S Gattefosse) 15O g palm-seed oil 25O g gum arabic 20 g soy lecithin 15 g maltodextrin 1O g inverted and/or fondant sugar 5O g cocoa 10 g dextrose 5O g

Q10 0.01 g hazelnut, pistachio, chestnut or almond meal or coffee granules 455 g

= 1010 g

The cores were prepared according to the procedures described in Example 1, by using the aforesaid ingredients and quantities. The data reported in Table 9 below show the excellent stability of the cores produced.

TABLE 9 Batch 007: cores of 1010 mg - composition of Example 15

EXAMPLE 16

Cores of 1010 mg

Basic composition: hydrogenated soy oil (VGB 4S Gattefosse) 280 g cocoa butter 100 g soy lecithin 15 g gum arable 10 g maltodextrin 100 g inverted and/or fondant sugar 5O g vitamin K₂ (1 x 1000) 0.090 g almond flour 455 g

1010.09 g

The quantities refer to the preparation of a standard industrial batch of 250 kg of cores. The cores were prepared according to the procedure described in Example 1 , by using the aforesaid ingredients and quantities. EXAMPLE 17

Cores of 1010 mg Basic composition: hydrogenated soy oil (VGB 4S Gattefosse) 280 g erythritol 100 g soy lecithin 15 g gum arabic 10 g maltodextrin 100 g inverted and/or fondant sugar 50 g vitamin K₂ (I x 1000) 0.09O g almond flour 455 g

1010,09 g

The quantities refer to the preparation of a standard industrial batch of 250 kg of cores. The cores were prepared according to the procedure described in Example 1 , by using the aforesaid ingredients and quantities. EXAMPLE 18

Cores of 1010 mg Basic composition: hydrogenated soy oil (VGB 4S Gattefosse) 200 g palm-seed oil 200 g gum arabic 20 g soy lecithin 15 g maltodextrin 1O g inverted and/or fondant sugar 5O g animal or vegetable gelatine^' 10 g dextrose 5O g

GSH 0.005 g hazelnut, pistachio, chestnut or almond meal or coffee granules 455 g s 1010 g

The cores were prepared according to the procedures described in Example 1 , by using the aforesaid ingredients and quantities. The data reported in Table 10 below show the excellent stability of the cores produced.

TABLE 10 Batch 008: cores of 1010 mg - composition of Example 18

Temperature (°C)/time (months); : % of substance referred to 100 g of dry edible material

Stability trials on the finished product

The stability, both at 40⁰C and 75% R.H. (stress test) as well as at long-term room temperature (shelf life), of the compositions of Examples 1-18 according to the present invention was assessed on the basis of variations in appearance (essentially variations in colour and palatability), by the increase in humidity (K.F. method), by the titre (% of dragee or of sugar film-coated core) in substances that are degradable both by oxidation and by other degrading processes (glucides, lipids, proteins, vitamin E and other starting active ingredients: Q10, GSH etc.), expressed as a percentage with respect to the preparation as produced at time zero.

Stress test

The cores were packaged in screw-top plastic flasks in order to reproduce the final packaging conditions (50-60% of humidity and 25⁰C). The prod- uct is normally packaged in 1 kg cartons that are not hermetically sealed.

The samples thus prepared were stored for six months in an oven (Kottermann), with thermostat set at a temperature of 40 ± 2°C and 75% R. H.. Three samples were used, coming from each batch for the cores of 1010 mg and each sample, for each batch, was sampled after 0, 1 , 3 and 6 months. Tables 11-28 below report the results of the stress test.

TABLE 11 Batch 009: cores of 1010 mg - sugar-coated core of Example 1

TABLE 12 Batch 010: cores of 1010 mg - sugar-coated core of Example 2

Temperature (°C)/time (months); : % of substance referred to 100 g of ry edi le material

TABLE 13 Batch 011: cores of 1010 mg - sugar-coated core of Example 3

¹:Temperature (°C)/time (months); : % of substance reerre o g o ry e e maerial TABLE 14 Batch 012: cores 1010 mg - sugar-coated core of Example 4

:Temperature (°C)/time (months); : % of substance referred to 100 g of dry edible material TABLE 15

Batch 013: cores of 1010 mg - sugar-coated core of Example 5

:Temperature (°C)/time (months); : % of substance referred to 100 g o dry edible materia!

TABLE 16 Batch 014: cores of 1010 mg - sugar-coated core of Example 6

¹:Temperature (°C)/time (months); : % of substance re erre to g o ry e e ma erial TABLE 17 Batch 015: cores of 1010 mg - sugar-coated core of Example 7

:Temperature (°C)/time (months); : % of substance referred to 100 g of dry edible material TABLE 18

Batch 016: cores of 1010 mg - sugar-coated core of Example 8

-.Temperature (°C)/time (months); : % of substance referred to 100 g of dry edible material

TABLE 19 Batch 017: cores of 1010 mg - sugar-coated core of Example 9

¹ Temperature (°C)/time (months); : o su stance re erre o g o ry e e ma erial TABLE 20 Batch 018: cores of 1010 mg - sugar-coated core of Example 10

:Temperature (°C)/time (months); : % of substance referred to 100 g of dry edible material

TABLE 21 Batch 019: cores of 1010 mg - sugar-coated core of Example 11

TABLE 22 Batch 020: cores 1010 mg - sugar-coated core of Example 12

¹:Temperature (°C)/time (mon s; : o su sance reerre o g o ry e e maerial TABLE 23 Batch 021 : cores of 1010 mg - sugar-coated core of Example 13

:Temperature (°C)/time (months); \ % of substance referred to 100 g of dry edible material

TABLE 24 Batch 022: cores of 1010 mg - sugar-coated core of Example 14

TABLE 25 Batch 023: cores of 1010 mg - sugar-coated core of Example 15

TABLE 26 Batch 023: cores of 1010 mg - sugar-coated core of Example 16

TABLE 27 Batch 024: cores of 1010 mg - sugar-coated core of Example 17

¹:Temperature (°C)/time (months); % of substance referred to 100 g of dry edible material

TABLE 28 Batch 025: cores of 1010 mg - sugar-coated core of Example 18

The data in Tables 11 to 28 show the excellent stability of the dragees.

In general, from the stability data at 4O⁰C and 75% R.H. (stress test) it is possible to see that all the batches examined after six months had de- graded by about 5% both as regards the vitamin E and the other active ingredients.

Shelf life

The cores were packaged in screw-top plastic flasks in order to recreate the final packaging conditions (50-60% humidity and 25°C).

The samples were selected according to the same procedures and quantities described for the stress test, and were stored in a thermostat controlled environment at a temperature of 25 ± 2°C and humidity of 60% R.H. Three samples were used, coming from each batch for the 1010 mg cores and each sample, for each batch, was sampled after 0, 1 , 3 and 6 months.

Tables 29-46 below report the shelf-life results.

TABLE 29 Batch 026: cores of 1010 mg - sugar-coated core of Example 1

:Temperature (°C)/time (months); : % of substance referred to 100 g of dry edible material TABLE 30 Batch 027: cores of 1010 mg - sugar-coated core of Example 2

TABLE 31 Batch 028: cores of 1010 mg - sugar-coated core of Example 3

TABLE 32 Batch 029: cores of 1010 mg - sugar-coated core of Example 4

¹ Temperature (°C)/time (months); : % of substance re erred to 0 g o ry e e ma erial TABLE 33 Batch 030: cores of 1010 mg - sugar-coated core of Example 5

TABLE 34 Batch 031: cores of 1010 mg - sugar-coated core of Example 6

;Temperature (°C)/time (months); : % of substance referred to 100 g of dry edible material

TABLE 35 Batch 032: cores of 1010 mg - sugar-coated core of Example 7

¹:Temperature (°C)/time (mont s); : % of substance re erre o g o ry e e ma erial TABLE 36 Batch 033: cores of 1010 mg - sugar-coated core of Example 8

TABLE 37 Batch 034: cores of 1010 mg - sugar-coated core of Example 9

: Temperature (°C)/time (months); : % of substance referred to 100 g of dry edible material

TABLE 38 Batch 035: cores of 1010 mg - sugar-coated core of Example 10

TABLE 39 Batch 036: cores of 1010 mg - sugar-coated core of Example 11

:Temperature (°C)/time (months); : % of substance referred to 100 g of dry edible material TABLE 40

Batch 037: cores of 1010 mg - sugar-coated core of Example 12

TABLE 41 Batch 038: cores of 1010 mg - sugar-coated core of Example 13

TABLE 42 Batch 039: cores of 1010 mg - sugar-coated core of Example 14

¹:Temperature (°C)/time (months); : % of substance referred to 100 g of dry edible material TABLE 43

Batch 040: cores of 1010 mg - sugar-coated core of Example 15

Temperature (°C)/time (months); % of substance referred to 100 g of dry edible material

TABLE 44 Batch 041: cores of 1010 mg - sugar-coated core of Example 16

TABLE 45 Batch 042: cores of 1010 mg - sugar-coated core of Example 17

^.Temperature (°C)/time (months); : % of substance referred to 100 g of dry

TABLE 46 Batch 043: cores of 1010 mg - sugar-coated core of Example 18

The data in Tables 29-46 show the excellent stability of the dragees. From the stability data at 25°C and 60% R.H. (shelf life) it is possible to note that all the batches examined after twelve months had incurred a very low degradation in vitamin E and in other ingredients. The present invention has been disclosed with particular reference to some specific embodiments thereof, but it should be understood that modifications and changes may be made by the persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A food, dietary or nutraceutical composition based on coffee or nut paste, flour or meal including from 10% to 90% by weight of coffee or nut flour, paste and/or meal, from 10% to 90% by weight of hydrogenated fatty acids and/or their glycerides and, in addition, mono- or disaccharide sugar, one or more polyalcohols, soy lecithin, cocoa butter, gum arabic and maltodextrin.

2. A composition according to claim 1 , wherein the said nut flour, paste and/or meal is the flour, paste and/or meal of almonds, hazelnuts, wal- nuts, pistachios, chestnuts or pine-seeds.

3. A composition according to claim 1 , wherein the said mono- or disaccharide sugar is selected from the group consisting of: inverted and/or fondant sugar, sucrose, glucose, fructose or their mixtures.

4. A composition according to claim 3, including from 5 % to 90% by weight of inverted and/or fondant sugar.

5. A composition according to any one of claims 1-4, including from 5% to 90% of one or more polyalcohols.

6. A composition according to claim 5, wherein the said one or more polyalcohols are selected from among erythritol, isomaltol, lactol, maltitol, mannitol, sorbitol, xylitol and their mixtures.

7. A composition according to any one of claims 1-6, including from 1 % to 3% by weight of soy lecithin.

8. A composition according to any one of claims 1-7, including from 2% to 30% by weight of cocoa butter. 9. A composition according to any one of claims 1-8, including from

0.5% to 3% by weight of gum arabic.

^" 10. A composition according to any one of claims 1-9, including from 0.5% to 3% by weight of maltodextrin.

1 1. A composition according to any one of claims 1-10, including from 10% to 90% by weight of coffee or nut flour, paste and/or meal, from 20% to

60% by weight of hydrogenated fatty acids and/or their glycerides, from 5% to

90% by weight of inverted and/or fondant sugar, from 1 % to 3% by weight of soy lecithin, from 2% to 30% of cocoa butter, from 0.5% to 3% by weight of gum arabic and from 0.5% to 3% by weight of maltodextrin.

12. A composition according to any one of claims 1-11 , wherein the said hydrogenated fatty acids and/or their glycerides are oils selected from the group consisting of: hydrogenated vegetable oils, hydrogenated soy oil, hydrogenated coconut oil, hydrogenated palm-seed oil, hydrogenated castor oil, cocoa butter, triglycerides of lauric acid, triglycerides of myristic acid, triglycerides of palmitic acid, triglycerides of stearic acid, triglycerides of arachic acid, triglycerides of behenic acid, all hydrogenated, and their mixtures.

13. A composition according to claim 12, wherein the said hydrogenated fatty acids and/or their glycerides are hydrogenated soy oil or mixtures of triglycerides of palmitic and stearic acid.

14. A composition according to any one of claims 1-13, also including antioxidants. ^'

15. A composition according to claim 14, wherein the said antioxidants are selected from among coenzyme Q10 and reduced glutathione or their mixtures and vitamin K₂.

16. A composition according to any one of the preceding claims, presented in the form of a bar, tablet, capsule or granule, or in a spherical, lens, oval or cylindrical shape, or shaped like an almond, hazelnut, walnut, pistachio, pine-seed, chestnut or coffee bean.

17. A core for the production of bars, tablets, capsules or granules, or elements of a spherical, lens, oval or cylindrical shape, or shaped like an almond, hazelnut, walnut, pistachio, pine-seed, chestnut or coffee bean, coated by sugar film-coating or by sugar-coating, comprising the composition as defined in claims 1-16.

18. A core for the production of pralines, dragees and the like shaped like an almond, hazelnut, walnut, pistachio, pine-seed, chestnut or coffee bean, coated by sugar film-coating or by sugar-coating, comprising the com- position as defined in claims 1-16.

19. A core according to claim 18, for the production of dragees shaped like an almond, hazelnut, walnut, pistachio, pine-seed, chestnut or coffee bean, coated by sugar-coating.

20. Pralines, dragees and the like shaped like an almond, hazelnut, walnut, pistachio, pine-seed, chestnut or coffee bean, coated by by sugar film- coating or by sugar-coating, comprising, as a core, the composition as defined in claims 1-16.

21. A process for the production of cores for pralines, dragees and the like, or for the production of bars, tablets, capsules or granules, based on coffee or nut paste, flour or meal, comprising the following consecutive steps: a) melting the hydrogenated fatty acids and/or their glycerides in quanti- ties of from 10% to 90% of the total weight of the said cores; b) mixing the melted product obtained in step a) with coffee or nut flour, paste and/or meal in quantities of from 10% to 90% of the total weight of the said cores, and with mono- or disaccharide sugar, soy lecithin, gum arabic and maltodextrin, and other optional additional ingredients; c) shaping the pralines, dragees or other elements by pouring the melted mixture obtained in step b) between two parallel and counter-rotating mould rollers containing cavities shaped in the desired form of the said pralines, dragees or other elements; d) cooling the shaped elements obtained in step c); e) removing the waste and imperfections from the shaped elements obtained in operation d).

22. A process according to claim 21 , wherein the said mono- or disaccharide sugar is inverted and/or fondant sugar, and is mixed in the said step b) in quantities of from 5% to 90% of the total weight of the said cores.

23. A process according to claims 21 or 22, wherein the said soy lecithin, cocoa butter, gum arabic and maltodextrin are mixed in the said step b) in quantities, respectively, of from 1 % to 3%, from 2% to 30%, from 0.5% to 3%, and from 0.5% to 3% of the total weight of the said cores.

24. A process according to any one of claims 21-23, wherein the said coffee or nut flour, paste and/or meal is mixed in step b) in quantities of from 10% to 90% of the total weight of the said cores and the said hydrogenated fatty acids and/or their glycerides of operation a) are in quantities of from 20% to 60% of the total weight of the said cores.

25. A process according to any one of claims 21-24, wherein the said pralines, dragees and the like are spherical, lens-shaped, oval or cylindrical in shape or are shaped like an almond, hazelnut, walnut, pistachio, pine-seed, chestnut or coffee bean, and the said cavities in the said mould rollers of step c) are shaped accordingly.