MXPA99002915A - Spray crystallised products and processes - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of producing a granulated product having a soft texture comprises obtaining a substance in liquid form, the substance being solid at a given temperature, atomising the liquid substance, rapidly cooling the atomised liquid so that at least partially solid particles are formed and maintaining or returning the substance at or to substantially said given temperature so that said particles agglomerate to form a soft textured product.

Description

CRYSTALLIZED PRODUCTS BY SPRAYING AND PROCESSES Field of the Invention The present invention relates to products crystallized by spraying and to the processes for producing such products and, in particular, to a new granulated grease and other products and methods.

Background of the Invention Cryogenic crystallization of fats is already known from EP 0393963 which describes apparatuses and methods for producing solid fat particles by the combination with dry ingredients such as those of animal feed. The method, called spray crystallization, involves the use of a high-pressure pump to transfer the liquid grease to a jet and use the compressed air to atomize the stream in a fine mist. The atomized mist passes through a laser beam cutting ring which sprays liquid nitrogen or carbon dioxide over the mist so that the fat particles cool rapidly to produce fat crystals. The resulting fat crystals are mixed, REF .: 29917 for example with powder or milk whey flour, to give a lump-free, dry powder.

Detailed description of the invention Having conducted a considerable amount of research using the prior art, a range of new products and related processes have been developed. The products and processes have considerable potential and wide application, particularly in the food industry but also in a variety of other industries. • According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of producing a granulated product having a smooth texture, comprising obtaining a substance in liquid form, the substance is solid at a given temperature, atomizing the liquid substance, cooling the atomized liquid rapidly so that at least partially solid particles are formed and the substance is maintained or returned to or substantially at said given temperature so that the particles agglomerate to form a smooth textured product. The method can include obtaining the substance in solid form and raising the temperature of the substance above the given temperature so that the substance melts to form a liquid. According to a second aspect of the invention, a smooth textured product is provided which comprises an agglomeration of the at least partially solid particles. Preferably said particles are produced by spray crystallization. According to a third aspect of the invention, a method is provided for converting a substance which is solid at a given temperature into a substance which is of soft texture at the given temperature, which comprises obtaining the substance in liquid form, atomizing the liquid, rapidly cooling the atomized liquid to form at least partially solid particles and agglomerating the particles to form a coherent mass. The method may include obtaining (the substance in the solid form and melting the substance to form a liquid) Preferably the particles are agglomerated by holding or returning the particles to or substantially at the given temperature The invention further provides an agglomerated product having a texture soft produced using a method of the invention.

The substance may comprise a fat, oil and / or wax or a fat, oil and / or wax-based composition. The substance may comprise a mixture of fats, oils and / or waxes or a mixture of fat, oil and / or wax and other components. The time interval during which the substance or particles are maintained at or returned to substantially the given temperature to cause agglomeration, may depend on the substance used and the temperature. The given temperature can be substantially the room temperature or that of the room. Preferably atomization and rapid cooling is by means of spray crystallization. Preferably the liquid substance is transferred to a jet by means of a high pressure pump. Preferably, compressed air is used to atomize the liquid stream in a mist. Preferably the atomized mist passes through a cryogenic cooling ring, where the cryogenic liquid is introduced to rapidly cool the atomized mist. Preferably the cryogenic liquid is sprayed onto the atomized mist. Preferably the cryogenic liquid comprises oxygen, nitrogen, air or carbon dioxide. Preferably the rapid cooling and agglomeration result from an alteration to the crystalline structure of the substance. Accordingly, the process of the invention alters the substance from a solid to a smooth textured product. The agglomerated product produced has several advantages due to its smooth texture. For example, the product can be used in blends without requiring additional melting, it can be easily shaped in various ways or packaged, or it can be used, for example, in baking mixes to reduce the amount of grease used due to smaller, more uniform crystals, which are present during the processes of crystallization by spray or atomization and rapid cooling. Consequently, the product has a smooth texture which allows it to be easily handled, dispersed by cutting, molding or otherwise manipulated at a given temperature considering that the substance not processed at a corresponding temperature is solid and consequently does not have these properties. According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for producing a chilled or frozen powder product comprising obtaining a substance in liquid form, atomizing the liquid substance, rapidly cooling the atomized liquid so that the powder particles at the less partially solid are formed and keep the powder at a temperature below room temperature. The method may include obtaining the substance in solid form and melting the substance to form a liquid. Preferably, the powder is stored below substantially 5 ° C to give the cooled powder product, or below substantially -18 ° C to give a frozen powder product, although it will be appreciated that the storage temperature can be chosen in accordance with the required degree of cooling and the composition of the substance. The substance may comprise fat and / or oil such as butter or butter, shortening or fractional butters or cream. The chilled or frozen powder product produced has several advantages. Due to the mild nature of the powder produced, the product can be used directly from storage at intense freezing or chilled temperatures. For example, shortening or butter or butter or butter mixtures can be produced using this method which will disperse directly from either the refrigerator or the freezer. It is believed that this technical effect is due to one or both of the following effects: the modification of the crystalline structure during the process; the formation of powder particles with crystallized shells or envelopes and supercooled liquid centers. According to a fifth aspect of the invention there is provided a chilled or frozen powder product comprising a plurality of powder particles having crystallized shells or shells and supercooled liquid centers. The powder particles may comprise fat and / or oil such as butter or butter, shortening or fractional butters or cream. The invention further provides a chilled or frozen powder product using the method of the invention. The chilled or frozen powder can be mixed with the powder in various mixtures, for example in baking applications, and will have the advantages of being shared as a liquid in the mixture and will improve the efficiency of the fat or other substances in the baking or other processes due to the change in crystal structure that occurs when the supercooled liquid center crystallizes when the temperature rises, for example during baking. The substance may comprise a substance which is solid at room temperature, typically a fat or an oil-based substance, and the method may include raising the temperature to melt the substance to form a liquid. Alternatively, the substance may comprise a substance which is liquid at room temperature. For example, the substance may comprise a liquid, egg-based substance, such as egg yolk, albumin, whole eggs and / or mixtures thereof. The substance may comprise butter or liquid butter and / or cream or other substances or products of the milk and / or mixtures thereof. Accordingly, these substances can be processed in a cooled or frozen powder which is stored at cooling or freezing temperatures. Such base substances are normally damaged during the normal freezing process and the process of the invention minimizes this damage. For example, normal freezing of a liquid substance can cause the base substance to separate and the water content to freeze separately. The spray crystallization technique of the invention inhibits this. In addition, the speed at which these products can be defrosted or liquefied is greatly increased when they are converted into a powder, so that the frozen powder can be introduced into a mixer or mixer and mixed gently because it is liquefied. The de-icing of a frozen powder product of the invention typically develops in a few minutes in contrast to several hours so that a normally frozen product of this kind is thawed into a usable product. Other suitable substances include liquid mixtures such as ice cream mixtures which can be processed by the method of the invention into a stable frozen powder. Such products can be consumed directly from the refrigerator or freezer and are soft enough to be consumed immediately due to the combined effects of crystal size and supercooled liquid fractions. Alternatively the products can be liquefied to a liquid in very short periods of time either at ambient conditions or using microwave ovens. Some products have been shown to liquefy or thaw to a liquid in a matter of seconds. The substance may comprise water so that using the method of the invention a frozen powder product which is a mixture of fine water crystals and supercooled liquid water may be produced. This product can be shaped in several ways or used for example to prepare an ice rinse and the product is usually frozen when the temperature rises in a controlled manner. Accordingly, it can be seen that the chilled or frozen powder product produced can be shaped or handled more easily than a correspondingly normal frozen product and can be caused to freeze normally by raising the temperature. The substance may comprise a sugar solution which is then processed into a frozen or cooled powder. Such a product can be used to modify or improve the speed at which certain solutions crystallize. The cream in the form of a cooled or frozen powder, produced according to the fourth aspect of the invention or according to the fifth aspect of the invention, may be further processed as follows: i) the frozen powder can be mixed, for example using a high speed beater. The whey can be removed by passing both products over a sieve mesh and the remaining solid material is shortening or butter. This process allows the raw material, ie the cream, to be stored for prolonged periods of time, which is not possible with the cream normally cooled, and will still be able to be processed into butter or butter. The additional benefit of this method is the fact that shortening or butter can be produced from a simple shake operation without the use of a butter churn. (ii) The frozen powder can be liquefied under refrigeration ie at about 4 to 8 ° C and then it can be whipped to give operation comparable to that of the cream which has only been cooled. Previously, the frozen cream, ie the frozen cream by known methods, could not be beaten without the addition of stabilizers.

According to a sixth aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of producing a powder product comprising mixing a first substance which is fat, oil and / or a substance based on wax, with a second substance which does not is a substance based on grease, oil and / or wax, to form a liquid mixture, atomize the liquid mixture so that at least partially solid dust particles are formed. The first and / or second substance can be melted or otherwise processed to form a liquid substance before, after or during mixing. Preferably the substances are premixed in the melting stage. Preferably the first substance comprises fat, oil and / or wax. The second substance may comprise a liquid and / or a powder or may be fat, oil and / or soluble wax. The second substance may comprise a color, flavor and / or vitamin substance. For example, the second substance may comprise the spicy, liquid, resins and / or emulsions, colored resins and / or emulsions, liquid, liquid vitamins or vitamin emulsions, typically the oil-soluble vitamins. The method of the invention produces a stable powder with improved carrier protection against color and / or taste losses caused by moisture, oxygen and light. Also the release of the active constituents, for example of the second substance, can be controlled by the mixture of fat used.

In the case of the second substance comprising a powder, the method provides a stable powder product in which the powder substance is encapsulated by the first substance. Levels as high as 75% powder encapsulation can be achieved. The method allows the encapsulation of a variety of powders. The second substance may comprise a chemical substance in the powder form. The method provides for the encapsulation of such chemicals either alone or in multiple ways and the release of these chemicals from the stable powder product produced can be controlled by the temperature required to melt the first substance. Accordingly, chemicals which could normally react with each other can be prevented from reacting thus by processing them according to the invention and due to the absence of water. . The second substance can comprise a flavor and / or color in the powder form, which can be encapsulated either alone or in multiple ways. The release of color and / or taste from the stable powder product produced can be controlled by the temperature required to melt the first substance. In addition, the colors and / or flavors will have an added protection against degradation caused by moisture, oxygen and light. The second substance may comprise an unstable powder such as vitamins, which may be encapsulated either alone or multiply using the method of the invention. The release of the unstable powders involved can then be controlled by the temperature required to melt the first substance and again the powders will have an added protection against degradation caused by moisture, oxygen and light. The second substance may comprise one or more starches, flour and / or hydrocolloids typically in the powder form with or without the addition of a suitable lecithin. The method provides encapsulation of such powders to provide a product with one or more of the following properties: the first coating substance allows these products to be mixed without hot or boiling liquids, without subsequent lumping and poor mixing occurs normally; the coating reduces the capacity of the hot or boiling liquid to reach the thickener at one time in its entirety and this prevents lumps or particles of the semi-disintegrated or semi-dispersed product from forming. Additionally, the emulsion formed by mixing with the hot liquid has an improved viscosity caused by hydrogen bonding between the constituents which aids in viscosity stability when the product is vigorously mixed. Accordingly, the method of the invention may include subsequent mixing with a hot or boiling liquid. The second substance may comprise an emulsifier and / or preservative. In this case, the product produced by the method of the invention can be used for example in the leather industry. Typically the product will be a stable powder at room temperature and it will be more convenient to use, more stable and will improve the oil / fat / wax mixture and penetration of the condom in, for example, the skin or the like. The second substance may comprise one or more spices or spice products, either in the original form, ground or unground, or mixed with other ingredients such as salt. The encapsulation of the spice prevents the attack of light, heat and oxygen and greatly reduces the loss of flavor. Furthermore, by using an elevated temperature of the first substance or oil, typically in the region of 50 to 250 ° C, before or after the powders are added or the first and second substances are mixed, it is possible to reduce the microbiological load of the powder or second substance, for example from spices or mixtures of spices, at an acceptable food grade level. The second substance may comprise one or more microbiological organisms dried / dried by freezing, for example bacteria, yeasts, molds or the like which can be encapsulated either alone or multiply using the method of the invention. Rapid cooling could minimize the additional damage to these microorganisms and the subsequently produced powders will have an added protection against degradation caused by moisture, oxygen and light. The release of these microorganisms is controlled by the temperature required to melt the fat or by an interaction with a suitable enzyme. Accordingly, the invention includes a method of encapsulating a powdered substance comprising the steps of mixing the powdered substance with a substance based on grease, oil and / or wax to form a liquid mixture, atomizing the liquid mixture and cooling rapidly. the atomized mixture. The substances and the method can be substantially as described above. According to a seventh aspect of the invention there is provided a method for producing a powder product adapted to be applied to a material such as the skin, which comprises obtaining a fat, oil and / or wax, liquid, atomizing the liquid and cooling quickly atomized liquid so that a powder product is formed, which is stable at room temperature. The product provides improved penetration when applied to the skin or something similar. The method may include mixing an emulsifier and / or condom with the liquid before atomization. The method can include obtaining a fat, oil and / or wax in the solid form or in another form and melting or otherwise processing it to form a liquid. The invention further provides a powder product formed using a method of the invention. According to an eighth aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of treating a material such as skin or plastic and / or wood surfaces, comprising applying a powder product of the invention to a surface of the material, for example by rubbing. The powder may or may not be electrostatically charged. According to a ninth aspect of the invention there is provided a powder particle encapsulation method comprising mixing the powder particles with a liquid substance to form a liquid mixture., atomize the liquid mixture and quickly cool the atomized mixture. Preferably, the liquid substance comprises fat, oil and / or wax. According to a tenth aspect of the invention there is provided a method of producing a vitamin product comprising mixing a vitamin-based substance, either in liquid or powder form, with a liquid substance to form a liquid mixture, atomizing the liquid mixture and quickly cool the atomized mixture. Preferably the liquid substance comprises fat, oil and / or wax. . According to an eleventh aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of producing a colored and / or spiced product, comprising mixing a colored and / or seasoned substance, either in liquid or powder form, with a liquid substance to form a liquid mixture, atomize the liquid mixture and rapidly cool the atomized mixture.

Preferably, the liquid substance comprises the fat, oil and / or wax. According to a twelfth aspect of the invention there is provided a method of manufacturing chocolate which comprises obtaining the cocoa butter or the cocoa mass in the liquid form, atomizing the liquid, rapidly cooling the atomized liquid to form a powder and adding the powder during the process of making chocolate as part of the process of making crumbs or lumps or in the step of tempering or kneading / homogenizing the production of chocolate. This method helps to control and / or reduce the processing time of the chocolate due to the modification of the crystalline structure of the cocoa butter or the cocoa butter element. The invention includes chocolate made according to the above method. . According to a thirteenth aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of producing a free-flowing, stable chocolate-based or cocoa-based product, comprising obtaining a liquid based on cocoa or chocolate, atomizing the liquid and rapidly cooling the liquid. atomized liquid to form a free flowing, stable powder. The liquid based on cocoa or chocolate may comprise fat and / or oil and / or mixtures of cocoa butter, cocoa mass and various chocolate products. The product produced can be used as an ingredient in a variety of products such as in cereals, ice cream, chocolate drinks, chilled products and the like. According to a fourteenth aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for taking the spray-dried frozen powder, which may contain for example 5-95% water content, and introducing such powder directly to a freeze dryer. The advantages could be as follows: i) The freezing of the original product could be carried out in a fast ation, thus considerably reducing the damage caused by it. normal freezing process. ii) The product could already be in a frozen powder form which is the ideal form for freeze drying. The products are normally frozen in blocks and then broken into irregular particles to begin freeze drying. iii) On occasions when the spray crystallized powder is in the form of a mixture of crystalline powders and supercooled water, this may facilitate the removal of this water more quickly than usual and with reduced product damage during the process of Freeze drying The invention includes products made in accordance with any of the methods described above of the invention. The invention further provides an apparatus for receiving a substance which is substantially solid at a given temperature, the apparatus comprises means for rapidly cooling the substance to produce a product which is of substantial or relatively soft texture at the given temperature. Preferably the apparatus comprises means for atomizing a liquid substance. The apparatus may comprise means for liquefying the solid substance.

Preferably the substance is a substance based on grease, oil and / or wax, and preferably the product with a soft texture can be sprayed. The substance can comprise any substance referred to herein. The invention further provides a product which has been at least partially solidified by spray crystallization. Preferably such product is oleaginous. The steps of atomization and rapid cooling in any of the methods described are preferably carried out by conventional crystallization techniques by spray. A typical method and apparatus for effecting spray crystallization is described in EP 0393963 and the content of this document is incorporated herein by reference. In particular, the atomization can be by spraying and by means of a spray nozzle through which the liquid is pumped under pressure. The spraying speed and the size of the spray ejection ings on the nozzle can be controlled or selected when desired to suit the particular requirements, for example depending on the nature of the liquid or the mixture to be sprayed. The rapid cooling may be by directing one or more jets of cryogenic liquid, such as nitrogen, oxygen, air or carbon dioxide, liquid, on or to the atomized spray. The size and arrangement of such jets can be controlled or selected when desired to suit particular requirements and can be described in EP 0393963. The methods can be controlled or automated to achieve the desired results. It will be appreciated that the present invention is not intended to be restricted to the foregoing modalities which are described by way of example only. In particular, any described features and / or any of the steps of any method or process described may be combined in any combination and any features and / or steps described with reference to or defined by any aspect of the invention may be combined with any features and / or steps of any other aspect of the invention. Accordingly, for example, the invention includes a method according to the first or fourth aspect of the invention comprising the additional pre-mixing step as described with reference to the sixth or ninth aspect of the invention. The attention of the reader is directed to all articles and documents which are presented concurrently with or prior to this specification in a manner related to this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the content of all such Articles and documents are incorporated here for reference. All of the features described in this specification (including any claims, summary and accompanying drawings), and / or all of the steps of any method or process so described, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of these characteristics and / or steps are mutually exclusive. Each feature described in this specification (including any claims, summary and accompanying drawings), may be replaced by alternative features that serve the same purpose or for a similar or equivalent purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Accordingly, unless specifically stated otherwise, each feature described is an example only of a generic series of similar or equivalent features. The invention is not restricted to the details of the preceding mode (s). The invention extends to any novel or any novel combination, of the features described in this specification (including any of the claims, summary and accompanying drawings), or to any novel step, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process well described.

It is noted that in relation to this date the best method known by the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is that which is clear from the present description of the invention.

Having described the invention as above, property is claimed as contained in the following

Claims (62)

1. A method of producing a granulated product having a smooth texture, characterized in that it comprises obtaining a substance in liquid form, the substance is solid at a given temperature, atomizing the liquid substance, rapidly cooling the atomized liquid so that the particles at least Partially solid particles are formed and maintain or return the substance to, or substantially at, the given temperature so that the particles agglomerate to form a smooth textured product.

2. A product with a smooth texture, characterized in that it comprises an agglomeration of at least partially solid particles, the particles that have been produced by spray crystallization.

3. A method according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the particles are produced by spray crystallization.

4. A method of converting a substance which is solid at a given temperature, into a substance which is of a smooth texture at the given temperature, characterized in that it comprises obtaining the substance in liquid form, atomizing the liquid, rapidly cooling the atomized liquid to form at least partially solid particles and agglomerate the particles to form a coherent mass.

5. A method according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the method includes obtaining the substance in the solid form and melting the substance to form a liquid.

6. A method according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the particles are agglomerated by maintaining or returning the particles at or at substantially the given temperature.

7. An agglomerated product that has a • soft texture, characterized in that it is produced using a method according to any preceding claim.

8. A method according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the substance comprises a fat, oil and / or wax or a fat, oil and / or wax-based composition.

9. A method according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the substance comprises a mixture of fats, oils and / or waxes or a mixture of fat, oil and / or wax or other components.

10. A method according to any preceding claim, characterized in that atomization and rapid cooling is by means of spray crystallization.

11. A method of compliance with any preceding claim, characterized in that the liquid substance is transferred to a jet by means of a high pressure pump.

12. A method according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the compressed air is used to atomize the liquid stream in a mist.

13. A method according to claim 12, characterized in that the atomized mist passes through a cryogenic cooling ring, wherein the cryogenic liquid is introduced to rapidly cool the atomized mist.

14. A method according to claim 13, characterized in that the cryogenic liquid is sprayed onto the atomized mist.

15. A method according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the cryogenic liquid comprises oxygen, nitrogen, air or carbon dioxide.

16. A method according to any preceding claim, characterized. because rapid cooling and agglomeration lead to an alteration of the crystalline structure of the substance.

17. A method of producing a chilled or frozen powder product, characterized in that it comprises obtaining a substance in the liquid form, atomizing the liquid substance, rapidly cooling the atomized liquid so that at least partially solid powder particles are formed and maintaining the powder at a temperature below room temperature.

18. A method according to claim 17, characterized in that the method includes obtaining the substance in solid form and melting the substance to form a liquid.

19. A method according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that the powder is stored below substantially 5 ° C to give a cooled powder product, or below substantially -18 ° C to give a frozen powder product.

20. A method according to claim 17, 18 or 19, characterized in that the substance comprises fat and / or oil. ,

21. A chilled or frozen powder product, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of powder particles having crystallized shells or shells and supercooled liquid centers.

22. A chilled or frozen powder product, characterized in that it is produced using a method according to any of claims 17 to 20.

23. A method according to claims 17 to 20, characterized in that the substance comprises a substance which is solid at room temperature and the method includes raising the temperature to melt the substance to form a liquid.

24. A method according to claims 17 to 20, characterized in that the substance comprises a substance which is liquid at room temperature.

25. A method according to claims 17 to 20, 23 or 24, characterized in that the substance comprises a liquid, egg-based substance.

26. A method according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the substance comprises cream and / or liquid butter or other substances of the milk or products and / or mixtures thereof.

27. A method according to claims 17 to 20, 23 or 24, characterized in that the substance comprises water so that using the method of the invention a frozen powder product which is a mixture of fine water crystals and liquid water is produced. supercooled

28. A method according to claims 17 to 20, 23 or 24, characterized in that the substance comprises a sugar solution.

29. A method of producing a powder product, characterized in that it comprises a first substance which is fat, oil and / or a wax-based substance with a second substance which is not a grease, oil or wax-based substance, for forming a liquid mixture, atomizing the liquid mixture and rapidly cooling the atomized mixture so that at least partially solid dust particles are formed.

30. A method according to claim 29, characterized in that the first and / or second substances are melted or otherwise processed to form a liquid substance before, after or during mixing.

31. A method according to claim 29 or 30, characterized in that the substances are premixed in the melting stage.

32. A method according to any of claims 29 to 31, characterized in that the first substance comprises fat, oil and / or wax.

33. A method according to any of claims 29 to 32, characterized in that the second substance comprises a liquid and / or a powder and is soluble in fat, oil and / or wax.

34. A method according to any of claims 29 to 33, characterized in that the second substance comprises a color, flavor and / or vitamin substance.

35. A method according to claim 34, characterized in that the second substance comprises flavoring, liquid, and / or liquid vitamin or vitamin emulsions resins and / or emulsions.

36. A method according to any of claims 29 to 35, characterized in that the second substance comprises a powder and the powder product produced comprises the powder substance encapsulated by the first substance.

37. A method according to claim 36, characterized in that the second substance comprises a color and / or flavor in the powder form, which is encapsulated either alone or in multiple manner.

38. A method according to claim 36, characterized in that the second substance comprises an unstable powder such as vitamins, which is encapsulated alone or multiply. ,

39. A method according to any of claims 29 to 36, characterized in that the second substance comprises one or more starches, flour and / or hydrocolloids.

40. A method according to any of claims 29 to 36, characterized in that the second substance comprises an emulsifier and / or a condom.

41. A method according to any of claims 29 to 36, characterized in that the second substance comprises one or more spices or spice products.

42. A method according to any of claims 29 to 36, characterized in that the second substance comprises one or more microbiological organisms dried / dried by freezing.

43. A method of encapsulating a powdered substance, characterized in that it comprises the steps of mixing a powdered substance comprising the steps of mixing the powdered substance with a substance based on grease, oil and / or wax to form a liquid mixture, atomize the liquid mixture and quickly cool the atomized mixture.

44. A method of producing a powder product adapted to be applied to a material, characterized in that it comprises obtaining a fat, oil and / or wax, liquid, atomizing the liquid and rapidly cooling the atomized liquid so that a powder product is formed which is stable at room temperature.

45. A method according to claim 44, characterized in that the method includes mixing an emulsifier and / or a condom with the liquid before atomization.

46. A method according to claim 44 or 45, characterized in that the method includes obtaining a fat, oil and / or wax in solid or other form and melting or otherwise processing it to form a liquid.

47. A method of treating a material, characterized in that it comprises applying a powder product produced by a method according to any of claims 44 to 46 to a surface of the material.

48. A method of encapsulating powdered particles, characterized in that it comprises mixing the powder particles with a liquid substance to form a liquid mixture, atomizing the liquid mixture and rapidly cooling the atomized mixture.

49. A method according to claim 48, characterized in that the liquid substance comprises fat, oil and / or wax.

50. A method of producing a vitamin product, characterized in that it comprises mixing a vitamin-based substance, either in liquid or powder form, with a liquid substance to form a liquid mixture, atomizing the liquid mixture and rapidly cooling the atomized mixture.

51. A method according to claim 50, characterized in that the liquid substance comprises fat, oil and / or wax.

52. A method of producing a colored and / or spiced product, characterized in that it comprises mixing a colored and / or seasoned substance, either in liquid or powder form, with a liquid substance to form a liquid mixture, atomizing the liquid mixture and cooling quickly mix atomized.

53. A method according to claim 52, characterized in that the liquid substance comprises fat, oil and / or wax.

54. A method of manufacturing chocolate, characterized in that it comprises obtaining a mass of cocoa or cocoa butter in a liquid form, atomizing the liquid, rapidly cooling the atomized liquid to form a powder and adding the powder during the chocolate manufacturing process as part of the process of manufacture of crumbs or lumps or in the stage of tempering or kneading / homogenization of chocolate production.

55. • A production method of a product based on chocolate or cocoa, free flowing, stable, characterized in that it comprises, obtain a liquid based on cocoa or chocolate, atomize the liquid and quickly cool the atomized liquid to form a powder that It flows freely, stable.

56. A method according to claim 55, characterized in that the liquid based on cocoa or chocolate comprises fat and / or oil and / or mixtures such as cocoa butter, cocoa mass and various chocolate products.

57. A method, characterized in that it comprises taking the frozen powder crystallized by spraying and introducing such powder directly into a freeze dryer.

58. An apparatus for receiving a substance which is substantially solid at a given temperature, the apparatus is characterized in that it comprises means for rapidly cooling the substance to produce a product which is of substantial or relatively soft texture at the given temperature.

59. An apparatus according to claim 58, characterized in that the apparatus comprises means for atomizing a liquid substance.

60. An apparatus according to any of claims 58 or 59, characterized in that the apparatus comprises means for liquefying the solid substance.

61. A product, characterized in that it has been at least partially solidified by spray crystallization.

62. A product, characterized in that it is produced using a method according to any of the preceding claims.