A method for solidifying chocolate or an item comprising chocolate, involves depositing or forming the item within one of a plurality of temperature-controlled chambers at a loading station of a process line and controlling the temperature in the chamber over a treatment period to solidify the chocolate within the chamber according to a temperature profile as the temperature-controlled chamber is conveyed to an unloading station. The solid chocolate- based item is removed and the temperature-controlled chamber returned to the loading station. In the event of a stoppage upstream or downstream of the solidification stage, the temperature-controlled chambers may halted or stored in an offline holding arrangement whilst solidification proceeds within each chamber independently, reducing loss or recycle of product.
