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 8 at a loading station 5 of a process line 1 and controlling the temperature in the chamber 8 over a treatment period to solidify the chocolate within the chamber 8 according to a temperature profile as the temperature-controlled chamber 8 is conveyed to an unloading station 6. The solid chocolate based item is removed and the temperature-controlled chamber 8 returned to the loading station 5. In the event of a stoppage upstream or downstream of the solidification stage, the temperature- controlled chambers may be halted or stored in an offline holding arrangement whilst solidification proceeds within each chamber independently, reducing loss or recycle of product.
