Candy with improved crispness

Abstract

This invention relates to the use of a mixture of at least one sweetener and at least one unmodified pregelatinized starch for improving the brittleness of a hard crystalline coating in a confectionery product, wherein the starch has not undergone chemical modification and, relative to the total dry weight of the coating or mixture, the coating or mixture contains less than 1% by weight of gum arabic, preferably the coating or mixture is gum arabic-free. The invention also relates to confectionery products, methods of production, and premixed compositions.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The subject of this invention is the use of a novel, specific mixture of at least one sweetener and at least one unmodified pregelatinized starch in a hard crystal coating. The invention also relates to coated confectionery products comprising a hard crystal coating based on such a mixture, and a method for producing a hard crystal coating around a core by means of a hard candy coating, said hard crystal coating being based on said specific mixture and a dried premixed sugar coating composition comprising such mixture. Existing technology

[0002] Hard candy coating is an integrated process used in many fields, including confectionery and pharmaceuticals. This invention also relates to the additive industry, such as flavorings, sweeteners, vitamins, enzymes, acids, and plant-based products. The process involves forming a hard, crystalline coating on the surface of a solid product to protect it for various reasons or even to make it visually or gustatoryly appealing. Very commonly, this integrated process is carried out by placing such a product as a core to be coated in a sugar-coating turbine.

[0003] Hard candy coating requires the use of at least one syrup and / or a suspension containing a crystallizable material. A hard, crystalline coating is then obtained by applying the syrup or suspension to the core and drying it with dry air to evaporate the water produced (which leads to crystallization). Between different applications of such syrup or suspension, a powder containing a crystallizable material can also be applied by spraying.

[0004] The application-drying cycle must be repeated many times, approximately ten to eighty times, in order to obtain the desired amplification.

[0005] "Magnification" refers to the increase in product weight considered at the end of the operation, relative to the initial weight. Hard candy coating can be performed before or after other coating techniques.

[0006] Specifically, the following techniques, which are also typically employed using sugar-coated turbines, can be selected:

[0007] - Gumming is a technique that uses non-crystalline materials and generally non-hygroscopic syrups, such as gum arabic, starch and modified cellulose, and maltodextrin. This technique allows the formation of a vitreous film after the gumming syrup is applied once or twice to the product to be coated, thus creating a barrier against the migration of oxygen, water, or fats. Various types of powders can also be combined with these non-crystalline syrups in this method to fix the water produced by the syrup. More often, melted or liquefied sugars or polyols are used. A hard and brittle vitreous coating is then obtained by cooling or by evaporating the solvent.

[0008] - Gummy coating involves forming a very flexible and soft coating on the surface of a product. This coating is obtained by repeatedly applying a non-crystalline syrup (generally such as starch hydrolysate) and optionally a powder (generally crystalline sucrose). The coating is typically thick. The scale-up of this technique is approximately 10% to 80% or even higher. It should be noted that the composition of the syrup is usually different from that of the powder.

[0009] Polishing involves using fatty substances or waxes, typically provided in crystalline form such as flakes or alcohol solutions, to coat the product with a very fine fatty film in order to reduce the transfer of water from or to the coated product, and also to decorate its surface.

[0010] The term "hard candy coating" as used in this invention also includes techniques very similar to smoothing and varnishing.

[0011] Smoothing refers to the application or filling of diluted, crystallizable syrup, one or more times, as used in hard candy coatings. The goal is typically to achieve a perfect surface appearance for the coated product.

[0012] Varnishing, in itself, aims to improve the appearance of products and also to insulate them from moisture in the atmosphere. This technique is similar to the coating of hard candy because it uses crystallizable syrup. The fundamental difference lies in the fact that the number of cycles performed is only one, two, or three.

[0013] Therefore, within the scope of this invention, the sugar coating itself, smoothing, varnishing, and combinations thereof are of interest. Smoothing is typically performed after hard candy coating.

[0014] Technical issues

[0015] The coating method has used polyols for application.

[0016] The term "polyol" is understood to refer to sugar alcohols obtained through reducing sugars.

[0017] Because their sweetening flavor is generally lower than that of sucrose, which they tend to replace in human foods, pharmaceuticals, and dietary formulations, polyols have the advantage that their caloric value is set at about two-thirds that of sugar in Europe.

[0018] Many studies have proposed the possibility of using polyols (such as maltitol) for hard candy coating, provided that the polyol is of very high purity. This is especially true in the following cases:

[0019] - Patent EP 201412, owned by the applicant, discloses both a sugar coating method using maltitol syrup with a purity of more than 92% and a product having a hard crystal coating containing at least 90% maltitol.

[0020] - and patent application JP 61263915 under the name of HAYASHIBARA, which relates to the use of a hard candy coating containing maltitol with a purity greater than 90% and a coagulant.

[0021] Regarding hard candy coatings containing xylitol, the requirement to use high-purity xylitol is mentioned directly or indirectly in the following literature:

[0022] -FERRERO's patent FR 2,342,668 also states that xylitol containing up to 5% of other polyols such as sorbitol and / or mannitol must be used;

[0023] - LIFE SAVERS' patent US 4,127,677 recommends the use of a solution containing 95% to 99.5% xylitol on a dry basis, obtained by cold dissolving crystalline xylitol and then heating the mixture;

[0024] -F. Voirol's article entitled "Food Technological Evaluration of Xylitol" in Advances in Food Research, 1982, Vol. 28, pp. 373-403, simply states that it is advantageous to prepare a supersaturated solution with 85% solids based on xylitol.

[0025] WARNER-LAMBERT's patent EP 273,000 describes an edible product coated with a coating consisting of 40% to 70% xylitol, wherein the difference from 100% is formed by at least one film-forming agent, at least one binder, and at least one mineral natural leavening agent, and optionally at least one plasticizer.

[0026] - And patents US 4,681,766 and US 4,786,511, also owned by WARNER-LAMBERT, which describe a hard candy coating solution and a sugar coating, both containing 30%-80% sweetener, preferably xylitol, 1%-15% gum arabic and 0.05%-10% calcium salt.

[0027] Regarding sugar coating with isomaltitol, Wrigley's patents US 4,792,453 and 5,248,508 are also known, in which isomaltitol, used only as a polyol, is dissolved in water to prepare a sugar coating solution.

[0028] In the case of mannitol, even though SANOFI's patent application EP 308,317 states the possibility of preparing hard candy coatings with mannitol, it does not actually provide the conditions for such an operation, which seems extremely difficult to achieve. This is confirmed by F. Deves's work in Manufacturing Confectioner, 1980, Vol. 60, p. 26, entitled "Coating with sorbitol, a comparison of properties of sorbitol-mannitol, polyol and sucrose," in which the author explains that mannitol's solubility is too low to allow for good hard candy coating conditions, and that too much water would then need to be evaporated. This explains why it has never existed previously in the mannitol-coated product market.

[0029] The sugar coating technology specifically described in Wrigley's patents and patent applications US 5,270,061, WO 93 / 18663, WO 95 / 07621, and WO 95 / 07622 concerns "double" or "dual" sugar coating. It involves starting sugar coating with a syrup containing pure polyols (such as xylitol, maltitol, or lactitol), then continuing and ending with the use of another polyol syrup, which is also pure but has different properties from the first polyol, such as isomaltitol. The basic objective of this dual sugar coating technology is to reduce the cost of sugar coating by partially replacing the polyol with another polyol and reducing the hygroscopicity of the sugar coating layer. However, in terms of time, this appears to be very time-consuming and difficult to implement industrially.

[0030] Another technique described in the applicant's patent application EP 625,311 involves the continuous application of a high-purity polyol syrup and a powder containing the same polyol in its pure state, and unlike conventional methods, forced drying is not performed in a sugar-coating turbine by means of drying and hot air. This method significantly reduces the sugar-coating time and yields a relatively crisp coating after several hours of storage.

[0031] One drawback of using polyol-based syrups (such as xylitol or isomaltitol) is that these polyol syrups are not opaque and produce a marbled effect if the core to be coated is not smooth and does not have a uniform color.

[0032] In addition to polyols, it is often recommended to incorporate other substances into sugar-coated syrups. This is the case, for example, in WARNER-LAMBERT's patent EP 229,594, which suggests combining polyvinylpyrrolidone with retained polyols.

[0033] In addition to gelatin and gum arabic, which have been used for sugar coatings for many years, other authors have proposed using binders at relatively low ratios, generally less than 5% dry weight, such as modified cellulose, glucose syrup, pullulan, or various gums. These substances have been found to improve the adhesion of the sugar coating to the core and the cohesiveness of the sugar coating. These characteristics also contribute to brittleness to some extent.

[0034] Therefore, compositions incorporating starch as a binder have been proposed. Document US2010316759 relates to a sugar-free coated product comprising a core and a coating, wherein the coating comprises natural rice starch, at least one polyol, and an additive such as gum arabic. Other examples of documents relating to products coated with a mixture based on polyols and gum arabic are WO94 / 16575, WO94 / 14331, EP0506251, and US4317838.

[0035] Document US20180000112 discloses a coating composition comprising chemically modified pregelatinized pea starch, at least one polyol, and gum arabic. Document US3527646, in itself, describes a product coated with an amorphous film of a small amount of a mixture of pregelatinized starch and sucrose to improve the barrier properties of the coated product against fat and air. Document US2013052252 also describes a coated product whose coating comprises pregelatinized starch and sugar, which is not used for a hard crystallized coating layer. This product is also coated with a gum arabic-rich syrup, and the resulting coating contains 1.9% gum arabic. This document does not propose the formation of gum arabic-free confectionery. This document makes no mention of the properties of pregelatinized starch, nor any mention of any improvement in crispness associated with using a coating containing pregelatinized starch.

[0036] Therefore, gum arabic is almost exclusively the commercially available binder in sugar-free products. It is easy to use, natural, and ensures good adhesion between the sugar coating and the core. Furthermore, it allows for a coating with good brittleness, an advantage particularly sought after in sugar-coated products.

[0037] Gum arabic is a high molecular weight polysaccharide with very low viscosity, behaving like a Newtonian liquid at concentrations up to 35%; it dissolves at concentrations of 55% to 60% to form a concentrated syrup. This low viscosity is attributed to its branched structure, which effectively makes it a globular molecule. This branching prevents micelle formation and, unlike linear gums, minimizes intermolecular hydrogen bonds when hydrated in water. Therefore, it forms a weak film. Its solution becomes viscous at high concentrations but becomes brittle when dried. When poured onto a surface cracked into a single pattern, it forms a glossy film. It possesses emulsifying properties attributed to the presence of proteins covalently bonded to a portion of the polysaccharide fraction, thus forming a very high molecular weight glycoprotein complex with a molecular weight exceeding 2 million Daltons.

[0038] Gum arabic is also used for hard candy coatings on chocolate-coated chewing gum and confectionery to bind and reinforce the coating, which consists of sugar or sugar alcohols. It is added to the syrup formulation so that it can be applied to the center by spraying or manual application. For cost reasons, gum arabic is used only in the first layer, or in all layers, specifically in sugar-free candy coatings, to help build a solid coating layer around the center of the chewing gum. Because industrial-scale coating turbines are used to increase capacity, a good binder is required in the coating syrup, which causes the coating to crack or even break when the center falls into the turbine. In many cases, cracking also occurs during packaging, when the finished product is transported, and when the consumer shakes the container.

[0039] In edible film and sheet applications where the viscosity, transparency, and cracking mode of a particular film, as well as the adhesion / release of the casting strip, are crucial, gum arabic is currently the primary gum material used for this purpose.

[0040] Due to the unique properties of gum arabic, there are few alternatives to it in various applications such as food, pharmaceuticals, and industrial applications. Therefore, it is worthwhile to find other solutions to replace gum arabic.

[0041] An alternative solution is proposed in document EP2666368, which allows it to replace gum arabic while attempting to maintain the same properties as the final sugar-coated product. Therefore, gum arabic is replaced by other gums (such as xanthan gum or locust bean gum), polysaccharides (such as pectin and agar), and modified starches (such as maltodextrin, for example).

[0042] In the case of pectin, one of the disadvantages is that the sugar coating is more brittle, which produces many broken corners during the production process.

[0043] US2004 / 0156993 provides an alternative for using gum arabic as a coating reinforcing agent. To this end, a sugar coating mixture based on polyols and chemically modified starches treated with oxidation and / or acid is proposed.

[0044] However, it appears that the addition of such viscous substances significantly disrupts the crystallization of the polyols used, resulting in a sugar coating layer exhibiting lower crystallinity. This would explain its subsequent tendency to become viscous. Furthermore, these substances do not allow for a reduction in sugar coating time; in fact, the opposite is true.

[0045] In addition to seeking ways to reduce the cost of hard candy coatings using polyols and, in particular, to shorten coating time, solutions are often sought to improve the crispness and crunchiness of polyol-based coatings. These factors, such as taste, directly influence product acceptance and consumer repeat purchases.

[0046] The known solutions disclosed above do not guarantee the hardness and improved brittleness of sugar-coated crystals using polyols, while providing a satisfactory visual appearance in terms of color and uniformity, adhesion of the layers within the coating, and storage stability over time.

[0047] Therefore, the applicant's contribution lies in the discovery that, contrary to all expectations, the need for improved brittleness can be achieved using unmodified pregelatinized starch with a sugar-coated crystalline coating made from polyols. This coating contains little or no gum arabic, which is known to date to be essential for obtaining a crystalline coating with significant brittleness and good adhesion and hardness properties. Summary of the Invention

[0048] Therefore, and in accordance with the first objective, the present invention proposes the use of a mixture of at least one sweetener and at least one unmodified pregelatinized starch to improve the crispness of hard crystalline coatings in sugar-coated products, wherein the starch has not undergone chemical modification.

[0049] The coating or the mixture contains less than 1% by weight of gum arabic relative to the total dry weight of the coating or the mixture, preferably wherein the coating or the mixture does not contain gum arabic.

[0050] According to another subject, a candied confectionery product is proposed, comprising a hard crystalline coating comprising a mixture of at least one sweetener and at least one unmodified pregelatinized starch, wherein the starch has not undergone chemical modification, and wherein the coating or the mixture contains less than 1% by weight of gum arabic relative to the total dry weight of the coating or the mixture, preferably wherein the coating or the mixture is gum arabic-free.

[0051] According to another topic, a method for producing a hard crystal coating around the core by hard candy coating is proposed, the method comprising the following steps:

[0052] - A sugar-coated syrup is prepared by mixing at least one sweetener and at least one unmodified pregelatinized starch with a solvent.

[0053] - A crystalline coating is formed on the surface of the core by applying the sugar coating syrup at least once;

[0054] The starch mentioned therein has not undergone chemical modification.

[0055] The coating and syrup thus prepared contain less than 1% by weight of gum arabic relative to the total dry weight of the coating or the total weight of the syrup, preferably wherein the coating or syrup thus prepared does not contain gum arabic.

[0056] According to another topic, a sugar-coated interventional mixture is proposed, comprising a mixture of at least one sweetener and at least one unmodified pregelatinized starch, wherein the starch has not undergone chemical modification.

[0057] The composition contains less than 1% by weight of gum arabic relative to the total weight, and preferably the composition is gum arabic-free.

[0058] According to the present invention, the mixture, syrup, coating, and premix composition comprise:

[0059] - The sweetener, relative to the total solid mass of the mixture, is between 80% and 99.90% by weight, preferably between 90% and 99.90% by weight, and

[0060] - The starch, relative to the total solid mass of the mixture, is between 0.1% by weight and 20% by weight, preferably between 0.1% by weight and 10% by weight.

[0061] Optionally, the features disclosed in the following paragraphs may be implemented. They may be implemented independently of each other or in combination with each other. Detailed Implementation

[0062] The first subject of this invention relates to the use of a mixture of at least one sweetener and at least one unmodified pregelatinized starch for improving the crispness of a hard, crystalline coating in a sugar-coated product, wherein the starch has not undergone chemical modification.

[0063] The coating or the mixture contains less than 1% by weight of gum arabic relative to the total dry weight of the coating or the mixture, preferably wherein the coating or the mixture does not contain gum arabic.

[0064] Therefore, the starch has not undergone chemical modification, such as oxidation or chemical grafting.

[0065] "Pregelatinized" or "pre-gelatinized" starch should be understood as starch that has been cooked and then dried in a process that makes it soluble in cold water ("cold water soluble starch"). This cooking can be carried out on a drying drum or in an extruder.

[0066] Pregelatinizing starch is a well-known operation to those skilled in the art, in which cooking is generally carried out at a temperature below the starch gelatinization temperature.

[0067] Starch is known to be stored in storage organs and tissues in a granular state, that is, in the form of semi-crystalline granules. This semi-crystalline state is mainly due to the presence of amylopectin macromolecules.

[0068] In its natural state, starch granules have a crystallinity that varies from 15% to 45%, largely depending on the plant source and any processing it has undergone. Granular starch, when exposed to polarized light, therefore exhibits a characteristic black cross known as the "Maltese cross" under a microscope. This positive birefringence is due to the semi-crystalline structure of these granules: the average orientation of the polymer chains is radial.

[0069] For a more detailed description of granular starch, see S. Perez in “Initiationàla chimieetàla physico-chimie macromoléculaires” [“Introduction to macromolecule chemistry and physical chemistry”], 1st edition, 2000, Vol. 13, pp. 41–86, Groupe Chapter II of the French Polymer Group entitled “Structure et morphologie du grain d'amidon” [“Structure and morphology of the starch grain”].

[0070] Dry starch contains a water content ranging from 12% to 20%, depending on the plant source. This water content is obviously dependent on the residual moisture of the medium (for aw=1, starch can be fixed at a maximum of 0.5 g water / g starch).

[0071] In the presence of excess water, heating a starch suspension to a temperature close to its gelatinization temperature causes the particles to swell irreversibly and disperse, and then dissolve.

[0072] For a given temperature range (called the "gelatinization range"), starch granules will swell very rapidly and lose their semi-crystalline structure (loss of birefringence).

[0073] All particles will swell to their maximum size within a temperature range of approximately 5°C to 10°C. A paste is obtained consisting of swollen particles constituting the dispersed phase and dispersed molecules (primarily corresponding to amylose) thickening the aqueous continuous phase. The rheological properties of the paste depend on the relative proportions of these two phases (dispersed and aqueous phases) and the swelling volume of the particles. The gelatinization range can vary depending on the plant source of the starch.

[0074] "Unmodified pregelatinized starch" should be understood as starch that has been cooked and then dried in a process that makes it soluble in cold water ("cold water soluble starch"). This cooking can be carried out on a drying drum or in an extruder, and it has not undergone chemical modification. Examples of such chemical modifications include: crosslinking, oxidation, esterification (such as acetylation, phosphorylation, succinylation, etc.), etherification (such as hydroxypropylation, hydroxyethylation, etc.), reactions within the starch during dextrin formation (such as condensation or reversal, transglycosylation, or even anhydrideation), or any combination thereof.

[0075] When 10g of the starch is introduced into 90g of water at 20°C, and the resulting solution is stirred for one hour, the cold water-soluble starch solution can have a Brookfield viscosity greater than 100 MPa.s.

[0076] Preferably, the obtained coating or the mixture used to prepare the coating contains less than 1% by weight of gum arabic relative to the total dry weight of the coating or the mixture, preferably less than 0.5% by weight of gum arabic relative to the total dry weight of the coating or the mixture, the coating or the mixture, and even more preferably, the coating or the mixture does not contain gum arabic.

[0077] "Gum arabic" should be understood to refer to both hard gum arabic (or kitir) and brittle gum arabic (or talha).

[0078] Preferably, the resulting coating or the mixture used to prepare the coating is free of polysorbate or even emulsifiers.

[0079] A hard, crystalline coating for a sugar-coated product is obtained by using a mixture of at least one sweetener and at least one unmodified pregelatinized starch, resulting in improved crispness compared to other binders. This is an undeniable advantage during tasting when the sugar-coated product is a sugar-coated confectionery product. In fact, binders are necessary for coatings utilizing these polyols to impart greater crispness to the coating upon chewing and to protect it from damage during handling and processing.

[0080] As G. RIBADEAU DUMAS stated at the conference "Actual manufacturing possibilities for sugarless hard and soft coating: techniques-problems-solutions" held in Solingen, Zentralfachshule der Deutschen Süβwarenwirtschaft eV in May 1994, brittleness is a subjective and complex sensory measure; however, it can be understood by mechanically measuring hardness and brittleness using an INSTRON-type device. It is for this reason that it is possible to objectively demonstrate that brittleness varies with the characteristics of the core to be coated, just as the characteristics of the coating layer itself do.

[0081] Furthermore, surprisingly, compared to gum arabic or other chemically modified starches or unpregelatinized natural modified starches, the unmodified pregelatinized starch provides increased hardness and crispness of the finished product, and, as shown below, increases the whiteness index.

[0082] Preferably, the coating or the mixture used to prepare the coating contains less than 1.5% by weight, for example less than 0.5% by weight, of titanium dioxide relative to the total dry weight of the coating or the mixture, preferably less than 0.1% by weight of titanium dioxide relative to the total dry weight of the coating or the mixture, and even more preferably, the coating or the mixture does not contain titanium dioxide (TiO2).

[0083] Titanium dioxide is a whitening agent commonly used in sugar coating mixtures. Removing titanium dioxide from hard coatings results in the following: loss of whiteness, less transparent coating, undesirable visual effects on core coloring, and a less uniform appearance.

[0084] Therefore, this particular starch allows for the substitution of gum arabic and titanium dioxide while maintaining their same functionality, such as the role of a binder, and allows for improved whiteness and sugar coating. Thus, the invention also relates to the use of unmodified pregelatinized starch for improving the whiteness and / or brittleness of hard crystalline coatings in sugar-coated products containing sweeteners. This use is particularly interesting when the crystalline coating is free of gum arabic. It is also particularly interesting when the crystalline coating is free of titanium dioxide. According to this variant, the amount of gum arabic is not necessarily limited: in other words, the amount of gum arabic in the hard crystalline coating, mixture, and premixed composition can be less than 1% by weight relative to the total dry weight, but can also be 1% by weight or more relative to the total dry weight. Therefore, the invention relates to the use of a mixture of at least one sweetener and at least one unmodified pregelatinized starch for improving the brittleness of hard crystalline coatings in sugar-coated products, wherein the starch has not undergone chemical modification, and wherein the coating and the mixture are free of titanium dioxide. According to another subject, a candy-coated product is proposed, comprising a hard crystalline coating comprising a mixture of at least one sweetener and at least one unmodified pregelatinized starch, wherein the starch has not undergone chemical modification, and wherein the coating and the mixture are free of titanium dioxide. According to another subject, a dry premixed composition of a candy coating is proposed, comprising a mixture of at least one sweetener and at least one unmodified pregelatinized starch, wherein the starch has not undergone chemical modification, and wherein the composition is free of titanium dioxide. According to another subject, a method for producing a hard crystalline coating around a core using a hard candy coating is proposed, the method comprising the following steps:

[0085] - A sugar-coated syrup is prepared by mixing at least one sweetener and at least one unmodified pregelatinized starch with a solvent.

[0086] - A crystalline coating is formed on the surface of the core by applying the sugar coating syrup at least once;

[0087] The coating and syrup prepared thereby do not contain titanium dioxide.

[0088] For all these variations in which the crystalline coating does not contain titanium dioxide, the sweetener and unmodified pregelatinized starch are present in preferred or non-preferred proportions as defined in this application. Therefore, it is explicitly stated that, according to these variations, the mixtures, syrups, coatings, and premixed compositions also contain:

[0089] - The sweetener, relative to the total solid mass of the mixture, is between 80% and 99.90% by weight, preferably between 90% and 99.90% by weight, and

[0090] - The starch, relative to the total solid mass of the mixture, is between 0.1% by weight and 20% by weight, preferably between 0.1% by weight and 10% by weight.

[0091] Preferably, the unmodified pregelatinized starch has a viscosity in the range of 0.001 Pa·s to 0.30 Pa·s as measured according to Test B, which involves measuring the viscosity of an aqueous solution of 5% by mass of the pregelatinized starch at a frequency of 10 s⁻¹ and at 20 °C.

[0092] The aqueous solution can be prepared in a sealed wide-mouth glass flask, in which 95 g of water is weighed and placed in a water bath at 70°C. 5 g of pregelatinized starch is added slowly while stirring with a magnetic rod (650 rpm) to avoid clumping. The resulting solution is then placed in a water bath at 70°C for 12 hours.

[0093] After cooling the solution, the viscosity was measured on an Anton Paar MCR301 rheometer equipped with a CC27 concentric cylinder. For this rheometer, the temperature was Peltier conditioned to 20°C with a 5-minute equilibration time before measurement, and then shear stresses ranging from 0.05 s⁻¹ to 1,000 s⁻¹ (in a logarithmic increase) were applied over 6 minutes. The viscosity was then recorded at a frequency of 10 s⁻¹.

[0094] Advantageously, the unmodified pregelatinized starch has a viscosity in the range of 0.02 Pa·s to 0.25 Pa·s, preferably 0.04 Pa·s to 0.20 Pa·s, according to Test B, wherein Test B consists of measuring the viscosity of an aqueous solution of 5% by mass of the pregelatinized starch, expressed as a 10s⁻¹. -1 The frequency was measured at 20℃.

[0095] Preferably, the unmodified pregelatinized starch is pregelatinized natural starch that has only undergone pregelatinization treatment.

[0096] "Pregelatinized natural starch" should be understood as pregelatinized starch that has not undergone any other physical or chemical modifications besides pregelatinization. More specifically, it should be understood as pregelatinized starch that has not undergone fluidization treatment.

[0097] Preferably, the sweetener is a polyol.

[0098] Preferably, the polyol is selected from sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol, xylitol, isomaltitol, erythritol and lactitol or mixtures thereof, preferably maltitol or xylitol.

[0099] Therefore, in the case of sugar-free coating, the sweetener is especially a polyol, which may be selected from sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol, xylitol, isomaltitol, erythritol and lactitol, preferably maltitol, isomaltitol and xylitol, more preferably maltitol and xylitol, and most preferably maltitol.

[0100] Furthermore, the sweetener forming the mixture may be selected from at least one sugar or at least one polyol or a mixture thereof.

[0101] In the case of a sugar coating, the sweetener may be a sugar selected from the following: sucrose, dextrose, isomaltose (paragine), maltose and galactose, preferably sucrose, dextrose or galactose, and most preferably sucrose.

[0102] Alternatively, in the case of a sugar coating, the mixture may contain at least two sweeteners selected from at least one sugar and at least one polyol, wherein the sugar is selected from sucrose, dextrose, isomaltose (paragine), maltose, and galactose, preferably sucrose, dextrose, or galactose, and the polyol is selected from sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol, xylitol, isomaltitol, erythritol, and lactitol, preferably maltitol, isomaltitol, and xylitol, more preferably maltitol and xylitol, and most preferably maltitol.

[0103] Preferably, the unmodified pregelatinized starch is selected from pregelatinized unmodified pea starch, unmodified pregelatinized corn starch, or pregelatinized waxy corn starch.

[0104] This type of unmodified pregelatinized starch is produced by Roquette under the trade name... For example, by product name C100Waxy, M, L100G for sale.

[0105] Preferably, the mixture comprises:

[0106] -The sweetener, relative to the total solid mass of the mixture, is between 80% and 99.90% by weight, preferably between 90% and 99.90% by weight, for example between 91% and 99.80% by weight, or even between 92.50% and 99.70% by weight, or even between 93% and 99.60% by weight, or even between 93.50% and 99.50% by weight, or even between 94% and 99.40% by weight, or even between 94.50% and 99.20% by weight, most preferably between 95% and 99% by weight.

[0107] The starch, relative to the total solid mass of the mixture, is between 0.1 wt% and 20 wt%, preferably between 0.1 wt% and 10 wt%, for example between 0.20 wt% and 9 wt%, or even between 0.30 wt% and 7.50 wt%, or even between 0.40 wt% and 7 wt%, or even between 0.50 wt% and 6.50 wt%, or even between 0.60 wt% and 6 wt%, or even between 0.80 wt% and 5.50 wt%, most preferably between 1 wt% and 5 wt%.

[0108] Preferably, the mass ratio between the sweetener and the unmodified pregelatinized starch is between 4 and 10,000, more preferably between 10 and 1,000, and most preferably between 20 and 100.

[0109] Preferably, the mixture is used to manufacture coatings for sugar-coated products, such as those indicated below, which may also contain, in their coatings or in coatings obtained by methods for obtaining crystalline coatings from hard candy coatings, the following components: such as flavoring agents, artificial sweeteners, dispersants and emulsifiers, coloring agents, whitening agents, film-forming agents and binders.

[0110] Preferably, the mixture is composed of powder, wherein the average size d50 of the powder is in the range of 10 μm to 1,000 μm, for example, between 100 μm and 800 μm.

[0111] d50 was determined using a BECKMAN-COULTER equipped with its powder dispersion module (dry method) on an LS 230 laser diffractometer particle size analyzer according to the manufacturer's technical manual and instructions. The LS230 laser diffractometer particle size analyzer has a measurement range of 0.04 μm to 2,000 μm.

[0112] A second aspect of the invention relates to a candied confectionery product comprising a hard crystalline coating comprising a mixture of at least one sweetener and at least one unmodified pregelatinized starch, wherein the starch has not undergone chemical modification.

[0113] The coating or the mixture contains less than 1% by weight of gum arabic relative to the total dry weight of the coating or the mixture, preferably wherein the coating or the mixture does not contain gum arabic.

[0114] Therefore, the starch has not undergone chemical modification, such as oxidation or chemical grafting.

[0115] Preferably, the crystalline coating comprises a mixture of at least one sweetener and at least one unmodified pregelatinized starch, such as the pregelatinized starch used according to the first subject.

[0116] Preferably, the pregelatinized starch used is obtained by pregelatinization, as described above.

[0117] Preferably, the obtained coating or the mixture used to prepare the coating contains less than 1% by weight of gum arabic relative to the total dry weight of the coating or the mixture, more preferably less than 0.5% by weight of gum arabic relative to the total dry weight of the coating or the mixture, wherein the coating or the mixture, more preferably, does not contain gum arabic.

[0118] Preferably, the resulting coating or the mixture used to prepare the coating is free of polysorbate or even emulsifiers.

[0119] Preferably, the obtained coating or the mixture used to prepare the coating contains less than 1.5% by weight, for example less than 0.5% by weight, of titanium dioxide relative to the total dry weight of the coating or the mixture; more preferably, the coating or the mixture does not contain titanium dioxide (TiO2). One advantage of the present invention is that even when the coating contains a small amount (or no amount) of titanium dioxide, it has improved whiteness compared to a coating containing gum arabic. Similarly, when the coating also contains a colorant, the coloring of the coated product according to the present invention is very satisfactory.

[0120] Due to its high brittleness, hard crystal coatings can form the inner, middle or outer coatings of composite coatings, such as those prepared by double sugar coating or those consisting of several sugar coating layers with different properties or textures.

[0121] Candy products that may contain this type of coating include chewing gum, tablets, lozenges, gels, egg whites, chewable pastes, hard candies, and chocolate products.

[0122] Alternatively, this coating can be produced by using a wide variety of products as the core for the coating. It can be food products other than confectionery, such as dietary products, dried fruits and seeds, or pharmaceutical or veterinary products, such as pills, tablets and animal products.

[0123] Preferably, the sugar-coated candy product is chewing gum.

[0124] Preferably, the unmodified pregelatinized starch has a viscosity in the range of 0.001 Pa·s to 0.30 Pa·s, advantageously 0.02 Pa·s to 0.25 Pa·s, and preferably 0.04 Pa·s to 0.20 Pa·s, as measured according to Test B, wherein Test B consists of measuring the viscosity of an aqueous solution of 5% by mass of the pregelatinized starch at a frequency of 10 s⁻¹ and at 20 °C.

[0125] Preferably, the unmodified pregelatinized starch present in the crystalline coating is pregelatinized natural starch.

[0126] "Pregelatinized natural starch" should be understood as pregelatinized starch that has not undergone any other physical or chemical modifications besides pregelatinization. More specifically, it should be understood as pregelatinized starch that has not undergone fluidization treatment.

[0127] The coating can be selected from the sugar coating or sugar-free coating as described above.

[0128] Preferably, the sweetener is a polyol.

[0129] Preferably, the polyol is selected from sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol, xylitol, isomaltitol, erythritol and lactitol or mixtures thereof, preferably maltitol or xylitol.

[0130] Preferably, the unmodified pregelatinized starch is selected from pregelatinized unmodified pea starch, pregelatinized unmodified natural corn starch, or pregelatinized unmodified natural waxy corn starch.

[0131] Preferably, the mixture comprises:

[0132] -The sweetener, relative to the total solid mass of the mixture, is between 80% and 99.90% by weight, preferably between 90% and 99.90% by weight, for example between 91% and 99.80% by weight, or even between 92.50% and 99.70% by weight, or even between 93% and 99.60% by weight, or even between 93.50% and 99.50% by weight, or even between 94% and 99.40% by weight, or even between 94.50% and 99.20% by weight, most preferably between 95% and 99% by weight.

[0133] The starch, relative to the total solid mass of the mixture, is between 0.1 wt% and 20 wt%, preferably between 0.1 wt% and 10 wt%, for example between 0.20 wt% and 9 wt%, or even between 0.30 wt% and 7.50 wt%, or even between 0.40 wt% and 7 wt%, or even between 0.50 wt% and 6.50 wt%, or even between 0.60 wt% and 6 wt%, or even between 0.80 wt% and 5.50 wt%, most preferably between 1 wt% and 5 wt%. Preferably, the weight ratio between the sweetener and the unmodified pregelatinized starch is between 4 and 10,000, preferably between 10 and 1,000, and most preferably between 20 and 100.

[0134] Preferably, the mixture is composed of powder, wherein the average size d50 of the powder is in the range of 10 μm to 1,000 μm, for example, between 100 μm and 800 μm.

[0135] Preferably, the unmodified pregelatinized starch is the sole binder for the sugar-coated syrup.

[0136] A third aspect of the invention relates to a method for producing a hard crystal coating around a core using a hard candy coating, the method comprising the steps of:

[0137] - A sugar-coated syrup is prepared by mixing at least one sweetener and at least one unmodified pregelatinized starch with a solvent.

[0138] - By applying the sugar coating syrup to the surface of the core at least once, a hard crystalline coating is formed.

[0139] The starch mentioned therein has not undergone chemical modification.

[0140] The coating and syrup thus prepared contain less than 1% by weight of gum arabic relative to the total dry weight of the coating or the total weight of the syrup, preferably wherein the coating or syrup thus prepared does not contain gum arabic.

[0141] Therefore, the starch has not undergone chemical modification, such as oxidation or chemical grafting.

[0142] Preferably, the solvent used to prepare the sugar-coated syrup is water.

[0143] Preferably, the coating or the syrup prepared therefrom contains less than 1% by weight of gum arabic relative to the total dry weight of the coating or mixture, more preferably less than 0.5% by weight of gum arabic relative to the total dry weight of the coating or mixture, wherein the coating or the mixture, more preferably, does not contain gum arabic.

[0144] Preferably, the resulting coating or the syrup prepared therefrom is free of polysorbate, or even free of emulsifiers.

[0145] Preferably, the coating or the syrup obtained contains less than 1.5% by weight, for example less than 0.5% by weight, of titanium dioxide relative to the total dry weight of the coating or the syrup; more preferably, it contains less than 0.1% by weight of titanium dioxide relative to the total dry weight of the coating or the syrup; and more preferably, the coating or the mixture does not contain titanium dioxide (TiO2).

[0146] Preferably, the pregelatinized starch used is obtained by pregelatinization, as described above.

[0147] Preferably, the unmodified pregelatinized starch has a viscosity in the range of 0.001 Pa·s to 0.30 Pa·s, advantageously 0.02 Pa·s to 0.25 Pa·s, and preferably 0.04 Pa·s to 0.20 Pa·s, as measured according to Test B, wherein Test B consists of measuring the viscosity of an aqueous solution of 5% by mass of the pregelatinized starch at a frequency of 10 s⁻¹ and at 20 °C.

[0148] Preferably, the unmodified pregelatinized starch is natural starch.

[0149] The coating can be selected from the sugar coating or sugar-free coating as described above.

[0150] Preferably, the sweetener is a polyol.

[0151] Preferably, the polyol is selected from sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol, xylitol, isomaltitol, erythritol and lactitol or mixtures thereof, preferably maltitol or xylitol.

[0152] Preferably, the unmodified pregelatinized starch is selected from pregelatinized unmodified pea starch, unmodified pregelatinized corn starch, or pregelatinized waxy corn starch.

[0153] Preferably, the sugar-coated syrup contains 30% to 85% solids relative to the total weight of the syrup.

[0154] Preferably, the mixture is composed of powder, wherein the average size d50 of the powder is in the range of 10 μm to 1,000 μm, for example, between 100 μm and 800 μm.

[0155] Sugar-coated syrups can have varying solids content depending on the step of forming the hard crystal coating (smoothing, scale-up, etc.) and the nature of the selected ingredients. This step is performed to allow the syrup to be easily applied during the process. The solids content of the solution is typically between 30% and 85%, advantageously between 60% and 80%. Preferably, in the case of scaled-up syrups, the solids content ranges from 65% to 80% by weight relative to the total weight of the syrup, or in the case of smoothed syrups, the solids content ranges from 60% to 70% by weight relative to the total weight of the syrup.

[0156] In conventional methods, syrup is typically prepared in two steps:

[0157] Preparation of adhesive .

[0158] Typically, a solution is prepared in advance to facilitate starch hydration. This starch solution may have a solids content in the range of 10% to 25% (e.g., about 20%).

[0159] Preferably, the obtained solution is transparent and colorless.

[0160] Dissolution of filler .

[0161] In another tank, the necessary amount of water needs to be introduced and a sweetener (polyol) needs to be added.

[0162] Heating is then required to achieve complete dissolution of the material. The final temperature of the syrup depends on the desired solids content, the solubility of one or more components, and the maximum viscosity to ensure use without any risk of crystallization. For example, for maltitol syrup with 70% solids, the typical operating temperature is 70°C.

[0163] Final Syrup Composition .

[0164] Then mix the two solutions. Adjust the solids content if necessary. Other components may be added to the final solution or one of the aforementioned solutions, such as powdered or liquid colorants, strong sweeteners, defoamers, flavorings, minerals, and whitening agents.

[0165] Preferably, the sugar-coated syrup is prepared at a temperature below 100°C, and more preferably below 80°C.

[0166] Therefore, temperatures below 100°C, preferably below 80°C, allow the sweetener to dissolve.

[0167] The unmodified pregelatinized starch used according to the present invention is capable of cold dissolution, i.e., at a temperature generally below 40°C, or even below 30°C, for example, at room temperature.

[0168] Preferably, the solvent is water.

[0169] Therefore, sugar-coated syrup can be prepared in a single step by obtaining a dry mixture of sweetener and unmodified pregelatinized starch, adding a solvent, and heating until the sweetener dissolves. Similarly, other components can be added to the final solution or one of the aforementioned solutions, such as powdered or liquid colorants, strong sweeteners, defoamers, flavoring agents, minerals, and whitening agents.

[0170] Therefore, the preparation of sugar-coated syrups based on unmodified pregelatinized starch is simplified due to the greater solubility of the starch in water compared to other binders.

[0171] For example, preparing syrups based on non-pregelatinized natural starch would require precooking at temperatures above 100°C.

[0172] As for gum arabic, it is not easily soluble, and therefore it is difficult to mix sweetener powders (such as polyols or sugars) with gum arabic before heating. Therefore, it is necessary to heat until the sweetener is completely dissolved in the water, and then add the pre-prepared aqueous solution of gum arabic. This preparation requires stirring and settling time to remove additional air bubbles, compared to solutions based on unmodified starch.

[0173] Therefore, preferably, the polyol is in powder form, and the sugar-coated syrup is prepared by mixing the polyol, unmodified pregelatinized starch, and a solvent, and then heating the mixture.

[0174] Preferably, the sugar-coated syrup has a viscosity between 0.1 Pa·s and 5 Pa·s, preferably between 0.5 Pa·s and 3 Pa·s, as measured according to Test A at 20°C.

[0175] Preferably, the sugar-coated syrup has a viscosity between 0.02 Pa·s and 0.7 Pa·s, and more preferably between 0.04 Pa·s and 0.6 Pa·s, as measured according to Test A at 70°C.

[0176] The conditions that can be used to perform Test A are indicated in the "Measurement Methods and Apparatus" section.

[0177] Preferably, the syrup comprises:

[0178] -The sweetener, relative to the total solid mass of the syrup, is between 80% and 99.90% by weight, preferably between 90% and 99.90% by weight, for example between 91% and 99.80% by weight, or even between 92.50% and 99.70% by weight, or even between 93% and 99.60% by weight, or even between 93.50% and 99.50% by weight, or even between 94% and 99.40% by weight, or even between 94.50% and 99.20% by weight, most preferably between 95% and 99% by weight.

[0179] The starch, relative to the total solid mass of the syrup, is between 0.1 wt% and 20 wt%, preferably between 0.1 wt% and 10 wt%, for example between 0.20 wt% and 9 wt%, or even between 0.30 wt% and 7.50 wt%, or even between 0.40 wt% and 7 wt%, or even between 0.50 wt% and 6.50 wt%, or even between 0.60 wt% and 6 wt%, or even between 0.80 wt% and 5.50 wt%, most preferably between 1 wt% and 5 wt%. Preferably, the weight ratio between the sweetener and the unmodified pregelatinized starch is between 4 and 10,000, preferably between 10 and 1,000, and most preferably between 20 and 100. The hard crystal coating may also contain components such as flavoring agents, artificial sweeteners, dispersants and emulsifiers, colorants, whitening agents, film-forming agents, and binders. The contemplated flavoring agents include those commonly known in the art, such as essential oils, synthetic flavoring agents, or mixtures thereof, including but not limited to oils derived from plants and fruits, such as citrus oils, fruit flavorings, peppermint oil, spearmint oil, other peppermint oils, clove oil, wintergreen oil, star anise, etc. The flavoring agent may also be added to the coating syrup in an amount such that the coating contains approximately 0.2% to approximately 3.0% by weight of the flavoring agent relative to the total solid mass of the syrup.

[0180] Flavorings can be added before, during, and after the syrup is applied to the core. Once the coating has dried to form a hard surface, additional syrup can be added to create multiple layers of coating or several hard coating layers.

[0181] Conceive artificial or natural sweeteners for coating, specifically high-sweetness sweeteners including, but not limited to, synthetic substances, saccharin, sematrandilla, alitane, saccharin salt, aspartame, sucralose, and acesulfame K. Artificial sweeteners can be added to the syrup coating in such amounts that the coating contains approximately 0.01% to approximately 1.0% by weight, and typically approximately 0.10% to approximately 0.5% by weight, relative to the total solid mass of the syrup; the same applies to natural sweeteners such as stevia.

[0182] Whitening agents are typically added to sugar-coated syrups for whitening and reducing viscosity. These whitening agents can be sucrose esters or any other anti-adhesion compounds. For example, sucrose esters can increase whiteness or crystallization rate.

[0183] The whitening agent can be added to the sugar-coated syrup in such an amount that the syrup contains about 0.05% to about 1.0% by weight, and typically about 0.3% to about 0.6% by weight, relative to the total solid mass of the syrup.

[0184] Colorants can be added directly to the coated syrup in the form of colorants or varnishes. Colorants can be inorganic fillers or organic components (such as natural starch, e.g., rice starch), with the inorganic filler being titanium dioxide and talc. Colorants contemplated in this invention include food-grade colorants. This invention preferably excludes titanium dioxide, or even any inorganic filler, or even any additional colorant. These amounts will vary depending on the type of colorant. Regarding inorganic fillers, they can be used up to 5% by weight relative to the total solid mass of the syrup. Regarding organic components, they can be used up to 10% by weight relative to the total solid mass of the syrup. According to a variant, the mixture contains less than 3% by weight, for example less than 1% by weight, of natural starch, or the mixture may not even contain natural starch.

[0185] To produce a conventional sugar coating, several stages may follow. Conventional sugar coating is carried out in a continuously rotating sugar coating turbine. The method operates through several repetitive steps, as described below.

[0186] Sugar coating initialization

[0187] During this first stage, the goal is to initiate crystallization. First, the centers need to be moistened with a syrup consisting of 60% to 80% solids and water. The viscosity of the syrup is crucial and limits its solid content. The syrup must be able to be poured evenly onto the centers. Furthermore, if the syrup is too viscous, this will increase the risk of the centers sticking together or adhering to the turbine.

[0188] Therefore, the inserted syrup must successfully crystallize and thus dry (if crystallization occurs, the released water can evaporate). Perform a hand check to feel if they are still moist using low center pressure in your hand. (This step only occurs when setting up the sugar coating scheme).

[0189] Another remaining risk when inserting the syrup is that the centers may stick together or adhere to the turbine. This will be verified by sampling the centers and, if necessary, by loosening the maximum number of existing double-phenomena, or by loosening the centers from the turbine surface.

[0190] Generally, the coating process takes place in a rotary turbine. The center to be coated or fractured is placed in the rotary turbine to form a movable mass.

[0191] enlarge

[0192] The goal is to apply the maximum possible amount of syrup and thus the minimum possible layer. As the product size increases, the amount of syrup to be poured into the turbine needs to be gradually increased to ensure a uniform coating of all centers.

[0193] During this stage, one of the risks is the inability to successfully coat the center of the syrup completely. Flat sections will be easy to overlap, however corners or small edges may be more difficult to cover. To cover these edges and thus achieve a uniform sugar coating, a syrup of possibly the lowest possible viscosity is required, allowing it to be inserted into any disparate gaps.

[0194] During the scale-up phase, liquid flavoring agents can be introduced to enhance the flavor of coated products (such as chewing gum).

[0195] During scale-up, adhesion will also be checked to avoid double phenomena, which, if not immediately loosened, could risk damaging the formed crystalline surface.

[0196] The cores to be coated undergo "free rotation," that is, rotational motion within the sugar-coating turbine. This can take on common shapes, such as a tulip shape with an inclined axis of rotation or even a cylindrical shape with a horizontal axis. Cores that are preferably purified before or after being introduced into the turbine preferably have a spherical, cylindrical, or elliptical shape to facilitate the coating operation, but can also have a padding shape.

[0197] Then, a settling step is necessary. During this step, the turbine continues to rotate and the previously poured syrup is spread across the entire surface of the chewing gum.

[0198] As the process continues, the sugar coating surface remains rough. However, to achieve a glossy center, wax needs to be added at the end of the process. This waxing stage is impossible if the surface area of ​​the center is rough, as only certain parts of the product will have a glossy finish, resulting in poor coverage. Therefore, a smoothing stage after the process is necessary.

[0199] smooth

[0200] During this stage, the surface of the chewing gum in question is smoothed. This step is carried out by introducing a small amount of syrup into a turbine. The small amount of syrup will flatten the surface of the chewing gum in question, and by itself, the settling time will be longer to allow the chewing gum to rub against each other and thus erode in order to smooth its surface.

[0201] It is also necessary to check for double phenomena caused by adhesion.

[0202] polishing

[0203] The final stage involves giving the gum coating a glossy appearance. This is done by introducing powdered wax (in very small amounts) to achieve a polished finish.

[0204] Once the wax has been properly distributed in the center, the turbine and dryer will stop to allow the chewing gum to dry in the open air and to prevent them from being excessively impacted, which could damage them (damage or even destroy the coating).

[0205] Once the sugar coating is complete, a waiting step (depending on the syrup used) will be required before packaging to allow crystallization to complete and to give the gum in question maximum crispness (up to two days if dried in the open air).

[0206] Finally, a drying step is performed, which is optional but desirable, especially when the polyol is xylitol. Drying can be carried out inside a sugar-coating turbine or in a perforated container by blowing in hot, dry air, or externally, for example, by placing the core coated with the semi-crystalline mixture in a cooking chamber. This step aims to evaporate the water present in the syrup and to allow the polyol to crystallize more completely. Alternatively, the semi-crystalline coating can be allowed to develop naturally towards a crystalline state.

[0207] Those skilled in the art will know how to adjust the temperature of the air to prevent overheated air from deforming the center.

[0208] Flavorings can be added before, during, and after the syrup is applied to the center. Once the coating has dried to form a hard surface, additional syrup can be added to create multiple layers of coating or several hard coating layers.

[0209] To prevent polyols or sugars from crystallizing in the tank or pipeline, the syrup applied to the center throughout the coating process is kept at a temperature between 20°C and 100°C, preferably between 40°C and 80°C. The syrup can be mixed, sprayed, poured, or added to the center in any manner known to those skilled in the art.

[0210] Typically, to obtain multiple layers, a single layer of syrup is applied, allowing each layer to dry, and then the process is repeated. The amount of solids added in each coating step depends primarily on the concentration of the coating syrup. Any number of layers can be applied to the center. Preferably, no more than about 75 layers are applied to the center. Generally, about 30 to about 60 layers are applied. In all cases, the invention envisions applying a sufficient amount of syrup to produce coated chewing gum or edible chewing gum containing about 10% to about 65% coating. Preferably, the finished product will contain about 20% to about 50% coating.

[0211] The sugar-coating syrup is applied to the core as a hot liquid, allowing the sugar or polyol to crystallize. The coating is then dried in dry air. To initiate crystallization, increase whiteness, increase weight more quickly, or for any other reason, a certain amount of powder or powder mixture may be added to some layers.

[0212] Flavoring is applied through one, two, three, or even four or more coating applications. Each time flavoring is added, several layers of flavorless coating are applied to cover the flavoring before applying the next layer. This reduces the evaporation of flavoring during the coating process.

[0213] Regarding the water content, due to the final drying process, it is preferable to reduce the water content to less than 1.5%, more preferably less than 1.0%, and even more preferably less than 0.5%.

[0214] Depending on the syrup used, an inoculation step may be added before drying to initiate crystallization, if necessary. Similarly, liquid flavoring agents may be added to the final sugar coating cycle if desired. Finally, a final polishing / varnishing step may be performed to obtain a finished product with a glossy appearance.

[0215] As mentioned above, the composition of sugar-coated syrup can vary depending on the position of the sugar coating layer within the hard crystal coating (inner layer, middle layer, or outer layer).

[0216] Preferably, the same syrup is used throughout the process during sugar coating, wherein the syrup can be diluted with a solvent during cycling.

[0217] Preferably, the unmodified pregelatinized starch is the sole binder for the sugar-coated syrup.

[0218] Another subject of the present invention relates to sugar-coated confectionery products obtained by the method described above.

[0219] A fourth aspect of the invention relates to a dry, premixed sugar-coating composition comprising a mixture of at least one sweetener and at least one unmodified pregelatinized starch, wherein the starch has not undergone chemical modification.

[0220] The composition contains less than 1% by weight of gum arabic relative to the total weight, and preferably the composition is gum arabic-free.

[0221] Therefore, the starch has not undergone chemical modification, such as oxidation or chemical grafting.

[0222] Such premixed compositions have many advantages: they are easy to use, and therefore allow considerable savings and thus significant gains in productivity; they are simple to use and install in industry; they allow for the reproducibility of these methods over time; and they allow for the preparation of very high-quality, non-sticky coated products whose appearance or texture does not change significantly over time.

[0223] Preferably, the pregelatinized starch used is obtained by pregelatinization, as described above.

[0224] Preferably, the composition contains less than 1% by weight of gum arabic relative to the total dry weight of the coating or mixture, more preferably less than 0.5% by weight of gum arabic relative to the total dry weight of the coating or mixture, wherein the coating or mixture, more preferably, does not contain gum arabic.

[0225] Preferably, the resulting coating or the composition prepared therefrom is free of polysorbate, or even free of emulsifiers.

[0226] Preferably, the coating or composition contains less than 1.5% by weight, for example less than 0.5% by weight, of titanium dioxide relative to the total dry weight of the coating or the composition; more preferably, it contains less than 0.1% by weight of titanium dioxide relative to the total dry weight of the coating or the composition; and more preferably, the coating or the mixture is free of titanium dioxide (TiO2).

[0227] Preferably, the composition comprises:

[0228] -The sweetener, relative to the total solid mass of the composition, is between 80% and 99.90% by weight, preferably between 90% and 99.90% by weight, for example between 91% and 99.80% by weight, or even between 92.50% and 99.70% by weight, or even between 93% and 99.60% by weight, or even between 93.50% and 99.50% by weight, or even between 94% and 99.40% by weight, or even between 94.50% and 99.20% by weight, most preferably between 95% and 99% by weight.

[0229] The starch, relative to the total solid mass of the composition, is between 0.1 wt% and 20 wt%, preferably between 0.1 wt% and 10 wt%, for example between 0.20 wt% and 9 wt%, or even between 0.30 wt% and 7.50 wt%, or even between 0.40 wt% and 7 wt%, or even between 0.50 wt% and 6.50 wt%, or even between 0.60 wt% and 6 wt%, or even between 0.80 wt% and 5.50 wt%, most preferably between 1 wt% and 5 wt%. Preferably, the mass ratio between the sweetener and the unmodified starch is between 4 and 10,000, preferably between 10 and 1,000, and most preferably between 20 and 100. Preferably, in addition to components such as flavoring agents, the composition may also contain artificial sweeteners, dispersants and emulsifiers, colorants, whitening agents, film-forming agents, and binders.

[0230] As stated above.

[0231] Preferably, the unmodified pregelatinized starch has a viscosity in the range of 0.001 Pa·s to 0.30 Pa·s, advantageously 0.02 Pa·s to 0.25 Pa·s, and preferably 0.04 Pa·s to 0.20 Pa·s, as measured according to Test B, wherein Test B consists of measuring the viscosity of an aqueous solution of 5% by mass of the pregelatinized starch at a frequency of 10 s⁻¹ and at 20 °C.

[0232] Preferably, the unmodified pregelatinized starch is pregelatinized natural starch.

[0233] Preferably, the sweetener is a polyol.

[0234] Preferably, the polyol is selected from sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol, xylitol, isomaltitol, erythritol and lactitol or mixtures thereof, preferably maltitol or xylitol.

[0235] Preferably, the unmodified pregelatinized starch is selected from pregelatinized unmodified pea starch, unmodified pregelatinized corn starch, or pregelatinized waxy corn starch.

[0236] Preferably, the sweetener is a sugar selected from sucrose, dextrose, and galactose.

[0237] Therefore, in the case of sugar-free compositions, the sweetener is in particular a polyol, which may be selected from sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol, xylitol, isomaltitol, erythritol and lactitol, preferably maltitol, isomaltitol and xylitol, more preferably maltitol and xylitol, and most preferably maltitol.

[0238] Furthermore, the sweetener forming the mixture may be selected from at least one sugar or at least one polyol or a mixture thereof.

[0239] In the case of a composition containing sugar, the sweetener may in particular be a sugar selected from the following: sucrose, dextrose, isomaltose (paragine), maltose and galactose, preferably sucrose, dextrose or galactose, most preferably sucrose.

[0240] Alternatively, in the case of a composition containing sugar, the mixture may contain at least two sweeteners selected from at least one sugar and at least one polyol, wherein the sugar is selected from sucrose, dextrose, isomaltose (paragine), maltose and galactose, preferably sucrose, dextrose or galactose, and the polyol is selected from sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol, xylitol, isomaltitol, erythritol and lactitol, preferably maltitol, isomaltitol and xylitol, more preferably maltitol and xylitol, and most preferably maltitol.

[0241] Preferably, the average size d50 of the powder is in the range of 10 μm to 1,000 μm, for example, between 100 μm and 800 μm.

[0242] Preferably, the unmodified pregelatinized starch is the sole binder for the sugar-coated syrup.

[0243] Preferably, such compositions are suitable when preparing sugar-coated syrups in the context of the methods described above.

[0244] Another subject of the present invention relates to sugar-coated confectionery products obtained by the method described above.

[0245] Measurement methods and equipment

[0246] Viscosity

[0247] viscosity of sugar-coated syrup

[0248] Viscosity measurements according to Test A can be performed on an Anton Paar MCR301 rheometer equipped with a CC27 concentric cylinder. Viscosity was measured over 3 minutes at Peltier-regulated temperatures of 80°C, 70°C, 60°C, 50°C, 40°C, 30°C, and 20°C. -1 up to 50s -1 The shear rate increases linearly.

[0249] Whiteness

[0250] Whiteness was measured on a spectrophotometer (CM-5) sold by Konica Minolta under the following conditions:

[0251] - Measurement mode: Reflection

[0252] - Aperture: / SCI (including specular reflection)

[0253] -L*a*b CMC (Color Space) / WI ASTM E313-96 (Color Index)

[0254] -10° (Observer) / D65 (Light source 1) / None (Light source 2).

[0255] hardness

[0256] The hardness of chewing gum was measured at 20°C using an INSTRON 5966 texture analyzer (sold by INSTRON) according to the following procedure:

[0257] Measurement unit: 100N

[0258] Geometry - a tapered punch (disconnected) with a 40mm bottom and a 38mm height.

[0259] Method - Lateral speed: 1.5 mm / min

[0260] Deformation applied: 1.5mm indentation

[0261] Preload of 2.5N to 5mm / min

[0262] The chewing gum sample is approximately 21 mm long, 7 mm wide, and 3 mm thick.

[0263] Forces are recorded in Newtons, and the maximum force is used. Evaluation is stopped when a decrease of 0.1 N is observed in the force measurement. The hardness of the chewing gum is characterized by cooling to 20°C.

[0264] The hardness measured in this way corresponds to the force required for the initial cracking of the coating to be obtained.

[0265] brittleness

[0266] Brittleness, in itself, corresponds to the number of coating fractures obtained by the forced penetration of the punch used.

[0267] The crispness of chewing gum was measured at 20°C using an INSTRON 5966 texture analyzer (sold by INSTRON) according to the following procedure:

[0268] Measurement unit: 100N

[0269] Geometry - a tapered punch (disconnected) with a 40mm bottom and a 38mm height.

[0270] Method - Lateral speed: 1.5 mm / min

[0271] Deformation applied: 1.5mm indentation

[0272] Preload of 2.5N to 5mm / min

[0273] Impact resistance ("breakage")

[0274] Fifty coated products were dropped freely from a height of one meter. The percentage of products with damaged corners relative to the total number of coated products was then calculated.

[0275] Color uniformity

[0276] Color uniformity is evaluated by the operator according to the following classification:

[0277] --: Very bad

[0278] -:Difference

[0279] 0: qualified

[0280] +: Good

[0281] ++: Excellent

[0282] Syrup preparation

[0283] The syrup analyzed below is based on a mixture of binder and / or polyol in water according to the present invention or according to the prior art, wherein the binder is present in a ratio expressed as a dry weight relative to the total solid weight of the syrup, and the polyol is present in a ratio expressed as a dry weight relative to the total solid weight of the syrup.

[0284] For the exemplary embodiments shown below, the following compounds are used:

[0285] Powdered polyols

[0286] Maltitol powder: P200( )

[0287] Maltitol powder: P35 )

[0288] Xylitol powder: 300 ( )

[0289] adhesive

[0290] Hard gum arabic: Quick Gum Type 8074RD-NOREVO

[0291] Unmodified pregelatinized waxy corn starch: C100( )

[0292] Unmodified pregelatinized pea starch: L100G( )

[0293] Unmodified pregelatinized corn starch: M( )

[0294] Tapioca dextrin: TA 90 ( )

[0295] Modified octenyl succinate waxy corn starch: CO 03 ( )

[0296] Pregelatinized hydroxypropyl pea starch: RS 780 ( )

[0297] Pea maltodextrin: LINECAPS )

[0298] Pectin: Pectin (CPKelco)

[0299] Alternatives to commercial gum arabic (hydrolyzed colloid): 311 (TIC resin)

[0300] Liquid maltitol

[0301] Non-crystalline maltitol syrup with 73% solids: HBC ( )

[0302] Example

[0303] Example 1 - Manufacturing sugar-coated chewing gum

[0304] Preparation of maltitol-based sugar-coated syrup (sugar coating performed in an 8kg turbine)

[0305] Preparation of adhesive solution

[0306] Solution of gum arabic :

[0307] To prepare a sugar-coated solution based on gum arabic, a 40% gum arabic solid solution was prepared by dispersing gum arabic in water at room temperature under high-speed stirring and allowing the solution to stand for 12 hours to defoam. This method prevents gum arabic degradation and staining.

[0308] Solutions of other adhesives :

[0309] To prepare a sugar-coated solution based on a binder other than gum arabic, a 20% binder solid solution was prepared by placing the binder in water (excluding pectin, where the solution was 4% solid). This solution was then heated to the temperatures shown in Table 1 to dissolve the binder.

[0310] Preparation of polyol solutions from powdered polyols

[0311] Maltitol solution

[0312] A maltitol solution was prepared by solubilizing a limited amount of maltitol powder P200 to obtain 70% solids in a sugar coating solution after mixing with the binder solution described above. The maltitol solution was maintained at 70°C.

[0313] Xylitol solution

[0314] A xylitol solution was prepared by solubilizing a limited amount of xylitol powder to obtain 75% solids in a sugar coating solution after mixing with the binder solution described above. The xylitol solution was maintained at 70°C.

[0315] Preparation of sugar-coated syrup

[0316] To prepare the sugar-coated syrup, the solutions are mixed to obtain the desired amount of binder. The binder dosage relative to the total solids of the sugar-coated solution is shown in Table A. For tests conducted using Lycasin HBC, non-crystalline maltitol syrup was added instead of binder.

[0317] In sugar-coated solutions, maltitol-based sugar-coated syrups exhibited 70% solids, while xylitol-based sugar-coated syrups exhibited 75% solids.

[0318] Mix the sugar-coating syrup and keep it at 70°C before use.

[0319] Viscosity

[0320] The viscosity characteristics of various sugar-coated solutions (CP for comparison purposes and I for the present invention) measured according to Test A are listed in Table 1.

[0321] [Table 1]

[0322]

[0323]

[0324] Manufacturing of sugar-coated chewing gum

[0325] Conventionally, sugar-coated chewing gum is made by placing an 8kg center of chewing gum into a Frogerais-type manual copper sugar-coating turbine with a center capacity of approximately 30kg. The turbine speed is approximately 18 revolutions per minute.

[0326] In the first sequence of the sugar coating process, P35 maltitol powder is placed in a sugar coating turbine. Throughout the process, a sugar coating solution is applied to the center, and the sugar coating conditions are listed in Tables 2 to 10 below, depending on the type of binder.

[0327] gum arabic

[0328] [Table 2]

[0329]

[0330] CLEARGUM TA 90

[0331] [Table 3]

[0332]

[0333]

[0334] CLEARGUM CO03

[0335] [Table 4]

[0336]

[0337]

[0338] LYCOAT RS 780

[0339] [Table 5]

[0340]

[0341]

[0342] KLEPTOSE LINECAPS

[0343] [Table 6]

[0344]

[0345]

[0346] Genu Pectin Pan

[0347] [Table 7]

[0348]

[0349] Lycasin HBC

[0350] [Table 8]

[0351]

[0352] Ticapan 311<000079�>

[0353] [Table 9]

[0354]

[0355] Pregeflo C100

[0356] [Table 10]

[0357]

[0358] The sugar-coated chewing gum was recycled and analyzed according to the experimental methods described above. The characteristics of the chewing gum's hardness, brittleness, and whiteness are listed in Table 11 below.

[0359] [Table 11]

[0360]

[0361]

[0362] Chewing gum coated with unmodified pregelatinized starch (PREGEFLO C100) showed the best results in terms of hardness, crispness, whiteness, and color uniformity.

[0363] Furthermore, quite surprisingly, it has been found that the whiteness index of the hard crystal coating of chewing gum based on unmodified pregelatinized starch according to the present invention is equivalent to that of the hard crystal coating of chewing gum based on gum arabic and titanium dioxide, which in itself has a whiteness index of 74.3. Titanium dioxide is well known to be used extensively in the coatings of sugar-coated products to whiten the coating and simultaneously conceal visual defects originating from other ingredients such as gum arabic.

[0364] Example 2 - Sugar-coated chewing gum made from premix

[0365] Preparation of polyol and pregelatinized starch premix

[0366] To prepare a premix or “premixed composition”, P200 maltitol powder and pregelatinized starch were dried and cold-mixed in the proportions shown in the table above using a stirrer.

[0367] Preparation of sugar-coated syrup

[0368] In addition to using the sugar-coated solution of gum arabic prepared as in Example 1, the sugar-coated solution was prepared using the aforementioned premix. In practice, for degraded gum arabic, premixing is preferably not performed to avoid degradation, and the gum arabic solution is added at 70°C at the last moment.

[0369] A sugar-coated solution containing unmodified pregelatinized starch was prepared by dissolving the premix in water at 85°C and maintaining that temperature.

[0370] The sugar-coated solution has 70% solids and is kept at 70°C before use.

[0371] The viscosity characteristics of various sugar-coated solutions are listed in Table 12 below.

[0372] [Table 12]

[0373]

[0374]

[0375] Manufacturing of sugar-coated chewing gum

[0376] The chewing gum was prepared in a manner similar to that described in Example 1, i.e., the scheme established for unmodified pregelatinized peas and corn starch remained similar to the scheme used for waxy corn.

[0377] The sugar-coated chewing gum was recycled and analyzed according to the experimental methods described above.

[0378] The properties of chewing gum in terms of hardness, brittleness, and whiteness are listed in Table 13 below.

[0379] [Table 13]

[0380] Hardness (N) Brittleness (number of peaks) Whiteness Index Color uniformity gum arabic 10.6 28 48.7 + Pregeflo C100 11.3 34 74.2 + Pregeflo L100G 11.3 50 76.1 ++ Pregeflo M 11.2 47 74.5 ++

[0381] In the case of chewing gum, which is not manufactured using a sugar-coating syrup prepared from a premixed composition, chewing gum based on unmodified pregelatinized starch (PREGEFLO C100, PREGEFLO L100 G, PREGEFLO M) exhibits the best results in terms of hardness, brittleness, whiteness, and color uniformity.

[0382] Example 3 - Production of sugar-coated chewing gum from premix on a pilot scale

[0383] Preparation of sugar-coated syrup

[0384] Maltitol-based sugar-coated syrups were prepared in a manner similar to that of Example 2.

[0385] The xylitol-based sugar-coated solution was prepared in a manner similar to that of Example 2, except for the following differences:

[0386] - Regarding the test using pregelatinized unmodified corn starch, the xylitol and pregelatinized starch were premixed in a manner similar to that in Example 2, with powdered xylitol used instead of maltitol powder.

[0387] - The dry matter of xylitol-based sugar-coated solutions showed a solids content of 75%, rather than the 70% solids content shown by those based on maltitol.

[0388] Mix the sugar coating solution and keep it at 75°C before use.

[0389] Manufacturing of sugar-coated chewing gum

[0390] 50 kg of chewing gum centers were placed in a DRIAM DRIACOATER 1200 automatic turbine. The sugar coating solution was applied to the centers according to the conditions shown in Tables 14 and 15 below. For xylitol sugar coating, xylitol was not added in powder form during this method.

[0391] Maltitol sugar coating

[0392] [Table 14]

[0393]

[0394]

[0395] Xylitol coating

[0396] [Table 15]

[0397]

[0398] Table 16 below lists the results obtained on a pilot-scale basis:

[0399] [Table 16]

[0400]

[0401] Impact resistance

[0402] The resistance of hard crystal coatings of chewing gum obtained by sugar coating with maltitol-based syrup and another binder (70% by weight of solids relative to the total weight of the syrup) was measured.

[0403] This resistance produces the percentage of broken angles listed in Table 17.

[0404] [Table 17]

[0405] Damaged corner (%) Gum arabic - 5% 12.5％ PREGEFLOO C100–4% 12.5％ TicaPan 311–5% 18.0％ Genu Pectin Pan – 1% 32.0％

[0406] The hard crystal coating of chewing gum based on unmodified pregelatinized starch according to the present invention exhibits the same resistance as the hard crystal coating of chewing gum based on gum arabic. Coatings based on TicaPan311 and Genu Pectin Pan are more brittle.

[0407] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments 1 to 3 described above by way of example only, but covers all variations that can be conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of protection sought.

[0408] Example 4 - Effect of the amount of pregelatinized starch on the properties of the obtained sugar-coated product

[0409] The protocol used in this test is similar to that of Example 1, except that it differs in the amount of PREGEFLO C100 (0%, 1%, or 2%, instead of 4%, based on the dry weight of the sugar-coated solution).

[0410] The resulting chewing gum was blind-tasted by three people, who rated its crispness, duration of crispness, and mouth noise from 1 to 10. Hardness was measured using a texture analyzer, and whiteness index was also measured.

[0411] Table 18 below lists the obtained averages:

[0412] [Table 18]

[0413] adhesive brittleness Brittleness duration Mouth noise Whiteness Index Hardness (N) Adhesive-free 4 1 1 81.2 11.2 1% Pregeflo C100 7 5 5 74.7 15.2 2% Pregeflo C100 6 4 4 77.2 15.8

[0414] It has been found that chewing gum with a coating layer that does not contain pregelatinized starch has a stickier and crisper surface than chewing gum that contains pregelatinized starch. This crispness disappears immediately upon chewing.

[0415] Chewing gum containing 1% pregelatinized starch in its sugar-coated solution exhibits similar brittleness to that containing 2% pregelatinized starch.

[0416] The whiteness of chewing gum is improved when the sugar coating solution contains more pregelatinized starch.

Claims

1. Use of a mixture of at least one sweetener and at least one unmodified pregelatinized starch for improving the brittleness of a hard crystalline coating of a sugar-coated product, wherein the starch has not undergone chemical modification, and the coating or the mixture contains less than 1% by weight of gum arabic relative to the total dry weight of the coating or the mixture, and wherein the mixture comprises: - The sweetener, relative to the total solid mass of the mixture, is between 80% and 99.90% by weight. - The starch, relative to the total solid mass of the mixture, is between 0.1% and 20% by weight.

2. The use according to claim 1, characterized in that... The coating or the mixture does not contain gum arabic.

3. The use according to claim 1, characterized in that... The mixture comprises: The sweetener is between 90% and 99.90% by weight relative to the total solid mass of the mixture.

4. The use according to claim 1, characterized in that... The mixture comprises: The starch is between 0.1% and 10% by weight relative to the total solid mass of the mixture.

5. The use according to claim 1, characterized in that... The mixture comprises: - The sweetener, relative to the total solid mass of the mixture, is between 95% and 99% by weight. - The starch, relative to the total solid mass of the mixture, is between 1% and 5% by weight.

6. The use according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The unmodified pregelatinized starch is pregelatinized natural starch that has only undergone pregelatinization treatment.

7. The use according to claim 6, characterized in that, The pregelatinized natural starch is selected from pregelatinized natural pea starch or pregelatinized natural corn starch.

8. The use according to claim 7, characterized in that, The pregelatinized natural starch is selected from pregelatinized natural waxy corn starch.

9. The use according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that... The sweetener is a polyol.

10. The use according to claim 9, characterized in that, The polyol is selected from sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol, xylitol, isomaltitol, erythritol, and lactitol or mixtures thereof.

11. The use according to claim 10, characterized in that... The polyol is selected from maltitol or xylitol.

12. A candied confectionery product comprising a hard crystalline coating, the hard crystalline coating comprising a mixture of at least one sweetener and at least one unmodified pregelatinized starch, wherein the starch has not undergone chemical modification. The coating and the mixture contain less than 1% by weight of gum arabic relative to the total dry weight of the coating or the mixture, and the mixture contains: - The sweetener, relative to the total solid mass of the mixture, is between 80% and 99.90% by weight. - The starch, relative to the total solid mass of the mixture, is between 0.1% and 20% by weight.

13. The sugar-coated candy product according to claim 12, characterized in that... The coating or the mixture does not contain gum arabic.

14. The sugar-coated candy product according to claim 12, characterized in that... The mixture comprises: The sweetener is between 90% and 99.90% by weight relative to the total solid mass of the mixture.

15. The sugar-coated candy product according to claim 12, characterized in that... The mixture comprises: The starch is between 0.1% and 10% by weight relative to the total solid mass of the mixture.

16. The sugar-coated candy product according to claim 12, characterized in that... The mixture comprises: - The sweetener, relative to the total solid mass of the mixture, is between 95% and 99% by weight. - The starch, relative to the total solid mass of the mixture, is between 1% and 5% by weight.

17. The candied confectionery product according to any one of claims 12 to 16, characterized in that, It is chewing gum.

18. The sugar-coated confectionery product according to any one of claims 12 to 16, characterized in that... The unmodified pregelatinized starch is pregelatinized natural starch that has only undergone pregelatinization treatment.

19. The product according to claim 18, characterized in that, The pregelatinized natural starch is selected from unmodified pregelatinized pea starch or unmodified pregelatinized natural corn starch.

20. The product according to claim 19, characterized in that, The pregelatinized natural starch is selected from unmodified pregelatinized natural waxy corn starch.

21. The sugar-coated candy product according to any one of claims 12 to 16, characterized in that... The sweetener is a polyol.

22. The product according to claim 21, characterized in that, The polyol is selected from sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol, xylitol, isomaltitol, erythritol, and lactitol or mixtures thereof.

23. The product according to claim 22, characterized in that... The polyol is selected from maltitol or xylitol.

24. A method for producing a hard, crystalline coating around a core using a hard candy coating, the method comprising the steps of: - A sugar-coated syrup is prepared by mixing at least one sweetener and at least one unmodified pregelatinized starch with a solvent. - A crystalline coating is formed on the surface of the core by applying the sugar coating syrup at least once; The starch mentioned therein has not undergone chemical modification. The coating and syrup thus prepared contain less than 1% by weight of gum arabic relative to the total dry weight of the coating or the total weight of the syrup. And wherein the coating and the syrup comprise: - The sweetener, relative to the total solid mass of the mixture, is between 80% and 99.90% by weight. - The starch, relative to the total solid mass of the mixture, is between 0.1% and 20% by weight.

25. The method according to claim 24, characterized in that... The coating or syrup prepared in this way does not contain gum arabic.

26. The method according to claim 24, characterized in that... The coating and the syrup comprise: The sweetener is between 90% and 99.90% by weight relative to the total solid mass of the mixture.

27. The method according to claim 24, characterized in that... The coating and the syrup comprise: The starch is between 0.1% and 10% by weight relative to the total solid mass of the mixture.

28. The method according to claim 24, characterized in that... The mixture comprises: - The sweetener, relative to the total solid mass of the mixture, is between 95% and 99% by weight. - The starch, relative to the total solid mass of the mixture, is between 1% and 5% by weight.

29. The method according to any one of claims 24 to 28, characterized in that The unmodified pregelatinized starch is pregelatinized natural starch that has only undergone pregelatinization treatment.

30. The method according to claim 29, characterized in that, The pregelatinized natural starch is selected from unmodified pregelatinized pea starch or unmodified pregelatinized corn starch.

31. The method according to claim 30, characterized in that, The pregelatinized natural starch is selected from unmodified pregelatinized waxy corn starch.

32. The method according to any one of claims 24 to 28, characterized in that The sweetener is a polyol.

33. The method according to claim 32, characterized in that, The polyol is selected from sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol, xylitol, isomaltitol, erythritol, and lactitol or mixtures thereof.

34. The method according to claim 33, characterized in that... The polyol is selected from maltitol or xylitol.

35. The method according to any one of claims 24 to 28, characterized in that, The sugar-coated syrup contains 30% to 85% solids relative to the total weight of the syrup.

36. The method according to claim 32, characterized in that... The polyol is in powder form, and the sugar-coated syrup is prepared by mixing the polyol, the unmodified pregelatinized starch, and the solvent, and then heating the mixture.

37. The method according to claim 24, characterized in that... The sugar-coated syrup has a viscosity between 0.1 Pa·s and 5 Pa·s, as measured according to Test A at 20°C.

38. The method according to claim 37, characterized in that, The sugar-coated syrup has a viscosity between 0.5 Pa·s and 3 Pa·s, as measured according to Test A at 20°C.

39. A dried premixed coating composition comprising a mixture of at least one sweetener and at least one unmodified pregelatinized starch, wherein the starch has not undergone chemical modification. The composition contains less than 1% by weight of gum arabic relative to the total weight of the composition. Its features The composition comprises: - The sweetener, relative to the total solid mass of the mixture, is between 80% and 99.90% by weight. - The starch, relative to the total solid mass of the mixture, is between 0.1% and 20% by weight.

40. The composition according to claim 39, characterized in that... The composition does not contain gum arabic.

41. The composition according to claim 39, characterized in that... The composition comprises: The sweetener is between 90% and 99.90% by weight relative to the total solid mass of the mixture.

42. The composition according to claim 41, characterized in that... The composition comprises: The sweetener is between 95% and 99% by weight relative to the total solid mass of the mixture.

43. The composition according to claim 39, characterized in that... The composition comprises: The starch is between 0.1% and 10% by weight relative to the total solid mass of the mixture.

44. The composition according to claim 43, characterized in that... The composition comprises: The starch is between 1% and 5% by weight relative to the total solid mass of the mixture.

45. The composition according to claim 39, characterized in that... The unmodified pregelatinized starch is pregelatinized natural starch that has only undergone pregelatinization treatment.

46. ​​The composition according to claim 45, characterized in that, The pregelatinized natural starch is selected from unmodified pregelatinized pea starch or unmodified pregelatinized corn starch.

47. The composition according to claim 46, characterized in that, The pregelatinized natural starch is selected from unmodified waxy corn starch.

48. The composition according to any one of claims 39 to 47, characterized in that... The sweetener is a polyol.

49. The composition according to claim 48, characterized in that, The polyol is selected from sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol, xylitol, isomaltitol, erythritol, and lactitol or mixtures thereof.

50. The composition according to claim 49, characterized in that... The polyol is selected from maltitol or xylitol.

51. The composition according to any one of claims 39 to 47, characterized in that... The average size d50 of the powder is in the range of 10 μm to 1000 μm.

52. The composition according to claim 51, characterized in that... The average size d50 of the powder is between 100 μm and 800 μm.

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