Additive-free jelly suitable for children to eat and preparation method thereof

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of food, in particular to additive-free jelly suitable for children to eat and a preparation method of the additive-free jelly. The jelly is prepared by the method. The method comprises the following steps: uniformly stirring and mixing 0.2-1 part by mass of jelly powder, 1-10 parts by mass of a sweet raw material and 30-40 parts by mass of hot water, and carrying out heating treatment to obtain a jelly glue solution; the jelly powder comprises at least one of konjaku flour and eucheuma powder; the sweet raw material comprises fructo-oligosaccharide and / or trehalose; cooling the jelly glue solution to 80 + / -5 DEG C, adding fruit juice and 25-40 parts by mass of water, and uniformly stirring and mixing to obtain a jelly solution; the fruit juice comprises 1-20 parts by mass of hawthorn primary pulp and / or probiotic fermented hawthorn pulp; after being packaged, the jelly liquid is sterilized, so that the jelly product which is relatively good in taste, good in stability, relatively long in shelf life and suitable for children to eat is obtained.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of food, and in particular to an additive-free jelly suitable for children and a preparation method thereof. Background Art

[0002] Traditional jelly often relies on food additives to achieve a better taste, good stability, and a longer shelf life. Common food additives include thickeners, preservatives, flavors, pigments, and sweeteners. For example, sweeteners can increase the burden on children's digestion, absorption, and metabolism; using sucrose or white sugar can also increase the risk of tooth decay in children. Commonly used thickeners include gelatin and carrageenan. When children consume jelly containing these thickeners, food may accumulate in the gastrointestinal tract, making it difficult to digest and absorb, leading to uncomfortable symptoms such as bloating and diarrhea. In addition, children have relatively weak chewing abilities and imperfect throat protection reflexes, and consuming jelly containing these thickeners may pose a risk of choking.

[0003] In summary, it is necessary to develop an additive-free jelly suitable for children and a preparation method thereof to solve the problem that traditional jelly using artificial additives is not suitable for children. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention aims to provide an additive-free jelly suitable for children and a preparation method thereof. The specific technical scheme is as follows: In a first aspect, the present invention provides a method for preparing additive-free jelly suitable for children, comprising: Prepare jelly solution: stir and mix 0.2-1 parts by weight of jelly powder, 1-10 parts by weight of sweetening raw materials, and 30-40 parts by weight of hot water, and heat the mixture to obtain jelly solution; the jelly powder comprises at least one of konjac flour and eucheuma flour; the sweetening raw materials comprise oligofructose and / or trehalose; When the jelly solution is cooled to 80±5° C., fruit juice and 25 to 40 parts by weight of water are added and stirred to obtain a jelly solution; the fruit juice comprises 1 to 20 parts by weight of hawthorn puree and / or probiotic fermented hawthorn puree; The jelly liquid is packaged and sterilized to obtain an additive-free jelly product suitable for children.

[0005] Optionally, the mass ratio of the konjac flour to the Eucheuma flour is 1:1 to 1:2; The mass fraction of the hawthorn puree is 1 to 15 parts; The mass fraction of the probiotic fermented hawthorn pulp is 1 to 5 parts; the probiotic fermented hawthorn pulp is a commercially available product; The oligofructose mass fraction is 1 to 5 parts; The mass fraction of the trehalose is 1 to 5 parts.

[0006] Optionally, the juice further comprises 1 to 10 parts by mass of NFC pear juice.

[0007] Optionally, the juice further comprises 1 to 15 parts by mass of concentrated apple juice.

[0008] Optionally, the juice further comprises 0.5 to 10 parts by mass of concentrated loquat juice.

[0009] Optionally, the concentrated apple juice and the concentrated loquat juice are both commercially available products.

[0010] Optionally, the temperature of the hot water is 60-70° C.; the heating temperature used in the heating treatment is 95-98° C., and the insulation time is 5-8 minutes.

[0011] Optionally, the packaging includes filling the jelly liquid into a spout bag.

[0012] Optionally, when the sterilization temperature used in the sterilization treatment is 85-98° C., the sterilization time is 15-20 minutes.

[0013] Optionally, the jelly solution may further include 0.01-0.05 parts by weight of sodium citrate, 0.01-0.05 parts by weight of dried tangerine peel powder, and 0.02-0.08 parts by weight of potassium chloride. The use of dried tangerine peel powder (a medicinal and edible material) can promote children's appetite and digestion.

[0014] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a jelly prepared by the method for preparing the additive-free jelly suitable for children.

[0015] The application of the technical solution of the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects: The present invention provides a method for preparing additive-free jelly suitable for children, which can prepare a jelly product with good taste, good stability, and a long shelf life and suitable for children, thereby solving the problem that traditional jelly using food additives is not suitable for children. Specifically, the jelly powder used in the present invention includes at least one of konjac flour and eucheuma flour. After heating treatment, the jelly powder can replace commonly used thickeners (such as gelatin and carrageenan) to achieve additive-free solidification, and the gel after molding has good stability, a soft texture, easy to put into the mouth, and not easy to get stuck in the throat. It is very friendly to people with swallowing disorders and children, and reduces the risk of choking; the fruit juice used in the present invention is rich in natural pectin, which can synergize with the jelly powder to enhance the gel strength and improve the gel texture (such as being more elastic and less likely to precipitate water, etc.), making the jelly product taste more rounded, smooth and full; in addition, the gel formed by the jelly powder has good stability, can wrap and modify the sour and astringent feeling in the fruit juice to a certain extent, thereby making the jelly product have a better sweet and sour taste; the present invention uses oligofructose and / or trehalose, which can avoid the problem of using sucrose or White sugar causes the risk of tooth decay in children; trehalose has the characteristics of low calories and pure sweetness, which can highlight the natural fruit flavor; oligofructose is a natural water-soluble dietary fiber that can regulate intestinal flora to promote digestion and nutrient absorption; combined with hawthorn pulp, it further promotes digestion; at the same time, hawthorn pulp and probiotic fermented hawthorn pulp can also provide a better sweet and sour taste, and the pH value is adjusted to 3.2~3.9, which to a certain extent restricts the growth of microorganisms. Combined with sterilization treatment, it can extend the shelf life of jelly products and avoid the use of preservatives; natural pigments in fruit juice (such as anthocyanins) can regulate the color of jelly products and avoid the addition of synthetic pigments for color adjustment; the jelly products prepared by the present invention are additive-free and sucrose-free, and are suitable for children to eat; the present invention can also be combined with nutrients or minerals, such as vitamin C and calcium, to meet the nutrients required for children's growth. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions of the present invention in conjunction with the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the embodiments described are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field based on the embodiments of the present invention are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0017] Example 1: A method for preparing additive-free jelly suitable for children, comprising: Preparation of jelly solution; taking a beaker, marked as beaker No. 1, adding 0.3 parts by weight of jelly powder, 1 part by weight of oligofructose and 40 parts by weight of hot water (the hot water temperature is 60-70°C, specifically 65°C) to beaker No. 1, stirring and mixing with a glass rod, and heating in a water bath to obtain a jelly solution; the jelly powder includes konjac flour (a commercial product purchased from Hubei Yizhi Konjac Biotechnology Co., Ltd.) and Eucheuma powder (a commercial product purchased from Qingdao Dehui Marine Biotechnology Co., Ltd.); the mass ratio of the konjac flour to the Eucheuma powder is 1:1.6; When the jelly solution is cooled to 80° C., fruit juice and 34.4 parts by mass of water are added, and the mixture is stirred to obtain a jelly solution; specifically, the fruit juice includes 10 parts by mass of hawthorn puree, 5 parts by mass of NFC pear juice (i.e., non-concentrated reconstituted pear juice), and 9.3 parts by mass of concentrated apple juice; another beaker is taken and marked as beaker No. 2; the required parts by mass of hawthorn puree, NFC pear juice, and concentrated apple juice are added to beaker No. 2, and after stirring and mixing with a glass rod, the fruit juice is added to the jelly solution cooled to 80° C. in beaker No. 1, and stirred rapidly with a glass rod, and the remaining juice in beaker No. 2 is washed three times with 34.4 parts by mass of water, and added to the jelly solution, and stirred and mixed with a glass rod to obtain a jelly solution; The jelly liquid is filled into a nozzle bag and sterilized in a water bath to obtain an additive-free jelly product suitable for children.

[0018] The concentrated apple juice is a commercially available product purchased from Sanmenxia Yuanfenduo Juice Co., Ltd.

[0019] The water bath heating treatment adopts a heating temperature of 95-98° C. (specifically 98° C.) and a heat preservation time of 5-8 minutes (specifically 5 minutes).

[0020] When the sterilization temperature used in the water bath sterilization is 85° C., the sterilization time is 15 minutes.

[0021] Comparative Example 1: Super friendly hawthorn and chicken gizzard jelly available in the market.

[0022] Comparative Example 2: Jinye Hawthorn Suction Le available on the market.

[0023] Comparative Example 3: Laiyifen Hawthorn Six Ingredients Jelly available on the market.

[0024] The jelly products in Example 1 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3 were evaluated for their palatability. The results of the palatability sensory evaluation are shown in Table 1. The palatability sensory evaluation test method is as follows: Nine children aged 10 to 14 were selected (children in this age group can accurately understand the test requirements and scoring standards, and can also give feedback on their own feelings; the 9 older children were numbered Child 1 to Child 9) to give a sensory score on the palate of the jelly products to be tested. A score of 1 to 3 indicates dislike, a score of 4 to 6 indicates an average taste, and a score of 7 to 9 indicates like.

[0025] Table 1 Sensory evaluation results of palatability As shown in Table 1, compared with the commercially available jelly products in Comparative Examples 1 to 3, the jelly product prepared in Example 1 of the present invention obtained the highest score in terms of palatability, and more than half of the testers scored between 7 and 9, indicating that more than half of the testers liked the jelly product prepared in Example 1.

[0026] Comparative Example 4: Commercially available Fruit Jelly.

[0027] The jelly products in Example 1 and Comparative Example 4 were subjected to texture tests. The texture test results are shown in Table 2. The texture test method is as follows: The test was completed using the TPA texture analysis method; the test items were hardness, viscosity, elasticity, cohesion, adhesiveness, chewiness, and recovery; the testing equipment was a texture analyzer, model TA.XT Express650C; all test items adopted the following test parameters: using a P 50 probe for testing, the pre-test rate was 1 mm / s, the mid-test rate was 1 mm / s, and the post-test rate was 1 mm / s, the trigger force was 5g, and the compression deformation was 30%.

[0028] In the test items, the absolute value of viscosity directly reflects the strength of adhesion; elasticity represents the ability of the jelly product to return to its original shape; cohesion represents the binding force between the internal components of the jelly product, that is, the tightness and stability of the jelly product structure; adhesiveness represents the energy required to break the jelly product into a stable state when swallowed; chewability = hardness × elasticity × cohesion; resilience represents the ability of the jelly product to return to its original shape or state after being subjected to external force.

[0029] Table 2 Texture test results As shown in Table 2, compared to the commercially available jelly product in Comparative Example 4, the jelly product prepared in Example 1 of the present invention has lower test values for hardness, cohesion, adhesiveness, chewiness, and resilience, while having a higher test value for viscosity. The reasons are as follows: In terms of viscosity, the absolute value of the viscosity of the jelly product prepared in Example 1 is greater than that in Comparative Example 4, indicating that it has stronger adhesion and is easier to adhere in the mouth, reducing the risk of the jelly product slipping into the throat and causing throat irritation.

[0030] In terms of cohesion and chewiness, the cohesion of the jelly product prepared in Example 1 is lower than that of Comparative Example 4. This is because the binding force between the internal components of the jelly product prepared in Example 1 is weaker than that of Comparative Example 4. That is, the tightness and stability of the structure of the jelly product prepared in Example 1 are lower than those of Comparative Example 4. Therefore, the energy required to break the jelly product prepared in Example 1 into a stable state when swallowed is also lower than that of Comparative Example 4, resulting in poor chewiness compared with Comparative Example 4, which is consistent with the data in Table 2.

[0031] In terms of hardness, adhesion and resilience, the resilience of the jelly product prepared in Example 1 is lower than that of Comparative Example 4, making it easier to chew and swallow, and more suitable for consumption by children. This is because: in terms of hardness and adhesion, the gel structure formed by the konjac flour used in Example 1 mainly depends on the hydrogen bonding between the molecular chains. Although it has strong water holding capacity, it has weak rigidity. The Eucheuma powder used contains cellulose and hemicellulose, which weakens the rigidity of the gel network, thereby reducing the hardness of the jelly product and making it easier to break when chewing. It is not easy to produce a sticky and glutinous feeling, that is, the adhesion is reduced. In terms of resilience, the gel structure formed by the konjac flour used in Example 1 mainly depends on the hydrogen bonding between the molecular chains. The speed at which the molecular chains rearrange after being compressed is slow, thereby making the ability of the jelly product to recover its original state weak. The Eucheuma powder used contains cellulose and hemicellulose, which easily breaks after being compressed, further reducing the ability of the jelly product to recover its original state, that is, the resilience is reduced.

[0032] The jelly product prepared in Example 1 (prepared on August 9, 2024) was sampled and stored at 35° C. and room temperature (25±5° C.) for shelf life testing. The shelf life testing method and test results are shown in Table 3.

[0033] Table 3 Shelf life test method and test results The data in Table 3 show that the jelly product prepared in Example 1 exhibited normal flavor, mouthfeel, and sweet-sour sensation during accelerated storage at 35°C from August 26, 2024, to December 30, 2024. However, due to the prolonged exposure to high temperature, the natural pigments in the jelly product changed, gradually darkening in color. This is a normal phenomenon for natural pigments in jelly products during high-temperature storage and does not affect consumption. The high-temperature storage test results indicate that the jelly product has an expected shelf life of up to nine months.

[0034] Furthermore, the jelly product prepared in Example 1 was tested at room temperature (i.e., 25±5°C) from September 9, 2024, to May 9, 2025. Its flavor, mouthfeel, and sweet-sour sensation were normal, with only a slight darkening of color. This was due to changes in the natural pigments in the juice during storage and did not affect its consumption. Therefore, the room temperature storage test results of the jelly product prepared in Example 1 indicate that its shelf life meets the requirement of at least nine months.

[0035] Comparative Example 5: The ingredients of the commercially available Fruity Jelly, specifically the Orange Jelly, are as follows: NFC orange juice, water, sugar, konjac flour, vitamin C, carrageenan, and potassium chloride. This ingredient is preservative-free.

[0036] The jelly products in Example 1 and Comparative Example 5 were subjected to pH tests respectively. The pH test results are shown in Table 4.

[0037] Table 4 pH test results The data in Table 4 show that the pH value of the jelly product prepared in Example 1 is close to that of Comparative Example 5. Since the commercially available orange jelly product in Comparative Example 5 does not contain preservatives and has a shelf life indicated as 12 months, the data in Tables 3 and 4 show that the use of hawthorn puree in Example 1 of the present invention not only provides a good sweet and sour taste, but also reduces the pH value to 3.79, which restricts microbial growth to a certain extent. Combined with sterilization treatment, it can extend the shelf life of the jelly product and avoid the use of preservatives.

[0038] The foregoing description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that various modifications and variations of the present invention are possible. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, or improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention are intended to be within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for preparing additive-free jelly suitable for children, characterized in that: include: Prepare jelly solution; 0.2 to 1 parts by weight of jelly powder, 1 to 10 parts by weight of a sweetening ingredient, and 30 to 40 parts by weight of hot water are stirred and mixed, and then heated to obtain a jelly gel; the jelly powder comprises at least one of konjac flour and eucheuma flour; and the sweetening ingredient comprises oligofructose and / or trehalose; When the jelly solution is cooled to 80±5° C., fruit juice and 25 to 40 parts by weight of water are added and stirred to obtain a jelly solution; the fruit juice comprises 1 to 20 parts by weight of hawthorn puree and / or probiotic fermented hawthorn puree; The jelly liquid is packaged and sterilized to obtain an additive-free jelly product suitable for children.

2. The method for preparing the additive-free jelly suitable for children according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mass ratio of the konjac flour to the Eucheuma flour is 1:1 to 1:2; The mass fraction of the hawthorn puree is 1 to 15 parts; The mass fraction of the probiotic fermented hawthorn pulp is 1 to 5 parts; the probiotic fermented hawthorn pulp is a commercially available product; The oligofructose mass fraction is 1 to 5 parts; The mass fraction of the trehalose is 1 to 5 parts.

3. The method for preparing the additive-free jelly suitable for children according to claim 1, characterized in that: The juice also includes 1 to 10 parts by mass of NFC pear juice.

4. The method for preparing the additive-free jelly suitable for children according to claim 3, characterized in that: The fruit juice also includes 1 to 15 parts by mass of concentrated apple juice; the concentrated apple juice is a commercially available product.

5. The method for preparing the additive-free jelly suitable for children according to claim 4, characterized in that: The fruit juice also includes 0.5 to 10 parts by mass of concentrated loquat juice; the concentrated loquat juice is a commercially available product.

6. The method for preparing the additive-free jelly suitable for children according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The temperature of the hot water is 60-70° C.; the heating temperature used in the heating treatment is 95-98° C., and the insulation time is 5-8 minutes.

7. The method for preparing the additive-free jelly suitable for children according to claim 6, characterized in that: The packaging comprises filling the jelly liquid into a nozzle bag.

8. The method for preparing the additive-free jelly suitable for children according to claim 7, characterized in that: When the sterilization temperature used in the sterilization treatment is 85-98° C., the sterilization time is 15-20 minutes.

9. The method for preparing the additive-free jelly suitable for children according to claim 8, characterized in that: When preparing the jelly solution, the jelly solution further comprises 0.01 to 0.05 parts by weight of sodium citrate, 0.01 to 0.05 parts by weight of tangerine peel powder, and 0.02 to 0.08 parts by weight of potassium chloride.

10. A jelly prepared by the method for preparing additive-free jelly suitable for children according to claim 9.

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