High-temperature-resistant composite gelling agent as well as preparation method and application thereof

Abstract

The invention provides a high-temperature-resistant composite gelling agent which is composed of pectin, citrus fiber, apple fiber and water, the weight ratio of the pectin to the citrus fiber to the apple fiber is 1.5: 2: 3-3: 5: 6, and the weight of the water is 8-12 times of the total weight of the pectin, the citrus fiber and the apple fiber. The invention further provides a preparation method and application of the high-temperature-resistant composite gelling agent. The pectin, the citrus fiber, the apple fiber and the water are used as raw materials, the composite gelling agent is prepared through heating, stirring and dispersing, the citrus fiber and the apple fiber are used in cooperation, the citrus fiber and the apple fiber generate a strong synergistic effect and jointly construct a powerful three-dimensional network structure, the heat resistance and the stability of the composite gelling agent are greatly improved, and the composite gelling agent is applied to preparation of the soft sweets and has good application prospects. The soft sweets have excellent heat resistance and stability, the texture of the soft sweets is enhanced, the taste is optimized, the user experience is improved, and the shelf life is prolonged; belongs to the technical field of functional food processing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the technical field of functional food processing and relates to a high-temperature resistant composite gelling agent and a preparation method and application thereof. Background Art

[0002] Gummy candies are elastic, jelly-like candies beloved by consumers worldwide. Traditional gummy candies primarily use gelatin or pectin as gelling agents, which generally suffer from poor heat resistance. At higher temperatures (such as during summer transportation, storage, or unrefrigerated storage), the candies can easily soften, deform, stick, or even melt. This can lead to reduced product quality, damaged packaging, a poor consumer experience, and numerous inconveniences in production, transportation, and sales.

[0003] To address the heat resistance issue of soft candies, existing technologies have attempted to use modified starches, carrageenan, xanthan gum, and other hydrophilic colloids in compounding. However, these solutions often introduce new problems. For example, the use of modified starches can make the soft candies sticky and lack elasticity. The use of other colloids can result in a hard texture, poor flavor release, or the introduction of unnatural ingredients, which do not meet the current consumer demand for "clean labels" and natural ingredients.

[0004] Therefore, developing a soft candy that can maintain good elastic texture and chewing feel, has excellent high temperature resistance, and uses natural and healthy raw materials is a technical problem that needs to be solved urgently in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a high-temperature resistant composite gelling agent and a preparation method and application thereof, so as to solve the technical problem of poor heat resistance of existing soft candies.

[0006] In order to solve the above technical problems, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is: providing a high-temperature resistant composite gelling agent, which is composed of pectin, citrus fiber, apple fiber and water, the weight ratio of pectin, citrus fiber and apple fiber is 1.5:2:3~3:5:6, and the weight of water is 8 to 12 times the total weight of pectin, citrus fiber and apple fiber.

[0007] A second aspect of the present invention provides a method for preparing the above-mentioned high-temperature resistant composite gelling agent, comprising the following steps: Pectin, citrus fiber and apple fiber are evenly mixed according to weight ratio, slowly dispersed in water, heated and stirred to disperse, and a stable, particle-free fiber hydrated dispersion is obtained, which is a high-temperature resistant composite gelling agent.

[0008] Preferably, the mixture is stirred and dispersed at 50-70° C. for 10-20 minutes.

[0009] Preferably, the preparation method of citrus fiber comprises the following steps: (1) Clean, remove impurities, cut and debitter the raw materials; (2) Add the raw materials to distilled water, add cellulase and pectinase, heat and stir to perform enzymolysis; after the enzymolysis is completed, continue to heat to inactivate the enzyme; then centrifuge, remove impurities, and rinse to obtain high-purity wet fiber; (3) Freeze-drying the high-purity wet fibers to obtain porous, fluffy, and complete fibers; (4) The porous, fluffy, and intact fibers are crushed to obtain small-sized, high-purity fibers, which are citrus fibers.

[0010] Preferably, in step (1), the raw material comprises any one of orange peel, tangerine peel, and pomelo peel, or a combination of at least two thereof; when cutting, the raw material is cut into small pieces of 1 to 2 cm; when debittering, the raw material is added to a 0.1 to 1% sodium carbonate solution and soaked for 10 to 30 minutes, rinsed with clean water, and then enzymatically hydrolyzed with naringinase and β-glucosidase at 40 to 50° C. for 1 to 2 hours, and then rinsed with clean water; In step (2), distilled water is added at a solid-liquid ratio of 1:8 to 1:10; the mass ratio of cellulase to pectinase is 1:1, and the amount of enzyme added is 0.5 to 2% of the mass of the raw material; during enzymatic hydrolysis, at 45 to 55°C, the pH is adjusted to 3.5 to 4.5 with citric acid, the stirring speed is 50 to 100 rpm, and the enzymatic hydrolysis is carried out for 2 to 4 hours; after the enzymatic hydrolysis is completed, the temperature is raised to 85°C and maintained for 10 to 15 minutes to inactivate the enzyme; during centrifugation, the centrifugation is carried out at 3000 to 5000 rpm for 10 to 20 minutes; during impurity removal, the fiber is rinsed with 50 to 60°C hot water for 2 to 3 times, and then a 1% sodium hydroxide solution is added and treated at 50°C for 30 minutes to remove impurities such as lignin and expand the fiber; In step (3), during freeze drying, a freeze dryer is used, first pre-freezing at -40°C for 10 to 30 minutes, then slowly heating to 0°C for 5 to 10 hours, while setting the vacuum degree to 30 MPa for sublimation drying; then slowly heating to 30°C for 2 hours, maintaining at 30°C for 5 to 10 hours, while setting the vacuum degree to 0.1 MPa for analytical drying; finally, porous, fluffy, and complete fibers with a moisture content of ≤5% are obtained; In step (4), high-frequency ultrasonic waves of 20 to 40 kHz are used to crush the porous, fluffy, and intact fibers to obtain high-purity fibers with a mesh size of ≥100.

[0011] Preferably, the method for preparing the apple fiber comprises the following steps: (1) Clean, remove impurities, cut, and inactivate enzymes on the raw materials; (2) Add the raw materials to distilled water, add cellulase and hemicellulase, and heat and stir to perform enzymolysis; after the enzymolysis is completed, continue to heat to inactivate the enzyme; then centrifuge and wash with hot water to obtain high-purity wet fiber; (3) Freeze-drying the high-purity wet fibers to obtain porous, fluffy, and complete fibers; (4) The porous, fluffy, and complete fibers are crushed to obtain small-sized, high-purity fibers, namely apple fibers.

[0012] Preferably, in step (1), the raw material is any one of apple peel or apple pomace or a combination of the two; when cutting, the raw material is cut into small pieces of 0.5 to 1 cm; when the enzyme is inactivated, the raw material is added to hot water at 80 to 85°C, soaked for 10 to 15 minutes, and then quickly removed and cooled to room temperature with cold water; In step (2), distilled water is added according to a solid-liquid ratio of 1:9 to 1:11; the amount of cellulase added is 0.6 to 1.2% of the raw material mass, and the amount of hemicellulase added is 0.3 to 0.6% of the raw material mass; during enzymatic hydrolysis, at 45 to 55°C, the pH is adjusted to 4.8 to 5.2 with citric acid, the stirring speed is 150 to 200 rpm, and the enzymatic hydrolysis is carried out for 2 to 4 hours; after the enzymatic hydrolysis is completed, the temperature is raised to 85°C and maintained for 10 to 15 minutes to inactivate the enzyme; during centrifugation, the centrifugation is carried out at 3000 to 5000 rpm for 10 to 20 minutes; during hot water washing and centrifugation, the centrifugation is carried out 2 to 3 times with hot water at 50 to 60°C until the conductivity of the supernatant is lower than 50 μS / cm; In step (3), during freeze drying, a freeze dryer is used, first pre-freezing at -40°C for 10 to 30 minutes, then slowly heating to 0°C for 5 to 10 hours, while setting the vacuum degree to 30 MPa for sublimation drying; then slowly heating to 30°C for 2 hours, maintaining at 30°C for 5 to 10 hours, while setting the vacuum degree to 0.1 MPa for analytical drying; finally, porous, fluffy, and complete fibers with a moisture content of ≤5% are obtained; In step (4), high-frequency ultrasonic waves of 20 to 40 kHz are used to crush the porous, fluffy, and intact fibers to obtain high-purity fibers with a mesh size of ≥100.

[0013] A third aspect of the present invention provides an application of the above-mentioned high-temperature resistant composite gelling agent, which is used to prepare soft candies. The soft candies are composed of the following raw materials in parts by weight: 3 to 11 parts of high-temperature resistant composite gelling agent, 60 to 85 parts of composite sweetener, 0.5 to 2 parts of acidity regulator, and 0.3 parts of edible flavor and pigment; wherein the composite sweetener is prepared by uniformly mixing white sugar and glucose syrup in a weight ratio of 1:1.25 to 1:1.5; the acidity regulator is prepared by uniformly mixing malic acid and citric acid in a weight ratio of 0.8:1 to 1:2, adding 1 to 2 times the weight of water to dissolve, and stirring evenly.

[0014] Preferably, the method for preparing the soft candy comprises the following steps: (1) Heat and cook the compound sweetener until the soluble solids content reaches 80-85°Bx; (2) adding the high-temperature resistant composite gelling agent to the cooked composite sweetener, stirring and mixing under heat preservation conditions to obtain a mixed homogeneous liquid A; (3) Cooling the mixed and homogenized liquid A, adding acidity regulator, edible flavor and pigment, and rapidly stirring to obtain liquid B; (4) Casting the liquid B to obtain a solid; (5) Drying and shaping the solids, and then demolding to obtain the sugar body; (6) The sugar body is glazed or coated with sugar to obtain soft candy.

[0015] Preferably, in step (1), the mixture is heated to 115-128° C. for boiling; In step (2), the mixture is kept at 95 to 105° C. and stirred for 5 to 10 minutes; In step (3), the mixed and homogenized liquid A is cooled to 85-95°C; In step (4), the material liquid B is cast and molded using a casting device, the casting device including a starch mold plate or a silicone mold; In step (5), the solid is placed in a dry environment with a temperature of 25 to 50° C. and a relative humidity of 20 to 45% for 24 to 48 hours to dry and set; In step (6), polishing the surface includes applying vegetable oil or carnauba wax.

[0016] The present invention provides a high-temperature resistant composite gelling agent and its preparation method and application. Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: (1) The present invention uses pectin, citrus fiber, apple fiber and water as raw materials, and prepares a composite gelling agent by heating, stirring and dispersing. The citrus fiber and apple fiber are used in combination, and the two produce a strong synergistic effect, jointly constructing a strong three-dimensional network structure, which greatly improves the heat resistance of the composite gelling agent. The application of the composite gelling agent to the preparation of soft candy makes the soft candy exhibit excellent heat resistance, enhances the texture of the soft candy, optimizes the taste, and improves the user experience; in addition, the synergistic effect of the citrus fiber and the apple fiber also greatly improves the stability of the composite gelling agent. The application of the composite gelling agent to the preparation of soft candy makes the soft candy exhibit excellent stability and a longer shelf life.

[0017] (2) In the present invention, citrus fiber provides a solid skeleton and elasticity, apple fiber optimizes the fineness and softness of the texture, and pectin provides a refreshing and smooth taste. The combination of the three makes the soft candy have a good chewy texture without being too hard or rough, and the taste is better than products using only other colloids or modified starches. At the same time, the addition of citrus fiber and apple fiber increases the dietary fiber content of the product, giving it certain health attributes.

[0018] (3) The high-temperature resistant composite gelling agent of the present invention has a simple preparation process, and the raw materials are natural, healthy, cheap and easily available. It conforms to the consumption trend of "clean label", has high food safety, low production cost, high heat resistance and stability, and a long shelf life. It can be widely used in functional foods, including but not limited to soft candies, jellies, and beverages. Its heat resistance and stability bring great convenience to the production, transportation and sales of functional foods.

[0019] (4) The preparation process of the present invention is highly compatible with existing soft candy, jelly, and beverage production lines, does not require large-scale equipment modification, and is easy to industrialize. In addition, the preparation process of the present invention is less sensitive to pH and sugar content than the traditional pectin system, has a wider process window, and more stable product quality. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] In order to make the technical problems, technical solutions and beneficial effects to be solved by this application more clearly understood, the present application is further described in detail below with reference to the following examples. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely for the purpose of explaining this application and are not intended to limit this application. The methods used in this invention are conventional methods unless otherwise specified; the raw materials and devices used are conventional commercially available products unless otherwise specified.

[0021] In order to verify the reliability of the effects of the present invention, the present invention is described below with reference to Examples 1 to 8 and compared with Comparative Examples 1 to 6.

[0022] (1) High temperature resistant composite gelling agent and its preparation method The present invention provides a high-temperature resistant composite gelling agent, which is composed of pectin, citrus fiber, apple fiber and water. The raw materials and weights are shown in Table 1.

[0023] Table 1 Raw materials and weight of high temperature resistant composite gelling agent (unit: g)

[0024] The present invention also provides a method for preparing a high-temperature resistant composite gelling agent according to the raw materials and weights of Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3 in Table 1, comprising the following steps: (1) Preparation of citrus fiber (1.1) Preprocessing: ① Cleaning: Choose fresh, mildew-free, and odor-free orange peels, a by-product of citrus processing, as raw materials; ②Removal of impurities: Soak and rinse the raw materials in clean water to remove impurities; ③Cutting: Cut the raw materials into small pieces of 1-2 cm; ④ Debittering: Soak the cut raw materials in 0.5% sodium carbonate solution for 20 minutes, rinse with clean water, and then enzymatically hydrolyze with naringinase and β-glucosidase at 45°C for 1.5 hours, and then rinse with clean water.

[0025] (1.2) Enzymatic extraction: ① Enzymatic hydrolysis: Place the pretreated raw materials into a reaction vessel, add distilled water at a solid-liquid ratio of 1:10, then add cellulase and pectinase at a mass ratio of 1:1, and the enzyme addition amount is 1.5% of the raw material mass; adjust the pH to 4.0 with citric acid at 50°C, stir at 80 rpm, and perform enzymatic hydrolysis for 3 hours; ② Inactivation: After the enzymatic hydrolysis is completed, the temperature is raised to 85°C and maintained for 15 minutes to inactivate the enzyme; ③ Centrifugation: Centrifuge at 4000 rpm for 15 min to obtain wet fiber precipitation; ④ Impurity removal: rinse with 55℃ hot water for 3 times, then add 1% sodium hydroxide solution and treat at 50℃ for 30 minutes to remove impurities such as lignin and expand the fiber; ⑤ Rinse: Rinse repeatedly with clean water to remove residual sodium hydroxide and obtain high-purity wet fiber.

[0026] (1.3) Freeze drying: ① Sublimation drying: Use a freeze dryer to freeze-dry the high-purity wet fiber. First, pre-freeze it at -40°C for 20 minutes, then slowly heat it to 0°C over 8 hours, and set the vacuum degree to 30 MPa for sublimation drying. ② Desorption drying: Then slowly raise the temperature to 30°C over 2 hours, maintain at 30°C for 8 hours, and set the vacuum degree to 0.1 MPa for desorption drying; finally, porous, fluffy, and complete fibers with a moisture content of ≤5% are obtained.

[0027] (1.4) Crushing: High-frequency ultrasound at 30kHz is used to break up the porous, fluffy, and complete fibers to obtain high-purity fibers with a mesh size of ≥100, namely, citrus fibers.

[0028] (2) Preparation of apple fiber (2.1) Preprocessing: ① Cleaning: Choose fresh, mildew-free, and odor-free apple pomace (the pulp residue after core removal) as the raw material; ②Removal of impurities: Soak and rinse the raw materials in clean water to remove impurities; ③Cutting: Cut the raw materials into small pieces of 0.5-1cm; ④Inactivation enzyme treatment: Place the cut raw materials in 85℃ hot water and soak for 12 minutes to inactivate the enzymatic activity of polyphenol oxidase contained in the apples and reduce the risk of discoloration of the raw materials. Then quickly remove them and cool them to room temperature with cold water to reduce the loss of nutrients.

[0029] (2.2) Enzymatic extraction: ① Enzymatic hydrolysis: Place the pretreated raw materials into a reaction vessel, add distilled water at a solid-liquid ratio of 1:11, and then add cellulase and hemicellulase. The addition amount of cellulase is 1.0% of the raw material mass, and the addition amount of hemicellulase is 0.5% of the raw material mass. Adjust the pH to 5.0 with citric acid at 50°C, stir at 180 rpm, and perform enzymatic hydrolysis for 3 hours. ② Inactivation: After the enzymatic hydrolysis is completed, the temperature is raised to 85°C and maintained for 15 minutes to inactivate the enzyme; ③ Centrifugation: Centrifuge at 4000 rpm for 15 min to obtain wet fiber precipitation; ④ Hot water washing and centrifugation: Wash and centrifuge with 55°C hot water for 3 times until the conductivity of the supernatant is lower than 50μS / cm, indicating that small molecular impurities are basically removed and high-purity wet fiber is obtained.

[0030] (2.3) Freeze drying: ① Sublimation drying: Use a freeze dryer to freeze-dry the high-purity wet fiber. First, pre-freeze it at -40°C for 20 minutes, then slowly heat it to 0°C over 8 hours, and set the vacuum degree to 30 MPa for sublimation drying. ② Desorption drying: Then slowly raise the temperature to 30°C over 2 hours, maintain at 30°C for 8 hours, and set the vacuum degree to 0.1 MPa for desorption drying; finally, porous, fluffy, and complete fibers with a moisture content of ≤5% are obtained.

[0031] (2.4) Crushing: High-frequency ultrasound at 30kHz is used to break up the porous, fluffy, and complete fibers to obtain high-purity fibers with a mesh size of ≥100, namely, apple fiber.

[0032] (3) Preparation of high temperature resistant composite gelling agent Pectin, citrus fiber, and apple fiber were uniformly mixed according to a weight ratio, slowly dispersed in water, and stirred and dispersed at 60° C. for 15 minutes to allow the fibers to fully and evenly absorb water to obtain a stable, particle-free fiber hydrated dispersion, which is a high-temperature resistant composite gelling agent prepared according to the raw materials and weights of Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3 in Table 1.

[0033] In the above Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3, pectin is a conventional commercial product, and the weight of water is 8 to 12 times the total weight of pectin, citrus fiber and apple fiber.

[0034] In the above Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3, in step (1.1), the raw material includes any one of orange peel, tangerine peel, and pomelo peel, or a combination of at least two thereof; when cutting, the raw material is cut into small pieces of 0.5 to 1 cm; when debittering, the raw material is added to a 0.1 to 1% sodium carbonate solution and soaked for 10 to 30 minutes, rinsed with clean water, and then enzymatically hydrolyzed with naringinase and β-glucosidase at 40 to 50° C. for 1 to 2 hours, and then rinsed with clean water. In step (1.2), distilled water is added at a solid-liquid ratio of 1:8 to 1:10; the mass ratio of cellulase to pectinase is 1:1, and the amount of enzyme added is 0.5 to 2% of the mass of the raw material; during enzymatic hydrolysis, at 45 to 55°C, the pH is adjusted to 3.5 to 4.5 with citric acid, the stirring speed is 50 to 100 rpm, and the enzymatic hydrolysis is carried out for 2 to 4 hours; after the enzymatic hydrolysis is completed, the temperature is raised to 85°C and maintained for 10 to 15 minutes to inactivate the enzyme; during centrifugation, the fiber is centrifuged at 3000 to 5000 rpm for 10 to 20 minutes; during impurity removal, the fiber is rinsed with 50 to 60°C hot water 2 to 3 times, and then a 1% sodium hydroxide solution is added and treated at 50°C for 30 minutes to remove impurities such as lignin and expand the fiber.

[0035] In the above Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3, in step (2.1), the raw material is any one or a combination of apple peel or apple pomace; when cutting, the raw material is cut into small pieces of 0.5 to 1 cm; when inactivating the enzyme treatment, the raw material is added to hot water at 80 to 85° C., soaked for 10 to 15 minutes, and then quickly removed and cooled to room temperature with cold water; in step (2.2), distilled water is added according to a solid-liquid ratio of 1:9 to 1:11; the amount of cellulase added is 0.6 to 1.2% of the raw material mass, and the amount of hemicellulase added is 0.3 to 0.6% of the raw material mass; during enzymolysis, at 45 to 55° C., the pH is adjusted to 4.8 to 5.2 with citric acid, the stirring speed is 150 to 200 rpm, and the enzymolysis is carried out for 2 to 4 hours; after the enzymolysis is completed, the temperature is raised to 85° C. and maintained for 10 to 15 minutes to inactivate the enzyme; during centrifugation, the temperature is raised to 300 Centrifuge at 0-5000rpm for 10-20min; when washing with hot water, centrifuge with 50-60℃ hot water for 2-3 times until the conductivity of the supernatant is lower than 50μS / cm; in step (1.3) and step (2.3), when freeze-drying, use a freeze dryer, first pre-freeze at -40℃ at an extremely low temperature for 10-30min, then slowly heat to 0℃ for 5-10h, and set the vacuum degree to 30Mpa for sublimation drying; then slowly heat to 30℃ for 2h, keep at 30℃ for 5-10h, and set the vacuum degree to 0.1Mpa for analytical drying; finally, obtain porous, fluffy and complete fibers with a moisture content of ≤5%; in step (1.4) and step (2.4), use high-frequency ultrasonic waves of 20-40kHz to crush the porous, fluffy and complete fibers to obtain high-purity fibers of ≥100 mesh.

[0036] In the above Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Examples 1 to 3, in step (3), the dispersion is stirred at 50 to 70° C. for 10 to 20 minutes.

[0037] As long as the above parameters are within the range, they can be adaptively adjusted according to specific circumstances in actual production.

[0038] (2) Application of high temperature resistant composite gelling agent The present invention also provides an application of a high-temperature resistant composite gelling agent for preparing soft candies, the raw materials and weights of which are shown in Table 2.

[0039] Table 2 Ingredients and weight of soft candy (unit: g)

[0040] The present invention also provides a method for preparing soft candies according to the raw materials and weights of Examples 5 to 8 and Comparative Examples 4 to 6 in Table 2, comprising the following steps: (1) Boiling sugar White sugar and glucose syrup are uniformly mixed in a weight ratio of 1:1.5 to obtain a compound sweetener; the compound sweetener is heated to 120°C and boiled to make the soluble solid content reach 80-85°Bx.

[0041] (2) Mixing and homogenization The high-temperature resistant composite gelling agent was added to the boiled composite sweetener, kept warm at 100° C., and stirred for 10 minutes to ensure that the fiber network and the syrup system were fully integrated and homogenized to obtain a mixed homogeneous liquid A.

[0042] (3) Allocation Malic acid and citric acid are uniformly mixed in a weight ratio of 1:2, and 2 times the weight of water is added to dissolve to obtain an acidity regulator; the homogenized liquid A is cooled to 90°C, and the acidity regulator, edible flavor and pigment are added, and the mixture is rapidly stirred to obtain a liquid B; adding at this temperature can avoid excessive conversion of acid to sugar and excessive volatilization of flavor.

[0043] (4) Casting The material liquid B is cast and molded using a starch mold of a casting device to obtain a solid.

[0044] (5) Drying, shaping and demoulding The solid material is placed in a dry environment with a temperature of 25-35°C and a relative humidity of 40-55% for 36 hours to dry and set the solid material; after drying and setting the solid material, the solid material is demoulded to obtain a sugar body.

[0045] (6) Surface glazing or sugar coating, packaging The surface of the sugar body is coated with sugar to obtain soft candies; and then packaged to obtain finished soft candies, which are soft candies prepared according to the raw materials and weights of Examples 5 to 8 and Comparative Examples 4 to 6 in Table 2.

[0046] In the above Examples 5 to 8 and Comparative Examples 4 to 6, the compound sweetener (white sugar and glucose), acidity regulator (malic acid and citric acid), edible flavoring, and pigment are all conventional commercially available products; the compound sweetener is prepared by uniformly mixing white sugar and glucose syrup in a weight ratio of 1:1.25 to 1:1.5; the acidity regulator is prepared by uniformly mixing malic acid and citric acid in a weight ratio of 0.8:1 to 1:2, dissolving in 1 to 2 times the weight of water, and stirring evenly.

[0047] In the above-mentioned Examples 5 to 8 and Comparative Examples 4 to 6, in step (1), the mixture is heated to 115 to 128°C for boiling. In step (2), the mixture is kept at 95 to 105°C and stirred for 5 to 10 minutes. In step (3), the mixed and homogenized liquid A is cooled to 85 to 95°C. In step (4), liquid B is cast and molded using a casting device, which includes a starch mold or a silicone mold. In step (5), the solid matter is placed in a dry environment at a temperature of 25 to 50°C and a relative humidity of 20 to 45%, and dried for 24 to 48 hours to dry and shape. In step (6), the sugar body is glazed or coated with sugar, and the surface glazing includes applying vegetable oil or carnauba wax.

[0048] As long as the above parameters are within the range, they can be adaptively adjusted according to specific circumstances in actual production.

[0049] The following heat resistance comparison test and stability comparison test were carried out on the soft candies prepared in Examples 5 to 8 and Comparative Examples 4 to 6, respectively.

[0050] (1) Heat resistance comparison test Test Method: The soft candies prepared in Examples 5-8 and Comparative Examples 4-6 were placed in a constant temperature and humidity chamber at 35±5°C and 50±10% RH for a heat resistance comparison test. Time was counted from the moment the soft candies were placed in the chamber, marked as day 0. The texture and appearance of the soft candies were then tested at intervals thereafter.

[0051] Testing Method: The texture of the soft candies was tested using a texture analyzer, including hardness, springiness, and chewiness. The appearance of the soft candies was visually inspected for signs of softening, deformation, melting, water resorption, and any sticking to the packaging. The test results are shown in Tables 3 and 4.

[0052] Table 3 Texture test results of soft candy

[0053] Table 4 Appearance test results of soft candies

[0054] From Tables 3 and 4, we can see that: As the heat resistance comparison test proceeded, the soft candies of Examples 5 to 8 maintained a good texture within 12 days of storage, and there was no softening, deformation, melting, water resorption, or adhesion in appearance; while the texture of the soft candies of Comparative Examples 4 to 5 was significantly lower than that of Examples 5 to 8, and slight softening, slight deformation, slight melting, slight water resorption, and slight adhesion occurred on the 4th day of storage; the texture of the soft candies of Comparative Example 6 was significantly lower than that of Comparative Examples 4 to 5, and slight water resorption and slight adhesion occurred on the 1st day of storage, and severe softening, severe deformation, severe melting, severe water resorption, and severe adhesion occurred on the 2nd day of storage; that is, the texture and appearance of the soft candies of Examples 5 to 8 were significantly better than those of Comparative Examples 4 to 6; it can be seen that the soft candies of Examples 5 to 8 have good texture and appearance at high temperatures, that is, the high temperature resistant composite gelling agent prepared by the present invention has excellent heat resistance, so that the prepared soft candies also have excellent heat resistance.

[0055] The texture and appearance of the soft candies of Comparative Examples 4 to 5 are significantly worse than those of Examples 5 to 8, and the texture and appearance of the soft candies of Comparative Example 6 are significantly worse than those of Comparative Examples 4 to 5. It can be seen that simply adding citrus fiber or apple fiber cannot achieve the heat-resistant technical effect produced by the combined use of citrus fiber and apple fiber. Therefore, the citrus fiber and apple fiber of the present invention are used in combination, and the two produce a strong synergistic effect, jointly constructing a strong three-dimensional network structure, which greatly improves the heat resistance of the composite gelling agent. Its application in the preparation of soft candies makes the soft candies exhibit excellent heat resistance, enhances the texture of the soft candies, optimizes the taste, and improves the user experience. The lack of either citrus fiber or apple fiber cannot achieve the technical effects of improving heat resistance, enhancing texture, and optimizing taste.

[0056] (2) Stability comparison test Test Method: The soft candies prepared in Examples 5-8 and Comparative Examples 4-6 were placed in an accelerated testing chamber at a temperature of 75±5°C and a relative humidity of 70±10% for accelerated testing. The timer was set to zero hours from the moment the soft candies were placed in the chamber. The texture and appearance of the soft candies were then tested at intervals. The test results are shown in Tables 5-6.

[0057] Table 5 Texture test results of soft candy accelerated test

[0058] Table 6 Appearance test results of soft candy accelerated test

[0059] From Tables 5 and 6, we can see that: As the accelerated test proceeded, the soft candies of Examples 5 to 8 maintained good texture and appearance throughout the 48 hours of the accelerated test, and still maintained their original shape without softening, melting, water resorption, or adhesion. However, the texture of the soft candies of Comparative Examples 4 to 5 was significantly lower than that of Examples 5 to 8. At the 12th hour of the accelerated test, slight softening, slight deformation, slight melting, slight water resorption, and slight adhesion occurred. At the 24th hour of the accelerated test, severe water resorption and severe adhesion occurred. At the 36th hour of the accelerated test, severe softening, severe water resorption, and severe adhesion occurred. At the 48th hour of the accelerated test, severe softening, severe deformation, severe melting, severe water resorption, and severe adhesion occurred. The texture of the soft candy in Example 6 is significantly lower than that of Comparative Examples 4 to 5. Slight water backflow and slight adhesion occur in the 3rd hour of the accelerated test, and severe softening, severe deformation, severe melting, severe water backflow, and severe adhesion occur in the 12th hour of the accelerated test. It can be seen that the soft candy prepared by the present invention has excellent stability and a long shelf life, which is brought about by the high-temperature resistant composite gelling agent. The citrus fiber and apple fiber in the high-temperature resistant composite gelling agent are used together to produce a strong synergistic effect and a synergistic effect. This synergistic effect greatly improves the stability of the composite gelling agent. Its application in the preparation of soft candy makes the soft candy exhibit excellent stability and a long shelf life.

[0060] The composite gelling agent prepared by the present invention can be widely used in functional foods, including but not limited to soft candies, jellies, and beverages. Its heat resistance and stability bring great convenience to the production, transportation, and sales of functional foods.

[0061] The present invention provides a high-temperature resistant composite gelling agent and its preparation method and application. (1) The present invention uses pectin, citrus fiber, apple fiber and water as raw materials, and prepares the composite gelling agent by heating, stirring and dispersing. The citrus fiber and apple fiber are used in combination, and the two produce a strong synergistic effect, jointly constructing a strong three-dimensional network structure, which greatly improves the heat resistance of the composite gelling agent. The composite gelling agent is applied to prepare soft candies, so that the soft candies exhibit excellent heat resistance, enhance the texture of the soft candies, optimize the taste, and improve the user experience. In addition, the synergistic effect of the citrus fiber and the apple fiber also greatly improves the stability of the composite gelling agent. The composite gelling agent is applied to prepare soft candies, so that the soft candies exhibit excellent stability and a longer shelf life. (2) In the present invention, citrus fiber provides a solid skeleton and elasticity, apple fiber optimizes the fineness and softness of the texture, and pectin provides a refreshing and smooth taste. The three are used in combination to make the soft candy have a good chewy texture without being too hard or rough, and the taste is better than products using other colloids or modified starches alone; at the same time, the addition of citrus fiber and apple fiber increases the dietary fiber content of the product, giving it certain health attributes. (3) The preparation process of the high-temperature resistant composite gelling agent of the present invention is simple, the raw materials are natural, healthy, cheap and easy to obtain, and it conforms to the consumer trend of "clean label". It has high food safety, low production cost, high heat resistance and stability, and a long shelf life. It can be widely used in functional foods, including but not limited to soft candies, jellies, and beverages. Its heat resistance and stability bring great convenience to the production, transportation and sales of functional foods. (4) The preparation process of the present invention is highly compatible with existing soft candy, jelly, and beverage production lines, eliminating the need for large-scale equipment modification and facilitating industrial production. Furthermore, the preparation process of the present invention is less sensitive to pH and sugar content than traditional pectin systems, resulting in a wider process window and more stable product quality. The present invention can be widely applied in the field of functional food processing technology.

[0062] The above-described embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit them. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or make equivalent replacements for some of the technical features therein. These modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the various embodiments of the present application, and should all be included in the scope of protection of the present application.

Claims

1. A high temperature resistant composite gelling agent, characterized in that: It is composed of pectin, citrus fiber, apple fiber and water. The weight ratio of pectin, citrus fiber and apple fiber is 1.5:2:3 to 3:5:6, and the weight of water is 8 to 12 times the total weight of pectin, citrus fiber and apple fiber.

2. A method for preparing the high temperature resistant composite gelling agent according to claim 1, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: Pectin, citrus fiber and apple fiber are evenly mixed according to weight ratio, slowly dispersed in water, heated and stirred to disperse, and a stable, particle-free fiber hydrated dispersion is obtained, which is a high-temperature resistant composite gelling agent.

3. The method for preparing a high temperature resistant composite gelling agent according to claim 2, wherein: Stir and disperse at 50-70°C for 10-20 minutes.

4. The method for preparing a high temperature resistant composite gelling agent according to claim 2, wherein: The preparation method of the citrus fiber comprises the following steps: (1) Clean, remove impurities, cut and debitter the raw materials; (2) Add the raw materials to distilled water, add cellulase and pectinase, heat and stir to perform enzymolysis; after the enzymolysis is completed, continue to heat to inactivate the enzyme; then centrifuge, remove impurities, and rinse to obtain high-purity wet fiber; (3) Freeze-drying the high-purity wet fibers to obtain porous, fluffy, and complete fibers; (4) The porous, fluffy, and intact fibers are crushed to obtain small-sized, high-purity fibers, which are citrus fibers.

5. The method for preparing the high temperature resistant composite gelling agent according to claim 4, characterized in that: In step (1), the raw material comprises any one of orange peel, tangerine peel, and pomelo peel, or a combination of at least two thereof; when cutting, the raw material is cut into small pieces of 1 to 2 cm; when debittering, the raw material is added to a 0.1 to 1% sodium carbonate solution and soaked for 10 to 30 minutes, rinsed with clean water, and then enzymatically hydrolyzed with naringinase and β-glucosidase at 40 to 50° C. for 1 to 2 hours, and then rinsed with clean water; In step (2), distilled water is added at a solid-liquid ratio of 1:8 to 1:10; the mass ratio of cellulase to pectinase is 1:1, and the amount of enzyme added is 0.5 to 2% of the mass of the raw material; during enzymatic hydrolysis, at 45 to 55°C, the pH is adjusted to 3.5 to 4.5 with citric acid, the stirring speed is 50 to 100 rpm, and the enzymatic hydrolysis is carried out for 2 to 4 hours; after the enzymatic hydrolysis is completed, the temperature is raised to 85°C and maintained for 10 to 15 minutes to inactivate the enzyme; during centrifugation, the centrifugation is carried out at 3000 to 5000 rpm for 10 to 20 minutes; during impurity removal, the fiber is rinsed with 50 to 60°C hot water for 2 to 3 times, and then a 1% sodium hydroxide solution is added and treated at 50°C for 30 minutes to remove impurities such as lignin and expand the fiber; In step (3), during freeze drying, a freeze dryer is used, first pre-freezing at -40°C for 10 to 30 minutes, then slowly heating to 0°C for 5 to 10 hours, while setting the vacuum degree to 30 MPa for sublimation drying; then slowly heating to 30°C for 2 hours, maintaining at 30°C for 5 to 10 hours, while setting the vacuum degree to 0.1 MPa for analytical drying; finally, porous, fluffy, and complete fibers with a moisture content of ≤5% are obtained; In step (4), high-frequency ultrasonic waves of 20 to 40 kHz are used to crush the porous, fluffy, and intact fibers to obtain high-purity fibers with a mesh size of ≥100.

6. The method for preparing a high temperature resistant composite gelling agent according to claim 2, wherein: The preparation method of the apple fiber comprises the following steps: (1) Clean, remove impurities, cut, and inactivate enzymes on the raw materials; (2) Add the raw materials to distilled water, add cellulase and hemicellulase, and heat and stir to perform enzymolysis; after the enzymolysis is completed, continue to heat to inactivate the enzyme; then centrifuge and wash with hot water to obtain high-purity wet fiber; (3) Freeze-drying the high-purity wet fibers to obtain porous, fluffy, and complete fibers; (4) The porous, fluffy, and complete fibers are crushed to obtain small-sized, high-purity fibers, namely apple fibers.

7. The method for preparing the high temperature resistant composite gelling agent according to claim 6, characterized in that: In step (1), the raw material is any one of apple peel or apple pomace or a combination of the two; when cutting, the raw material is cut into small pieces of 0.5 to 1 cm; when the enzyme is inactivated, the raw material is added to hot water at 80 to 85° C., soaked for 10 to 15 minutes, and then quickly removed and cooled to room temperature with cold water; In step (2), distilled water is added according to a solid-liquid ratio of 1:9 to 1:11; the amount of cellulase added is 0.6 to 1.2% of the raw material mass, and the amount of hemicellulase added is 0.3 to 0.6% of the raw material mass; during enzymatic hydrolysis, at 45 to 55°C, the pH is adjusted to 4.8 to 5.2 with citric acid, the stirring speed is 150 to 200 rpm, and the enzymatic hydrolysis is carried out for 2 to 4 hours; after the enzymatic hydrolysis is completed, the temperature is raised to 85°C and maintained for 10 to 15 minutes to inactivate the enzyme; during centrifugation, the centrifugation is carried out at 3000 to 5000 rpm for 10 to 20 minutes; during hot water washing and centrifugation, the centrifugation is carried out 2 to 3 times with hot water at 50 to 60°C until the conductivity of the supernatant is lower than 50 μS / cm; In step (3), during freeze drying, a freeze dryer is used, first pre-freezing at -40°C for 10 to 30 minutes, then slowly heating to 0°C for 5 to 10 hours, while setting the vacuum degree to 30 MPa for sublimation drying; then slowly heating to 30°C for 2 hours, maintaining at 30°C for 5 to 10 hours, while setting the vacuum degree to 0.1 MPa for analytical drying; finally, porous, fluffy, and complete fibers with a moisture content of ≤5% are obtained; In step (4), high-frequency ultrasonic waves of 20 to 40 kHz are used to crush the porous, fluffy, and intact fibers to obtain high-purity fibers with a mesh size of ≥100.

8. An application of the high temperature resistant composite gelling agent according to claim 1, characterized in that: The high-temperature resistant composite gelling agent is used to prepare soft candies, which are composed of the following raw materials in parts by weight: 3 to 11 parts of the high-temperature resistant composite gelling agent, 60 to 85 parts of a composite sweetener, 0.5 to 2 parts of an acidity regulator, and 0.3 parts of an edible flavor and a pigment. The composite sweetener is prepared by uniformly mixing white sugar and glucose syrup in a weight ratio of 1:1.25 to 1:1.5; the acidity regulator is prepared by uniformly mixing malic acid and citric acid in a weight ratio of 0.8:1 to 1:2, adding 1 to 2 times the weight of water to dissolve the mixture, and stirring the mixture evenly.

9. The use of the high temperature resistant composite gelling agent according to claim 8, characterized in that: The preparation method of the soft candy comprises the following steps: (1) Heat and cook the compound sweetener until the soluble solids content reaches 80-85°Bx; (2) adding the high-temperature resistant composite gelling agent to the cooked composite sweetener, stirring and mixing under heat preservation conditions to obtain a mixed homogeneous liquid A; (3) Cooling the mixed and homogenized liquid A, adding acidity regulator, edible flavor and pigment, and rapidly stirring to obtain liquid B; (4) Casting the liquid B to obtain a solid; (5) Drying and shaping the solids, and then demolding to obtain the sugar body; (6) The sugar body is glazed or coated with sugar to obtain soft candy.

10. The use of the high temperature resistant composite gelling agent according to claim 9, characterized in that: In step (1), heating to 115-128° C. for boiling; In step (2), the mixture is kept at 95 to 105° C. and stirred for 5 to 10 minutes; In step (3), the mixed and homogenized liquid A is cooled to 85-95°C; In step (4), the material liquid B is cast and molded using a casting device, the casting device including a starch mold plate or a silicone mold; In step (5), the solid is placed in a dry environment with a temperature of 25 to 50° C. and a relative humidity of 20 to 45% for 24 to 48 hours to dry and set; In step (6), polishing the surface includes applying vegetable oil or carnauba wax.

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