A eucalyptus-flavor-stable sugar-free hard candy containing monk fruit, lily and platycodon, and preparation method thereof

Abstract

The present invention discloses a eucalyptus-flavor-stable sugar-free hard candy containing monk fruit, lily and platycodon, and a preparation method thereof. The hard candy comprises isomalt, maltitol syrup, erythritol, monk fruit extract, Platycodon grandiflorus water extract, lily bulb water extract, low-glycyrrhizic-acid licorice extract, eucalyptus oil microcapsule powder, menthol, citric acid, and sodium citrate, and contains no phospholipid emulsifier. The eucalyptus oil microcapsule powder is prepared by emulsification, homogenization, and spray drying. During preparation of the hard candy, the sugar alcohols are dissolved and cooked to form a candy mass; the herbal extracts, citric acid, and sodium citrate are added after initial cooling; and the eucalyptus oil microcapsule powder and menthol are added after further cooling, followed by mold casting, cooling, demolding, and hermetic packaging. The resulting hard candy exhibits uniform eucalyptus flavor, reduced flavor loss, coordinated herbal taste, and stable molding performance.

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] A Eucalyptus-Flavor-Stable Sugar-Free Hard Candy Containing Monk Fruit,

[0003] Lily and Platycodon, and Preparation Method Thereof Technical Field

[0004] The present invention relates to the technical field of food processing, and particularly relates to a eucalyptus-flavor-stable sugar-free hard candy containing monk fruit, lily and platycodon, and a preparation method thereof.

[0005] Background Art

[0006] Hard candy is a traditional mainstream product in the leisure food category and has long occupied an important share of the confectionery market. With the continuous improvement of consumers' health awareness, the demand for candy consumption has gradually shifted from traditional products having high sweetness and heavy taste to health-oriented products featuring low sugar or no sugar, natural raw materials and diverse flavor experiences. Among them, candy products having both herbal flavor and a cooling mouthfeel have continued to attract a growing consumer base, and the application of edible and medicinal plant raw materials in candies has received extensive market attention. Consumer requirements for such products are no longer limited to basic sweetness and cooling sensation; higher requirements are also imposed on flavor uniformity, mouthfeel mildness, formula cleanliness and flavor stability during storage, thereby promoting optimization and upgrading of the formula and preparation technology of herbal-flavored sugar-free hard candies.

[0007] However, existing herbal-flavored hard candy products still have a number of deficiencies in terms of formula and preparation. In the application of flavor components, eucalyptus-type cooling components are mostly directly added in the form of liquid oils; oil components are insufficiently dispersed in the candy matrix, and problems such as non-uniform local flavor concentration and strong irritation at the time of ingestion are likely to occur. Meanwhile, such components are highly volatile and are easily lost in large quantities during high-temperature candy cooking, resulting in insufficient finished-product flavor and relatively iDESCRIPTION

[0008] rapid flavor attenuation during storage. In the compounding of herbal raw materials, conventional combinations of herbal extracts tend to present prominent herbal bitterness and a strong licorice aftertaste, making it difficult to balance flavor richness with mouthfeel mildness. In adaptation to sugar-free systems, some products add phospholipid emulsifiers in order to improve dispersion of oil components, which affects product cleanliness; and the molding stability of some sugar-free matrix formulations is insufficient, making it difficult to satisfy both flavor carrying capacity and candy-body texture requirements.

[0009] Summary of the Invention

[0010] An object of the present invention is to make up for deficiencies of the prior art by providing a eucalyptus-flavor-stable sugar-free hard candy containing monk fruit, lily and platycodon, and a preparation method thereof. In the present invention, isomalt, maltitol syrup and erythritol constitute a sugar-free candy matrix; a microencapsulated eucalyptus oil component is used; and monk fruit extract, Platycodon grandiflorus water extract, lily bulb water extract and low-glycyrrhizic-acid licorice extract are compounded, while no phospholipid emulsifier is added to the formula. The microencapsulated eucalyptus oil exists in the form of a solid powder, can be directly and uniformly dispersed in the sugar-alcohol matrix, and can achieve uniform distribution of an oil-soluble flavor component without an additional emulsifying aid. A plurality of herbal extracts are combined in a defined proportion, so that the flavor characteristics of the herbal raw materials themselves can be harmonized to form a coordinated herbal flavor system. A specific proportion of sugar alcohols can form a stable candy-body framework, ensuring the molding state and textural characteristics of the finished product and making it suitable for normal-temperature storage and distribution environments.

[0011] To solve the above technical problems, the present invention provides the following technical solutions: in one aspect, a eucalyptus-flavor-stable sugar-free hard candy containing monk fruit, lily and platycodon comprises the followingDESCRIPTION

[0012] components:

[0013] 73.830-76.990 parts of isomalt, 18.500-22.000 parts of maltitol syrup, 1.800-3.000 parts of erythritol, 0.350-0.500 part of monk fruit extract, 0.220-0.380 part of Platycodon grandiflorus water extract, 0.550-0.850 part of lily bulb water extract, 0.060-0.110 part of low-glycyrrhizic-acid licorice extract, 0.180-0.280 part of eucalyptus oil microcapsule powder, 0.030-0.045 part of menthol, 0.100-0.160 part of citric acid, and 0.020-0.045 part of sodium citrate; wherein the addition amount of the maltitol syrup is calculated on a dry-matter basis, and the solid content thereof is 75.0%-80.0%; the eucalyptus oil microcapsule powder is prepared from eucalyptus oil, maltodextrin and gum arabic at a weight ratio of 1:7.5-8.5: 1.5-2.5 by emulsification, homogenization and spray drying, and the mass content of eucalyptus oil in the eucalyptus oil microcapsule powder is 8.0%-12.0%; the hard candy contains no phospholipid emulsifier; the single-piece mass of the hard candy is 2.40-2.60 g, and the moisture content is not higher than 3.0%.

[0014] Further, the monk fruit extract is derived from monk fruit, wherein the mass content of mogroside V is 20%-50%; the Platycodon grandiflorus water extract is derived from the root of Platycodon grandiflorus, with an extraction ratio of 8-12:1; and the lily bulb water extract is derived from dried bulbs of cultivated lily, wherein the lily is selected from one or both of Lilium lancifolium Thunb. and Lilium brownii F.E.Br. var. viridulum Baker, with an extraction ratio of 8-12:1.

[0015] More further, the low-glycyrrhizic-acid licorice extract is prepared by subjecting a licorice water extract to glycyrrhizic acid removal treatment, and the mass content of glycyrrhizic acid, calculated on a dry basis, is <=5.0%; and the particle size D90 of the eucalyptus oil microcapsule powder is <=180 pm.

[0016] More further, the weight ratio of the monk fruit extract, the Platycodon grandiflorus water extract, the lily bulb water extract and the low-glycyrrhizic-acid licorice extract is 1:0.62-0.76:1.57-1.70:0.17-0.22; based onDESCRIPTION

[0017] a hard candy having a single-piece mass of 2.50 g, each hard candy contains 8.75-12.50 mg of monk fruit extract, 5.50-9.50 mg of Platycodon grandiflorus water extract, 13.75-21.25 mg of lily bulb water extract, 1.50-2.75 mg of low-glycyrrhizic-acid licorice extract, 4.50-7.00 mg of eucalyptus oil microcapsule powder, and 0.750-1.125 mg of menthol.

[0018] More further, the hard candy is a solid candy body formed by mold casting, and the monk fruit extract, the Platycodon grandiflorus water extract, the lily bulb water extract, the low-glycyrrhizic-acid licorice extract and the eucalyptus oil microcapsule powder are uniformly dispersed inside the candy body formed from isomalt, maltitol syrup and erythritol.

[0019] In another aspect, a preparation method of a eucalyptus-flavor-stable sugar-free hard candy containing monk fruit, lily and platycodon comprises the following specific steps:

[0020] Step 1: adding eucalyptus oil, maltodextrin and gum arabic into water, and preparing eucalyptus oil microcapsule powder by shear emulsification, homogenization and spray drying;

[0021] Step 2: mixing and charging isomalt, maltitol syrup, erythritol and water, heating and dissolving the mixture, filtering the same, and cooking the same to prepare a candy mass, wherein the maltitol syrup is measured on a dry-matter basis;

[0022] Step 3 : after cooling the candy mass, adding monk fruit extract, Platycodon grandiflorus water extract, lily bulb water extract, low-glycyrrhizic-acid licorice extract, citric acid and sodium citrate, and uniformly mixing to prepare a first blended candy mass;

[0023] Step 4: after cooling the first blended candy mass, adding eucalyptus oil microcapsule powder and menthol, uniformly mixing, carrying out mold casting, and cooling, demolding and hermetically packaging to obtain a finished hard candy.

[0024] More further, in step 1, maltodextrin and gum arabic are added into waterDESCRIPTION

[0025] and stirred and dissolved at 45-55°C to prepare a wall-material solution; eucalyptus oil is then added into the wall-material solution for shear emulsification, wherein the shear emulsification speed is 7500-8500 r / min and the shear emulsification time is 8-12 min; after shear emulsification is completed, homogenization is carried out at a homogenization pressure of 22-28 MPa for 1-3 times; and spray drying is then carried out, wherein the inlet air temperature is 160-170°C and the outlet air temperature is 78-86°C, and the dried product is collected to obtain the eucalyptus oil microcapsule powder.

[0026] More further, in step 2, after mixing and charging, the mixture is heated until completely dissolved, filtered through an 80-120 mesh screen, and then transferred into vacuum cooking equipment; the cooking is carried out by vacuum cooking at a cooking temperature of 145-152°C and a vacuum degree of -0.095 to -0.075 MPa, and the candy mass is discharged when the solid content thereof reaches >=97.0%.

[0027] More further, in step 3, the candy mass is cooled to 105-110°C; and the mixing time is 2-6 min and the rotation speed is 30-60 r / min.

[0028] More further, in step 4, after the first blended candy mass is cooled to 90-95°C, the eucalyptus oil microcapsule powder and menthol are added and mixed at a rotation speed of 20-50 r / min for 1-4 min; after mixing is completed, the mixture is injected into a preheated hard-candy mold; after mold casting, the mixture is placed in an environment of 15-22°C and cooled for 8-18 min; after the candy body is hardened, demolding is carried out, and moisture-proof packaging material is used for hermetic packaging.

[0029] Compared with the prior art, the eucalyptus-flavor- stable sugar-free hard candy containing monk fruit, lily and platycodon and the preparation method thereof have the following beneficial effects:

[0030] First, in the present invention, isomalt, maltitol syrup and erythritol constitute a sugar-free candy matrix; a microencapsulated eucalyptus oilDESCRIPTION

[0031] component is used; and monk fruit extract, Platycodon grandiflorus water extract, lily bulb water extract and low-glycyrrhizic-acid licorice extract are compounded, while no phospholipid emulsifier is added to the formula. The microencapsulated eucalyptus oil exists in the form of a solid powder, can be directly and uniformly dispersed in the sugar-alcohol matrix, and can achieve uniform distribution of an oil-soluble flavor component without an additional emulsifying aid. A plurality of herbal extracts are combined in a defined proportion, so that the flavor characteristics of the herbal raw materials themselves can be harmonized to form a coordinated herbal flavor system. A specific proportion of sugar alcohols can form a stable candy-body framework, ensuring the molding state and textural characteristics of the finished product and making it suitable for normal-temperature storage and distribution environments.

[0032] Second, the present invention adopts a preparation logic of staged cooling and charging, and in combination with the design of the microencapsulated eucalyptus oil component, raw materials having different heat resistance properties are added into the candy-body system in corresponding temperature ranges. Herbal extracts and acid-base regulators having relatively strong heat resistance are mixed with the candy mass at a relatively high temperature, thereby ensuring sufficient dispersion and dissolution of the materials. The highly volatile eucalyptus oil component and the cooling component are added at a relatively low temperature, thereby reducing the action time of a high-temperature environment on the flavor substances; meanwhile, the microcapsule wall material can protect the eucalyptus oil inside. The cooperation of the component and the process can enable flavor substances to be uniformly distributed in the candy body, reduce loss of flavor substances during preparation and storage, and stabilize the flavor performance and mouthfeel state of the finished product.DESCRIPTION

[0033] Other advantages, objectives and features of the present invention will be set forth to some extent in the following description, and to some extent will be apparent to those skilled in the art based on examination of the following text, or may be learned from practice of the present invention.

[0034] Description of the Drawings

[0035] In order to more clearly describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or in the prior art, the drawings required for the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention, and those of ordinary skill in the art may obtain other drawings based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0036] FIG. 1 is a flowchart of the preparation method of a eucalyptus-flavor-stable sugar-free hard candy containing monk fruit, lily and platycodon;

[0037] FIG. 2 is a flowchart of step 2 in the preparation method of a eucalyptus-flavor- stable sugar-free hard candy containing monk fruit, lily and platycodon;

[0038] FIG. 3 is a flowchart of step 3 in the preparation method of a eucalyptus-flavor- stable sugar-free hard candy containing monk fruit, lily and platycodon.

[0039] Specific Embodiments

[0040] To further describe the technical means and effects adopted by the present invention for achieving the intended objects, the specific embodiments, structures, features and effects of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments.

[0041] Example 1 :

[0042] Calculated as 100 parts by weight, comprising:

[0043] 75.685 parts of isomalt, 20.000 parts of maltitol syrup calculated on a dry-matter basis, 2.500 parts of erythritol, 0.400 part of monk fruit extract, 0.280DESCRIPTION

[0044] part of Platycodon grandiflorus water extract, 0.650 part of lily bulb water extract, 0.080 part of low-glycyrrhizic-acid licorice extract, 0.220 part of eucalyptus oil microcapsule powder, 0.035 part of menthol, 0.120 part of citric acid, and 0.030 part of sodium citrate;

[0045] wherein the weight ratio of the monk fruit extract, the Platycodon grandiflorus water extract, the lily bulb water extract and the low-glycyrrhizic-acid licorice extract is 1:0.700:1.625:0.200; based on a hard candy having a single-piece mass of 2.50 g, each hard candy contains 10.00 mg of monk fruit extract, 7.00 mg of Platycodon grandiflorus water extract, 16.25 mg of lily bulb water extract, 2.00 mg of low-glycyrrhizic-acid licorice extract, 5.50 mg of eucalyptus oil microcapsule powder, and 0.875 mg of menthol;

[0046] the solid content of the original maltitol syrup is 78%; the parts by weight of the maltitol syrup correspond to the weight of the dry solids contained therein; according to the dry-matter requirement, the actual charging amount of the original maltitol syrup is 25.64 parts, and the water introduced thereby is removed in the cooking process; the mogroside V content in the monk fruit extract is 30%; the extraction ratio of the Platycodon grandiflorus water extract is 10:1; the lily bulb water extract is derived from dried bulbs of two cultivated varieties, Lilium lancifolium and Lilium brownii, with an extraction ratio of 10:1; the glycyrrhizic acid content of the low-glycyrrhizic-acid licorice extract, calculated on a dry basis, is 4.2%; and no phospholipid emulsifier is added throughout the whole process.

[0047] Preparation method:

[0048] Step 1: eucalyptus oil, maltodextrin, gum arabic and purified water are weighed. First, maltodextrin and gum arabic are added into purified water, and the mixture is stirred in a water bath at 50°C until completely dissolved to obtain a wall-material solution. Eucalyptus oil is uniformly dropped into the wall-material solution, shear-emulsified at a rotation speed of 8000 r / min for 10 min, and then homogenized twice at a pressure of 25 MPa to obtain an emulsion. The emulsion is sent into spray-drying equipment, the inlet air temperature is controlled atDESCRIPTION

[0049] 165°C and the outlet air temperature at 82°C, and the dried product is collected to obtain eucalyptus oil microcapsule powder for later use, as shown in FIG. 1.

[0050] Step 2: isomalt, maltitol syrup, erythritol and purified water are added into a candy-cooking pan, heated and stirred until the materials are completely dissolved, filtered through a 100-mesh stainless-steel screen, and then transferred into vacuum cooking equipment. The vacuum degree is controlled at -0.085 MPa, the cooking temperature is 148°C, and the candy mass is discharged after the solid content of the candy mass reaches 97%, as shown in FIG. 2.

[0051] Step 3: the candy mass is naturally cooled to 108°C, and a premixed mixture of monk fruit extract, Platycodon grandiflorus water extract, lily bulb water extract, low-glycyrrhizic-acid licorice extract, citric acid and sodium citrate is added. The mixture is stirred at a rotation speed of 45 r / min for 4 min and uniformly mixed to obtain a first blended candy mass, as shown in FIG. 3.

[0052] Step 4: the first blended candy mass is further cooled to 92°C, eucalyptus oil microcapsule powder and menthol are added, and the mixture is stirred at a rotation speed of 30 r / min for 2 min. After mixing is completed, the mixture is injected into a hard-candy mold preheated to 40°C. The hard-candy mold is transferred to an 18°C constant-temperature environment and cooled for 12 min. After the candy body is completely hardened, demolding is carried out, candy pieces with complete appearance are selected, and an aluminum-plastic composite film is used for hermetic packaging to obtain the finished hard candy.

[0053] Finished product testing:

[0054] Moisture content is tested by a direct drying method, and three hardened candy bodies are randomly selected for testing, with an average moisture content of 2.35%. Twenty hardened candy bodies are randomly selected and weighed for single-piece mass, with an average value of 2.50 g and a mass deviation controlled within ±0.03 g. The content of 1,8-cineole is tested by a gas chromatography external standard method, and the component content is determined by an external standard curve; the final relative retention rate ofDESCRIPTION

[0055] 1,8-cineole is 82.1%. Ten persons having experience in food sensory evaluation are organized to conduct a three-grade blind test, and the evaluation grades are set as excellent, good and poor. Eucalyptus flavor uniformity and overall acceptability are positive indicators, and a higher grade indicates better performance; herbal bitterness is a negative indicator, and a higher grade represents more obvious bitterness. The evaluation results are as follows: for eucalyptus flavor uniformity, 8 persons rate it as excellent and 2 persons rate it as good, indicating overall uniform and consistent flavor; for herbal bitterness, 7 persons rate it as excellent and 3 persons rate it as good, indicating slight bitterness; for overall acceptability, 8 persons rate it as excellent and 2 persons rate it as good, indicating high overall mouthfeel acceptability. Visual observation shows that the hardened candy body has a complete appearance, a smooth surface without cracks, no adhesion among particles, and the plant extracts and eucalyptus oil microcapsule powder are uniformly dispersed inside the candy body without local agglomeration.

[0056] Example 2:

[0057] Calculated as 100 parts by weight, comprising:

[0058] 76.990 parts of isomalt, 18.500 parts of maltitol syrup calculated on a dry-matter basis, 3.000 parts of erythritol, 0.350 part of monk fruit extract, 0.220 part of Platycodon grandiflorus water extract, 0.550 part of lily bulb water extract, 0.060 part of low-glycyrrhizic-acid licorice extract, 0.180 part of eucalyptus oil microcapsule powder, 0.030 part of menthol, 0.100 part of citric acid, and 0.020 part of sodium citrate.

[0059] wherein the weight ratio of the monk fruit extract, the Platycodon grandiflorus water extract, the lily bulb water extract and the low-glycyrrhizic-acid licorice extract is 1:0.629:1.571:0.171; based on a hard candy having a single-piece mass of 2.50 g, each hard candy contains 8.75 mg of monk fruit extract, 5.50 mg of Platycodon grandiflorus water extract, 13.75 mg of lily bulb water extract, 1.50 mg of low-glycyrrhizic-acid licorice extract, 4.50 mg ioDESCRIPTION

[0060] of eucalyptus oil microcapsule powder, and 0.750 mg of menthol;

[0061] the solid content of the original maltitol syrup is 75%, and the actual charging amount is 24.67 parts; the raw material specifications of the various plant extracts and the phospholipid-free formula requirement are consistent with those of Example 1.

[0062] Preparation method:

[0063] Step 1 : the preparation process of the eucalyptus oil microcapsule powder is the same as that in Example 1, and eucalyptus oil microcapsule powder is finally obtained for later use.

[0064] Step 2: isomalt, maltitol syrup, erythritol and purified water are added into a candy-cooking pan, heated and stirred until the materials are completely dissolved, filtered through a 100-mesh stainless-steel screen, and then transferred into vacuum cooking equipment. The cooking temperature is 145°C and the vacuum degree is -0.085 MPa, and the candy mass is discharged when the solid content of the candy mass reaches 97%.

[0065] Step 3: the candy mass is cooled to 105°C, and a premixed mixture of monk fruit extract, Platycodon grandiflorus water extract, lily bulb water extract, low-glycyrrhizic-acid licorice extract, citric acid and sodium citrate is added. The mixture is stirred at 30 r / min for 6 min to complete the first blending, thereby obtaining a first blended candy mass.

[0066] Step 4: the first blended candy mass is further cooled to 90°C, eucalyptus oil microcapsule powder and menthol are added, and the mixture is stirred at 50 r / min for 1 min. Thereafter, the mixture is injected into a hard-candy mold preheated to 40°C, cooled in a 15°C environment for 18 min, demolded and hermetically packaged to obtain the finished hard candy.

[0067] Finished product testing:

[0068] The same testing method as in Example 1 is used. The average moisture content is 2.38%, and the average single-piece mass is 2.49 g. The relative retention rate of 1,8-cineole is 80.7%. In the three-grade blind test, for eucalyptus iiDESCRIPTION

[0069] flavor uniformity, 7 persons rate it as excellent and 3 persons rate it as good, indicating a mild and uniform flavor; for herbal bitterness, 7 persons rate it as excellent and 3 persons rate it as good, indicating light bitterness; for overall acceptability, 7 persons rate it as excellent and 3 persons rate it as good, indicating a coordinated and acceptable overall mouthfeel. Visual observation shows that the hardened candy body has a complete appearance, a smooth surface without cracks, no adhesion among particles, and the plant extracts and eucalyptus oil microcapsule powder are uniformly dispersed inside the candy body without local agglomeration.

[0070] Example 3 :

[0071] Calculated as 100 parts by weight, comprising:

[0072] 73.830 parts of isomalt, 22.000 parts of maltitol syrup calculated on a dry-matter basis, 1.800 parts of erythritol, 0.500 part of monk fruit extract, 0.380 part of Platycodon grandiflorus water extract, 0.850 part of lily bulb water extract, 0.110 part of low-glycyrrhizic-acid licorice extract, 0.280 part of eucalyptus oil microcapsule powder, 0.045 part of menthol, 0.160 part of citric acid, and 0.045 part of sodium citrate.

[0073] wherein the weight ratio of the monk fruit extract, the Platycodon grandiflorus water extract, the lily bulb water extract and the low-glycyrrhizic-acid licorice extract is 1:0.760:1.700:0.220; based on a hard candy having a single-piece mass of 2.50 g, each hard candy contains 12.50 mg of monk fruit extract, 9.50 mg of Platycodon grandiflorus water extract, 21.25 mg of lily bulb water extract, 2.75 mg of low-glycyrrhizic-acid licorice extract, 7.00 mg of eucalyptus oil microcapsule powder, and 1.125 mg of menthol;

[0074] the solid content of the original maltitol syrup is 80%, and the actual charging amount converted therefrom is 27.50 parts; the raw material specifications of the various plant extracts and the phospholipid-free formula requirement are consistent with those of Example 1.

[0075] Preparation method:DESCRIPTION

[0076] Step 1 : the preparation process of the eucalyptus oil microcapsule powder is the same as that in Example 1, and eucalyptus oil microcapsule powder is finally obtained for later use.

[0077] Step 2: isomalt, maltitol syrup, erythritol and purified water are added into a candy-cooking pan, heated and stirred until the materials are completely dissolved, filtered through a 100-mesh stainless-steel screen, and then transferred into vacuum cooking equipment. The cooking temperature is 152°C and the vacuum degree is -0.085 MPa, and the candy mass is discharged when the solid content of the candy mass reaches 97%.

[0078] Step 3: the candy mass is cooled to 110°C, and a premixed mixture of monk fruit extract, Platycodon grandiflorus water extract, lily bulb water extract, low-glycyrrhizic-acid licorice extract, citric acid and sodium citrate is added. The mixture is stirred at 60 r / min for 2 min to complete the first blending, thereby obtaining a first blended candy mass.

[0079] Step 4: the first blended candy mass is further cooled to 95°C, eucalyptus oil microcapsule powder and menthol are added, and the mixture is stirred at 20 r / min for 4 min. Thereafter, the mixture is injected into a hard-candy mold preheated to 40°C, cooled in a 22°C environment for 8 min, demolded and hermetically packaged to obtain the finished hard candy.

[0080] Finished product testing:

[0081] The same testing method as in Example 1 is used. The average moisture content is 2.42%, and the average single-piece mass is 2.51 g. The relative retention rate of 1,8-cineole is 81.3%. In the three-grade blind test, for eucalyptus flavor uniformity, 7 persons rate it as excellent and 3 persons rate it as good, indicating a full and uniform flavor; for herbal bitterness, 7 persons rate it as excellent and 3 persons rate it as good, indicating slight bitterness; for overall acceptability, 7 persons rate it as excellent and 3 persons rate it as good, indicating high overall flavor acceptability. Visual observation shows that the hardened candy body has a complete appearance, a smooth surface without cracks,DESCRIPTION

[0082] no adhesion among particles, and the plant extracts and eucalyptus oil microcapsule powder are uniformly dispersed inside the candy body without local agglomeration.

[0083] Comparative Example 1 :

[0084] In Comparative Example 1, liquid eucalyptus oil is directly added. The components, raw material specifications, total charging amount and preparation process are all consistent with those of Example 1, except that the eucalyptus oil microencapsulation step is omitted. According to the effective eucalyptus oil content of the eucalyptus oil microcapsule powder in Example 1, an equivalent amount of pure liquid eucalyptus oil is converted and directly added into the 92°C candy mass in step 4, while the remaining operating parameters are completely unchanged.

[0085] Finished product testing: the same testing method as in Example 1 is used. The moisture content of the finished product is 2.37%. The relative retention rate of 1,8-cineole is 64.5%. In the three-grade blind test, for eucalyptus flavor uniformity, 1 person rates it as excellent, 5 persons rate it as good and 4 persons rate it as poor, indicating poor flavor uniformity and local mouthfeel irritation; for herbal bitterness, 3 persons rate it as excellent, 5 persons rate it as good and 2 persons rate it as poor; for overall acceptability, 2 persons rate it as excellent, 5 persons rate it as good and 3 persons rate it as poor, indicating general overall acceptability. Visual observation shows that the candy body has a complete appearance, a smooth surface without cracks, no adhesion among particles, and no obvious difference in molding state from Example 1; however, the liquid eucalyptus oil has local aggregation inside the candy body, and the dispersion uniformity is insufficient.

[0086] Comparative Example 2:

[0087] Comparative Example 2 adopts a high-temperature charging mode. The components, raw material specifications and total charging amount are completely consistent with those of Example 1 , except that the charging temperature point isDESCRIPTION

[0088] adjusted so that the eucalyptus oil microcapsule powder and menthol are added into the 128°C candy mass and mixed synchronously with the herbal extracts, without carrying out staged low-temperature charging, while the remaining operating parameters are unchanged.

[0089] Finished product testing: the same testing method as in Example 1 is used. The moisture content of the finished product is 2.41%. The relative retention rate of 1,8-cineole is 68.2%. In the three-grade blind test, for eucalyptus flavor uniformity, 2 persons rate it as excellent, 5 persons rate it as good and 3 persons rate it as poor, indicating weak aroma and general uniformity; for herbal bitterness, 3 persons rate it as excellent, 6 persons rate it as good and 1 person rates it as poor; for overall acceptability, 1 person rates it as excellent, 6 persons rate it as good and 3 persons rate it as poor, indicating general overall acceptability. Visual observation shows that the candy body has a complete appearance, a smooth surface without cracks, no adhesion among particles, and no obvious difference in the dispersion state of the plant extracts and eucalyptus oil microcapsule powder from Example 1.

[0090] Comparative Example 3 :

[0091] In Comparative Example 3, the lily bulb water extract component is removed; the remaining components, charging amounts and preparation process are all carried out with reference to Example 1, the removed lily bulb water extract is supplemented with an equal amount of isomalt to make up the solid parts, and the remaining operating parameters are not adjusted.

[0092] Finished product testing: the same testing method as in Example 1 is used. The moisture content of the finished product is 2.36%, and the relative retention rate of 1,8-cineole is 81.7%. In the three-grade blind test, for eucalyptus flavor uniformity, 7 persons rate it as excellent and 3 persons rate it as good, indicating good flavor uniformity; for herbal bitterness, 1 person rates it as excellent, 3 persons rate it as good and 6 persons rate it as poor, indicating obvious herbal bitterness; for overall acceptability, 1 person rates it as excellent, 3 persons rate itDESCRIPTION

[0093] as good and 6 persons rate it as poor, indicating poor overall acceptability. Visual observation shows that the candy body has a complete appearance, a smooth surface without cracks, no adhesion among particles, and the plant extracts and eucalyptus oil microcapsule powder are uniformly dispersed inside the candy body.

[0094] In summary, the test results of the three examples and the three comparative examples show that, by microencapsulating eucalyptus oil and combining it with staged low-temperature charging, the characteristic component of eucalyptus can be effectively retained, the uniformity of flavor in the candy body can be improved, and entrance irritation can be reduced; by compounding herbal extracts in a specific proportion, herbal bitterness and licorice aftertaste can be harmonized, and mouthfeel mildness can be improved; and the compounded sugar-free sugar-alcohol matrix can ensure stable molding of the candy body, with a moisture content meeting the quality requirements for hard candies, thereby simultaneously solving multiple problems of eucalyptus flavor retention, mouthfeel harmonization and sugar-free molding, and having stable industrial application value.

[0095] The foregoing descriptions are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not limit the present invention in any form. Although the present invention has been disclosed above by way of preferred embodiments, they are not intended to limit the present invention. Any person skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of the technical solutions of the present invention, may make some changes or modifications to the technical contents disclosed above to form equivalent embodiments with equivalent changes. However, any simple modification, equivalent change or modification made to the above embodiments according to the technical essence of the present invention without departing from the contents of the technical solutions of the present invention shall still fall within the scope of the technical solutions of the present invention.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A eucalyptus-flavor-stable sugar-free hard candy containing monk fruit, lily and platycodon, characterized in that, in parts by weight, the hard candy comprises the following components:73.830-76.990 parts of isomalt, 18.500-22.000 parts of maltitol syrup, 1.800-3.000 parts of erythritol, 0.350-0.500 part of monk fruit extract, 0.220-0.380 part of Platycodon grandiflorus water extract, 0.550-0.850 part of lily bulb water extract, 0.060-0.110 part of low-glycyrrhizic-acid licorice extract, 0.180-0.280 part of eucalyptus oil microcapsule powder, 0.030-0.045 part of menthol, 0.100-0.160 part of citric acid, and 0.020-0.045 part of sodium citrate;wherein the addition amount of the maltitol syrup is calculated on a dry-matter basis, and the solid content thereof is 75.0%-80.0%; the eucalyptus oil microcapsule powder is prepared from eucalyptus oil, maltodextrin and gum arabic at a weight ratio of 1:7.5-8.5: 1.5-2.5 by emulsification, homogenization and spray drying, and the mass content of eucalyptus oil in the eucalyptus oil microcapsule powder is 8.0%- 12.0%; the hard candy contains no phospholipid emulsifier; the single-piece mass of the hard candy is 2.40-2.60 g, and the moisture content is not higher than 3.0%.

2. The eucalyptus-flavor-stable sugar-free hard candy containing monk fruit, lily and platycodon according to claim 1, characterized in that the monk fruit extract is derived from monk fruit, wherein the mass content of mogroside V is 20%-50%; the Platycodon grandiflorus water extract is derived from the root of Platycodon grandiflorus, with an extraction ratio of 8-12:1; and the lily bulb water extract is derived from dried bulbs of cultivated lily, wherein the lily is selected from one or both of Lilium lancifolium Thunb. and Lilium brownii F.E.Br. var. viridulum Baker, with an extraction ratio of 8-12: 1.

3. The eucalyptus-flavor-stable sugar-free hard candy containing monk fruit, lily and platycodon according to claim 1, characterized in that the low-glycyrrhizic-acid licorice extract is prepared by subjecting a licorice water extract to glycyrrhizic acid removal treatment, and the mass content of glycyrrhizicCLAIMSacid, calculated on a dry basis, is <=5.0%; and the particle size D90 of the eucalyptus oil microcapsule powder is <=180 pm.

4. The eucalyptus-flavor-stable sugar-free hard candy containing monk fruit, lily and platycodon according to claim 1, characterized in that the weight ratio of the monk fruit extract, the Platycodon grandiflorus water extract, the lily bulb water extract and the low-glycyrrhizic-acid licorice extract is 1:0.62-0.76:1.57-1.70:0.17-0.22; based on a hard candy having a single-piece mass of 2.50 g, each hard candy contains 8.75-12.50 mg of monk fruit extract, 5.50-9.50 mg of Platycodon grandiflorus water extract, 13.75-21.25 mg of lily bulb water extract, 1.50-2.75 mg of low-glycyrrhizic-acid licorice extract, 4.50-7.00 mg of eucalyptus oil microcapsule powder, and 0.750-1.125 mg of menthol.

5. The eucalyptus-flavor-stable sugar-free hard candy containing monk fruit, lily and platycodon according to claim 1 , characterized in that the hard candy is a solid candy body formed by mold casting, and the monk fruit extract, the Platycodon grandiflorus water extract, the lily bulb water extract, the low-glycyrrhizic-acid licorice extract and the eucalyptus oil microcapsule powder are uniformly dispersed inside the candy body formed from isomalt, maltitol syrup and erythritol.

6. A preparation method of a eucalyptus-flavor-stable sugar-free hard candy containing monk fruit, lily and platycodon, applicable to the eucalyptus-flavor- stable sugar-free hard candy containing monk fruit, lily and platycodon according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that the method comprises the following specific steps:Step 1: adding eucalyptus oil, maltodextrin and gum arabic into water, and preparing eucalyptus oil microcapsule powder by shear emulsification, homogenization and spray drying;Step 2: mixing and charging isomalt, maltitol syrup, erythritol and water, heating and dissolving the mixture, filtering the same, and cooking the same to prepare a candy mass, wherein the maltitol syrup is measured on a dry-matter basis;CLAIMSStep 3: after cooling the candy mass, adding monk fruit extract, Platycodon grandiflorus water extract, lily bulb water extract, low-glycyrrhizic-acid licorice extract, citric acid and sodium citrate, and uniformly mixing to prepare a first blended candy mass;Step 4: after cooling the first blended candy mass, adding eucalyptus oil microcapsule powder and menthol, uniformly mixing, carrying out mold casting, and cooling, demolding and hermetically packaging to obtain a finished hard candy.

7. The preparation method of the eucalyptus-flavor-stable sugar-free hard candy containing monk fruit, lily and platycodon according to claim 6, characterized in that, in step 1, maltodextrin and gum arabic are added into water and stirred and dissolved at 45-55 °C to prepare a wall-material solution; eucalyptus oil is then added into the wall-material solution for shear emulsification, wherein the shear emulsification speed is 7500-8500 r / min and the shear emulsification time is 8-12 min; after shear emulsification is completed, homogenization is carried out at a homogenization pressure of 22-28 MPa for 1-3 times; and spray drying is then carried out, wherein the inlet air temperature is 160-170°C and the outlet air temperature is 78-86°C, and the dried product is collected to obtain the eucalyptus oil microcapsule powder.

8. The preparation method of the eucalyptus-flavor-stable sugar-free hard candy containing monk fruit, lily and platycodon according to claim 6, characterized in that, in step 2, after mixing and charging, the mixture is heated until completely dissolved, filtered through an 80-120 mesh screen, and then transferred into vacuum cooking equipment; the cooking is carried out by vacuum cooking at a cooking temperature of 145-152°C and a vacuum degree of -0.095 to -0.075 MPa, and the candy mass is discharged when the solid content thereof reaches >=97.0%.

9. The preparation method of the eucalyptus-flavor-stable sugar-free hard candy containing monk fruit, lily and platycodon according to claim 6,CLAIMScharacterized in that, in step 3, the candy mass is cooled to 105-110°C; and the mixing time is 2-6 min and the rotation speed is 30-60 r / min.

10. The preparation method of the eucalyptus-flavor-stable sugar-free hard candy containing monk fruit, lily and platycodon according to claim 6, characterized in that, in step 4, after the first blended candy mass is cooled to 90-95°C, the eucalyptus oil microcapsule powder and menthol are added and mixed at a rotation speed of 20-50 r / min for 1-4 min; after mixing is completed, the mixture is injected into a preheated hard-candy mold; after mold casting, the mixture is placed in an environment of 15-22°C and cooled for 8-18 min; after the candy body is hardened, demolding is carried out, and moisture-proof packaging material is used for hermetic packaging.

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