Amorphous Sugar Particles for Stable Food Applications

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current sugar replacers in food products, particularly in confectionery like chocolate, often result in reduced sweetness perception, undesirable flavors, and processing difficulties due to hygroscopicity and instability, which negatively impact the organoleptic properties and shelf life of the final product.

Innovation Solution

Development of amorphous particles with closed porosity less than 20% comprising sugar and a bulking agent, which are more stable and easier to handle, allowing for their use as a direct replacement for sugar in food products without compromising sweetness or organoleptic properties, and can be processed into chocolate compositions without the issues associated with traditional amorphous sugars.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If traditional sugar replacers (polyols, artificial sweeteners, bulking agents) are used to reduce sugar content, then calorie content is reduced, but sweetness perception is compromised and organoleptic properties deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecalorie contentVSAvoidsweetness perception and organoleptic properties
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention uses a composite material system consisting of amorphous sugar particles combined with specific bulking agents (maltodextrin, soluble fiber, or starch) in defined ratios. This composite structure allows the sugar component to provide sweetness while the bulking agent provides bulk, achieving both calorie reduction and maintained organoleptic properties that neither component could achieve alone

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the physical state parameter of sugar from crystalline to amorphous form. This parameter change enables the sugar to be incorporated at lower levels (5-50% replacement) while maintaining sweetness perception, and allows for controlled interaction with bulking agents to achieve desired organoleptic properties without the negative effects of traditional replacers

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If amorphous sugar is used as a sugar replacer, then sweetness is maintained, but stability and handling properties deteriorate due to hygroscopicity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesweetness perceptionVSAvoidstability and handling properties
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The bulking agent acts as an intermediary substance that modifies the surface properties and hydration behavior of amorphous sugar particles. This intermediary layer reduces the hygroscopicity of the amorphous sugar, improving stability and handling properties while allowing the sugar component to maintain its sweetness-providing function

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention utilizes porous amorphous particles with controlled porosity (5-50% void volume). This porous structure provides internal volume that reduces the need for external moisture absorption, thereby reducing hygroscopicity and improving stability while maintaining the amorphous state's sweetness delivery capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

3Quantity of substance

If bulking agents are used to replace sugar, then bulk is provided, but sweetness perception is reduced and processing difficulty increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovebulkVSAvoidsweetness perception
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention segments the functional roles into two distinct components: amorphous sugar particles responsible for sweetness perception and bulking agents responsible for providing bulk. This segmentation allows each component to optimize its specific function without compromising the other, enabling bulk provision while maintaining sweetness

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

4Loss of energy

If sugar content is reduced in confectionery products, then calorie content is reduced, but processing stability and shelf life deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecalorie contentVSAvoidshelf life
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The composite structure of amorphous sugar particles with bulking agents creates a stable system where the bulking agent matrix provides structural integrity and moisture control, preventing degradation and extending shelf life while the reduced sugar content achieves calorie reduction goals

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The amorphous particles provide a low-calorie sugar replacement that maintains sweetness and mouthfeel, enhances processing stability, and extends shelf life, while being easier to incorporate into chocolate recipes without the drawbacks of traditional sugar replacers.

Implementation Method 1

spraying and drying the mixture to form amorphous particles

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSpray drying:

Data Source

PatentUS11957146B2Amorphous particles for reducing sugar in food
Publication Date: 2024.04.16 SOCIETE DES PRODUITS NESTLE SA

AI summary

The present invention relates to amorphous particles comprising sugar and a bulking agent, having a closed porosity of lower than 20%. Further aspects of the invention relate to a food product comprising the amorphous particles; a process of making the amorphous particles and a fat based confectionery product containing them; and the use of the amorphous particles as bulk sugar replacers in food products such as fat based confectionery products for example, chocolate.