Chewy Candy Using Highly Branched Starch Gel
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional gelling agents for chewy candies, such as gelatin and gum arabic, face challenges including animal-derived origins, reliability issues, and unsuitability for individuals with dietary restrictions like veganism, vegetarianism, and gluten sensitivity, as well as price fluctuations and supply instability.
Innovation Solution
Highly branched starch (HBS) is used as a gelling agent to replace animal-derived products, providing a plant-based alternative that maintains the desired texture and mouthfeel of traditional chewy candies, including those with gluten-free options.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If gelatin is used as a gelling agent, then the chewy candy achieves desired elastic properties and long-lasting chewiness, but the product becomes unsuitable for vegans and vegetarians and subject to supply instability and price fluctuations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameter from animal-derived gelatin to plant-based starch components (amylose and amylopectin) with specific ratios. By controlling the starch structure and gelatinization conditions, the invention achieves comparable elastic and chewy properties while eliminating dietary restrictions and supply chain vulnerabilities associated with gelatin
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces expensive, scarce gelatin with abundant, inexpensive starch materials. Starch is a common, renewable resource that provides reliable supply and stable pricing, making the confectionery product more economically viable and accessible
2Stability of the object's composition
If gum arabic is used as a gelling agent, then the product achieves gel structure, but the color varies from light amber to very dark brown which imparts problems in manufacturing clear or transparent products
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the optical properties parameter by selecting starch as the gelling agent, which produces a colorless or very light-colored gel structure compared to gum arabic's dark brown coloration. This enables the production of clear and transparent confectionery products while maintaining the necessary gel network structure for chewiness
3Adaptability or versatility
If oxidized starch is used to replace gelatin, then the product becomes vegetarian-friendly, but the desired elastic properties and chewiness are not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite starch system comprising both amylose and amylopectin components in specific proportions. This composite structure creates a gel network with sufficient elasticity and strength to replace gelatin, overcoming the limitation of simple oxidized starch replacements that fail to achieve desired chewy properties
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the gelatinization parameters including temperature, time, and starch-to-water ratio to develop the elastic network structure. By controlling these processing parameters, the starch gel achieves the necessary mechanical strength and elasticity for chewy confectionery applications
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
HBS effectively replicates the elastic properties and long-lasting chewiness of gelatin-based candies, ensuring suitability for various dietary groups and offering stable, reliable production without compromising the product's quality or processability.
Implementation Method 1
The gelling agent creates a gel matrix throughout the confection through its loosely connected strands. The amount and length of the gelling agent strands, and the connections between the strands, creates a flexible, elastic matrix with water filling the spaces between and around the strands.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to confectionery products and methods for producing them. Provided is a chewy candy comprising a starch-based gelling agent, wherein said gelling agent is a highly branched starch (HBS), preferably wherein said HBS has a molecular branching degree of at least 6%, more preferably at least 6.5%. In a specific aspect, the chewy candy is essentially free of gelatin or other animal-derived ingredient.