Multicolored Hard Candy Process for Titanium Dioxide-Free White Portions

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Solution Overview

Problem

There is a need to produce hard candies with a white appearance without using titanium dioxide, which is currently under safety scrutiny, while maintaining a bright, opaque white color and avoiding yellowing during production.

Innovation Solution

A process involving lower temperature and higher negative pressure cooking, combined with the use of condensed milk as a substitute for titanium dioxide, is employed to create multicolored candies with at least one white portion, using specific ingredient ratios and processing steps to achieve the desired color and opacity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If titanium dioxide is used as a white pigment, then a bright opaque white color is achieved that does not turn yellow during production, but safety risks arise due to regulatory scrutiny

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebrightness and opacity of white colorVSAvoidsafety risks
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces titanium dioxide with condensed milk, a cheaper and safer alternative material. The condensed milk serves as a short-living substitute that achieves the desired visual effect (white color) without the long-term safety concerns associated with titanium dioxide, effectively discarding the problematic substance in favor of a benign replacement

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by substituting inorganic titanium dioxide with organic condensed milk components. This parameter change transforms the material system from one containing potentially harmful substances to one with food-safe ingredients, while maintaining the optical properties needed for white color appearance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If standard cooking temperatures (140-144°C) are used, then the candy production process is efficient, but yellowing occurs in the white portions due to cooking of fatty portions and sugars

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduction efficiencyVSAvoidbrightness of white color
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent modifies the cooking temperature parameter from the standard 140-144°C range to a lower range of 110-130°C. This parameter change prevents the thermal degradation and yellowing that would otherwise occur in the white portions containing condensed milk, while still achieving proper candy formation and texture

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a pre-cooking step for the syrup before adding fats, oils, emulsifying agents, and milk derivatives. This preliminary action at controlled temperatures prepares the base mixture in a way that prevents subsequent yellowing during the main cooking process, proactively addressing the color stability issue

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Stability of the object's composition

If titanium dioxide is used to maintain white color, then color stability is achieved, but the product contains controversial additives

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecolor stabilityVSAvoidproduct safety
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the controversial titanium dioxide additive with condensed milk, eliminating the reliability concern related to product safety while maintaining color stability. The condensed milk serves as a temporary, food-safe alternative that achieves the same functional goal without the regulatory and safety issues

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses condensed milk as a composite material containing multiple components (proteins, fats, lactose, vitamins) that work together to provide both the white color and stability. This composite approach replaces the single-substance titanium dioxide with a complex, food-safe material system that achieves similar functional results

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 process achieves candies with a bright, opaque white color and alternating color patterns without titanium dioxide, maintaining a residual water content of 0.5% to 5% and ensuring the candies remain amorphous, thus addressing safety concerns and production issues.

Implementation Method 1

containing no titanium dioxide, and preferably comprising condensed milk with the function of bleaching agent and opacifier

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectBleaching:

Implementation Method 2

The cooked mass is then sent to a vacuum chamber wherein it resides before being poured into moulds. The negative pressure applied in the chamber does not exceed -0.98 bars relative to atmospheric pressure.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVacuum: Vacuum

Implementation Method 3

The resulting mixture is then cooked

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeating: Heating

Data Source

PatentEP3758501B1Process for the preparation of a confectionery product and the product obtained
Publication Date: 2026.04.22 PERFETTI VAN MELLE SPA
  • EP3758501B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

Disclosed is the process for preparation of a multicoloured hard candy with at least one white portion, not containing titanium dioxide.