Isomalt Unwrapped Hard Candy Moisture Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hard candies face issues with stability during storage, including moisture absorption leading to crystal formation, graining, whitening, and softening, and lack of portion control due to large size and individual wrapping, which also results in excessive packaging waste.
Innovation Solution
A hard candy product made with isomalt, a flavorant, and optionally additional ingredients, free from ethanol and propylene glycol, with a hydrophobic lubricant and low hygroscopicity polyol, formulated to have a moisture content below 4% and packaged in a moisture barrier to prevent sticking and extend shelf life, allowing for unwrapped, small-sized candies with a microcrystalline outer layer and amorphous center.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hard candy is individually wrapped, then shelf stability and prevention of moisture absorption is improved, but packaging waste increases and convenience decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the individual wrapping from the candy product. By formulating the candy with isomalt as the primary bulk sweetener (at least 90% by weight), the candy achieves inherent moisture resistance without requiring individual wrappers, thereby eliminating packaging waste while maintaining shelf stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The candy formulation itself provides the protection function previously requiring external wrapping. The isomalt-based composition self-regulates moisture absorption through its low hygroscopicity, making the candy self-protecting against moisture-induced degradation without needing additional packaging layers.
2Ease of manufacture
If hygroscopic bulk sweeteners are used, then product formation and shaping is improved, but moisture absorption leading to crystal formation and graining increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of hygroscopicity by selecting isomalt as the bulk sweetener. Isomalt has significantly lower hygroscopicity compared to traditional sweeteners like sucrose or glucose syrup, which prevents moisture absorption from the environment. This parameter change maintains ease of manufacture while dramatically improving resistance to crystal formation and graining during storage.
3Ease of operation
If candy size is increased, then individual serving satisfaction is improved, but portion control capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the candy into multiple smaller individual pieces (e.g., 0.5g to 2g pieces) rather than one large piece. This segmentation allows consumers to take multiple small portions for satisfaction while maintaining precise control over total consumption quantity, directly addressing both serving satisfaction and portion control requirements.
4Ease of operation
If candy is made unwrapped, then convenience and reduction of packaging waste is improved, but stickiness and cohesive surface formation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the surface properties parameter by using isomalt, which creates a naturally non-sticky surface due to its low hygroscopicity. This eliminates the need for individual wrapping while preventing surface stickiness and cohesive formation, as the isomalt surface remains stable and non-adherent even when exposed to ambient conditions.
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 solution provides unwrapped hard candies with non-cohesive surfaces, extended shelf life of over five weeks, and improved stability against moisture-induced issues, eliminating the need for individual wrapping and reducing packaging waste while allowing for precise portion control.
Implementation Method 1
Isomalt is a sugar-free sugar polyol possessing a hygroscopicity that is lower than most other sugar polyols and lower than sugar itself. Isomalt absorbs little moisture at room temperature and relatively high humidity.
Implementation Method 2
a hydrophobic lubricant and low hygroscopicity polyol, formulated to have a moisture content below 4% and packaged in a moisture barrier to prevent sticking
Implementation Method 3
packaged in a moisture barrier to prevent sticking and extend shelf life
Implementation Method 4
Hard boiled candies, also known as hard sweets or boiled sweets, are solid and essentially amorphous or 'glassy' confectionery products obtained by extensive dehydration of carbohydrate syrups to a low moisture content.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are hard isomalt compositions and hard isomalt confectionery products having enhanced shelf stability. Further disclosed herein is a packaged plurality of unwrapped hard candy product comprising a container and a plurality of unwrapped hard candy product units. The unwrapped hard candy product units comprise a hydrophobic lubricant, a polyol having an equilibrium relative humidity less than 50%, wherein the unwrapped hard candy product units have non-cohesive surface tack, an accelerated shelf life of greater than five weeks, and a microcrystalline outer layer disposed around an amorphous center. Weight percent is based on the total weight of the hard candy product units. Also described is a method of making the packaged plurality of unwrapped hard candy product units.