Chewy Confectionery Product Using Pectin Texturizing Agent
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional chewy confectionery products rely on animal-derived texturizing agents like gelatin and egg white, which are undesirable for certain dietary groups and prone to degradation, and starches have low gelling tendencies, leading to issues like cold flow and stickiness.
Innovation Solution
A chewy confectionery product formulation using pectin as the primary texturizing agent, with a low water content, eliminating the need for gelatin, starch, and egg white, while maintaining desirable texture and reducing cold flow and stickiness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional texturizing agents like gelatin and egg white are used, then the product achieves a chewy texture, but the product becomes unsuitable for certain dietary groups and prone to degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by replacing protein-based texturizing agents (gelatin, egg white) with polysaccharide-based agents (pectin, starch). This substitution fundamentally alters the material basis while maintaining the functional property of chewiness, thereby achieving both dietary compatibility and improved stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material strategies by combining multiple texturizing agents (pectin, starch, glucose syrup) in specific proportions. This composite approach allows the formulation to achieve the desired chewy texture while eliminating reliance on single animal-derived ingredients, thus resolving both dietary compatibility and stability issues.
2Adaptability or versatility
If starch is used as a texturizing agent, then the product is free of animal-derived ingredients, but the product exhibits low gelling tendencies leading to cold flow and stickiness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple texturizing agents (pectin and starch) in a combined formulation. Pectin contributes strong gelling properties that prevent cold flow and stickiness, while starch provides dietary compatibility. This merging of materials allows the product to simultaneously achieve both dietary compatibility and manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite texturizing system combining pectin (providing gelling strength) with starch (providing dietary compatibility). This composite material approach allows the formulation to overcome the limitations of individual agents, achieving both the desired chewy texture without animal products and the necessary structural consistency.
3Manufacturing precision
If water content is reduced in the confectionery product, then the product exhibits reduced cold flow and stickiness, but the product may lose desirable texture characteristics
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the water content parameter to a specific range (5-15%) that simultaneously achieves reduced cold flow and stickiness while maintaining desirable chewy texture. This precise parameter control allows the formulation to balance structural stability with textural quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite texturizing agents (pectin-starch combination) that function effectively at lower water contents. These composite materials provide sufficient gelling and texturizing properties even when water content is reduced, thereby maintaining both product consistency and texture quality simultaneously.
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 product achieves a consumer-preferred texture with reduced cold flow and stickiness, offering a cleaner-breaking bite and improved product consistency, making it more appealing and easier to handle during storage and packaging.
Implementation Method 1
the chewy confectionery product comprises pectin at a minimum of 0.2 percent by weight on a dry basis of the chewy confectionery product
Data Source
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AI summary
A chewy confectionery product comprised of pectin and having a low water content compared to that of traditional chewy confectionery products. The pectin of the present invention helps eliminate the need for traditional texturizing agents while maintaining the quality, texture and consistency of chewy confectionery products made with traditional texturizing agents. In fact, the chewy confectionery product of the current invention has a texture which consumers may find to be more desirable than that of traditional chewy confectionery products. The chewy product of the current invention also has reduced stickiness and cold-flow properties when compared to a traditional chewy confectionery product and also provides a cleaner-breaking bite.