Soft Candy Aeration via Pullulan Gelatin Dough Stretching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional soft candy production methods result in candies that are either sticky to the teeth or lack a rich eating texture, and fail to achieve a balance between chewability and lightness.
Innovation Solution
A soft candy production method involving a candy dough with 0.2 to 5 wt% pullulan and 0.2 to 2 wt% gelatin, aerated with gas bubbles to control specific gravity not greater than 1.2, using a pulling machine with rotary arms and a roller to uniformly distribute gas bubbles, ensuring the candy is less sticky and has a rich, chewable texture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If both pullulan and gelatin are blended in the soft candy, then the chewing texture is improved, but the candy becomes sticky to teeth
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the concentration parameters of pullulan (0.5-3 wt%) and gelatin (0.5-2 wt%) to achieve the right balance. By precisely controlling these parameters, the candy gains sufficient chewability while minimizing stickiness to teeth.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite material system combining pullulan, gelatin, and other ingredients (starch syrup, oil, sugar) in specific proportions. This composite approach allows the synergistic effect of multiple materials to provide both chewability and reduced stickiness simultaneously.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If only pullulan is blended in the soft candy, then the stickiness to teeth is reduced, but the eating texture becomes lacking in richness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges pullulan and gelatin into a single candy formulation, combining the stickiness-reducing property of pullulan with the texture-enhancing property of gelatin. This merging allows both benefits to be achieved simultaneously rather than choosing one over the other.
3Strength
If only gelatin is blended in the soft candy, then the eating texture becomes rich, but the candy becomes sticky to teeth
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adjusts the concentration parameters of both pullulan (0.5-3 wt%) and gelatin (0.5-2 wt%) to optimize the balance between richness and stickiness. This parameter optimization ensures sufficient gelatin content for texture while limiting pullulan content to prevent excessive stickiness.
4Weight of moving object
If the candy dough is aerated to reduce specific gravity, then the lightness is improved, but the eating texture becomes unsatisfactory and sticky to teeth
Solution Approach 1:
The patent controls the specific gravity parameter to be within 0.6 to 1.1 by adjusting the aeration level and ingredient composition. This parameter control ensures the candy achieves lightness without sacrificing eating texture or increasing stickiness.
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 method produces a soft candy that is substantially free from stickiness, with a moderate resilience and light, rich eating texture, ensuring a satisfying mouthfeel and chewability.
Implementation Method 1
stretching and kneading the candy dough to aerate the candy dough to impregnate the candy dough with gas bubbles
Data Source
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AI summary
A soft candy is provided, which is less sticky to teeth, and has a light and rich eating texture and a sufficient chewability. A production method for the soft candy is also provided. The soft candy is produced by stretching a candy dough (12) containing 0.2 to 5 wt% of pullulan and 0.2 to 2 wt% of gelatin by an arm (10) of a pulling machine (3), and folding the stretched candy dough (12) by a rotary force of an arm (11) with an intermediate portion of the stretched candy dough (12) held by the arm (11). The stretching and folding step is repeatedly performed, whereby the candy dough (12) is impregnated with gas bubbles to reduce the specific gravity of the candy dough (12) to not greater than 1.2.