Structured Liquid for Low-Calorie Confectionery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Confectionery products, such as chocolates, face challenges in reducing calorie content while maintaining rich flavor and desirable texture, melting behavior, firmness, and snapping characteristics, as previous attempts often result in products that lack these qualities.
Innovation Solution
A process involving the use of a structured liquid composed of a thermodynamically stable mixture of water, surfactant, co-surfactant, and non-aqueous components, forming submicroemulsions or lamellar structures, which allows for increased moisture levels without agglomeration, thereby reducing caloric value and preserving texture and flavor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If water content is increased to reduce caloric value, then caloric value is reduced, but texture and flavor quality deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a structured liquid comprising surfactants and co-surfactants as intermediary substances that mediate between water and the confectionery mass. This structured liquid forms a stable emulsion system that allows water to be incorporated without causing agglomeration or deteriorating texture and flavor, thus resolving the contradiction between increasing moisture content and maintaining product quality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite structured liquid system combining water, surfactants, co-surfactants, and non-aqueous components in specific proportions. This composite formulation enables the incorporation of high levels of water while maintaining desirable texture and flavor characteristics, as the composite structure prevents harmful interactions between water and other product components
2Quantity of substance
If conventional emulsions are used to increase moisture, then moisture level increases, but product stability and texture deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent fundamentally changes the parameters of the emulsion system by using specifically defined surfactants and co-surfactants in controlled amounts, creating a structured liquid with optimized HLB values and molecular structures. This parameter optimization enables high moisture content while maintaining product stability, as the modified emulsion system resists phase separation and maintains homogeneous structure
Solution Approach 2:
The structured liquid acts as a stable intermediary phase between water and the confectionery matrix, preventing direct harmful interactions. The surfactant-co-surfactant system creates a protective interface that maintains emulsion stability even at high moisture levels, thus preserving product composition stability
3Quantity of substance
If sugar and fat content are reduced to lower calories, then caloric value decreases, but flavor richness and mouthfeel deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The structured liquid serves as an intermediary that replaces both sugar and fat functions simultaneously. It provides the necessary mouthfeel, flavor carrier properties, and texture while having minimal caloric content, thus resolving the contradiction between reducing sugar/fat and maintaining flavor quality
Solution Approach 2:
The structured liquid performs multiple functions that were previously achieved by separate sugar and fat components: it provides bulk, carries flavor compounds, contributes to mouthfeel, and maintains texture. This multi-functionality allows significant reduction in traditional caloric ingredients while preserving product quality
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 structured liquid effectively increases moisture in confectionery products, reducing their caloric value while maintaining processability and flavor, achieving a low-calorie confectionery product with improved texture and shelf life.
Implementation Method 1
the structured liquid is in the form of a submicroemulsion, a lamellar structure or a bicontinuous phase
Implementation Method 2
the structured liquid is in the form of a submicroemulsion, a lamellar structure or a bicontinuous phase
Implementation Method 3
the surfactant is a C 2-36 fatty acid, a glycerol fatty acid ester of a C 2-36 fatty acid, a polyoxyethylene ester formed from a C 2-36 fatty acid and a sugar and/or sugar alcohol
Implementation Method 4
The structured liquid at the same time allows to achieve textures and flavours that closely match the texture and flavour of non-calorie reduced products
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a process for producing a confectionery product comprising the step of admixing a structured liquid comprising a thermodynamically stable mixture of water, surfactant, co-surfactant and a non-aqueous component.