GB2161360A - The manufacture of hard candies - Google Patents

Abstract

Fructose-containing hard candies are manufactured by adding from about 15 weight % to about 60 weight % of powdered fructose to a fructose melt, the percentages being based on the total weight of the candy mass.

Description

SPECIFICATION The manufacture of hard candies The present invention relates to the manufacture of hard candies. More particularly, the invention is concerned with a process for the manufacture of fructose-containing hard candies.

The conventional procedure for the manufacture of sucrose-based hard candies involves dissolving sucrose and other carbohydrate syrups (e.g. glucose syrup) in water and subsequently removing the water by boiling to a predetermined temperature. When this procedure is applied to the manufacture of fructose-containing hard candies problems arise in that fructose does not readily take on a rigid glass-like form and, moreover, fructose is hygroscopic and is thus prone to exhibit stickiness if even traces of water are present in the product.

The aforementioned problems have now been overcome in accordance with the present invention which provides a process for the manufacture of fructose-containing hard candies, said process comprising adding from about 15 weight % to about 60 weight % of powdered fructose to a fructose melt, the percentages being based on the total weight of the candy mass.

As used in this Specification, the term "powdered fructose" means fructose milled to a powder having an average particle size range of from about 0.062 mm to about 0.35 mm, with the majority being from about 0.125 mm to about 0.35 mm.

The temperature at which the powdered fructose is added to the fructose melt is not critical. In general, the addition is conveniently carried out at a temperature of about 80"C to about 120 C, although it can be carried out at a temperature outside this range if desired. The upper temperature limit of the fructose melt should, of course, be such that no charring occurs and the lower limit should be such that, when the powdered fructose is added, the candy mass obtained can be readily processed using available candy-forming equip ment. In a preferred embodiment the powdered fructose is added to the fructose melt at a temperature of about 90"C to about 110 C, especially at a temperature of about 95"C to about 105"C.

As mentioned earlier, the powdered fructose is added to the fructose melt in an amount of from about 15 weight % to about 60 weight % based on the total weight of the candy mass. In a preferred embodiment the powdered fructose is added in an amount of from about 30 weight % to about 60 weight % based on the total weight of the candy mass and in an especially preferred embodiment the powdered fructose is added in an amount of about 50 weight % based on the total weight of the candy mass.

The process provided by the present invention is conveniently carried out by heating crystalline fructose in a suitable vessel (e.g. a candy boiler) to form a melt and adding the powdered fructose to the melt while stirring. The candy mass obtained can then be formed into candies of suitable size and having the desired shape with the aid of equipment conventionally used for the manufacture of sucrose-containing candies. For example, the candy mass obtained can be worked on a hotl cold table and, when it has cooled sufficiently, for example to about 45"C to about 55"C, preferably to about 50"C, it can be formed into candies by droprolling using tapered rollers in a conventional manner.Again, for example, a candy mass obtained by adding powdered fructose to a fructose melt at a temperature of about 120"C or above can be formed into candies using a continuous candy depositor having a hopper temperature set at about 105"C.

When the fructose-containing hard candies are produced by drop-rolling using tapered rollers, the candy mass conveniently contains an edible fat and, if desired, an edible emulsifier. The edible fat is preferably an edible vegetable fat, suitably an edible glycerol ester of palmitic acid or stearic acid having a melting point of about 35"C to about 45"C.

The edible fat is conveniently present in an amount of up to about 5%, preferably about 1%, based on the total weight of the candy mass. When the candy mass also contains an edible emulsifier, the latter is suitably present in an amount of up to about 1.25%, preferably about 0.25%, based on the total weight of the candy mass. The edible fat and the optional edible emulsifier are conveniently incorporated in the fructose melt prior to the addition of the powdered fructose.

The fructose-containing candies prepared according to the present invention can contain conventional additives (e.g. fruit acids) in the melt in an amount of from about 0.5 weight % to about 3 weight %. For example, citric acid can be present in an amount of about 1.5 weight%. Other additives which can be present include colouring agents, which may be natural or synthetic in origin (e.g. p-carotene, apocarotenal etc), flavouring agents (e.g. orange, lemon, peppermint and similar flavours) as well as salts conventionally used for rounding-off flavours (e.g. sodium citrate, sodium tartrate etc). In general, it is preferred that the total amount of additive does not exceed about 3 weight %. Further, it is also preferred that all additives used are anhydrous.Depending on the nature thereof, the additives can be incorporated in the fructose melt before the addition of the powdered fructose and/or can be added to the candy mass obtained after the addition of the powdered fructose to the fructose melt.

The following Examples illustrate the present invention: Example 1 699 g of crystalline fructose were melted by heating to llO"C in a suitable vessel, 1 g of peppermint flavour was added to the melt at this temperature and the resulting mixture was stirred. The mixture was then allowed to cool to 105 C, at which temperature 300 g of powdered fructose (particle size about 0.17 mm) were added while stirring well. The thus-obtained candy mass was left to cool to 480C and the cooled mass was formed into candies by drop-rolling.

Example 2 492 g of crystalline fructose were melted by heating to llO"C in a suitable vessel, 15 g of anhydrous citric acid were added to the melt at this temperature and the mixture was stirred. The mixture was then allowed to cool to 105"C, at which temperature 492 g of powdered fructose (particle size about 0.17 mm) and 1 g of lemon flavour having dissolved or dispersed therein 0.02 g of p-caro- tene (30% suspension) were added. The resulting mixture was stirred thoroughly until the colour was evenly distributed. The resulting candy mass was cooled to 48cC and the cooled mass was formed into candies by drop-rolling.

Example 3 60 kg of crystalline fructose were melted at 1200C in a steam-jacketed cooker, equipped with a stirrer together with 1 kg of vegetable fat (melting point about 42 C), 250 g of an edible emulsifier and 1.5 kg of citric acid. After cooling the melt to 95"C, there were added while stirring firstly 40 kg of powdered fructose (particle size about 0.17 mm) and then colouring agent dissolved in flavouring agent. The candy mass obtained was cooled to 50"C and the cooled mass was formed into candies by drop-rolling.

Example 4 699 g of crystalline fructose were melted by heating to 1202C in a suitable vessel, 1 g of peppermint flavour was added to the melt at this temperature and the mixture was stirred. The mixture was combined with 300 g of powdered fructose (particle size about 0.17 mm) and stirred in order to achieve an even distribution. The resulting mixture was transferred to the hopper of a continuous candy depositor, the hopper being preheated and maintained at a temperature of 105"C. The pumpable liquid candy mass obtained was deposited in suitable moulds. The finished candies were removed from the moulds after cooling and conditioning at ambient temperature.

Claims (7)

1. A process for the manufacture of fructosecontaining hard candies, which process comprises adding from about 15 weight % to about 60 weight % of powdered fructose to a fructose melt, the percentages being based on the total weight of the candy mass.

2. A process according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the powdered fructose is added in an amount of about 30 weight % to about 60 weight % based on the total weight of the candy mass.

3. A process according to claim 3, wherein the powdered fructose is added in an amount of about 50 weight % based on the total weight of the candy mass.

4. A process according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the powdered fructose is added at a temperature of about 80"C to about 1200C.

5. A process according to claim 4, wherein the powdered fructose is added at a temperature of about 90"C to about llO"C.

6. A process according to claim 5, wherein the powdered fructose is added at a temperature of about 959C to about 105do.

7. Fructose-containing hard candies, when manufactured by the process claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 or by an obvious equivalent thereof.