JP2902802B2 - Soft candy manufacturing method and its manufacturing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for manufacturing soft candy which can be cut and packaged uniformly without deforming the soft candy.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, soft candy is produced by boiling and mixing candy ingredients to form soft candy dough and then forming it into a rope or sheet shape, and then using a variety of blade shapes such as a roll cutter and a cutter knife. It is manufactured by cutting and packaging with a cutter.

FIG. 2 shows this conventional manufacturing method. In the figure, soft candy dough is extruded by a molding machine 23 such as a batch former or an extruder, and is extruded into a rope shape 24.
Then, the sizing roll 25 stretches it into a thinner rope shape, and it is transported to a packaging machine 27 by transporting means 26, where it is cut and packaged. However, the properties of soft candy dough vary depending on the amount of water scattered during the dough production, the sugar crystallinity due to differences in aging conditions, the temperature of the candy, and the like. Therefore, if the cutting / packing conditions are not changed in accordance with the physical property fluctuation of the soft candy, the cut surface may have irregularities during cutting, or the resistance of the cutter blade at the time of cutting may be deformed due to the mechanical external force at the time of packing. For this reason, it was necessary to reduce the cut surface, and the shape of the product was restricted, and it was not possible to continuously mold, cut, and package soft candy under uniform conditions.

In order to increase the productivity, a slight deformation of the cross section has to be neglected, and FIGS. 3A and 3B
As shown in FIG. 3, the candy shape is not uniform, and there is a problem in quality, such as deterioration of the package appearance (FIG. 3C). Therefore, especially in the case of a soft candy having a pattern such as a pattern or a character in the cross section, the pattern is deformed at the time of cutting, and it is difficult to continuously produce soft candy in which a fine pattern is clearly expressed by the conventional technology. It was difficult.

[0005] This is because there is no appropriate means for automatically detecting fluctuations in candy physical properties occurring during the production of candy dough and automatically controlling production conditions in response to the fluctuations.

Therefore, at present, a worker at the site looks at the state of the extruded rope and responds by changing the room temperature and the speed of the conveying means each time. However, this method requires the skill of the worker, and requires manual labor. Therefore, there is a problem that a variation in quality leads to a reduction in commercial value and a reduction in production efficiency. So as means for solving the above problems, and aging After preformed in the mold or the like of Jo Tokoro shape soft candy dough sufficiently crystallized, a method to disconnect from to stabilize the shape is taken, In this method, the molding process is divided into two stages, which is complicated, and there is a problem that continuous production cannot be performed or labor is required.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances.
Detects fluctuations in the physical properties of the soft candy dough, controls the temperature of the soft candy molded product according to the value, stabilizes the candy cut shape by cutting continuously under uniform conditions. Another object of the present invention is to provide a soft candy manufacturing method and apparatus which can improve the appearance of a package and can clearly express a pattern or the like in a cross section.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to provide a screw drive motor of an extrusion molding apparatus when cutting a candy product discharged by an extrusion molding apparatus into a predetermined size after passing through a cooling chamber having a conveying means. In accordance with the change in the load current value, the transfer speed of the transfer means is controlled based on the load current and the candy temperature correspondence table determined in advance for each product type, so that a uniform cut surface of the product temperature of the candy molded product can be obtained. This is achieved by a soft candy manufacturing method characterized in that the candy is adjusted.

Further, an apparatus for realizing this method includes an extrusion molding apparatus having a temperature control means, a detection means for measuring a load current value of a screw drive motor of the molding apparatus, and an apparatus for cooling the discharged soft candy dough into a cooling chamber. And a cutting device connected to the outlet of the conveying device. The conveying device has a load current and a candy that are determined in advance for each product type in accordance with the load current value of the screw drive motor of the molding device. This is achieved by a soft candy manufacturing apparatus characterized in that speed control is performed based on a product temperature correspondence table.

[0010] That is, the physical properties of the soft candy dough (soft candy moisture) and the load current value of the screw drive motor of the extrusion molding apparatus when forming into a rope shape are as follows:
As shown in an example in FIG. 4, there is a proportional relationship, and as shown in FIG. 5, an appropriate candy rope temperature which does not cause unevenness or deformation in the cross section during cutting / packaging due to the load current value of the screw drive motor. It is possible to control the speed of the conveying means according to the load current value of the screw drive motor of the extrusion device, control the temperature of the candy rope at the time of cutting and packaging, and continuously Cutting without deformation
It becomes possible to package.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be specifically described below based on embodiments. FIG. 1 shows a manufacturing apparatus used in the present invention.

In the production of soft candy, first, dough is prepared to be supplied to the production apparatus of FIG. That is, first, carbohydrates as main raw materials such as sugar and starch syrup are boiled down, additives such as acidulants and flavors are mixed, cooled, and then aged in an aging chamber. Aging has the effect of promoting the crystallization of sugar and stabilizing the physical properties of the soft candy dough, but there is no problem even if aging is not performed depending on the physical properties of the soft candy dough. Next, the aged soft candy dough is cut into a shape to enter the raw material supply port 1 of the extruder 2 in FIG. Then, the soft candy dough is supplied to the extruder 2, for example, loaded on a belt conveyor or the like, and is put into the extruder 2. Extruder 2
In order to control heat fluctuation such as heat generated by kneading during extrusion molding, a hot water circulation hole 6 is formed in a portion of the cylinder 5 around the screw 3 and the molding die 4, and the hot water circulation hole 6 is heated by a temperature controller 10. The temperature of the extruded product is controlled by circulating cold water. The hot water circulation hole 6 may have any shape as long as it can control the temperature of the extruded product, and may use an embedded heater, a band heater, or the like. Further, the medium in the hot water circulation hole 6 need not be hot or cold water.

The soft candy dough put into the extruder 2 is conveyed forward while being kneaded by rotating the screw 3 by the rotation of the screw driving motor 7, filling the inside of the molding die 4, and discharging from the discharge port 8. Discharge in the form of a rope. The extrusion rope 9 is subjected to temperature control at the time of extrusion molding, so that it is ± 2 (° C.), preferably ± 1.
(° C.). The extruded rope 9 extruded is preferably ± 5 (° C.) or less, preferably ± 3 (° C.).
(° C.) It is conveyed by a conveying means 15 in a cooling chamber 14 having a temperature controller 13 capable of controlling the room temperature within the following range.

Since the physical properties of candy dough fluctuate during the production of soft candy dough,
The load current value of the screw drive motor 7 of the extruder conductive Nagareki 18 detects through, is input to the CT converter 20 via the ammeter 19. The voltage is transformed in the CT converter 20, converted into a DC signal by an arithmetic circuit, and output from the output circuit as an analog signal. The signal output from the CT converter 20 is supplied to the control circuit of the inverter 21 serving as the transmission means by the A / D converter.
Converted and input. The voltage and frequency output by the control circuit are calculated and amplified by the inverse conversion circuit. Inverter 21
Inside, an AC input from a three-phase AC power supply is converted to DC by a rectifier circuit, smoothed by a capacitor, and DC is converted to AC based on a signal sent from the control circuit and output.
As described above, by setting the output frequency of the inverter 21 in accordance with the electric signal output from the CT converter 20, it is possible to adjust the number of revolutions of the transport unit drive motor 22 of the transport unit 15. In this embodiment, the inverter 19 is used as the speed change means, but any structure may be used as long as the speed of the transfer means 15 can be changed in accordance with the output signal of the CT converter 20. Thus, by detecting the variation of the physical properties of the candy dough in load current value of the screw drive motor 7, is adjusted based the conveying speed of the conveying means 15 to the load current value, extruded rope of the cooling chamber 14
The temperature of the extrusion rope 9 sent to the packaging machine 16 is controlled by changing the residence time of the extrusion rope 9. Therefore, the packaging machine 1 responds to fluctuations in the physical properties of candy, which has been difficult in the past.
6, the temperature of the extruded rope 9 can be controlled, and the product 1 has no unevenness or deformation in the cross section during cutting and packaging.
7 can be produced.

Next, an example of a manufacturing method using the present manufacturing apparatus will be described.

[Table 1]

[0016]

[Table 2] As shown in Tables 1 and 2, the temperature of the hot water of the extruder 2 is set to a temperature at which the soft candy can be extruded, for example, 42 (° C) by the temperature controller 10, and the cylinder 5 of the extruder and the mold are formed. The temperature of the die 4 is controlled. The soft candy dough is put into the extruder 2 and the screw 3 is rotated,
Perform soft candy molding. The rotation speed of the extruder 2 is set so that the conveying speed of the extruding rope 9 after the sizing roll 12 is equal to the processing speed of the packaging machine 16.

The extrusion rope 9 is extruded at a temperature substantially equal to the set temperature of the extruder, passes through a take-up conveyor 11 such as a roller conveyor, is stretch-formed by a sizing roll 12, and is controlled at a constant room temperature, for example, 15 (° C.). It is sent to the conveying means 15 in the cooling chamber 14. At this time,
Since the speed of the conveying means 15 changes according to the load current value of the screw drive motor 7, the extruding rope 9 does not deform due to an external force such as tension. By setting the speed to be low, it is preferable that the extruding rope 9 meander on the conveying means as shown in FIG. That is, by making the pushing rope 9 meander, even if the speed of the conveying means 15 changes, the meandering amplitude changes only slightly, and the ejection fluctuation is absorbed by the meandering portion, so that no external force is applied to the pushing rope 9. Next, the extruded rope 9 is temperature-controlled on the conveying means to a temperature range in which cracking and deformation do not occur during cutting and packaging and uniform packaging can be performed. As shown in FIG. 5, the temperature range in which cracking and deformation do not occur during cutting / packaging and can be packaged uniformly needs to be controlled within a range of ± 3 (° C.) from the proper center temperature of packaging with a soft candy of one physical property. . In addition, when the soft candy dough is manufactured, the moisture, crystallinity, air amount, etc. of the soft candy dough fluctuate, and when the physical properties fluctuate, it is necessary to change the appropriate center temperature of the packaging in accordance with the fluctuation of the physical properties. For example, when the water content changes by 0.1 (%), the center temperature needs to be changed by 1 to 4 (° C.). When the crystallinity decreases due to the blending and aging conditions, the center temperature needs to be increased. As described above, the variation of the physical properties is complicatedly intertwined with various factors, but this variation appears remarkably in the load current value of the screw drive motor 7. Therefore, the fluctuation can be controlled by detecting the motor load current value. For example, when the motor load current value changes from 26 (A) to 33.5 (A), the frequency of the inverter is changed from 20 (Hz) to 40 (H).
z) to increase the transport speed of the transport unit 15 to 180
(Cm / min) to 360 (cm / min). As a result, the residence time of the transfer rope 9 in the cooling chamber 14 is changed from 10 (min) to 5 (min), and the temperature of the extruded rope 9 is automatically reduced from 24.0 (° C.) to 31.5.
(° C.), and the temperature can be controlled in a temperature range where uniform packaging can be performed without any irregularities or deformation on the cut surface during cutting and packaging.

[0018]

As described above, in the method for producing a soft candy according to the present invention, the soft candy is deformed by adjusting the temperature of the rope-shaped stretched candy for cutting in accordance with the physical properties of the soft candy. Since cutting and packaging can be continuously performed without uniformity, processing costs can be reduced and processes can be shortened as compared with the conventional manufacturing method. In addition, since the packaging form is stable, commercial value can be increased.

Furthermore, since the cut surface is sharp and does not cause distortion, in the case of a soft candy with a high visual effect having a picture or a three-dimensional pattern in the cut cross section, the expression effect is further clarified and the commercial value is enhanced. Can be.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a soft candy manufacturing apparatus used in the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a conventional manufacturing apparatus.

FIG. 3 is an external view of a conventional product.

Fig. 4 Relationship between soft candy moisture and load current value of screw drive motor

FIG. 5: Relationship between screw drive motor load current value and packaging evaluation at various candy rope temperatures

[Description of Signs] 1 Extruder raw material supply port 2 Extruder 3 Screw 4 Molding die 5 Cylinder 6 Hot water circulation hole 7 Screw drive motor 8 Discharge port 9 Extrusion rope 10 Temperature control device 11 Pick-up conveyor 12 Sizing roll 13 Temperature control device 14 Cooling Room 15 Conveying Means 16 Packaging Machine 17 Product 18 Variable Flow Path 19 Ammeter 20 CT Converter 21 Inverter 22 Conveying Means Drive Motor 23 Molding Machine 24 Extrusion Rope 25 Sizing Roll 26 Transporting Means 27 Packaging Machine

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-50-46864 (JP, A) JP-A-2-207746 (JP, A) JP-A-57-1587 (JP, U) JP-A-45 16706 (JP, Y1) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) A23G 1/00-9/30

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] When a candy molded product discharged by an extrusion molding device is cut into a predetermined size after passing through a cooling chamber having a conveying means, the candy molded product is changed according to a change in a load current value of a screw drive motor of the extrusion molding device. A software for controlling a conveying speed of the conveying means based on a load current and a candy product temperature correspondence table predetermined for each product type and adjusting the product temperature of the candy molded product so as to obtain a uniform cut surface. How to make candy. 2. An extrusion molding device having a temperature control means,
Detecting means for measuring a load current value of a screw drive motor of the molding apparatus, conveying means for conveying the discharged soft candy dough into a cooling chamber, and a cutting device connected to an outlet of the conveying means, An apparatus for manufacturing a soft candy, characterized in that the conveying means controls the speed based on a correspondence table between the load current and the candy temperature predetermined for each type in accordance with the load current value of the screw drive motor of the molding apparatus.