Browsing by Subject "invert sugar"

Gelatin-based confections are one type of gummy confections. Their main ingredients are water, sucrose, glucose syrup and gelatin, which causes gel-like texture. The literature review focused on the raw materials, the manufacturing process and the properties of gelatin- and starch-based gummy confections. The aim of this study was to find out how invert sugar, when it replaces sucrose and glucose syrup, affects structural properties and short-term shelf life of gelatin-based confections. In addition, changes in the sensory quality were observed. In the experimental research, the gelatin-based confections were manufactured on a laboratory scale according to simplex-centroid mixture design, where the total sugar content was constant, but sucrose, glucose syrup and invert sugar mass fractions were varied. Measurements for the samples were rheological properties, sugar content and dry matter content of confection paste and mechanical properties (hardness, stickiness and relaxation parameters), dry matter content, water activity and water sorption of confections. In addition, a few samples were manufactured with coloring and flavoring agents for sensory observation. The results were analyzed with the PLSR (Partial Least Squares Regression). Finnsugar Ltd.'s product development department offered the topic of this study and raw materials, but all the experiments were carried out in the Department of Food and Environmental Sciences in the University of Helsinki. The PLSR model contained five components, and the coefficient of determination R2 was 74.1%, the adjusted R2 was 63.3% and the coefficient of prediction Q2 was 43.6%. The model determined all response variables well, but predicted some of them poorly. Almost all response variables regression models were statistically significant at 5% significance level, but some of the models were incomplete (plof<0.05). The variables important in projection (VIP) in the PLSR model were mass fraction of invert sugar, mass fraction of glucose syrup and their interactions with mass fraction of sucrose. The PLSR model was best for rheological properties of confection pastes and mechanical properties of confections, and poorest for water activity and dry matter content of confections. Even at low mass fraction of invert sugar viscosity of confection paste decreased. Invert sugar also reduced hardness of confections, and speeded up their structures recovery after compression. Sensory observation shows the positive effects of invert sugar, such as softness of structure and stronger taste. The present study showed that the sugars have interactions, which also affect properties of the gelatin-based confections, and invert sugar content alone is not the significant factor. Based on the results of this study it seems that invert sugar affected stronger most of the response variables if it replaced relatively more glucose syrup than sucrose.