[Confections] Vol. 18 No. 8 August 2008 ww Keeping C andy Current By Heather Teuscher, Contributing Editor Most of us work hard to resist the enticing world of gummies, nougats, fondants, chocolates, hard candy, caramels and gum. But, with some of the current confectionery trends, people of all ages can indulge without guilt. Consumers are becoming more health-conscious, and the confectionery industry is responding by replacing or removing some aspects that concern consumers, and adding new, beneficial ingredients. Market Snapshot: Top Treats How sweet it is The confectionery industry grew 3.5% in “No sugar” and “reduced sugar” are important aspects in the 2007. Candy, chocolate and gum continued confectionery portfolio, and have every appearance of remaining to lead the snack category in sales, and valid. Sugar alcohols, or polyols, are functional replacements for ranked third in food sales overall. According sucrose and corn syrup in no-sugar and reduced-sugar to Information Resources Inc., Chicago, the applications. These saccharide derivatives with a hydroxyl group categories that experienced significant growth in 2007 include: replacing a ketone or aldehyde group do not completely absorb in the small intestine, resulting in fewer calories absorbed and a • Dark chocolate sales increased more than reduced impact on blood sugar. They range between 0 and 3 kcal 50% compared to 2006. per gram, reducing overall calories. Although each sugar alcohol has its own unique properties, since they are saccharide-based, • Sugar-free gum led industry growth with a some polyols have similar solubility, crystallizing and water activity 13.5% sales increase from 2006. Overall, gum sales grew 8.1%. (aw) reducing properties as sugar. • Sales of premium chocolate grew more Many different types of candy populate the confectionery world, than 30% in 2007 alone, following three making it important to determine which polyol works best in each years of double-digit growth. application. “The number of different polyols and other sugarless bulk sweeteners is quite large, and is probably more extensive than • Licorice sales grew 3.1% compared to what is available for sugar confections,” says Tom Parady, 2006. associate program coordinator, application technology group, Roquette America, Keokuk, IA. “Polyols do have their limitations, • Chewy (non-chocolate) candy sales and each application may have a number of different formulation increased 4.2% from 2006. possibilities using different polyols. The final formulation to be used for any confectionery item will represent a compromise on a number of different product attributes. These include taste, stability, appearance, cost, processability and digestive tolerance.” Maltitol, xylitol, sorbitol, isomalt, hydrogenated starch hydrolysate, erythritol and polydextrose have different characteristics, but all contribute in replacing the structural function of sugars.” Maltitol’s solubility is similar to sucrose, and has low hygroscopicity and reduced cooling effect, compared to other sugar alcohols. “Having 90% the sweetness of sugar, maltitol can easily be substituted in formulas as a sugar replacement,” says Parady. “Maltitol syrups can function like regular corn syrups by controlling crystallization and providing body.” www.foodproductdesign.com Page 1 [Confections] Vol. 18 No. 8 August 2008 Another polyol, xylitol, “is 100% as sweet as sugar, but its physical properties are very different than sugar,” Parady says. “It has a strong cooling effect, so is good in pressed mints—as is sorbitol—but xylitol is also very hygroscopic and low melting, so performs poorly in chocolate processing, and the cooling effect in chocolate gives a taste profile unlike that of sugar. Sorbitol, though not as sweet, has similar properties to xylitol, with most of the same limitations. Some polyols, like mannitol and isomalt, are inherently low in solubility and so may be used in grained confections as the graining agent, but are normally avoided in nongrained candies like gummies. Isomalt or isomalt blended with about 30% HSH (hydrogenated starch hydrolysates) provides a hard candy with even better stability than can be found in sugar hard candy.” Erythritol’s short carbon chain is absorbed into the small intestine but is not metabolized, and therefore has no effect on blood sugar and no calories. This structure also reduces the typical undesirable effects from over- consumption of other polyols. However, its lower solubility than sugar limits its confectionery applications. While sugar starts to crystallize out at approximately 66% solution, erythritol starts to crystalize at 40% solution. According to Ravi Nana, technical specialist, Cargill Inc., Wayzata, MN, erythritol is useful as a sanding agent for gummy items because of its low hygroscopicity. Fondants and fudge also benefit from erythritol’s rapid crystallization and, when combined with other sugar alcohols or fibers, it produces a creamy mouthfeel. Although not a sugar alcohol, polydextrose can add bulk and be used in combination with sugar alcohols when replacing sugar. Polydextrose is a soluble prebotic fiber that has low sweetness and contributes 1 kcal per gram. “Polydextrose is an excellent choice for calorie and sugar reduction by replacing some or all of the sugar or glucose syrup in hard and chewy candies, caramels, and pectin- and gelatin-based jellies,” says Donna Brooks, regional director, Danisco Texturants and Sweeteners, Elmsford, NY. “Polydextrose is amorphous and does not crystallize at low temperatures or high concentrations, so it can be used to control the crystallization of polyols and sugars and, therefore, the structure and texture of the final product.” As a bonus, polydextrose adds fiber to formulations and provides digestive health benefits. These ingredients help provide structure and function in low-sugar and reduced-sugar products, but “in some cases, polyols can fall a little short on sweetness, so the additional use of high-intensity sweeteners like aspartame, acesulfame K, and/or sucralose may be called for,” Parady says. “This is determined once the product has been formulated with regard to texture using sugarless bulk sweeteners like polyols, and possibly low-molecular-weight soluble fibers.” Working with high intensity High-intensity sweeteners contribute the sweetness necessary to successfully develop a product that is as equally desirable as its full-sugar counterpart. While sugar alcohols only have a fraction of the sweetness of sugar, high-intensity sweeteners are many times sweeter than sucrose. Each has different characteristics, and it is important to consider the process the confection will go through before selecting the most-appropriate one for the application. Some of the most-common and familiar options are aspartame, acesulfame K and sucralose. Aspartame, made up of two amino acids and a methyl ester, is around 180 to 200 times sweeter than sugar. Aspartame tends to break down upon heating and lose sweetness and, therefore, is not ideal for confectionery applications subjected to high heat, such as caramels or gummies, but can be used for tabletting and gum. Acesulfame K is approximately 200 times sweeter than sucrose and remains stable when heat-processed. Its slightly bitter finish means it’s best used with another high-intensity sweetener. www.foodproductdesign.com Page 2 [Confections] Vol. 18 No. 8 August 2008 Sucralose, with 600 times the sweetness of sucrose, is very heat-stable and has a distinct, overly sweet aftertaste. Acesulfame K and sucralose work synergistically, offsetting each other’s flavors to match a perceived sweetness close to sucrose. Other sweet options Sweeteners from less-refined sources also can substitute for sucrose and corn syrup for a less-processed confection that companies often market as “natural.” Options include agave, evaporated cane juice, honey, brown rice syrup, tapioca syrup, luo han guo and stevia. Agave syrup, sap extracted from the agave plant, is high in fructose, sweeter than sucrose and can have a maple-tasting finish. Granular evaporated cane juice is from sugar cane, but has not been through the same rigorous processing as white sugar and still maintains some of the original micronutrients. Honey, a combination of glucose and fructose, is hydroscopic and can result in a softer product if used to replace corn syrup. Corn-syrup replacers, such as brown rice syrup and tapioca syrup, typically are enzymatically, not chemically, produced, and inhibit crystallization. Luo han guo and stevia are plant-based, high-intensity sweeteners. They can be used if more sweetness is needed when using unrefined ingredients, or in low-sugar confections when manufacturers would like to avoid the standard high-intensity sweeteners. Luo han guo is a fruit that contains mogrosides that are 250 to 400 times sweeter than sucrose. It has a delayed sweetness and a lingering aftertaste. Stevia is an extract from the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana plant, with sweetness up to 300 times that of sucrose. Because these sweeteners are natural extracts, they can be difficult to work with, because they are not always standardized from vendor to vendor. Fortifying factors Ingredients that enhance memory, increase energy, reduce stress and improve heart health are now options for confections. Many aspects have to be considered when placing these beneficial ingredients into a complex food-product system vs. a pill form. Fortification ingredients might degrade during processing and over time, and affect