United States Patent [19] [11] Patent Number: 4,567,055 Moore [45] Date of Patent: Jan. 28, 1986 [54] EXTRUDED CONFECI‘IONS 3,717,475 2/1973 Germino et al. .................. .. 426/578 [75] Inventor: Carl 0. Moore, Rochester, I11. Primary Examiner—Jeanette M. Hunter [73] Assignee: A. E. Staley Manufacturing An‘caglrggn ,A gen t, or F’[rm —J ames B.G uffey ; Mlchael' F. Company, Decatur, Ill. [21] Appl. No.: 587,339 [57] ABSTRACT _ An improved method is provided for extruding a starch [22] Flled: Mar‘ 6’ 1984 containing gel confection such as jelly bean centers, [51] Int. 01.4 ....................... .. A23G 3/00; A23L 1/04; imitation fruit slices, and the like, The confection is A23L 1/195 prepared from a mixture of (a) a starch having a cold [52] US. Cl. ................................... .. 426/578; 426/660 water-solubility of greater than 25 percent, hydratable [58] Field of Search ...................... .. 426/578, 660, 661 and functioning as a gelling colloid and (b) saccharides. The starch is heated at a temperature below the boiling [56] References Cited point of the mixture to fully gelatinize the starch, and U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS the mixture is extruded to provide the gel confection. 3,265,510 8/1966 Wurzburg et al. ................ .. 426/660 3,446,628 5/1969 Schoch et al. .. 426/578 11 Claims, No Drawings 4,567,055 1 2 the like. These confections as indicated are, therefore, EXTRUDED CONFECI‘ IONS presently commercially manufactured by the starch mold casting process.‘ The present invention relates generally to the manu US Pat. No. 3,265,508 to Wurzburg et al issued Aug. facture of confections by extrusion, and more particu 9, 1966 discloses the manufacture of confections by larly, it relates to extruded confections which include extrusion of a confectionary product including an acid starch and which can provide transparent to translucent converted starch having a high fluidity, i.e., a ?uidity gels at temperatures below the boiling point of the above 20. By having such high ?uidity, the starch does mixed ingredients. not provide a confection having the ?rm gel structure, when cooked below boiling temperature, necessary for BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION jelly bean centers, imitation fruit pieces, and the like[ It has long been known that gum confections can be Furthermore, at temperatures below the boiling point of made with starch and, for many years, jelly bean centers the mixed ingredients, converted starches do not fully and imitation fruit pieces, sometimes referred to as sug gelatinize to provide transparent to translucent gels. In ared jellies, have been made with ingredients including 15 short, these converted starches are not effective in pro starch. These confections have a ?rm gel structure with viding the gel structures necessary for jelly bean cen all of the starch gelatinized and are typically manufac ters, imitation fruit pieces and the like in an extrusion tured by a starch mold casting process, referred to in the process. When the lower temperatures disclosed in the trade as the Mogul system. patent are used, the converted starch essentially func In accordance with this standard system, the ingredi 20 tions as a ?ller and does not provide the desired gel. ents, including a thin boiling starch, or blends of thin US. Pat. No. 3,265,509 to Wurzburg et al issued Aug. boiling and high amylose starch, are cooked at a mois 9, 1966 is also directed to the manufacture of confec ture above the ?nal moisture of the confection, and tions by extrusion, utilizing starches which contain at deposited as a thin, hot liquid into a starch mold. The least 50 percent amylose. These high amylose starches starch in the mold forms the candy pieces and serves to 25 require high temperatures to gelatinize the starches and reduce the moisture content of the confection to the speci?cally, they need temperatures above the boiling level of the end product. Typically, the cooked mois temperatures of the mixed ingredients to achieve the ture is about 20-25 percent in commercial continuous clear ?rm gels desired. At lower temperatures, the high pressure cooking systems, and the ?nal moisture is amylose starches are not adequately gelatinized and about 14-18 percent. 30 largely function as ?llers in the confections. The use of this type of starch mold casting process US. Pat. No. 3,265,510 to Wurzburg et al issued Aug. has many disadvantages, particularly since the depos 9, 1966 also discloses the manufacture of confections by ited candy pieces and molding starch must be dried extrusion from essentially native starch. Such starch has (24-72 hrs) to reach ?nal product moisture content. It a ?uidity of less than 20 but requires temperatures in the has been recognized as desirable to provide an in-line 35 range of 160° C. to 188° C., which are well above the extrusion process for these gel confections, providing boiling temperature of the mixed ingredients for the cooking and forming at the desired ?nished moisture confections, to achieve gelatinization and provide ?rm content. However, such a process has not been com transparent to translucent gel confections. Accordingly, mercially successful and most of the gel confections the use of these native starches to provide the desired comprising jelly bean centers and imitation fruit pieces 40 gel structures for jelly bean centers, imitation fruit are presently being made by the starch mold casting pieces, and the like, do not result in successful extrusion process. commercially at the end moisture contents of the gel In order to get the desired gel structure, the starch confections and give transparent to translucent gels has been cooked at temperatures above the boiling point having a ?rm gel structure. of the ingredients, i.e., above about 138° C., and with 45 It is desirable to avoid the molded starch method and moisture present in excess of that in the end product to to provide jelly bean centers, imitation fruit pieces, and achieve full gelatinization and a transparent to translu the like, by an extrusion process. Successful extrusion of cent gel. It is possible to cook at lower temperatures, or these confections is highly advantageous to the confec with moisture starved conditions, with the result that tion industry. The production speed for manufacture of the starch does not fully dissolve and the ungelatinized 50 confections can be increased greatly if an acceptable starch essentially functions as a ?ller, with the conse extrusion process was available. Confections made by quence that the confection does not have a desired body this invention can be made in 30 minutes to 24 hours as and/or texture. Thus, it has been recognized that high compared to 24 to 48 hours for the traditional processes. temperature heating, well above the boiling tempera Additionally, there are fewer mechanical problems, ture of the mixed ingredients, is required. High tempera 55 such as jammed molds, with an extrusion process. ture extrusion encounters problems with carameliza Accordingly, it is a principal object of this invention tion, air entrapment, and boiling and ?ash-off at the to provide extruded gel confections which include discharge ori?ce. Resultant textures range from that of starch and which provide transparent to translucent hard candy to tough licorice consistency. High temper gels and which develop a firm gel structure when pro ature extrusion has not been successfully practiced in 60 cessed at temperatures below the boiling point of the providing the classic resilient gel structure, clarity, and mixed ingredients. It is a more particular object of the ?avor attributes of starch molded gel confections such invention to provide an improved method for extruding as jelly bean centers and imitation fruit pieces. gel confections, including starch, to provide ?rm gels at Various processes have been proposed for the manu temperatures below the boiling point of the mixed in facture of gel confections by extrusion, but these pro 65 gredients. A still further object of the invention is the cesses have not been commercially successful in provid provision of an improved extrusion process for the man ing a ?rm gel with transparent to translucent appear ufacture of jelly bean centers, imitation fruit pieces, and ance for jelly bean centers, imitation fruit pieces, and the like, by an extrusion method. 4,567,055 3 4 Throughout the speci?cation and claims, percentages 94 percent, on a dry basis; and edible oil at a level of and ratios are by weight, temperatures are degrees Cel between about zero percent and about 5 percent to sius, and pressures are in atmospheres over ambient adjust the gel strength and to function as a lubricant for unless otherwise indicated. To the extent that any of the the product. Moisture from the various ingredients, foregoing references are applicable to the present inven 5 including added water, will be present in the mixture at tion, they are herein incorporated by reference. a level of less than 25 percent and should be present at SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION a level greater than 10 percent. Color, arti?cial ?avor, natural fruit purees, juice concentrates, acidulants, and These and other objects are accomplished by a pro other optional ingredients can be added as desired to cess for the manufacture of starch containing gel con provide a desired confection. fections by extrusion comprising the steps of mixing: The ingredients are mixed together in a mixing kettle (a) a starch having a cold-water-solubility of greater and poured into an extruder, which extrudes a transpar than 25 percent, the starch being hydratable to function ent to translucent gel in the form of a rope that may be as a gelling colloid; and fed onto sugared trays or onto poly?lm sheets, or that (b) sweetener components including crystalline and may be out immediately at the die face.