Confectionery: The application of texture analysis on the latest developments

Unusual flavours, colours, and textures are what drive novelty in confectionery products. Whilst the use of texture analysis is commonplace in quality control, the product development laboratory is having to gather its pace in order to offer to consumers novel products that satisfy their curiosity in the search for new sensory experiences – the development of a flesh-like candy by Kracie Foods is one such extraordinary example that employs a Texture Analyser.

Reduced sugar, sugar-free, no added sugar, low sugar: these anti-sugar buzzwords don the packaging of many food items. In an industry which bases its products on sugar, important decisions need to be made on sweeteners which maintain end-product flavour, texture and appearance. Sugar free confectionery must offer the sweetness, flavour and mouthfeel of a sugar-sweetened counterpart, without any unpleasant aftertaste – yet another instance where a Texture Analyser will help compare the original item with the sugar-free development.

Food coatings and coextrusion methods result in a wide variety of dual or multi-phase products in the confectionery sector. Chewing gum tablets, wafers, and layered biscuits are typical examples of food products that may include a crisp exterior shell enclosing a soft viscous filler material of a different texture. Fitted with a suitable probe, the Texture Analyser can define the texture of each layer within a single test to characterise the full sensory experience as a result of the sample’s structure.

Freestanding films, such as breath strips, are a relatively new phenomena. Though these freestanding films are often formulated with the same kinds of ingredients as traditional edible coatings, there are additional demands on their performance. They have to possess strength and integrity to be removed from backing material, and then undergo whatever processing is necessary to deliver the film to its intended use and remain dispensable throughout product shelf life. One of the biggest challenges to freestanding films is to have individual layers remain separate and not adhere to each other, or to curl once produced is cut into individual pieces or sheets.

Confectionery products developed with fortification claims, the re-use of by-products in, for example, chocolate and the creation of drug-releasing chewing gums – all require characterisation and comparison with existing products with textural expectations to match.

And then there’s the sound produced from a confectionery product which can very much be part of its appeal and can therefore help to market confectionery textural innovations. During the measurement of texture, an Acoustic Envelope Detector can also collect the ‘noise’ emitted and create a sound signature that can substantiate textural claims relating to how ‘crunchy’ or ‘crispy’ a product is, giving your product the innovative edge.

What are the new ingredient and product ideas in confectionery product research, development and production and how can a Texture Analyser be applied?

The confectionery industry, like other food sectors, continuously evolves in response to consumer trends, technological advancements, and innovations in ingredients. Here are some of the newer ingredient and product ideas in confectionery research, development, and production and a typical academic reference to show how the Texture Analyser has already being applied:

• Alternative sweeteners: With increasing health awareness, many manufacturers are exploring natural and low-calorie sweeteners such as stevia, monk fruit, and allulose.
  Example: Effects of cryoconcentrated blueberry juice as functional ingredient for preparation of commercial confectionary hydrogels

• Functional confectionery: Incorporating health benefits into candies and chocolates, such as adding vitamins, minerals, probiotics, CBD, and adaptogens.
  Example: Development of a Functional Dark Chocolate with Baobab Pulp

• Plant-based and vegan offerings: Using alternatives to gelatine (like agar or pectin) in gummies, and non-dairy alternatives in chocolates.
  Example: Physicochemical and Sensory Properties of Vegan Gummy Candies Enriched with High-Fibre Jaban Watermelon Exocarp Powder

• Alternative proteins: Incorporating plant-based or even insect-based proteins in confections.
  Example: The Influence of the Syrup Type on Rheology, Color Differences, Water Activity, and Nutritional and Sensory Aspects of High-Protein Bars for Sportsmen

• Global and exotic flavours: Flavours such as matcha, yuzu, chili, and açai are making their way into confections, catering to a more global palate.
  Example: Physicochemical properties of chocolate brownies enriched with black jasmine rice flour.

• Texture innovations: Combining crispy, chewy, aerated and creamy textures in one product or creating unique mouthfeel experiences with multi-textured candies.
  Example: 3D printing confectioneries with tunable mechanical properties

• Health and wellness focus: Reduced-sugar confections responding to consumer demands for lower sugar content and dark chocolates with high cacao content emphasizing antioxidant properties.
  Example: Development of Strawberry gummy jelly with reduced sugar content from strawberry syrup

• Clean label: Products formulated with fewer, simpler ingredients.
  Example: Natural ingredients-based gummy bear composition designed according to texture analysis and sensory evaluation in vivo

• Sustainable ingredients and packaging: Ethical sourcing of ingredients (like cacao), using by-products or ‘waste’ ingredients to create new confections (like fruit pulp-based gummies) and eco-friendly packaging are becoming more important.
  Example: Dragon Fruit Peel Extract Enriched-Biocomposite Wrapping Film: Characterization and Application on Coconut Milk Candy

Using a Texture Analyser in confectionery development

A Texture Analyser can be an invaluable tool in the confectionery industry in many ways. The utilisation of a Texture Analyser in confectionery product research and development an invaluable tool in the confectionery industry in many ways. It plays a pivotal role in evaluating key textural attributes specific to various confectionery types. For gummy and jelly confections, it quantifies gel strength, influencing chewiness and mouthfeel. For products like hard candies, toffees, and chocolates, the Texture Analyser measures hardness and brittleness by determining the force required to break or bite through the item. Moreover, in the case of chocolates, it assesses snap and melting behaviour, offering insights into breaking characteristics and mouthfeel-related attributes. Essential for items such as caramels or taffy, the Texture Analyser measures adhesiveness and stickiness, aiding in understanding how these products behave when manipulated.

This technology's applications extend to quality control, ensuring consistent texture across product batches and facilitating the identification of ingredient or processing variations that might impact the final outcome. Regular texture analysis supports shelf life studies by tracking textural changes resulting from moisture migration, crystallisation, or other processes over time. Additionally, the Texture Analyser is instrumental in optimising processing conditions, offering insights into how alterations in parameters like cooking temperature or time impact the ultimate texture of the product. By analysing competitor products, companies gain an understanding of market norms and pinpoint potential areas for innovation. Through the integration of inventive ingredients and tools like the Texture Analyser, confectionery manufacturers can craft products that not only deliver exceptional taste but also offer the desired mouthfeel, thereby aligning with consumer expectations and market trends.

Typical confectionery product test and resulting graph

Learn more about typical tests that a Texture Analyser can perform for confectionary product texture measurement.

Request an article about how to apply a Texture Analyser to confectionary product testing.

There is a Texture Analysis test for virtually any physical property. Contact Stable Micro Systems today to learn more about our full range of solutions.

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For more information on how to measure texture, please visit the Texture Analysis Properties section on our website.

The TA.XTplus texture analyser is part of a family of texture analysis instruments and equipment from Stable Micro Systems. An extensive portfolio of specialist attachments is available to measure and analyse the textural properties of a huge range of food products. Our technical experts can also custom design instrument fixtures according to individual specifications.

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