Fundamentals of Sugar Confectionery
1
The Manufacturing Confectioner • August 2000 35 T his paper is intended for newcomers to the industry, and as a reminder of the fundamentals to the rest of us. It should form the basis for further reading and investigation. SUGAR CONFECTIONERY BASICS We are agreed on these fundamentals: • The confection must not undergo fer- mentation, mold growth or any other microbiological spoilage during a long storage life. • The confection must not undergo any change in its physical properties during this storage. • The confection must have the desirable physical properties normally associated with the particular confection. For exam- ple, it must not be too hard to eat com- fortably; its texture and solubility must be pleasing to the palate; and not least it must be flavored correctly and be sweet tasting. • The confection must be pleasing to the eye.This factor is determined by the art and skill of the confectioner. Let us take each one and examine it in more detail. MICROBIOLOGICAL SPOILAGE While there is no completely clear-cut line, experience indicates that if the solids con- tent is below 75 percent, certain molds and yeasts will grow in carbohydrate solu- tions and spoilage will result. Some exam- ples are shown in Figure 1. If, on the other hand, the solids content is above 75 per- cent, then this is unlikely to occur. It must be remembered here that when consider- ing sugar confectionery we are not dealing with a material kept under commercially sterile conditions, as with canned foods for instance, but with a product that must be kept under normal nonsterile condi- tions. The confection must be self-pre- serving in its own right since every source of contamination cannot be kept away from it. Equilibrium Relative Humidity Equilibrium relative humidity (erh ) is the point at which the product neither gains water nor loses it to the atmosphere. E RH is expressed as a percentage and water activity is expressed as a decimal A w . erh 70% = 0.7 A w Fundamentals of Sugar Confectionery Brian Jackson Jackson Associates Jackson has worked throughout the world in the confec- tionery industry, including the U.K., Europe, India and Scandanavia. He was employed by CPC (now Cerestar) for 31 years as a technical advisor. With experience teaching at the Solingen School and lecturing at sev- eral food technol- ogy conferences, Jackson is now a consultant. Brian Jackson
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Transcript of Fundamentals of Sugar Confectionery
-
The Manufacturing Confectioner August 2000 35
This paper is intended for newcomersto the industry, and as a reminder ofthe fundamentals to the rest of us. It should
form the basis for further reading and
investigation.
SUGAR CONFECTIONERY BASICS
We are agreed on these fundamentals:
The confection must not undergo fer-mentation, mold growth or any othermicrobiological spoilage during a longstorage life.
The confection must not undergo anychange in its physical properties duringthis storage.
The confection must have the desirablephysical properties normally associatedwith the particular confection. For exam-ple, it must not be too hard to eat com-fortably; its texture and solubility mustbe pleasing to the palate; and not least itmust be flavored correctly and be sweettasting.
The confection must be pleasing to theeye.This factor is determined by the artand skill of the confectioner.
Let us take each one and examine it in
more detail.
MICROBIOLOGICAL SPOILAGE
While there is no completely clear-cut line,experience indicates that if the solids con-tent is below 75 percent, certain moldsand yeasts will grow in carbohydrate solu-tions and spoilage will result. Some exam-ples are shown in Figure 1. If, on the otherhand, the solids content is above 75 per-cent, then this is unlikely to occur. It mustbe remembered here that when consider-ing sugar confectionery we are not dealingwith a material kept under commerciallysterile conditions, as with canned foodsfor instance, but with a product that mustbe kept under normal nonsterile condi-tions. The confection must be self-pre-serving in its own right since every sourceof contamination cannot be kept awayfrom it.
Equilibrium Relative Humidity
Equilibrium relative humidity (erh) is thepoint at which the product neither gainswater nor loses it to the atmosphere.
ER H is expressed as a percentage andwater activity is expressed as a decimal Aw.
erh 70% = 0.7 Aw
Fundamentals ofSugar ConfectioneryBrian JacksonJackson Associates
Jackson has workedthroughout theworld in the confec-tionery industry,including the U.K.,Europe, India andScandanavia. Hewas employed byCPC (now Cerestar)for 31 years as atechnical advisor.
With experienceteaching at theSolingen Schooland lecturing at sev-eral food technol-ogy conferences,Jackson is now aconsultant.
Brian Jackson
