How to Achieve the Best Taste in Confectionery and Gummy Candies?

In the global market, confectioneries or gummy candies are highly diverse in terms of color, shape, taste, texture, and flavor. The formulations used in the production of confectioneries vary regionally according to the characteristics demanded by society.

The biggest disadvantage of candies is that they are produced using sucrose. It is aimed to reduce the use of sucrose in the future. Instead, raw materials such as isomalt are expected to replace sucrose. Nevertheless, additives will still be used to provide flavor. Flavor enhancers are very important in hard candies or gummy confectioneries.

To provide optimized sweetness, the use of organic acids is the most suitable method. Acids do not only provide sourness; they also completely affect the taste characteristics of the final product. Another property of organic acids is that they provide a preservative effect.

The most important characteristics in confectionery are the sweet and sour tastes.

How is the Persistence of Sour Taste in Confectionery?

Among citric acid, malic acid, gluconic acid, and lactic acid in aqueous solution, gluconic acid has the most persistent taste intensity over a certain period of time. However, citric acid has the highest taste level per unit of time. Malic acid reaches the second highest taste level.

Citric acid reaches the highest sour taste level in a short time, and this sour taste disappears quickly. However, malic acid and lactic acid have a sour taste value in the range between citric acid and gluconic acid.

To mask the high levels of sweetness in candy, combinations of citric acid and malic acid are the most preferred suppression methods.

When citric acid and malic acid are combined at a 50/50 ratio, the mixture has the highest sour taste intensity and the longest-lasting sour taste effect.

The production method of the raw material to be used during the application of taste-regulating chemicals in confectionery is also an important factor. While citric acid and malic acid are produced by fermentation, malic acid alone is based on the petrochemical production method. Since malic acid production is not organic, the use of citric acid and lactic acid mixtures is a more preferred raw material for users.

Consequently, they are distinguished by users based on natural and synthetic production methods.

The combination of citric acid and lactic acid reaches the optimum sour taste level over a longer period compared to the combination of citric acid and malic acid and also has longer persistence. The usage rates here are the mixture amounts in a solution of a certain weight at a 50/50 ratio.

How to Adjust Taste in Cooked Hard Candies?

Taste and flavor selection in hard candies may require many applications. However, capturing the desired characteristics in such cooked hard candies or confectioneries is finalized with the contact at the last stage.

Generally, combinations consisting of different concentrations of 50% citric acid, lactic acid, gluconic acid, malic acid, and phosphoric acid are used. These combinations have yielded very good results when applied with two different flavoring substances suitable for confectionery. These flavors are of natural origin. The 1st is strawberry flavor and the 2nd is orange flavor. In some cases, lemon flavor is also used. At the same time, food colorants are also used in confectionery.

Which Chemicals are Used in This Field?

Artificial sweeteners such as sucralose and aspartame can be used. Acidity regulators used in confectionery are used to adjust the taste balance. For example, substances such as citric acid or lemon acid can be used as acidity regulators. To improve the texture and consistency of some candies, thickeners and fillers can be used. For example, substances such as starch and pectin can be used.