Today's candy and chocolate market has also begun to transform and extend from using sucrose as the basic raw material in the early days to using new low-sugar and low-calorie sugar bases as raw materials. In recent years, functional sugar products have been hyped up in the market and have become a hot consumer and development focus in the current international candy market, with huge market potential.
However, not all low-calorie and low-sugar sugar bases can replace sucrose in the production of candy and chocolate. The new raw materials used must be able to replace sucrose from the perspective of taste and physical chemistry, and must also be beneficial to human health.
After long-term practical research, it has been proved that the new functional raw material erythritol fully meets the requirements. The taste of powdered erythritol is the same as that of sucrose, and there is no need to add strong sweeteners such as aspartame or saccharin. Candies made with erythritol have a refreshing and cool taste than other "non-sucrose" candies, and their sweetness is pure and has no bad aftertaste; and the use of erythritol sugar and other sugar alcohols together can increase the tolerance to reduce the risks of unilateral use. It is best to use high-purity erythritol crystalline powder in candy and chocolate, so as to obtain better quality and taste.
Soft candy and chocolate
Bulk erythritol can produce a variety of high-quality candies, and the texture and shelf life of the products are exactly the same as traditional products. Because erythritol is easy to crush and does not absorb moisture, the various candies made have good storage stability even under high humidity storage conditions. At the same time, it is very beneficial to the health of teeth and will not cause tooth decay.
① Microbiological tests show that most of the crystals of good quality soft candies should be between 5 and 10μm. Pure erythritol is used to make soft candies with high crystallinity, but the crystallinity can be well controlled by adding erythritol with an addition amount of less than 40% and maltitol liquid with a concentration of 75%.
② The use of erythritol in mint-type soft candies can help to obtain a good refreshing taste.
③ Cough drops are generally a kind of rock candy product made by mixing a variety of fine sugars and adding water to knead them into a solid adhesive mass, and then drying and pressing them.
Polyhydroxy compounds such as erythritol, maltitol, isomalt and lactitol can be added to cough drops to obtain low-calorie, anti-caries products. A mixture of erythritol, lactitol and crystalline maltitol can replace traditional sucrose raw materials to produce cough drops. In addition to low calories and cooling effects, powdered erythritol also has good texture and non-hygroscopicity that lactitol and crystalline maltitol do not have.
④ Adding erythritol as a filler to rock sugar can bring a good cooling taste to the rock sugar. Moreover, the fast crystallization speed of erythritol allows rock sugar to be made quickly and conveniently in an anhydrous environment, and such rock sugar can also have a good shelf life in a dry and unpackaged environment.
Chewing gum
Chewing gum is made by mixing fine crystals of sugar and edible gum. Erythritol sugar is easy to micro-crush and has low hygroscopicity, which makes it suitable as a sweetener for chewing gum. Moreover, this chewing gum is refreshing, low in calories, and non-caries-causing, and can be used to make "tooth-friendly" chewing gum.
Most low-sugar chewing gum products will gradually become hard and brittle over time. If alcohol and erythritol are used to replace some low-sugar raw materials, a longer shelf life will be obtained, and the chewing gum will have good elasticity and softness.
In chewing gum coating, the best coating is generally used with 40% erythritol and other hydroxyl compounds, such as sorbitol and maltitol. Not only can it obtain high moisture absorption resistance and a refreshing taste, but it also has better chewing and support properties than xylitol. At the same time, the coating with erythritol can shorten the crystallization time by 30%.
Chocolate
Bulk erythritol has the characteristics of good thermal stability and low hygroscopicity. It can be operated in an environment above 80℃ to shorten the processing time. At the same time, the heating temperature in the production process of chocolate using erythritol is higher than that of traditional chocolate, which is conducive to the development of flavor.
Erythritol can easily replace sucrose in products to reduce the energy of chocolate by 34%. No other sugar alcohol can provide such energy reduction value, and gives the product a refreshing taste and non-cariogenic characteristics. Due to the low hygroscopicity of erythritol, it helps to overcome the frosting phenomenon when other sugars are used to make chocolate.
Erythritol has the characteristics of good thermal stability and low hygroscopicity. It can be operated in an environment above 80℃ to shorten the processing time. At the same time, the heating temperature in the production process of chocolate using erythritol is higher than that of traditional chocolate, which is conducive to the development of flavor.
Precautions
Due to its low solubility and high crystallinity, erythritol can meet the processing needs of general foods, but it must be mixed with other sugars or sugar alcohols in high-concentration jams, jelly foods and food systems with crystal precipitation. At the same time, its high crystallinity will also increase the hardness of the product. Erythritol must be used in combination with other sugar raw materials with different characteristics as needed, which not only adjusts the hardness and sweetness of the product, but also enriches the taste of the product.
Erythritol Powder: Composition and Properties
Erythritol powder is a versatile sweetener with unique physical and chemical properties:
Chemical formula: C4H10O4
Appearance: White, crystalline powder
Sweetness: About 70% as sweet as sucrose
Solubility: Highly soluble in water
Melting point: 121°C (249.8°F)
Stability: Stable at high temperatures, making it suitable for baking
Hygroscopicity: Low tendency to absorb moisture from the air
These properties make erythritol powder an excellent choice for various applications in food and beverage production, as well as for home use in cooking and baking.
At HSF Biotech, we pride ourselves on producing high-quality erythritol powder that meets the highest standards of purity and effectiveness. Our product is perfect for those looking to reduce their sugar intake without sacrificing taste or texture in their favorite foods and beverages.
If you're interested in learning more about our erythritol powder bulk or would like to explore bulk purchasing options, we'd love to hear from you. Contact us at sales@healthfulbio.com for more information or to discuss how our products can meet your sweetening needs.