Food & Beverage Asia June/July 2020

30
INGREDIENTS
with specific gelatine products that
are suitable for every application.
In order to continuously increase
their knowledge of application
techniques and the adjustment of
gelatine types, Gelita continuously
carry out comprehensive technical
investigations.
Avoiding process pitfalls
As mentioned previously, the two
original processes are still used to
make marshmallows – namely
the mogul process for moulded
marshmallows, and the extrusion
process for extruded marshmallows.
Typically, individual marshmallow
candies or specially shaped
marshmallows are moulded, while
the more common marshmallow foam
is made by extrusion.
Gelatine consists of purified collagen proteins derived from natural sources (Credit: 13smile; Adobe Stock )
Both processes start with the
production of sugar slurry, which consists
of the basic ingredients starch syrup,
sucrose and water, to which the gelatine
solution is added. This might look rather
easy at first glance, but it comes with
numerous risks which need to be avoided.
The gelatine to water ratio of this solution
lies between 1:2 and 1:1.5.
When mixing and heating with the sugar
slurry, the gelatine must be dissolved
completely and homogenously combined.
Subsequently, the hot solution is placed in
a vacuum chamber to evaporate some of
the water, while the slurry cools to about
60 o C. Now, it is ready to be mixed with
compressed air to produce a foam – the
consistency of which will depend on the
product concept, its desired properties
and, most crucially, the selected gelatine.
For moulded marshmallows, the slurry
must not be whipped too much, as it must
still be able to be poured into the mogul
machine, where the marshmallows are
moulded and cooled.
A solid and recrystallised marshmallow can
be produced by adding confectioner’s sugar
to the mass, while for un-recrystallised,
soft marshmallows, invert sugar or sorbitol
are added to avoid crystallisation.
For extruded marshmallows, tailor-made
high bloom and high viscosity gelatines
should be used. Without these, rapid
gelling and stabilisation of the product
is impossible – and both are of prime
importance for the process to remain
continuous. After adding compressed air
to the prepared mass, it is formed into a
string and placed on a conveyor. To achieve
a stable string, the mass has to be whipped
more intensively than it would be during the
mogul process. The marshmallow string is
then cut into pieces and, to prevent these
from sticking together, are powdered with a
mixture of starch and confectioner’s sugar
or dextrose.
Comprehensive support
Marshmallows may be a traditional sweet
treat, but the days when a marshmallow
was simply a marshmallow are over.
Depending on the country and market
for which they are produced, there can
be differences in texture, size, form,
colour, flavour release, and mouthfeel.
And aside from individual marshmallows,
a large variety of other products use
marshmallow as a component – such as
marshmallow candies and even ice creams
with marshmallow pieces. Each of these
makes different demands on the formula of
the marshmallow, but in all cases, gelatine
is one ingredient that exerts the greatest
influence on the product’s overall quality.
To make sure that the market for a
product is there too, Gelita also acts as
a “trend scout”. The company works
constantly to develop new and creative
concepts in line with the latest trends and
innovations for different target groups,
markets and positionings. This means that
manufacturers who are looking to expand
their portfolio with a marshmallow product
have the option of choosing from Gelita’s
large variety of innovations or consulting
its team to develop a prototype tailored to
their own specific needs. FBA
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA JUNE / JULY 2020