Red Beet Extract Powder, Gelatin and Sucrose Interactions in Gummy Candies

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Confectionery Technology
• Natural Colorants

Background:

• Gummy candies traditionally use synthetic colorants, but consumer demand for natural alternatives is rising.
• Understanding interactions between natural additives and core ingredients like gelatin and sucrose is crucial for product development.
• The effects of natural colorants on gummy candy's color, texture, and stability require investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the impact of red beetroot extract powder (RBEP) on gummy candy quality attributes.
• To investigate the interactions between RBEP, sucrose, and gelatin on physicochemical, color, texture, and bioactive properties.
• To determine the optimal gummy candy composition using RBEP as a natural colorant.

Main Methods:

• Formulation of model gummy candies with varying concentrations of sucrose, gelatin, and RBEP.
• Texture Profile Analysis (TPA) to assess hardness, resilience, cohesiveness, springiness, gumminess, and chewiness.
• Color analysis (L*, a*, b*, chroma, hue angle), Total Phenolic Content (TPC), and antioxidant activity (AA) measurements.

Main Results:

• RBEP significantly influenced color parameters, with interactions between RBEP × gelatin and RBEP × sucrose being notable.
• Texture properties like hardness and gumminess varied with ingredient concentrations.
• Optimal gummy candy composition determined: 34.53 g/100 g sucrose, 18.33 g/100 g gelatin solution, and 0.44 g/100 g RBEP.

Conclusions:

• This research provides the first comprehensive analysis of RBEP's effect on gummy candy quality and its interactions.
• The findings support the development of novel confectionery products utilizing natural colorants.
• Results contribute to industry awareness regarding natural colorant applications and formulation optimization.