Hershey Foods Corporation

Julie A Emsing

Philip C Ward

Sue Zaccano

Beth Anne Ritchey

Jorge O Bouzas

The present invention is directed to a continuous process for making a high solids confectionery product containing agar-agar using high temperature short time processing. The process comprises (a) preparing a homogenous mixture comprising agar-agar, an agar-agar dispersing agent in an amount sufficient to disperse and suspend the agar-agar to control hydration when in contact with water and heat, a sweetening effective amount of a sweetener, and water, said homogenous mixture containing a solids content ranging from about 60% to about 80% by weight solids; (b) feeding the homogenous mixture of step (a) to a heating apparatus having an inlet and outlet with heating means interposed therebetween, and subjecting said mixture to a high temperature short time continuous process under conditions sufficient to cook and concentrate the mixture and to evaporate the water to form water vapor; (c) removing the formed water vapor formed in step (b); and (d) cooling said mixture, thereby forming a high solids confectionery product, all of said steps (a), (b) (c) and (d) being conducted in a continuous process.

Process utilizing agar-agar in a high temperature, short time processing of high solids confectionery products

The invention provides, in one aspect, a method of making a confectionery or ingredient or filling for a confectionery, which includes forming a first component by combining water, at least one humectant, corn syrup and sugar; heating the blend to above 170&deg; F.; adding a hydrocolloid or emulsifier; and continuing to heat until a solids content of about 80-90 wt. % is obtained. A second component is formed by combining a fat or fat-containing mixture and a flavoring. The first and second component are then mixed at a temperature above the melting point of the fat to form a mixture. The mixture can then be cooled and formed into finished confectionery, which can be used for retail sale, or processed as an ingredient in a confectionery.

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York, PA, United States of America

Julie A Emsing