HARD CANDY

Abstract: The invention concerns a hard candy product mainly sweetened with xylitol. In addition to conventional ingredients this new product contains trace elements and optionally vitamins. In a preferred embodiment the trace element is a Ca containing material and/or powder of colostrum and vitamins, if present C-vitamin or a vitamin mixture. The invention also concerns a method according to Finnish patent 85795 for producing hard candy product containing mainly sugar alcohol and richly xylitol. In connection with the last addition of xylitol in the method physiologically acceptable trace elements of an organic acid and eventually vitamin is/are added.

Description: Hard candy The present invention concerns a hard candy product containing mainly xylitol as sweetener. Due to the favourable dental effects of xylitol it has been used more frequently as sweetener in candy products. The Finnish patent 83 923 discloses a method using xylitol and other sugar alcohols as sweetening agents. The Finnish patent 85 795 also discloses a method producing hard candy sweetened with xylitol having a relatively high xylitol content. These products are mainly confection products. It has, however, now been suggested to broaden the use of such confection products so that the user of the products would have other benefits from the confection products. According to the invention it is suggested that to the hard candy product sweetened mainly with xylitoli and containing conventional ingredients (for example according to FI 83 923 or FI 85 795) , trace element and optionally vitamins are in- corporated. Preferably the trace element is a Ca containing material, especially a physiologically acceptable Ca salt of an organic acid and/or powder of colostrum. Acids commonly used in food and confection industry may be utilized in the invention, such as lactic acid, citric acid, maleic acid , fumaric acid, gluconic acid mixtures thereof. Colostrum is rich in immunoglobulin and leucocytes as well as trace elements and minerals (such as Na, K and Cl) and also vitamins, especially A and C vitamins. Colostrum is thus an advantageous source of trace elements and minerals, and may be advantageously used as a component in candy products. If vitamins are used in the product C-vitamins or mixtures of several vitamins may preferably be used. The product of the invention is preferably a product richly containing xylitol, the xylitol content being at least 40 weight-%. Thus a product is obtained which in addition to a favourable xylitol content contains advantageous trace elements and opti- onally vitamins. Calcium is essential in the body, it is present in the skeleton very richly, and is an essential alkaline- earth metal for the activity of many enzymes. The simultaneous use of vitamins adds further advantages to the candy product. Ca lactate is a preferred salt, in which form the calcium is obtained in a sufficiently soluble form so, that it during use is effectively solved and absorbed. The invention also concerns a method for preparing a mainly sugar alcohols and richly xylitol containing hard candy product which method is more in detail described in the Finnish patent 85795. As a further application of the method according to the invention Ca salt and/or powder of colostrum, preferably 2 - 15 weight-%, more preferably less than 10 weight-% is/are added in connection with the last xylitol addition. Most preferably the Ca concentration is about 6 weight-%. With this method the Ca containing material is advantageously dissolved in the candy mass before it solidifies. The Ca containing material may preferable also be added with a method carried out continuously. Examples of continuous production methods is a continuously working cooking apparatus and an mixer based on extrusion technic where the forming of the product finally is made by rollers, press forms, punchers and alike. The invention is described in greater detail by reference to the examples below, which examples, however, have not be pre- sented to limit the invention but only as examples of various embodiments of the invention. In the following various suitable compositions of the hard candies according to the invention have been presented, in which examples the percentages have been given as weight percentages . Example 1 Hard candy sweetened mainly with xylitol, wherein trace elements and vitamins have been added. xylitol 48 % maltitol syrup (or another sugar alcohol) 45 % Ca lactate 6 % fat 1 % flavouring colour As Ca lactate the calcium is in a sufficiently soluble form to be utilized. In addition to Ca lactate also other Ca salts, e.g. Ca citrate malate or Ca gluconate may be used as a Ca source. Example 2 Xylitol 46,5 % maltitol syrup 45 % Ca lactate 6 % KHC0 3 1,5 % fat 1 % flavouring colour Potassium hydrogen carbonate is used to increase the pH value of saliva for neutralisation purposes. Example 3 Xylitol 46,5 % maltitol syrup 45 % Ca lactate 6 % C-vitamin 1,5 % fat 1 % flavouring colour Example 4 xylitol 46 % maltitol syrup 45 % Ca lactate 6 % multivitamin mixture 2 fat 1 % flavouring colour The composition of the multivitamin mixture is as follows: vit. A 123,600 vit. Bl 8,370 vit. B2 8,136 vit. B6 8, 928 vit. B12 556,200 vit. C 29,664 vit. D 118, 656 niacin 96,408 folic acid 24,180 llaaccttoossee 1.678 1000,000 g The vitamins have been analysed from the product, the stabil- ity has been confirmed. Example 5 xylitol 46 % maltitol syrup (or another sugar alcohol) 43 % Ca lactate 10 % fat 1 % flavouring colour Example 6 xylitol 44,5 % maltitol syrup (or another sugar alcohol) 43 % Ca lactate 10 % KHC0 3 1,5 % fat 1 % flavouring colour Example 7 xylitol 44,5 % maltitol syrup (or another sugar alcohol) 43 % Ca lactate 10 % C vitamin 1,5 % fat 1 % flavouring colour Example 8 xylitol 44 % maltitol syrup (or another sugar alcohol) 43 % Ca lactate 10 % multivitamin mixture 2 % fat 1 % flavouring colour Example 9 Hard candy mainly sweetened with xylitol, and incorporating trace elements and vitamins. xylitol 48 % maltitol syrup (or another sugar alcohol) 45 % powder of colostrum 6 % fat 1 % flavouring colour Example 10 xylitol 46,5 % maltitol syrup 45 % powder of colostrum 6 % KHC0 3 1,5 % fat 1 % flavouring colouring Potassium hydrogen carbonate is used to increase the pH value for neutralisation purposes. Example 11 xylitol 46,5 % maltitol syrup 45 % powder of colostrum 6 C vitamin 1,5 % fat 1 % flavouring colour Example 12 xylitol 46 % maltitol syrup 45 % powder of colostrum 6 % multivitamin mixture 2 % fat 1 % flavouring colour The composition of the multivitamin mixture is the following vit . A 123,600 vit . Bl 8,370 vit . B2 8,136 vit . B6 8,928 vit . B12 556,200 vit . C 29, 664 vit . D 118, 656 niacin 96,408 folic acid 24,180 lactc Dse 1.678 1000,000 g The vitamins have been analysed from product, the stability has been confirmed. Example 13 xylitol 46 % maltitol syrup (or another sugar alcohol ) 43 % powder of colostrum 10 % fat 1 % flavouring colour Example 14 xylitol 44,5 % maltitol syrup (or another sugar alcohol) 43 % powder of colostrum 10 % KHC0 3 1,5 % fat 1 % flavouring colour Example 15 xylitol 44,5 % maltitol syrup (or another sugar alcohol) 43 % powder of colostrum 10 % C vitamin 1,5 % fat 1 % flavouring colour Example 16 xylitol 44 % maltitol syrup (or another sugar alcohol) 43 powder of colostrum 10 % multivitamin mixture 2 % fat 1 % flavouring colour We have further tested the saliva samples from test persons. The results obtained in these tests reveal that the Ca level has increased manifold after the use of the product. The test results are shown in the following: Test results The test results of Ca pastilles according to the invention on saliva samples. The pH values and Ca concentration have been measured from the saliva samples. Test person Test pastille Cont rol PH Ca(mM) pH Ca(mM) person 1 7,02 13,1 7,35 1,4 person 2 7,41 13,7 7,11 1,3 person 3 7,51 12,8 7,54 1,2 person 4 7,34 13,1 7,27 1,2 person 5 7,20 13,2 7,10 2,0

Claims: Claims 1. A hard candy product mainly sweetened with xylitol, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the product in addition to conventional ingredients contains Ca-containing material. 2. A candy product according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the Ca-containing material is a physiologically acceptable Ca salt of an organic acid and/or powder of colostrum. 3. A candy product according to claim 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the organic acid is lactic acid, citric acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, gluconic acid or a mixture thereof. 4. A candy product according to any preceding claim, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that it further contains vitamins, especially C vitamin. 5. A candy product according to any preceding claim, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the vitamin is a mixture of several vitamins. 6. A candy product according to any preceding claim, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the xylitol content is at least 40 weight-%. 7. Method according to the Finnish patent 85795 for producing hard candy containing mainly sugar alcohols and richly xylitol, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that in connection with the last xylitol addition also a physiologically acceptable Ca salt of an organic acid and/or powder of colostrum and optionally vitamins is/are added. 8. Method according to claim 7, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the preparation is carried out in batches or continuously. 9. Method according to claim 8, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the content of Ca lactate is 2 - 15 weight-%, preferably under 10 weight-% and the content of vitamin is 0 - about 5 weight-% . 10. Method according to claim 8, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the content of the colostrum powder is 2 - 15 weight-%, preferably under 10 weight-% and the vitamin content is 0 - about 5 weight-%. 11. Method according to claim 8, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the organic acid is lactic acid, citric acid, fumaric acid, gluconic acid or a mixture thereof.

Inventors: MAEKELAE VIRVA, MAEKELAE, VIRVA
Applicants: HUHTAMAEKI OY, MAEKELAE VIRVA, MAEKELAE, VIRVA
Application year: 1997
Main classification: A23G3
IPC codes: A23G3