A METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PRODUCING SOFT CONFECTIONERY

Abstract

A method and system for producing confectionery, wherein a tray with one or more mould cavities formed in moulding powder, such as starch, is provided. The moulding powder has an initial moisture content. Depositing liquid confectionery in the one or more mould cavities causes the moisture content of the moulding powder to increase. The tray is provided in a conditioning room configured for drying the deposited confectionery. The conditioning parameters of the conditioning room are adapted such that the moulding powder is dried to a desired moisture content, wherein the desired moisture content is such that the moulding powder is suitable for immediate re-use in subsequent confectionery production.

Claims

1. A method for producing soft confectionery, the method including: providing a tray with one or more mould cavities formed in moulding powder, such as starch, wherein the moulding powder has an initial moisture content; depositing liquid confectionery in the one or more mould cavities causing the moisture content of the moulding powder to increase; and providing the tray in a conditioning room configured for drying the deposited confectionery; wherein conditioning parameters of the conditioning room are adapted such that the confectionery is gelled and dried to a desired extent, and that simultaneously the moulding powder is dried to a desired moisture content, wherein the desired moisture content is such that the moulding powder is suitable for immediate re-use in subsequent confectionery production; and in the conditioning room gelling and drying the confectionery to the desired extent and drying the moulding powder to the desired moisture level prior to removing the confectionery from the tray.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the desired moisture content is substantially equal to or lower than the initial moisture content.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the desired moisture content and the initial moisture content are substantially the same.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the moulding powder is dried in the conditioning room to a moisture content in a range of 4 to 14 w/w %, more preferably in a range of 6 to 10 w/w %.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the confectionery is dried in the conditioning room such that the moisture content of the confectionery is decreased by 3-20%.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the conditioning parameters include at least one of a temperature, humidity, air flow rate, or irradiation.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the conditioning room has an air temperature in a range between 10 and 80 degrees Celsius, preferably in a range between 20 and 60 degrees Celsius, and wherein the conditioning room has an absolute humidity level in a range between 0.05-240 gr H.sub.2O/kg air, preferably between 0.15-85 gr H.sub.2O/kg air, wherein the tray is kept in the conditioning room for 6 to 72 hours.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein: for confectionery containing gelatin as gelling agent the conditioning room has an air flow is between 0.2-1.5 m/s, a temperature between 20-35 degrees Centigrade, a humidity between 2-13.5 gr H2O/kg air, and the tray is kept in the conditioning room for 8 to 36 hours; for confectionery containing pectin as gelling agent the conditioning room has an air flow is between 0.2-1.5 m/s, a temperature between 28-55 degrees Centigrade, a humidity between 2-30-gr H2O/kg air, and the tray is kept in the conditioning room for 6 to 48 hours; for confectionery containing a combination of gelatin and pectin as gelling agent the conditioning room has an air flow is between 0.2-1.5 m/s, a temperature between 20-35 degrees Centigrade, a humidity between 2-16 gr H2O/kg air, and the tray is kept in the conditioning room for 8 to 48; for confectionery containing starch as gelling agent the conditioning room has an air flow is between 0.2-1.5 m/s, a temperature between 45-75 degrees Centigrade, a humidity between 2-130 gr H2O/kg air, and the tray is kept in the conditioning room for 30 to 65 hours.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein prior to removing the confectionery from the tray, the soft confectionery is cooled, wherein cooling is performed in the conditioning room.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of trays are handled in succession in a continuous or batch process.

11. A system for producing soft confectionery, the system including: a tray for receiving moulding powder, such as starch, wherein the moulding powder has an initial moisture content, a moulding member for forming one or more mould cavities in the moulding powder, a depositing unit configured to deposit liquid confectionery in the one or more mould cavities, causing the moisture content of the moulding powder to increase, a conditioning room configured for drying the soft confectionery, wherein the system is configured to provide the tray in the conditioning room, wherein conditioning parameters of the conditioning room are adapted such that the confectionery is gelled and dried to a desired extent, and that simultaneously that the moulding powder is dried to a desired moisture content, wherein the desired moisture content is such that the moulding powder is suitable for immediate re-use in subsequent confectionery production.

12. A system including means for carrying out the method according to claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0038] The invention will further be elucidated on the basis of exemplary embodiments which are represented in a drawing. The exemplary embodiments are given by way of non-limitative illustration. It is noted that the figures are only schematic representations of embodiments of the invention that are given by way of non-limiting example.

[0039] In the drawing:

[0040] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a method;

[0041] FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of a system; and

[0042] FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of a graph.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a method 100 for producing soft confectionery. In a first step 101, a tray with one or more mould cavities formed in moulding powder, such as starch, is provided, wherein the moulding powder has an initial moisture content. In a second step 102, liquid confectionery is deposited in the one or more mould cavities causing the moisture content of the moulding powder, e.g. near the mould cavities, to increase. In a third step 103, the tray is provided in a conditioning room configured for drying the deposited confectionery.

[0044] Conditioning parameters of the conditioning room are adapted such that the moulding powder is dried to a desired moisture content, wherein the desired moisture content is such that the moulding powder is suitable for immediate re-use in subsequent confectionery production.

[0045] The moulding powder can be re-used in a subsequent confectionery production process since the moulding powder is sufficiently dried in the conditioning room. The moulding powder can be dried to a desired moisture level in a same room used for conditioning the soft confectionery. For this purpose, the conditioning of the soft confectionery can be adapted.

[0046] FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of a system 1 for producing soft confectionery. The system includes a tray 3 for receiving moulding powder 5, such as starch, wherein the moulding powder 5 has an initial moisture content. The system further includes a moulding member (not shown) for forming one or more mould cavities 7 in the moulding powder 5. Further, the system includes a depositing unit (not shown) configured to deposit liquid confectionery, depicted with arrows A, in the one or more mould cavities 7 formed in the moulding powder 5. Depositing the liquid confectionery in the mould cavities causes the moisture content of the moulding powder, starting at the mould cavities 7, to increase. The system further comprises a conditioning room 10 configured for drying the soft confectionery. The system 1 is configured to provide the tray 3 in the conditioning room 10. Conditioning parameters of the conditioning room are adapted for drying the soft confectionery. Conditioning parameters of the conditioning room are also adapted such that the moulding powder 5 is dried to a desired, e.g. reduced, moisture content, wherein the desired moisture content is such that the moulding powder 5 is suitable for immediate re-use in subsequent confectionery production. In this example, the desired moisture content reached at F is substantially equal to the initial moisture content at B. It will be appreciated that while the deposited soft confectionery dries in the conditioning room also the moulding powder 5 is dried to the desired moisture content. After drying of the soft confectionery the soft confectionery can be removed from the tray 3. The moulding powder 5 can be removed from the tray 3, e.g. simultaneous with removing the dried soft confectionery from the tray 3, e.g. by turning the tray over. Thus, upon de-moulding of the dried soft confectionery the moulding powder has already been dried to the desired moisture content suitable for immediate re-use in subsequent confectionery production.

[0047] In this way, the effect of locally increased moisture content at the cavities formed in the moulding powder can be reduced in the conditioning room 10, thereby making the process of producing soft confectionery more efficient. It is not necessary to separately treat the moulding powder 5, for instance in a separate unit, in order to reduce to moisture content for re-use in a subsequent soft confectionery production process. In some examples, the moisture content after deposition of the soft confectionery in the moulding cavities 7 can be reduced to an initial moisture content.

[0048] The conditioning parameters of the conditioning room 10 can e.g. include an air temperature in a range between 10 and 80 degrees Celsius, preferably in a range between 20 and 60 degrees Celsius, an absolute humidity level in a range between 0.05-240 gr H.sub.2O/kg air, preferably between 0.15-85 gr H.sub.2O/kg air, and the tray can be kept in the conditioning room for 8 to 72 hours.

[0049] FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of a graph 20 representing moisture content M in function of time t. This moisture content may be an indication of an average moisture content of the moulding powder 5. However, it may also represent the moisture content at or near the moulding cavities 7 formed in the moulding powder 5. When the soft confectionery has not yet been deposited in the moulding cavities 7, the moisture content is constant (see B). After deposition of the soft confectionery in the moulding cavities 7, the moisture content is increased (see C). The moisture content increases due to the moulding powder absorbing moisture from the deposited soft confectionery, i.e. the confectionery is dried. As a result of the depositing, the moisture content is increased until a peak is reached (see D). The peak can generally be reached after 6-8 hours. After reaching the peak at D both the confectionery and the moulding powder are dried (see E-F).

[0050] The tray is provided in a conditioning room 10 configured for drying the deposited soft confectionery, normally shortly after depositing (at C). The conditioning parameters of the conditioning room 10 are selected such that the confectionery is gelled and dried to a desired extent (see C-F), and that simultaneously that the moulding powder 5 is dried to a desired moisture content (see E-F). While in the conditioning room 10, a top surface of the moulded soft confectionery, which is not in contact with the moulding powder, will be dried. However, since the moulding powder initially absorbs moisture, and later also is dried, bottom and side surfaces of the moulded confectionery, which are in contact with the drying moulding powder, will continually be dried by the moulding powder. Hence, the moulded soft confectionery will be dried efficiently as well. The desired moisture content to which the moulding powder is dried (see F) is selected such that the moulding powder 5 is suitable for immediate re-use in subsequent confectionery production, i.e. without additional drying step or drying time. In some examples, the moulding powder, such as starch, does not require further drying, but one or more further operations may be carried out. For example, a sieving and/or mixing action can be further carried out prior to re-use in a subsequent confectionery production process.

[0051] The conditioning parameters for drying the deposited confectionery and the moulding starch simultaneously can be adapted in dependence of the type of gelling agent in the confectionery. Common gelling agents are gelatin, pectin or starch, other, or combinations thereof. The table below shows typical values for conditioning the confectionery mass with simultaneously drying a starch moulding powder.

TABLE-US-00001 Temperature Humidity After Decrease process air process air Deposit conditioning moisture during during Gelling dry dry matter content Duration of conditioning conditioning agent Airflow matter candy candy conditioning for drying for drying (type) (m/s) (%) (%) (%) (hrs) (° C.) (gr H.sub.2O/kg) Gelatin 0.2-1.5 75-82 80-92  3-17 8-36 20-35  2-13.5 Pectin 0.2-1.5 75-82 80-92  3-17 6-48 28-55 2-30  Gelatin/pectin 0.2-1.5 75-82 80-92  3-17 8-48 20-35  2-16 .sup.   Starch 0.2-1.5 70-78 78-90 .sup. 8-20 30-65  45-75 2-130 Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[0052] Although the procedures of for example the methods and processes described herein may be described in a particular order for ease of description, unless the context dictates otherwise, various procedures may be reordered, added, and/or omitted in accordance with various embodiments. Furthermore, the procedures described with respect to one method or process may be incorporated within other described methods or processes. Likewise, system components described according to a particular structural architecture and/or with respect to one system may be organized in alternative structural architectures and/or incorporated within other described systems. Therefore, while various embodiments are described with or without certain features for ease of description and to illustrate exemplary aspects of those embodiments, the various components and/or features described herein with respect to a particular embodiment can be substituted, added and/or subtracted from among other described embodiments, unless the context dictates otherwise. Consequently, although several exemplary embodiments are described above, it will be appreciated that the invention is intended to cover all modifications and equivalents within the scope of the following claims.

[0053] It will be appreciated that the method may include computer implemented steps.

[0054] Herein, the invention is described with reference to specific examples of embodiments of the invention. It will, however, be evident that various modifications, variations, alternatives and changes may be made therein, without departing from the essence of the invention. For the purpose of clarity and a concise description features are described herein as part of the same or separate embodiments, however, alternative embodiments having combinations of all or some of the features described in these separate embodiments are also envisaged and understood to fall within the framework of the invention as outlined by the claims. The specifications, figures and examples are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative sense rather than in a restrictive sense. The invention is intended to embrace all alternatives, modifications and variations which fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Further, many of the elements that are described are functional entities that may be implemented as discrete or distributed components or in conjunction with other components, in any suitable combination and location.

[0055] In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the claim. The word ‘comprising’ does not exclude the presence of other features or steps than those listed in a claim. Furthermore, the words ‘a’ and ‘an’ shall not be construed as limited to ‘only one’, but instead are used to mean ‘at least one’, and do not exclude a plurality. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to an advantage.