Alcohol-Containing Candy Product

Abstract

The present invention relates to a candy product in the sense of hard or soft candy of a new candy material, comprising at least two components (a) and (b), which may have at least one interface to each other in the candy product and therewith may form a composition of alternating compositions (a)/(b)/(a) etc. in the candy product, and which contains alcohol or alcoholic liquids in this candy material, wherein the alcohol or alcoholic liquids in the component (b) is bound in a carrier matrix and substantially homogeneous distributed throughout the solid candy material. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a process for producing such candy products.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16: A candy product, which is in the form of a hard candy, a drop, a lollipop, a soft candy or a chewy candy, comprising at least two components (a) and, (b), wherein (a) is an alcohol-free component containing at least one selected from the group consisting of a sugar, a sugar substitute, a sugar-like substance and combinations thereof, and (b) is a component containing a mixture of ethanol or an alcoholic liquid in a carrier matrix, which together form an overall solid candy material, wherein the alcohol or alcoholic liquids are present in component (b) bound to the carrier matrix and are substantially homogeneously distributed throughout the solid candy material.

17: The candy product of claim 16, wherein components (a) and (b) are present in three or more alternating layers.

18: The candy product of claim 16, wherein component (a) is present at an outer surface of the candy product.

19: The candy product of claim 17, wherein component (a) is present at an outer surface of the candy product.

20: The candy product of claim 16, wherein the candy product has the form of a hollow body containing a filling (c), wherein the filling (c) is a liquid or flowable alcoholic filling.

21: The candy product of claim 16, wherein the carrier matrix of component (b) is selected from the group consisting of solid sugar, powdered sugar, sugar substitute, sugar-like substance, cellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose, methylethyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, or cellulose ethers, and hydrocolloid gels.

22: The candy product of claim 21, wherein the carrier matrix of component (b) is selected from a sugar-substitute or sugar-like substance, selected from sorbitol, xylitol, maltitol, mannitol, isomalt, erythritol and lactitol.

23: The candy product of claim 16, wherein at least one of component (a) and component (b) further comprises at least one additive selected from the group consisting of thickening agents, flavoring agents, colorants, sweeteners, acidifying agents, dairy products, and coloring foods.

24: The candy product of claim 16, wherein the amount of the at least one sugar, sugar substitute, sugar-like substance or the mixture thereof in the alcohol-free component (a) is 65 to 100% by weight, based on the component (a).

25: The candy product of claim 21, wherein the amount of the at least one sugar, sugar substitute, sugar-like substance or the mixture thereof in the alcohol-free component (a) is 65 to 100% by weight, based on the component (a).

26: The candy product of claim 16, wherein the amount of the ethanol or the alcoholic liquid in the component (b) is 10 to 95% by weight, based on the component (b).

27: A process for producing the candy product of claim 16, the process comprising the steps of: (1) preparing a viscous, moldable, viscoplastic, spreadable or flowable mass of the alcohol-free component (a) by heating a mixture or melt of the desired constituents of component (a); (2) preparing component (b) by providing the material of the carrier matrix, optionally admixing further additives, stirring the ethanol or alcoholic liquid into the material of the carrier matrix to obtain a substantially homogeneous viscous, moldable, viscoplastic, flowable or spreadable mixture; (3) embedding or enclosing component (b) of step (2) in the viscous, moldable, viscoplastic, spreadable or flowable mass of the alcohol-free component (a) of step (1) to form a candy material in which the components (a) and (b) each may have an interface to each other and wherein the alcohol is substantially homogeneously distributed throughout the entirety of the candy material; (4) shaping the candy material obtained from step (3) to obtain a molded article, which may optionally be in the form of a hollow body having at least one opening; (5) optionally providing a filling material (c); (6) optionally filling the filling material (c) from step (5) into the molded article in the form of a hollow body having at least one opening of step (4) and closing the at least one opening of the molded article; (7) optionally inserting a stick into the molded article of step (4) or (6); and (8) cooling the molded article to obtain the candy product.

28: The process of claim 27, wherein the mass of the alcohol-free component (a) of step (1) is a melt of at least one sugar, sugar substitute, sugar-like substance or a mixture thereof.

29: The process of claim 27, wherein in step (2) the preparation of component (b) comprises mixing the ethanol or alcoholic liquid into a solid or powdered material of the carrier matrix which is selected from the group consisting of solid or powdered sugars, sugar substitutes or sugar-like substances, solid or powdered thickening agents selected from the group consisting of cellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose, methylethyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, or cellulose ethers.

30: The process of claim 28, wherein in step (2) the preparation of component (b) comprises mixing the ethanol or alcoholic liquid into a solid or powdered material of the carrier matrix which is selected from the group consisting of solid or powdered sugars, sugar substitutes or sugar-like substances, solid or powdered thickening agents selected from the group consisting of cellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose, methylethyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, or cellulose ethers.

31: The process of claim 27, wherein in step (3) embedding the component (b) is carried out by applying the component (b) on a layer of the flowable mass of the alcohol-free component (a) and applying at least one further layer of the flowable mass of the alcohol-free component (a) on the layer of component (b), optionally applying further layers of components (b) and (a), whereby outermost layers of the thus formed three- or multi-layered candy material are formed from the alcohol-free component (a).

32: The process of claim 27, wherein in step (3) embedding the component (b) is carried out by applying the component (b) to a layer of the flowable mass of the alcohol-free component (a) and rolling or twisting and kneading the thus formed multilayer candy material, wherein an outermost layer of a multilayered roll or a twisted strand thus formed is formed of the alcohol-free component (a).

33: The process of claim 27, wherein in step (3) embedding the component (b) is carried out by applying component (b) to a layer of the flowable mass of the alcohol-free component (a) and folding the layered candy material thus formed, such that a multi-layered candy material is formed, wherein the outermost layer of the candy material thus formed is formed of the alcohol-free component (a).

34: The process of claim 27, wherein in step (3) embedding the component (b) is carried out by applying the component (b) on a layer of the flowable mass of the alcohol-free component (a) and applying at least one further layer of the flowable mass of the alcohol-free component (a) on the layer of component (b), optionally applying further layers of components (b) and (a), whereby outermost layers of the thus formed three- or multi-layered candy material are formed from the alcohol-free component (a).

35: The process of claim 30, wherein in step (3) embedding the component (b) is carried out by applying the component (b) to a layer of the flowable mass of the alcohol-free component (a) and rolling or twisting and kneading the thus formed multilayer candy material, wherein an outermost layer of a multilayered roll or a twisted strand thus formed is formed of the alcohol-free component (a).

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0144] The reference numerals used in the description of the figures have the following meaning:

[0145] (a) Component/Layer (a)

[0146] (b) Component/Layer (b)

[0147] FIG. 1: Cross section through a candy product according to the invention, obtainable as described in process variation (3a)

[0148] FIG. 2: Cross section through a multilayer candy product according to the invention, obtainable by applying a plurality of layers of the components (a) and (b), as described in process variation (3b) i)

[0149] FIG. 3: Cross section through a multilayer candy product according to the invention, obtainable by rolling in the layer-like applied components (a) and (b), as described in process variation (3b) ii)

[0150] FIG. 4: Cross section through a multilayer candy product according to the invention, obtainable by folding the layer-like applied components (a) and (b), as described in process variation (3b) iii)

[0151] FIG. 5: Cross section through a candy product according to the invention, obtainable by stirring in or kneading the component (b) into a mass of the component (a), as described in process variation (3c)

EXAMPLES

[0152] The following examples relate to candy products according to the invention comprising at least two components (a) and (b), wherein [0153] (a) is an alcohol-free component comprising at least one sugar, sugar substitute, sugar-like substance or mixtures thereof, and [0154] (b) is a component comprising a mixture of ethanol or an alcoholic liquid with a carrier matrix material selected from at least one sugar, sugar substitute, sugar-like substance, thickener, hydrocolloid gel or mixtures thereof,
wherein the components (a) and (b) may have at least one interface to each other in the candy product and are each present as a massive, solid component in the candy product.

Example 1: Candy Product without Alcoholic Filling in a Core

[0155] A candy product according to the invention, having a composition according to Table 1 and 2, in the form of a candy or lollipop according to the composition of Table 3 and according to the process variation (3b) iii) was prepared.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Component (a) After the cooking process Amount Raw material [% by weight] Isomalt 79.0 Polydextrose 14.0 Sorbitol 6.0 Water 1.0

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Component (b) Amount Raw material [% by weight] Polydextrose 66.67 Alcohol 33.33

[0156] The components (a) and (b) were prepared according to the compositions shown in Tables 1 and 2.

[0157] The component (a) was obtained by admixing isomalt, sorbitol and polydextrose with water (cooking mass) and boiling at 165 C. in a batch cooker. Optionally, further food additives, as defined above, are added and stirred with the cooking mass in a flavor mixing device.

[0158] The component (b) was prepared by mixing polydextrose and alcohol.

[0159] Subsequently, the component (a) was spread flat and over it the component (b) was spread. From the thus obtained two-layer candy material, a multi-layered candy material was produced by folding the layers one above the other, which was then converted into the desired shape in a conical roller and by means of leveling rolls and embossing machines. In embodiments in the form of a lollipop, a stick is then pressed into the still viscoplastic candy material.

[0160] The resulting candy product can be packaged after cooling.

TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Composition of the candy product (total) Amount Total [% by weight] Component (a) total 87.67 Component (b) total 12.33

[0161] Alcohol content in the candy product (total): 4.11% by weight

Example 2: Candy Product Having Core with Alcoholic Filling (20% Alcohol Content in the Filling)

[0162] The candy material was prepared according to Example 1.

[0163] In addition, according to the composition according to Table 4, a filling material (c) for the alcoholic filling of a candy product according to the invention in the form of a filled candy or a filled lollipop according to the composition of Table 5 was prepared.

TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Filling (c) (alcoholic filling) Amount Raw material [% by weight] Maltitol syrup 75.00 Alcohol 25.00

[0164] Instead of maltitol syrup, glucose syrup or sorbitol can also be used for the filling. Optionally, other food additives, as defined above, may also be added and stirred with the filling material.

[0165] The alcohol-containing filling thus obtained is pumped via a filling tube attached to the conical roller into the hollow molded article made of the candy material produced in the conical roller. The at least one opening of the filled molded article is closed by cutting or squeezing. In embodiments in the form of a lollipop, a stick is then pressed into the still viscoplastic candy material.

[0166] The resulting candy product can be packaged after cooling.

TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 5 Composition of the candy product (total) Amount Total [% by weight] Candy material 80.00 (total) alcohol-containing 20.00 filling

[0167] Alcohol content in the candy material in total (components (a)+(b)): 4.11% by weight Alcohol content in the candy product in total (components (a)+(b)+alcoholic filling): 8.29% by weight.

Example 3: Other Candy Products, Optionally Producible as a Hollow Body with Alcoholic Filling or without Filling, According to the Above Examples 1 and 2 with Varying Component (b)

[0168]

TABLE-US-00006 TABLE 3 further possible components (b) Amount Example Raw material [% by weight] 3-1 Polydextrose 17.5 Dextrin 41 Cellulose ethers 1.8 Alcohol 39.7 3-2 Hydroxypropylcellulose 5 Alcohol 95 3-3 Hydroxypropylcellulose 65 Alcohol 35 3-4 Component 3-3 72 Polydextrose 28 3-5 Component 3-4 72 Polydextrose 28 3-6 Polydextrose 34 Alcohol 66 3-7 Maltodextrin based on 30 tapioca starch Alcohol 70

[0169] The above components (b) of Table 3 can be prepared with the components (a) of Examples 1 and 2 or with other suitable compositions for forming the component (a) according to the invention in order to form the candy products according to the invention. Processes as described in Examples 1 and 2 or one of the other methods of the invention described, can be used. The described components may be used to make candy products in the form of candies or lollipops, as described herein.

[0170] Result:

[0171] All exemplary embodiments are easy to process and can be processed into the candy products according to the invention, in particular in the form of hard candies. The candy products thus available are characterized by a continuous and stable release of the alcohol over the entire consumption period and even after a long storage time.