New hard candy formula: sugar free, zero calorie and potentially “natural”

Sugar free hard candy formula can have natural claim with Zerose^® erythritol

Sugar free has been a popular trend in the candy industry for 10 years. Hard candy is one area where sugar free has grown, but often without a “natural” claim. 

Cargill recently developed a zero calorie, sugar free and potentially natural hard candy. The idea of a sugar free, natural hard candy followed discussions with a Cargill customer that manufactures natural products.  

There are numerous obstacles in formulating sugar free, natural, hard candy.  Sugar induces the glassy state of hard candy with the help of corn syrup, which inhibits crystallization.  This is why hard boiled candy is smooth like glass.

The new Cargill ingredient that allows for a natural and sugar free claim in the U.S. is Zerose® erythritol, a sugar alcohol obtained through fermentation. Not only did Zerose® erythritol work well in the candy formula, but a different method of making the hard candy was developed. This new method produced a level, smoother and more aesthetically pleasing appearance with less production waste and faster production times. 

Full sugar hard boiled candy is comprised of sugar, corn syrup, flavors, colors and acids. It is boiled beyond the boiling stage to evaporate as much water as possible. 

With Cargill’s solution, there is no water to evaporate.  The key step is melting the ingredients until they are liquefied in order to pour the “melt” into molds.

Erythritol is not typically used in hard candy, as it wouldn’t be expected to work in a standard hard candy formulation because:

• It is very brittle and does not obtain a hard glassy state that a hard candy requires
• It crystallizes very quickly
• It has a very grainy texture which is not typical in a hard boiled candy
• It gives a different hard candy appearance

However, Zerose® erythritol was appropriate in this new formulation.  Cargill scientists were open to a completely new formulation process, and the result was a sugar free, zero calorie and potentially natural hard candy, if using all other natural ingredients. 

Cargill’s new erythritol-based hard candy formula provides cost savings as there is no need to individually wrap pieces, like other hard candies, and the cooking time is decreased because of the omition of the hard boiled stage.  Also, Zerose® erythritol can be used as it is a natural ingredient in the U.S.