Quality Parameters and Consumer Acceptance of Jelly Candies Based on Pomegranate Juice "Mollar de Elche".

Marina Cano-Lamadrid,Jesús Clemente-Villalba,Ángel Calín-Sánchez,Ángel A Carbonell-Barrachina,Francisca Hernández,Aneta Wojdyło,Esther Sendra

doi:10.3390/foods9040516

Marina Cano-Lamadrid, Jesús Clemente-Villalba + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9040516

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Abstract

There is an upward trend towards reducing or suppressing additives in foods, as well as reducing the use of E-numbers in labels providing clean label foods. Therefore, the development of confectionary products based exclusively on natural ingredients with antioxidant properties may offer valuable solutions to the confectionery industry. Fruit juices and purées may provide functional and organoleptic properties in jelly candies in a natural way. The consumption of pomegranate fruit and derivative products has increased due to their association with health benefits. The aim of this study was to determine consumer insights about pomegranate-based jellies, cultivar “Mollar de Elche”, as affected by formulation (100% pomegranate juice or 50%–50% pomegranate juice–apple purée) and type of sweetener (sugar or honey), and to link affective and descriptive data from sensory studies. The most valued quality parameter of pomegranate products, red color (measured by the green–red coordinate, a*), was not negatively affected by jelly preparation. It was determined that the main liking drivers for pomegranate jellies were intense red color and high brightness. The results might be used by pomegranate processing companies to improve their manufacturing protocols and to develop successful products meeting consumer demands and needs. The formulation containing 20% gelatin, pure “Mollar de Elche” pomegranate juice, 1% citric acid, and sucrose as sweetener provided the best quality of jellies in terms of color, texture, antioxidant capacity, and sensory attributes.

Highlights

Gummies consist of food products whose main ingredient is sugar, normally incorporated in the form of sucrose syrup and/or glucose, combined with gelling agents, acids, aromas, and food colorants [1]
The antioxidant capacity of jellies, assayed by 3 methods (ABTS+, DPPH, and FRAP), total polyphenol content (TPC), color coordinates, and several texture parameters were the parameters which determined the proper percentage of gelatin addition (Table 2)
The highest values of ABTS+ were found for samples with the addition of 13% or 17% of gelatin

Summary

Introduction

Gummies consist of food products whose main ingredient is sugar, normally incorporated in the form of sucrose syrup and/or glucose, combined with gelling agents, acids, aromas, and food colorants [1] Within this category, two confections can be differenced according to the type of gelling agent used: (i) jellies and (ii) gummies, using gelatin and other hydrocolloids such as pectin, respectively [2]. It has been found that honey-fed rats showed significantly less anxiety throughout the study as compared with those fed with sucrose [11] Taking this into account, both a reduction of sugar content and the replacement of sugar with other alternatives [12,13] such as honey could be healthier alternatives for gummies and jellies [14]. The use of healthier alternatives such as orange, strawberry, and black mulberry juices as well as honey has been considered for the manufacturing of jellies [5]

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