Application of Isomalt in Sugar-free Fudges

Isomalt, as an emerging functional sugar-free sweetener, originated in Europe in the late 1990s. It has the common characteristics of functional sugar alcohols, such as its excellent metabolic properties, its absorption rate in the human body is slower than that of sucrose, it will not cause a surge in blood sugar, and insulin does not participate in its metabolic pathway in the body, it has low cariogenicity and sweetness. It is lower than sucrose and has lower energy value. Driven by the wave of sugar reduction and sugar-free, consumers’ dual demands for flavor and health are also driving innovation in the food field, especially fudge products as health and functional carriers. Many manufacturers have already used Isomalt in gummies.

Purely natural.

Isomalt is an ideal sugar substitute with natural origin, low sweetness, low caloric value and low GI. When used in gummies, Isomalt provides the same mouthfeel and texture as sugar. Its sweetness is pure and natural, its properties are stable, its solubility and hygroscopicity are low, it can completely replace sucrose and starch sugar at a ratio of 1:1, and it can be widely used in the production of sugar-free food and pharmaceutical sugar coatings.

Isomalt has a good hypoglycemic effect. It is absorbed more slowly in the human body than sucrose and will not cause a surge in blood sugar. Insulin does not participate in its metabolic pathway in the body, making it a sugar-free gummy that diabetics can eat normally. Therefore, "0 sugar" or "sugar-free" can be marked on the label.

High stability.

Isomalt is a polysaccharide alcohol that is non-reducing and very stable. It does not hydrolyze under strong acid or alkali conditions and does not produce pigments at very high temperatures. Compared with sucrose, its stability is more than 10 times greater numerically, and it will not react chemically with other ingredients in food, such as the Maillard reaction with amino acids. Isomalt cannot be utilized by most microorganisms, therefore, products produced using isomalt have a longer shelf life.

Good taste and flavor.

Isomalt also has a milder sweetness and half the calories of sucrose, allowing for a synergistic sweetness profile when combined with high-intensity sweeteners without creating additional flavors or aftertaste. Isomalt has an excellent inhibitory effect in masking fishy, bitter and other odors. It is very suitable for flavor adjustment of plant extract-type health-function gummies, effectively masking unpleasant flavors.

In addition, isomalt, as a mild sweetener, allows the subtle and delicate fruity aroma to be better released. Therefore, in fruity gummies, the low solubility property of isomalt is an effective supplement, which can improve the retention of fruity flavor and help the flavor stay in the mouth longer.

Caries prevention.

It has been scientifically proven that isomalt does not promote the formation of dental plaque, and it is difficult for oral bacteria to digest isomalt and does not produce harmful acid, which greatly prevents dental caries. Therefore, when isomalt is used in gummies, not only will it not damage teeth, but it is also an excellent ingredient to create tooth-beneficial functions and health concepts. In addition, isomalt has obtained the corresponding EU health statement and is one of the few ingredients that has received the FDA's "not causing tooth decay" health certification.

Nowadays, consumers are paying more and more attention to low-glycemic diets, and food manufacturers are actively responding to this trend and ensuring the development of more health-beneficial products through continuous research and application experiments.