Sugar-free confectionery

Special products intended for diabetics have been made for many years, the aim of these products being that they should not cause a surge 

Another reason for consuming sugar-free products is the belief that refined sugar is in some way unhealthy. Tooth friendly claims are highly specific the product must be tested to see that it does not cause a fall in pH during eating, and this system requires the use of a specialised pH electrode strapped to the teeth of a volunteer. To pass this test the product must be free of any fermentable carbohydrate and acids - this does have the odd effect in that some products which contain concentrated fruit juice fail the test and have to be re-formulated. The calorific values accepted by the authorities are not universal. The current position in the European Union is that the polyols are only partially absorbed to the extent of 2.4 kcal g 1 as opposed to 4 kcal g 1 if they are completely absorbed. For example, the polyol lactitol has the following accepted values  

Crossing the border between the USA and Canada must have a considerable effect  

One problem with all of the polyols except erythritol, and to a lesser extent with polydextrose, is that they can have a laxative effect. This effect is osmotic in origin where the unabsorbed material upsets the osmotic balance within the gut the necessary correction can have unpleasant consequences. Although values for acceptable consumption are published, the response of individuals varies considerably a few individuals are hypersensitive to this effect, whereas some other people are largely insensitive to it. Warnings to this effect are required in the UK, and the laxative threshold has to be the most effective limit to consumption yet devised. Erythritol avoids the laxative effect because it is excreted via the kidneys. 

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Polydextrose acts as a bulking agent in the formulation of sugar-free confectionery-type dosage forms. In conjunction with isomalt, lactitol, or maltitol, polydextrose can be used in the manufacture of sugar-free hard-hoiled candies and acacia lozenges or pastilles. 

Sugar alcohols Confectionery products Chewing gum, sugar-free products, etc.—i.e., sorbitol... 

Sugar alcohols serve as sweetening agents for diabetics and are used as sugar substitutes in sugar-free candies and confectionery. Candies, bread and cakes contain these alcohols as moisturizers and softeners. Table 19.8 shows data on their use. Sugar alcohols have a low physiological calorific value. 

Unlike chocolate confectionery, sugar confectionery is free of legal definitions. Terms such as pastille or lozenge although they have an understood meaning, at least to those in the trade, are sometimes applied to products that are not strictly within that understood meaning, e.g. there are products that are sold as pastilles but which are, in fact, boiled sweets. Butterscotch must contain butter, but gums do not have to contain any gum. 

Fats are chemically triglycerides and can be regarded as the esters produced by the reaction of fatty acids with the trihydric alcohol glycerol. In practice, oils and fats are the product of biosynthesis. Some sugar confectionery contains oils or fats whereas other products, e.g. boiled sweets, are essentially fat-free. The traditional fat used in sugar confectionery is milk fat, either in the form of butter, cream, whole milk powder or condensed milk. Milk fat can only be altered by fractionating it. and while this is perfectly possible technically, there must be sufficient commercial and technical benefits to make it worthwhile. One problem with fractionation operations is that both the desirable and the undesirable fractions have to be used. 

There is one exception to this rule and that is where products have been made to resemble sugar confectionery but are free of sugars. This small area has absorbed more scientific effort than the rest of sugar confectionery put together. 

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