Chewable product and process for making same

Abstract

The present disclosure concerns process for making chewable product using, as the main ingredient, a substantially dehydrated and/or a supplemented complex carbohydrate. The present disclosure provides the chewable products obtained as well as their use in confectionary or as delivery system for active ingredients.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A chewable product consisting essentially of a complex carbohydrate, glucose, at least one of the following gelling agent:gelatin and optionally a first carbohydrate, a second carbohydrate and a gel retardant when pectin is present. 
     
     
         2 . The chewable product of  claim 1 , wherein the complex carbohydrate is honey. 
     
     
         3 . The chewable product of  claim 1 , wherein the first carbohydrate is the same as the second carbohydrate. 
     
     
         4 . The chewable product of  claim 1 , wherein the first carbohydrate and/or the second carbohydrate is sucrose. 
     
     
         5 . The chewable product of  claim 1  being a single-layered and uncoated product, having an homogeneous texture and/or being a gummy. 
     
     
         6 . A chewable product obtained by a process comprising:
 a) providing a heated and liquefied complex carbohydrate composition, wherein the heated and liquefied complex carbohydrate composition is obtained by:
 i) substantially dehydrating a complex carbohydrate to obtain a dried complex carbohydrate, heating the dried complex carbohydrate to obtain a liquefied complex carbohydrate and supplementing the liquefied complex carbohydrate with a first carbohydrate to obtain a first mixture; or 
 ii) supplementing the complex carbohydrate with a first carbohydrate to obtain a supplemented complex carbohydrate, heating the supplemented complex carbohydrate to obtain the first mixture; and 
   b) adding at least one gelling agent to the first mixture to obtain a second mixture, wherein the at least one gelling agent is selected from the group consisting of pectin, gelatin and a mixture of pectin and gelatin; and   c) cooling the second mixture to ambient temperature to obtain the chewable product;   wherein the process avoids, after step b), boiling the second mixture.   
     
     
         7 . The chewable product of  claim 6 , wherein the complex carbohydrate is at least one of honey, maple syrup, agave, molasses and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The chewable product of  claim 6 , wherein the first carbohydrate is a di-saccharide. 
     
     
         9 . The chewable product of  claim 8 , wherein the di-saccharide is sucrose. 
     
     
         10 . The chewable product of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one gelling agent comprises or consists of pectin. 
     
     
         11 . The chewable product of  claim 10 , further comprising, prior to step b), admixing the liquid glucose composition with a gel retardant. 
     
     
         12 . The chewable product of  claim 6 , further comprising, prior to step b), admixing pectin with a second carbohydrate. 
     
     
         13 . The chewable product of  claim 12 , wherein the second carbohydrate is a di-saccharide. 
     
     
         14 . The chewable product of  claim 13 , wherein the di-saccharide is sucrose. 
     
     
         15 . The chewable product of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one gelling agent consists of pectin and gelatin. 
     
     
         16 . The chewable product of  claim 15 , further comprising adding a suspension comprising gelatin in a non-hydrated form to the boiled first mixture. 
     
     
         17 . The chewable product of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one gelling agent consists of gelatin. 
     
     
         18 . The chewable product of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one gelling agent is gelatin in an hydrated form. 
     
     
         19 . The chewable product of  claim 18 , further comprising combining an aqueous solution and gelatin in a non-hydrated form so as to obtain a gelatin mixture and heating the gelling mixture to obtain gelatin in the hydrated form. 
     
     
         20 . The chewable product of  claim 14 , further comprising heating the gelatin mixture to a temperature of about 50° C. to about 75° C. 
     
     
         21 . The chewable product of  claim 6 , wherein the heating at step i) is conducted at a temperature of about 94° C. to about 100° C. 
     
     
         22 . The chewable product of  claim 6 , wherein the heating at step ii) is conducted at a temperature of about 105° C. to about 122° C. 
     
     
         23 . The chewable product of  claim 6 , further comprising combining an active ingredient with the first mixture, the second mixture and/or the at least one gelling agent. 
     
     
         24 . The chewable product of  claim 6 , further comprising, prior to step c), applying a vacuum to the second mixture.