The gummy manufacturing process is a step-by-step process. This process is broken into three steps.
They include;
- Choosing ingredients for the gummy manufacturing process
- Choosing the right equipment for the gummy manufacturing process
- Series steps used in the gummy manufacturing process
Step 1: Choose Ingredients For The Gummy Manufacturing Process
Ideally, you can use different available ingredients to make gummy candies depending on your preference in terms of market
These ingredients though have to undergo a thorough inspection from chemists and food technologists to ensure the health and safety of the final consumers.
By mixing different ingredients, it’s easy to control certain characteristics in the gummy to achieve a certain appearance, texture, and taste.
Below is a list of the most common ingredients you can use in making gummy candies. They include;
1.1 Gelatin
Gelatin is the main ingredient when it comes to making gummy candy.
Gelatin is normally derived from animal tissues which form a gel-like solution when you mix it with the right amount of water.
When you use the appropriate amount of concentration, the gel will take on a chewy gummy candy form.
This chewy gummy candy has a melt-in-mouth characteristic as a result of the thermo-reversible effect making them thinner whenever you apply heat.
1.2 Sweeteners
Gelatin as the main ingredient does not have any odor or taste and has no fats, you will need sweeteners to enhance the taste of the gummy candy.
These sweeteners are commonly a variety of different sugars depending on which type of gummy candy you are making.
You can derive these sweeteners from beets and sugarcane which form the sucrose sugar. Sucrose sugars provide a high content of sweetness to all the gummy candy you need to make. You can alternatively use fructose as the sweetener instead of sucrose for your gummy candy.
Another sweetener you can also use is sorbitol which also allows the gummy candy to retain the right amount of moisture.
1.3 Water
While making gummy candy, you will use water as the solvent in mixing all the ingredients used in making the gummy candy.
It’s important to always ensure that you maintain equal proportions of water to get the right mixture.
Water also softens the gummy candy making it easy to chew.
1.4 Colors
The gelatin in its original color is pale in yellow, which brings the need to use colors or dye to enhance the appearance of the gummy candy.
You will find these dyes in a wide range of preferences allowing you to achieve different colors for gummy candy.
These colors range from red, yellow, green, and blue. With these colors, it’s possible to achieve all the color combinations you need for your gummy candy.
1.5 Flavors
Flavors in gummy candy are used to enhance and bring out the best taste in gummy candy.
You can either opt to use artificial flavors or natural flavors.
You can obtain the natural flavors from fruits, molasses, berries, Marple sugar, and honey.
To improve the natural flavor in the gummy candy you can use artificial flavor such as a mixture of aromatic chemicals to enhance the flavor and the color of gummy candy.
1.6 Citric Acids
Citric acids also add flavor to gummy candy. Additionally, citric acids also help in gummy candy preservation thus increasing shelf-life.
Citric acids will also help in controlling the PH in gummy candy making it hard for any bacteria to thrive in the gummy candy.
1.7 Corn Syrup
You can easily derive corn syrup from corn which is also a form of sweetener.
Corn syrup is normally an inverted sugar which means it prevents the crystallization of sugars in the gummy candy you will be making.
Use of corn syrup on gummy candy results in smooth-textured gummy candies.
Additionally, corn syrup in gummy helps increase the volume of gummy candy and makes them softer to chew.
Corn syrup also helps in moisture retention in gummy candy hence preventing the shrinking of the gummy candy.
More so, the glucose syrup elements increase the shelf-life of the gummy candy which results in lower costs in the end.
1.8 Starch
Adding starch to your gummy candy helps increase its size of the gummy candy.
The content of starch in gummy candy will however differ depending on the market you are targeting.
For instance, the amount of starch in gummy candy for vegetarians is not the same as for other gummy candies.
Step 2: Choosing Equipment For The Gummy Manufacturing Process
In this section, the basic concept revolves around choosing the right gummy manufacturing equipment or machines.
Having the right gummy manufacturing equipment not only saves you time during the manufacturing process.
But also saves you a whole lot when it comes to care and maintenance.
However, when choosing gummy manufacturing equipment, there are several factors you should put into consideration.
These factors include;
Production Capacity Of The Gummy Manufacturing Machine
It’s important to factor in the production capacity of the gummy candy while choosing the equipment.
Choose gummy manufacturing equipment that fits the capacity of your gummy production.
How much you manufacture the gummy candy will determine the kind of automation machine you will use during the gummy manufacturing process.
For high-volume manufacturing of gummy candy, you should get fully automatic gummy manufacturing equipment.
Dimensions Of The Gummy Manufacturing Equipment
The size which is inclusive of Length, Width, Height, and weight describes the gummy manufacturing equipment dimension.
The dimensions of the gummy manufacturing equipment come per your requirements.
More so, the size of the manufacturing warehouse will also determine the dimension of the machine to acquire.
Rated Depositing Period Of The Gummy Manufacturing Equipment
It’s important to have a clear timing in which the gummy manufacturing machine deposits the gummy candies. More so, the machine should deposit the right number of products at the specified time.
For example, depending on the capacity of your production you can acquire a gummy manufacturing machine with depositing rates of 15-35 n/min
Operational Requirements Of The Gummy Manufacturing Equipment
Temperature and humidity are some of the operational requirements that you should consider before acquiring gummy manufacturing equipment.
You should first determine the highest temperature and humidity requirements.
Once you determine that, then you will be able to acquire a gummy manufacturing machine that meets the requirements.
Power Requirements
You will have different options of gummy manufacturing machines with different power rating requirements.
This power rating also depends on the capacity of gummy production.
Its therefore important to first consider how much more the machine will perform, this will help you know how much power you will require.
Pneumatic Requirements Of The Gummy Manufacturing Equipment.
This entails all the pressure requirements that the gummy manufacturing machine requires. Look out for:
- Compressed air consumption which is normally in cubic meters per minute
- Steam pressure range which is in mpa
- Steam consumption of the gummy manufacturing machine is in Kilos per hour.
There are a series of equipment used during the gummy manufacturing process. This equipment includes;
2.1 Gummy Making Equipment
Gummy making machine is a device that you can easily use to make different types of gummy candies.
You will get these machines in both semi and automatic forms depending on your preference. This feature saves on cost by reducing the cost of acquiring extra physical labor.
This machine has a complete control panel which allows you to control and monitor the production process from the control panel.
The gummy-making machine easily achieves high production of gummy within a very short period.
The cost of acquiring the gummy-making machine is relatively high making it hard to buy sometimes.
As stated earlier, gummy making machine falls can be categorized into;
- Automatic gummy-making machine: This kind of machine requires minimal human labor during the production process.
With fully automatic gummy making machine ,you will only need to just configure the machine according to your production specifications.
- Semi-automatic gummy making machine: this machine will require some human labor assistance to achieve the production process.
2.2 Gummy Packaging Machine
After production, you will need to package the gummy candy, then you will use the gummy packaging machine to achieve the packaging process.
These machine helps to package gummies in pouches or bottles depending on what you want.
Some of the elements that aid in the whole packaging process include;
- Feeder
- Transport system
- Control panel
- Lubricating system electric unit
- Labeling system
A gummy packaging machine is normally made of stainless steel which does not easily corrode and you can easily clean the machine.
It’s also made of rubber and plastic to ease the movement of different parts of the gummy packaging machine.
You can achieve different packaging options by using a gummy packaging machine. You can have;
- Flexible packaging
- Gusseted bags
- Sachets
- Club store trays
- Twin packs
- Multiple packs
- Stand up pouches
- Counter display.
Using a gummy packaging machine not only increases the overall outlook of the packaged gummies but also increases the rate of production.
Using a gummy packaging machine is the most efficient way of packaging as it ensures s the products face minimal harm in terms of quality.
This machine can work in handy with another machine to complete the packaging process.
Such machines include; a gummy making machine, a gummy sorting machine, a gummy cleaning machine a gummy labeling machine.
It can sometimes be a hassle to choose which gummy packaging machine to acquire. Consider the following factors first to help you evaluate which one to get.
They include;
- Safety levels: it’s important to consider the safety levels of both the machine and the people working around the machine.
It should have visible safety measures for the safety of workers and the machine.
- Serviceability and maintainability: the gummy packaging machine should be easy to maintain and service and also the maintenance cost should be minimal.
- Technical capabilities: depending on the overall packaging capabilities, you will be able to evaluate all the technical capabilities.
- Labor requirement’s easy to determine how much more labor you require depending on the type of gummy packaging machine you pick.
You can either opt for a fully automatic or semi-automatic gummy packaging machine.
2.3 Gummy Depositor
A gummy depositor machine is an electromechanical machine that aids in the process of depositing gummy candy ingredients to form gummy candy.
A gummy depositor comprises;
- A heated hopper: gummy depositor machine contains a heated hopper which helps in maintaining the temperature of the gummy ingredients. This part allows the ingredients to stay in a molten state.
- Short size control: Makes it easy to deposit different sizes of the gummy candy as per your preference.
- Depositing nozzles: Depositing nozzles come in different sizes to help you regulate the number of gummies you are depositing.
Depositing nozzles and short size control work in handy to ensure you have the right size and the right number of gummy candies.
- Heated panels: they help in maintaining a steady temperature of the gummy ingredients to facilitate easy flow.
- Electric unit: an electric unit is vital as it provides support and power to the whole gummy depositor machine.
- Safety unit: the security unit consists of sensors that help detect any malfunctioning of the gummy depositor and sends an alarm.
This ensures safety for the machine operators and the machine itself.
- Control panel: control panel allows machine configuration.
More so, the control panel also has a touchscreen which allows you to monitor the gummy depositor machine and its activities.
A gummy depositor machine is an automatic machine and as a result, there is an overall increase in production.
The gummy depositor machine is more efficient when it comes to depositing the right quantities of gummy ingredients.
It’s also easy to clean and maintain hence saving on cost.
2.4 Gummy Counter
Gummy counter machines aid in counting accurately gummies before packaging them in sachets or bottles.
2.5 Gummy Moulds Machine
This machine contains moulds shapes that facilitate moulding of the gummy candy syrup into the shape you require.
2.6 Jacketed Cooker
This machine mixes and cooks all the necessary ingredients from maltose, sugars, and any other ingredients you will require to use.
Jacketed cookers vary depending on the capacity you need to mix and also depending on which machine you are using to make the gummy candy.
2.7 Holding Tank
A holding tank will provide storage for the mixed syrup of ingredients you will be using in making gummy candy.
The holding tank comes in different sizes depending on which gummy-making machine you are using.
2.8 Cooling Tunnel
In case of excess heat which is not up to the temperature specifications, a cooling tunnel will help get rid of the excess heat.
This makes it easier to regulate the cooling temperature of the gummies you will be making according to set specifications.
2.9 Weigher Gummy
Weigher machine is very crucial at the onset of the gummy manufacturing process.
It helps you weigh all the ingredients before mixing them to form the gummy syrup.
Once you weigh the ingredients, you will then mix them thoroughly n the mixing tank by heating the ingredients.
Upon thorough mixing, the mixture will be transported to the next stage of the gummy manufacturing process.
The kind of recipe you are making will determine the frequency of adding ingredients and at what time.
2.10 Additive Blending Machine
An additive blending machine enables you to add additives to the mixture from the jacketed cooker.
It facilitates the accurate addition of additives to the gummy ingredient’s mixture.
It also makes it easy to manipulate different colors in the gummy ingredient mixture.
2.11 Gel Moulding Starch
This machine is suitable while you making those gummy masses.
This machine can operate at different heights of moulding and also add starch to the mixture during the moulding process.
There are minimal chances of starch contamination which makes it easy to clean the machine since it has an ergonomic design.
Step 3: Gummy Manufacturing Process
Gummy manufacturing revolves around the starch moulding process.
The gummy manufacturing process involves a series of activities before you finally get the gummy candy you desire.
These processes include;
3.1 Preparation Stage
Before commencing the production process, you should first ensure that the gummy manufacturing machine is in the right working state.
You should inspect the machine to ensure all the functionalities are properly working.
From there you can place all the ingredients in the hopper of the gummy manufacturing machine. When placing the ingredients ensure all the ingredients are in the right quantity depending on the desired output production.
After placing the ingredients in the product hopper, you can now power on your machine and configure it to begin the production process.
3.2 Compounding The Gummy Candy Ingredients
In this stage, the gummy ingredients will move from the product hopper to the main mixing tanks.
The mixing tanks have the capability of mixing, heating, and cooling the gummy ingredients.
All you will need is to set the gummy making machine to perform the various functions depending on your production requirements.
Depending on the capacity of production, the mixing process can take an average of one to three hours to uniformly mix the gummy making ingredients.
After mixing the ingredients, it’s compulsory to take samples for a quality control check to ensure all the requirements are met.
3.3 Forming The Gummy Candy
After the gummy ingredients pass the compounding stage and it’s up to standard as per the quality control check it’s pumped out of the mixing tanks.
The gummy mixture will flow from the mixing tanks into a starch moulding station also known as Mogul.
The starch moulding machine will mix the gummy mixture with starch which aids in the whole gummy making.
Starch has three key roles in the starch moulding machine. These roles include;
- Preventing starch from sticking around the starch moulding machine hence making it easy to remove and handle the mixture.
- Enables holding of gammy candy in one position during the processes of cooling setting and drying.
- Starch also absorbs available moisture from the gummy candies hence improving the texture of gummy candy.
The starch moulding station also has trays with different shapes for moulding gummy candy into the desired shapes that you need.
These moulds are normally in different shapes like stars, fish, fruits, or any other shape that you may desire.
The batched formed in the starch moulding station will move to the starch buck with the help of the conveyor belt in the gummy manufacturing machine.
3.4 Final Processing Stage
The iwove moving from the starch moulding station into the starch buck will fall out into vibrating metal screen called sieves.
The vibration action of the sieve together with the oscillating brush rubs off any excess starch on the gummy candy.
At this stage the batch will already have taken the mould shape and if need decorations then you can go ahead and decorate the gummy candy.
Check out the gummy candy for quality purposes and remove any gummy candy that has defects before packaging.
Step 4: Quality Control
Quality control begins at the onset of the gummy manufacturing process with an inspection of the ingredients for making gummy candy.
Testing of ingredients normally is all about evaluating the odor, color, and taste of all the ingredients you will be using.
PH, size, and viscosity of oils are will also be checked. All these tests aid in ensuring you get quality and consistent gummy candy.
The final output of the gummy candy also has to be checked from color, taste, physical appearance, flavor, and also texture.
Sensory panels are some of the instruments that check the quality of the gummy candy, especially taste and texture.
Conclusion
With the increase in demand for gummy production, there is a need to improve on safety, efficiency, and speed of the gummy manufacturing process.
For instance, there is a major need to improve safety measures in the starch moulding station to eradicate instances of explosions from the starch dryers.
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