Multilayered sugar free mannitol confectionery and methods of making same

1. A multilayered confectionery, comprising:

a candy layer comprising a mixture comprising

a cooked base portion comprising mannitol and a hydrogenated starch hydrolysate syrup,

a fat, and

a fondant portion comprising mannitol, a hydrogenated starch hydrolysate syrup, and a sorbitol syrup, the fondant portion is present in an amount of about 10.0 to about 15.0% w/w of the candy layer,

wherein the candy layer comprises crystalline particles of mannitol, and

wherein the candy has a chewy texture; and

a first chewing gum layer comprising an elastomer and a second chewing gum layer comprising an elastomer;

wherein a first surface of the candy layer is in contiguous contact with a surface of the first chewing gum layer and a second surface of the candy layer is in contiguous contact with a surface of the second chewing gum layer to form a sandwich-like product with the candy layer in the middle and visible on four sides of the multilayered confectionery.

2. The multilayered confectionery of claim 1 , wherein the water activity of the candy layer is within about 10% of the water activity of the chewing gum layer.

3. The multilayered confectionery of claim 1 , wherein the confectionery comprises about 20 to about 40% w/w of the candy layer and about 60 to about 80% w/w of the combined weight of the first and second chewing gum layer based on the combined weight of candy layer and first and second chewing gum layer.

4. The multilayered confectionery of claim 1 , wherein the hydrogenated starch hydrolysate syrup of the candy layer cooked base portion, the candy layer fondant portion, or both comprises maltitol and sorbitol in a ratio of about 1:0.8 to about 1:1.2 maltitol to sorbitol.

5. The multilayered confectionery of claim 1 , wherein the hydrogenated starch hydrolysate syrup of the candy layer cooked base portion, the candy layer fondant portion, or both contains about 75 to about 85% solids, about 4% w/w sorbitol, about 53% w/w maltitol, about 22% w/w polyols having a degree of polymerization of 3-5, and about 21% w/w polyols having degree of polymerization of 6 and greater.

6. The multilayered confectionery of claim 1 , wherein the total amount of mannitol and hydrogenated starch hydrolysate syrup present in the candy layer is about 70 to about 90% w/w of the candy layer.

7. The multilayered confectionery of claim 1 , wherein the total amount of mannitol is about 6 to about 30% w/w of the candy layer.

8. The multilayered confectionery of claim 1 , wherein the amount of mannitol from the base portion is about 8.0 to about 12.0% w/w of the candy layer, and the amount of hydrogenated starch hydrolysate syrup from the base portion is about 70.0 to about 74.0% w/w of the candy layer.

9. The multilayered confectionery of claim 1 , wherein

the mannitol is present in an amount of about 35 to about 60% w/w (dry) of the fondant, and hydrogenated starch hydrolysate syrup is present in an amount of about 40 to about 65% w/w (dry) of the fondant.

10. The multilayered confectionery of claim 1 , wherein the mannitol is present in an amount of about 35 to about 60% w/w (dry) of the fondant, hydrogenated starch hydrolysate syrup is present in an amount of about 20 to about 33% w/w (dry) of the fondant; and sorbitol syrup is present in an amount of about 20 to about 33% w/w (dry) of the fondant.

11. The multilayered confectionery of claim 1 , wherein the fondant is present in an amount of about 10.0 to about 12.0% w/w of the candy layer.

12. The multilayered confectionery of claim 1 , wherein the candy layer has a moisture content of about 6.0 to about 8.0% w/w.

13. The multilayered confectionery of claim 1 , wherein the candy layer further comprises a texturizing agent or an emulsifier.

14. The multilayered confectionery of claim 1 , wherein the candy layer further comprises one or more ingredients selected from an additional sweetener, a sensate, a flavor, a color, a functional ingredient, a gas, an abrasive, particles of a second confectionery, a food acid or salt thereof, or a combination thereof.

15. The multilayered confectionery of claim 14 , wherein the candy layer comprises a flavor in an amount of about 0.75 to about 3.0% w/w of the candy layer.

16. The multilayered confectionery of claim 14 , wherein the sensate is a cooling agent, a warming agent, a tingling agent, or a combination thereof.

17. The multilayered confectionery of claim 14 , wherein the candy layer comprises a food acid or salt thereof in an amount of about 0.5 to about 4.0% w/w of the candy layer.

18. The multilayered confectionery of claim 1 , wherein the candy layer further comprises a mixture of flavor and a food acid in a ratio of about 1:1 flavor to food acid.

19. The multilayered confectionery of claim 1 , wherein the fondant comprises crystalline particles of mannitol having an average particle size of less than 50 micrometers.

20. The multilayered confectionery of claim 1 , wherein the fondant comprises crystalline particles of mannitol having crystals of an average length of ≦30 micrometers as determined by microscopic analysis.

21. The multilayered confectionery of claim 1 ,

wherein the amount of mannitol from the base portion is about 8.0 to about 12.0% w/w of the candy layer, and the amount of hydrogenated starch hydrolysate syrup from the base portion is about 70.0 to about 74.0% w/w of the candy layer;

wherein amount of mannitol from the fondant portion is about 4.0 to about 6.0% w/w of the candy layer; the amount of hydrogenated starch hydrolysate syrup from the fondant portion is about 1.0 to about 3.0% w/w of the candy layer; and sorbitol syrup in an amount of about 1.0 to about 3.0% w/w of the candy layer; and

wherein the candy layer further comprises

a texturizing agent in an amount of about 1.0 to about 2.0% w/w of the candy layer;

a fat having a melting point of about 35 to about 40° C. in an amount of about 3.0 to about 4.0% w/w of the candy layer;

lecithin in an amount of about 0.001 to about 0.1% w/w of the candy layer;

glyceryl monostearate in an amount of about 0.01 to about 0.7% w/w of the candy layer; and

a moisture content of about 6.5 to about 7.0% w/w of the candy layer.

22. The multilayered confectionery of claim 1 , wherein a sample piece of the candy layer measuring 35 mm long ×5.5 mm thickness ×12.5 mm width exhibits a maximum force of about 3000 to about 4000 grams when a texture analyzer probe penetrates the sample parallel to its thickness and perpendicular to the face measuring 35 mm long ×12.5 mm wide by 3 millimeters; wherein the sample is conditioned at 25° C. four hours prior to analysis, the texture analyzer plunger is 4 mm cylinder; the approach speed is 1 mm/sec; and the penetration distance is 4.3 mm.

23. The multilayered confectionery of claim 1 , wherein the candy layer exhibits a water activity of about 0.38 to about 0.45.

24. The multilayered confectionery of claim 1 , wherein the candy layer exhibits a density of about 1.1 to about 1.4 g/cm 3 .

25. The multilayered confectionery of claim 1 , wherein the first chewing gum layer comprises about 0.1 to about 0.5% w/w cooling agent by weight of the first chewing gum layer; and

the candy layer comprises about 1.0 to about 3.75% w/w food acid by weight of the candy layer.

26. The multilayered confectionery of claim 1 , wherein the first chewing gum layer comprises about 1.5 to about 2.2% w/w flavor by weight of the first chewing gum layer; and

the candy layer comprises about 1.5 to about 3.0% w/w flavor by weight of the candy layer.

27. A method of making a multilayered confectionery, comprising:

preparing a candy layer comprising mixing a cooked base portion comprising mannitol and a hydrogenated starch hydrolysate syrup, a fat, and a fondant portion comprising mannitol, a hydrogenated starch hydrolysate syrup, and a sorbitol syrup to form a candy comprising crystalline particles of mannitol, wherein the candy has a chewy texture, the fondant portion is present in an amount of about 10.0 to about 15.0% w/w of the candy layer;

preparing a first chewing gum layer comprising an elastomer and a second chewing gum layer comprising an elastomer;

forming a multilayered confectionery wherein a first surface of the candy layer is in contiguous contact with a surface of the first chewing gum layer and a second surface of the candy layer is in contiguous contact with a surface of the second chewing gum layer to form a sandwich-like product with the candy layer in the middle and visible on four sides of the multilayered confectionery.

28. The method of claim 27 , comprising:

cooking the base portion comprising mannitol and a hydrogenated starch hydrolysate syrup;

adding to the cooked base portion a texturizing agent, a fat, and optionally a food acid or salt thereof, a flavor, or a combination thereof to form a mixture;

cooling the mixture to form a cooled mixture;

adding the fondant portion to the cooled mixture to form a final mixture;

and pulling the final mixture to form a candy.

29. The method of claim 27 , wherein the fondant comprises a moisture content of about 6.5 to about 11.0% w/w of the fondant.

30. The method of claim 27 , wherein the temperature of the candy layer and chewing gum layer are at least 40° C. when formed into the multilayered confectionery.

31. The method of claim 27 , wherein the fondant comprises crystalline particles of mannitol having an average particle size of less than 50 micrometers.

32. The method of claim 27 , wherein the fondant comprises crystalline particles of mannitol having crystals of an average length of ≦30 micrometers as determined by microscopic analysis.

33. The multilayered confectionery of claim 1 , wherein the texture of the candy layer is substantially the same as the texture of the first and second chewing gum layers.