Manon Kerremans, Senior Food Technologist, Tanis Innovation Center, discusses how gelling agents shape texture, stability, and functionality
Gelling agents are at the heart of gummy and jelly production, determining texture, elasticity, and mouthfeel. As the confectionery industry evolves, manufacturers must navigate a growing demand for plant-based, clean-label, and functional formulations while ensuring consistency and scalability. To explore the complexities of gelling agents and the latest innovations in this space, we spoke with Manon Kerremans, Senior Food Technologist at the Tanis Innovation Center, who provided expert knowledge on how different gelling systems shape the sensory experience, influence stability, and adapt to modern consumer trends.
How important is the choice of gelling agent in shaping the texture, elasticity, and overall sensory experience of gummies and jellies?
Each gelling agent imparts unique characteristics. Gelatin provides an elastic, chewy texture with a pleasant melting behavior in the mouth, which enhances flavour release. This thermo-reversible protein has long been the industry standard for gummies, allowing manufacturers to control setting and mouthfeel while delivering the classic gummy chew. However, as consumer preferences shift towards plant-based alternatives, pectin and starch-based solutions are gaining prominence. “Pectin produces a short, clean bite that easily breaks apart with minimal chewing. Because of its shorter residence time in the mouth, it affects how flavours are perceived—often creating a more immediate and intense taste experience. This makes pectin a preferred choice for fruit jellies and plant-based gummies, where clarity, quick flavour release, and stability are key.
Starch, another popular gelling agent, offers different textural properties. Starch can also create elasticity, but it generally results in a longer chew and a slightly sticky texture that adheres more to the teeth. This lingering mouthfeel can influence flavour perception, making starch-based gummies particularly appealing for formulations that benefit from prolonged taste release, because of these distinct characteristics, many confectioners opt for hybrid gelling systems to achieve the perfect balance of texture and mouthfeel. For example, adding pectin to a gelatin-based gummy can slightly shorten its chew, offering a unique eating experience. This ability to blend gelling agents allows manufacturers to tailor confections to specific consumer preferences, whether for a firmer, more resilient chew or a delicate, melt-in-the-mouth sensation.
Selecting the ideal gelling agent for confectionery applications is a complex decision influenced by multiple factors, including consumer preferences, dietary requirements, and heat stability. Each of these elements plays a crucial role in determining the final product’s clarity, chew, and bite. Regional and market-specific preferences have a significant impact on textural expectations. In some regions, consumers favour a firmer bite, while in others, a softer chew is preferred. This variation means that manufacturers must tailor their formulations to suit different market demands, often adjusting the gelling system to deliver the most desirable mouthfeel.
Dietary considerations also influence the selection of gelling agents. Gelatin remains a benchmark ingredient for texture. However, it is derived from animal sources, which limits its use in vegetarian and vegan formulations. As demand for plant-based confections continues to rise, alternatives such as pectin and starch have become more prevalent. Pectin is extracted from apples and citrus fruits, while starch is sourced from corn and potatoes, making them suitable for plant-based products.
Beyond texture and dietary needs, heat stability is a crucial consideration, particularly for global markets. Gelatin-based gummies have excellent chew and elasticity, but they melt at warmer temperatures, making them unsuitable for tropical climates. In contrast, starch and pectin-based gummies offer superior heat resistance, ensuring product stability even in high-temperature environments. This makes them particularly valuable for manufacturers exporting to regions with warmer climates, where maintaining consistency and preventing stickiness are key challenges.
What are some of the challenges faced when working with these hydrocolloids?
Maximising the gelling agent’s functionality starts with proper hydration. The correct water temperature, stirring method, and powder grade all influence how well a gelling agent hydrates and ultimately performs in the final product. Inadequate hydration can lead to uneven gel formation, affecting the texture and clarity of the confection. To prevent this, manufacturers must carefully manage the dissolution process, ensuring that the gelling agent fully disperses before setting begins.
Another major challenge is heat exposure, particularly in high-temperature processing environments. Gummy production involves exposure to heat, which can degrade certain gelling agents, especially in acidic formulations. Gelatin, for instance, is sensitive to prolonged heat and low pH conditions, which can weaken its gelling properties. A well-optimised moulding line is key to minimising heat exposure and preserving the integrity of the gelling network. By refining temperature control and process timing, manufacturers can prevent unwanted degradation and maintain the elasticity and structure of their products.
Curing is another critical stage that directly affects the texture, stability, and shelf life of gummies. Proper curing ensures the gummies reach their ideal dry solid content, optimising texture and bite. Beyond improving the immediate sensory experience, curing also plays a key role in preventing syneresis—the undesirable release of moisture that can lead to stickiness, texture breakdown, and microbial spoilage. A well-managed curing process helps maintain product quality and flavour throughout its shelf life.
How are innovations in automation, precision blending, and drying techniques streamlining production while maintaining the highest standards of quality and efficiency?
Automated systems play a crucial role in ensuring consistent batch quality. By precisely controlling processing times and temperatures, manufacturers can achieve uniformity in texture, flavour, and appearance across large-scale production runs. This level of precision is particularly important for gelling agents, as even small variations in hydration, heat exposure, or ingredient integration can impact the final product’s texture and stability.
One of the key advancements in gummy and jelly production is the use of continuous cooking systems, which provide greater control over the heating and cooling process. Rapid heating and cooling allow for better ingredient integration before cooking, offering more formulation flexibility. This technology helps manufacturers produce a wide range of textures and compositions with improved efficiency, whether for traditional gelatin-based gummies or plant-based alternatives using pectin or starch.
Drying technology has also seen significant improvements, helping manufacturers optimise moisture removal for consistent texture and stability. Innovations in drying rooms enhance uniformity, ensuring that each gummy or jelly maintains the desired moisture content. Proper drying is critical in preventing stickiness, shrinkage, or unwanted moisture release, all of which can compromise product quality.
Additionally, sustainability is becoming a key focus in large-scale production. Closed-loop drying systems enable energy recovery, reducing overall production costs and environmental impact. By capturing and reusing heat, manufacturers can improve efficiency while minimising their carbon footprint—an increasingly important factor as the confectionery industry seeks to adopt more sustainable practices.
How are manufacturers adapting to the growing demand for plant-based and clean-label confectionery?
As consumers seek more transparent and naturally sourced ingredients, manufacturers are adapting formulations to meet these evolving expectations.
Pectin is currently the most widely used gelling agent for plant-based gummies. Its plant-based origin, combined with its ability to create a short, clean bite, makes it an ideal alternative to gelatin. Pectin’s ability to work effectively in vegan formulations, along with its compatibility with fruit-based flavors, has made it the gelling agent of choice for brands looking to deliver high-quality, non-animal-derived confectionery.
Beyond plant-based formulations, the clean-label trend is influencing ingredient selection across the industry. Consumers are scrutinising ingredient lists more than ever, pushing manufacturers toward formulations that emphasise naturality and transparency. Many brands are now choosing natural colours over artificial ones and looking for label-friendly sugar replacers. Instead of polyols, we’re seeing more sugar-reduced gummies using corn fiber, tapioca fiber, chicory root fiber, and citrus fiber. These alternatives provide functional benefits, such as improved mouthfeel and stability, while aligning with consumer demand for minimally processed, easily recognisable ingredients.
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