Three companies have announced a technology that allows the deposit gum bases and incorporate gums into candies and lollipops, which is said to provide new opportunities for the confectionery industry.APV Baker, a leading provider of depositing technology; Cafosa, the leading gum base supplier; and Firmenich, the leading supplier of flavours have worked together to develop the technology.
New depositing lines and conversion kits retrofitted to existing plants can provide confectionery producers with access to the fastest growing sector in the confectionery industry. Multi coloured gum products, and striped or transparent hard candies and lollipops with a gum centre are said to bring new product potential because of the added variety.
The three manufacturers claim that for existing gum producers, complete preparation-to-packaging depositing systems bring exciting possibilities in gum shape, coloured combinations of stripes and layers, and high percentage centre-fill products.
All gum-filled and gum piece products can be produced in sugar and sugar-free variants. APV Baker is experienced in the supply of equipment for sugar free applications, and says it can add this capability to existing systems, or deliver new plant.
It is claimed that the recognised benefits of the depositing process provide quality and marketing advantages for gum products - including consistently high accuracy of shape and weight for cost control and packaging efficiency, plus the opportunity to produce innovative products that cannot be made with traditional gum forming technologies. Low scrap rates, labour requirements and maintenance needs are also said to be characteristics of the system.
Hard candy products with gum centres are made on depositing plants with aluminium moulds. Depositing of gum only products is achieved using rubber moulds to ensure clean and efficient ejection of the finished product. APV Baker offers a range of depositor designs including Universal plants to enable production of the full range of gum products on one line.
The addition of gum to the portfolio of confectionery handled by APV Baker depositors follows intensive development work in the company's Food Innovation Centre at Peterborough in the UK. Currently APV Baker has more than 400 confectionery depositors installed around the world, producing a broad selection of hard and soft candies, and lollipops.
Cafosa, based in Barcelona, is the leading gum base supplier while Firmenich is Swiss based and the largest privately held company in the fragrance and flavour industry worldwide.