Production of energy reduced soft candy by using stevia (Stevia rebaudiana B.) plant extract

Sweeteners, one of the food additives, are become widespread in both beverages and sweet foods. Sweeteners other than sugars are generally used to produce proper food people with diabetes and obesity, and for the preparation of energy-reduced products. However, due to the sweeteners artificially produced, consumers have concerns about using the foods containing these additives. The sweeteners recognized safe by International health organizations and food authorities are allowed to be used in limited amounts in food in spite of on-going uncertainties related to harmfulness of them. Alternatively, many sugar alcohols naturally present in some fruits and vegetables can be produced by biochemical conversion of certain sugars. However, sugar alcohols have higher calories not as much as sugars, but their relative sweetness is about as simple sugars and can not be used on certain levels in formulations due to their laxative effect. Today, the tendency to use natural-derived sweet compounds as an alternative to the artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols is increasing, as it is often emphasized that the development of many diseases associated with sugar consumption is due to in sugar consumption in childhood. The main source of attention in modern societies in this respect is the extracts from stevia plant and their purified products. While steviol glycosides give approximately 0 (zero) calorie at energy average sweetness is about 300 times higher compared to saccharose. Until recently many toxicological studies on the stevia extracts have been reported to prevent the development of certain health problems and still there are no direct negative effects of these extracts on human health.Excessive consumption of confectionery products results in obesity, a serious health problem, specially for children. For this reason, many parents are willing, to limit their children's candy consumption. Therefore, stevia products many play a key role in solving many problems related to sugar consumption.In this study, it was aimed to produce soft candy (jelly candy) which the energy of is reduced up to 30-40 % by using Stevia rebaudiana extract. Honey, apple, black grape, carob and sour cherry soft candies were produced in two different forms as containing sugar and stevia extract+sugar. In addition to these soft candies, a plain soft candy containing stevia extract+sorbitol was also produced to reduce more energy. Soft candies honey, apple, black grape, carob and sour cherry containing only sugar were used as control group.The formulations were determined by results of preliminary experiments and following experimental design which is planned accordingly. The optimised formulations consist of water, stevia extract, gelatin, maltodextrin, carob gum, glycerol beside to apple, black grape, carob, sour cherry concentrate with honey and sorbitol as a subtitions for sugar in equivalent amounts. The stevia extracts used in the formulations were obtained from the stevia plants grown on the cultivation areas of the Akdeniz University. In the candies produced total dry matter, water soluble dry matter, acidity, pH, sugar analyzes (with HPLC and DNSA methods) and determination stevioside and rebaudioside A with HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatography). Energy values of products was calculated. In addition to these analyzes, textural and sensorial evaluations of the products were also performed. The obtained energy-reduced products were generally desirable in terms of their sensory and textural properties. Soft candies with the formula of stevia extract+sugar honey, apple, black grape, carob and sour cherry compared with the control group and it the energy value of candies were reduced by the amounts of 40.0 %, 46.62 %, 46.56 %, 43.04 % and 51.17 %, respectively. When the average was taken into account, the calorie values of the products were also reduced by 45.77 % compared to the control groups. It has also been found that the calorie value of the plain soft candy containing stevia extract+sorbitol was reduced by 70.19 % compared to the control group.When the commercial soft candies and other similar sugar containing products were compared to the samples containing stevia extract+sugar and stevia extract+sorbitol in case of energy value, it has been observed that obtained products within this study has reduced energy value by the amount of 60 % and 78 %, respectively. Conclusively, the aimed energy reduction of 30-40 % in soft candies as starting point of the project was achieved in approximetaly doubled amount.