Antioxidants in confectionery: Struggles to control release in grape gummies
Tobias Sessler et al. had been looking for a way to release phenolic compounds of grape juice in chewing gums and gummies.
However, in research published in scientific journal Food Hydrocolloids they said that adding soy protein isolate was not the best solution.
Grape juice confections
“While it is possible to formulate a pectin confectionery that simultaneously contains soy protein isolates and grape juice concentrates, a modulation of the release behavior through the addition of SPI does not seem feasible,” said the study.
The researchers had hoped soy protein isolates and pH changes could control the amount of antioxidants present in the final confectionery product, but the addition significantly altered the structure harming the transport process.
Higher pH levels were found to release phenolic compounds more rapidly, but soy protein isolate addition had little effect and gave an opaque color.
Health benefits and other research
The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) recently found that grape seed extracts could be used to up the antioxidant content in cookies by 10 times when microencapsulated.
A study published last year in the Journal of Nutrition found that consuming polyphenol-rich grape may offer heart health benefits for men with metabolic syndrome, such as high blood pressure.
Source:
Food Hydrocolloids, Vol. 32, Issue 2, Au 2013, pp 294–302
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodhyd.2013.01.013
‘Influence of pH and soy protein isolate addition on the physicochemical properties of functional grape pectin confections’
Authors: Tobias Sessler, Jochen Weiss, Yael Vodovotz
