Gelation of gellan gum in confectionery systems

Hydrocolloids such as pectin, agar, gum arabic, starch and gelatin are widely used in the confectionery industry to manufacture gums and jellies with a wide range of textures. Gellan gum is the extracellular polysaccharide produced by fermentation of the organism Sphingomonas elodea (formerly known as pseudomonas elodea). It has demonstrated utility in a wide variety of food products including confectionery. Although the gelation mechanism of gellan gum in simple aqueous systems containing solvent (water) and ions is well understood, little is known about how high levels of co-solutes, notably sugars used in confectionery products, affect gellan gum gelation. In this study, oscillatory shear measurements have been used to monitor the formation of gellan gum gels in the presence of high levels of sugars. The influence of total soluble solids (70-80% TSS) and the nature of these solids on gellan gum gelation is discussed in terms of parameters important to the use of gellan gum in confectionery systems.