Starch moulding is a widely used process in the confectionery industry and is useful for shaping a range of gums and jellies. Highly automated processes have been developed for the efficient deposition of such confectionery into starch moulds, see for example"Chocolate, Cocoa and Confectionery, Science and Technology", B. W. Minifie pp. 522-525; Van Nostrand Reinhold (third edition). However, there has been little automation of the subsequent drying of the confectionery in which the confectionery sets to its final shape in the moulds.

Typically, one of two drying techniques are utilise; standing down and stoving. In the former, trays holding the confectionery in the starch moulds are stacked in a storage room, which may be air-conditioned to control temperature and humidity, to allow the starch to absorb moisture.

The water content of the confectionery is reduced by about 3% (of total composition by weight). Stoving is a more widely used technique, and is generally performed at about 60 °C. The water content of the confectionery is reduced by evaporation by up to 20% (of total composition by weight). Depending on the nature of the confectionery, standing down or stoving may take from one to ten days, and thus limits the overall efficiency of the process. For example, in GB 224993 the products are stoved at 30 to 45 °C for between 18 and 48 hours.

Both standing down and stoving can result in unacceptable product variation. Stacking of trays for standing down must be undertaken with care to avoid disturbing the shape of the unset confectionery, and differences in storage conditions may result in variable setting times (even in air-conditioned storage, it is difficult to maintain a uniform humidity throughout the storage room). In addition, the resultant damp starch must be dried before re-use. Stoving requires careful control because the rate of evaporation of water is dependent upon the loading of the stoving oven. Other factors which may introduce variability in the product are relative humidity and the rate of movement of air over the confectionery.

In an article relating to starchless moulding of confectionery centres (M. S.

Jeffery, in Confectionery Production (1969) p209), it was proposed that forced-air cooling could be used to reduce the setting times for starch- moulded confectionery centres. However, no process details were given, and the process was regarded as unsatisfactory because it was not continuous and was still labour intensive.

It is an object of the present invention to mitigate or obviate the above disadvantages, by providing a process in which the setting of the starch- moulded confectionery is relative rapid, and capable of being effected with reproducible consistency without detriment to the flavour or texture of the confectionery article.

According to the present invention, there is provided a process for the continuous production of gelatine-containing confectionery articles having a predetermined water content, comprising the steps of:- (i) filling starch moulds with a settable gelatine-containing confectionery composition having substantially said predetermined water content, (ii) passing the filled starch moulds through a cooling station so as to cool the filled moulds in a controlled environment in which the temperature is maintained in the range of from 10 to 24 °C, the relative humidity is no more than 50%, and air is circulated such that the relative air speed over the filled starch moulds is maintained in the range of from 2 to 3 m/s, so as to set the confectionery composition, and (iii) separating the set confectionery articles having said predetermined water content from the starch moulds.

The temperature maintained in the cooling station in step (ii) is preferably 10 to 22 °C and more preferably towards the upper end of the specified range of 10 to 22 °C, eg. 18 to 20 °C, because lower temperatures may lead to the undesirable formation of condensation when the moulded articles are removed from the cooling station for de- moulding in step (iii). Additionally, since the confectionery composition is one which sets by a gelling action, lower temperatures within this range may adversely affect the kinetics of the changes involved in gelling.

In warmer climats, for example, it may be more convenient and cost effective to maintain the temperature in the cooling station in the range of 15 to 24 °C and more particularly 20 to 22 °C. In addition, condensation of water may be problematic if there is a large temperature differential between the atmosphere inside and outside the cooling station.

Preferably, the relative humidity is no more than 40% and is more preferably in the range of 25 to 40% and most preferably 30 to 40%. It is particularly preferred to maintain the equilibrium moisture content of the starch.

Although high relative humidity (e. g. in the range of 40 to 50%) is not detrimental to the quality of the product itself, it has been found that above about 40% relative humidity, the starch absorbs moisture from the atmosphere and requires periodic reconditioning, the frequency of reconditioning being dependent upon the relative humidity.

Preferably, the relative air speed over the filled starch mould is maintained towards the lower end of the specified range of 2 to 3 m/s, e. g. 2 to 2.5 m/s.

It will be understood that, because the confectionery composition is cooled rather than dried, there is substantially no reduction in the water content between the starting settable confectionery composition and the final confectionery article.

Preferably, cooling is achieved by passing, for example on a belt conveyor, the filled starch moulds through a cooling enclosure such as a tunnel, the speed of the moulds through the cooling enclosure being such that the moulds are resident in the cooling enclosure for a sufficient time for the confectionery composition to set. The nature of the confectionery composition determines the length of time required in the cooling enclosure for setting, which may be up to 2 to 3 hours for hard gums, or may be as short as 45 minutes for jelly babies. This represents a considerable reduction in the length of time required for setting over the conventional standing down procedure. Since substantially no moisture is lost from the confectionery composition, as long as there is sufficient time for the confectionery composition to set, the length of time that the filled moulds are in the cooling enclosure is not critical.

Thus, confectionery articles can be produced with less variability than the known batch processes of standing down and stoving.

Preferably, filling step (i) is effected with the confectionery composition at elevated temperature, generally 70 to 95 °C or even higher, in order to reduce the viscosity of the composition.

Preferably steps (i) and/or (iii) are automated. More preferably the whole process is automated. In a preferred embodiment of the process, the cooling enclosure is linked at both ends to a starch-moulding plant (e. g. the plant commonly referred to as a"Mogul"), such that on exiting the cooling enclosure, the filled moulds are received by a demoulding region of the starch-moulding plant and the confectionery articles are separated from the starch.

The starch is advantageously reconditioned to remove residual confectionery composition and to adjust its moisture content if necessary, and is then reformed into moulds which, after filling with the settable confectionery composition, are passed into the cooling enclosure.

Thus, the length of the cooling enclosure and the speed of passage of filled moulds through the cooling enclosure can be chosen such that the confectionery composition is in the cooling enclosure for at least the length of time required to set.

In a highly preferred embodiment, trays of filled starch moulds on pallets stacked on top of each other are passed into the cooling enclosure. The trays and pallets are designed so that the circulated air in the cooling enclosure passes over all the starch moulds at the required speed. The height of the cooling enclosure determines the size of the stack.

Examples of gelatine-containing settable confectionery compositions include gums and jellies (e. g. hard gums, wine gums, fruit gums and jelly babies), which are usually slow setting.

Such a continuous process is less labour intensive, more energy efficient, requires less starch and gives better product consistency than known setting methods.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- Fig 1 is a plan view of an apparatus for performing the process of the present invention, and Fig 2 is a sectional view of part of the apparatus shown in Fig 1.

Referring to Fig 1, the apparatus comprises an automated starch moulding plant 2 having a track 4 therethrough which is designed for receiving pallets of stacked trays 6, a feeder 8, a starchbuck 10, a depositor 12 and a stacker 14. The starchbuck 10 comprises a vibratory sieve and a starch-mould printer (not shown) which forms impressions in the starch to define mould recesses therein. The apparatus further comprise a cooling enclosure 16 having a pair of parallel conveyor-tracks 18 passing therethrough and a retractable roller-shutter door 20a, 20b at each end where the tracks 18 enter the enclosure 16. At regular intervals within the enclosure 16 above the tracks 18 are a number air- conditioning units 22 (described in more detail with respect to Fig 2).

The track 4 of the starch moulding plant 2 is linked at each end to the tracks 18 of the cooling enclosure 16, via first and second shuttle carriages 24a, 24b respectively. Thus, in use, pallets pass in the direction of arrows A through the starch moulding plant 2 and the cooling enclosure 16 in a continuous cycle.

In use, pallets of 90 stacked trays 6 enter the feeder 8 where the trays are de-stacked and passed to the starchbuck 10. Note that on start-up only, the trays will enter the moulding plant empty. After one cycle, the trays will contain set gelatine-containing confectionery articles within starch moulds. In the starchbuck 10, the trays are tipped and the confectionery articles are separated from the starch which requires only minimal reconditioning (i. e. sieving) in order to remove any residual particles of confectionery composition. The confectionery articles are passed out of the starchbuck 10 for further processing (eg. glazing/oiling or sugaring).

The now-empty trays are filled with starch which is levelled and printed with the mould recesses. The settable confectionery composition is deposited into the starch moulds through nozzles (not shown) of the depositor 12. In the stacker 14, the trays of filled starch moulds are restacked onto the pallets and conveyed to the cooling enclosure 16 by the first shuttle carriage 24a.

The roller-shutter door 20a of the cooling enclosure 16 is controlled to allow individual pallets on each conveyor-track into the cooling enclosure 16 and to close between each such pallet, so as to isolate the inside of the cooling enclosure 16 as much as possible from the ambient conditions outside the enclosure 16. The environment within the cooling enclosure 16 is controlled for humidity, temperature and air circulation by the air-conditioning units 22 (see Fig 2). The speed of the pallets through the cooling enclosure 16 is such that on leaving the enclosure 16 through the roller shutter door 20b (controlled in a similar manner to the roller-shutter door 20a) the confectionery composition has set. The pallets of stacked trays 6 are then transferred via the second shuttle carriage 24b to the track 4 of the starch moulding plant 2, and the cycle is repeated.

For added flexibility, the two tracks 18 of the cooling enclosure 16 may be operated at different speeds. Thus, it is possible, although not shown in this embodiment, to use an additional depositor to deposit a different settable confectionery composition which requires a different length of time in the cooling enclosure to set.

Referring to Fig 2, the pallets of stacked trays 6 are shown in the cooling enclosure 16. The air-conditioning units 22 (only one shown in Fig 2) are separated from the stacked trays by a false ceiling 26. Each air- conditioning unit 22 comprises a fan 28, a heating element 30 and cooling coils 32. The fan 28 circulates air between the individual trays (not shown) as indicated by arrows B. The coils 32 and heating element 30 in each unit 22 are controlled so as to maintain the cooling enclosure 16 at the desired temperature and humidity. An insulation layer 34 (shown in part) helps to maintain the desired temperature.

In each air conditioning unit 22, if the relative humidity is too high, then the cooling coils 32 are switched on to reduce the relative humidity by reducing the temperature below the dew point of the air so as to remove water from the air passing over the cooling coils 32 by condensation. If the air temperature is too high, then the cooling coils 32 are switched on and the heating element 30 is switched off. If the temperature is too low, then the cooling coils 32 are switched off. If the humidity is too high and the temperature is too low, then both the cooling coils 32 and the heating element 30 are switched on so that the air which has been cooled by the cooling coils 32 is re-heated by the heating element 30.

In Table 1, examples of recipes are given for making confectionery articles according to the present invention:- TABLE 1 Recipe: 1 2 3 41 Water (%) 19.5 14 16 15.5 Sugar(%) 35 25 22. 5 30 Glucose syrup (45DE) (%) 37. 5 51 45 44.5 gelati ne (%) 4. 1 72 6. 53 74 pectin (%) 1.4--- modified potato starch (%)--7- CFA(%) 5 2. 5 3 3 3 temperature at deposit (°C) 70-75 77 75 71 [1: whipped to a density of 0.85g/cm3 2: acid-200 bloom 3: lime-270 bloom 4: acid-140 bloom 5: colourings, flavourings and acid] Since the process of the present invention involves substantially no drying of the confectionery composition during setting, the recipes given above differ from those of the prior art for comparable products in that less water is added. Table 2 shows the processing conditions used in the apparatus of the above described embodiment for the above examples, and compares this with comparable recipes set by drying in a typical unconditioned storage room (Comparative Examples C1 to C4).

TABLE 2 Air conditioning No. Recipe initial dry final dry solids (%) solids (%) temp. humidity speed time (°C) (rez. %) (m/s) 1 1 77-79 77-79 15 40 3 90 min 2 2 77-78 77-78 15 40 3 90 min 3 3 78 78 15 40 3 90 min 4 4 77-79 77-79 15 40 3 90 min 5 1 77-79 77-79 15 35 3 90 min 6 1 77-79 77-79 22 45 2. 5-3 120 min 7 2 77-79 77-79 20 40 2. 5-3 120 min 8 2 77-79 77-79 18 40 2. 5-3 90-120 min 9 1 77-79 77-79 16 40 2. 5-3 120 min C1 1 73-78 78-79 22 NC NC 24 hr C2 2 74-75 78-79 22 NC NC 24 hr C3 3 71-73 74-78 22 NC NC 24 hr C4 4 75-76 77-79 22 NC NC 24 hr C5 1 77-79 77-79 28 35 2-2. 5 120 min C6 2 77-79 77-79 25 35 2-2. 5 120 min C7 1 77-79 77-79 10 35-40 2-2. 5 120 min C8 2 77-7977-7910 35-402-2. 5120 min NC = uncontrolled Comparison of Examples 1 to 4 and 6 to 8 with Comparative Examples C1 to C4 (Table 2) clearly illustrates that the process of the present invention can rapidly reduce the time required for setting the confectionery articles without detriment to the product. The products obtained were satisfactory in appearance, flavour and texture. In fact, the flavour intensity and quality were better than comparable products obtained by stoving, although it was found that moisture was absorbed by the starch, necessitating periodic reconditioning of the starch. This could be avoided by reducing the relative humidity to 35% (Example 5).

When the temperature was too high (Comparative Examples C5 and C6), it was found that the resultant products were too soft for further processing (eg. they stuck to a transfer belt after being demoulded or caused severe problems on a steaming belt prior to sugar sanding). At lower temperatures eg. 10 °C (Comparative Examples C7 and C8), gelling is impeded. Although the products appear to have set, they are in fact "frozen"and lose their shape on warming to room temperature.

The continuous nature of the process of the present invention increases productivity and delivers cost savings in terms of materials required (starch, pallets and trays), space and labour. The carefully controlled setting conditions in the cooling enclosure 16 allow products to be produced with repeatable consistency.