# Composition of Commercial Licorice Candies and Development of Sugar-Reduced Licorice-Type Extruded Soft Candy Using Resistant Dextrin

## TL;DR

This study explores using resistant dextrin as a sugar substitute in licorice candy to create a lower-calorie alternative with good texture and taste.

## Contribution

The novel use of resistant dextrin as a sugar substitute in licorice candy is optimized for texture, sensory qualities, and caloric reduction.

## Key findings

- Resistant dextrin effectively replaces sugar in licorice candy while maintaining acceptable texture and sensory properties.
- Optimized candy composition includes 15.0 g/100 g sucrose, 7.49 g/100 g resistant dextrin, and 32.51 g/100 g wheat flour.
- The optimized candy achieved sensory scores of 7.00 for taste and 7.30 for overall acceptability.

## Abstract

Candy licorice is
a confection consisting mainly of wheat
flour
and sugar syrup. In this study, resistant dextrin was used as a sugar
substitute due to its beneficial properties, including fiber content,
low sugar content, and low caloric value. In the first part of the
study, the profiles of monosaccharides (glucose, fructose) and disaccharides
(sucrose, maltose, and lactose) as well as the amounts of dietary
fiber, total sugar, ash, crude protein, moisture, and fat (saturated,
unsaturated, MUFA, and PUFA) were determined in different products
(n = 5). In the second part, an optimization study
was performed on licorice-type extruded soft sugar by adding resistant
dextrin. The response variables for optimization included color (L*, b*, and a*), textural
properties (hardness and chewiness), physicochemical properties (pH,
water activity (a
w), and total soluble
solids), and sensory attributes (taste, structure, and general acceptability).
The obtained and validated optimum composition was found for sucrose,
resistant dextrin, and wheat flour as 15.0 g/100 g, 7.49 g/100 g,
and 32.51 g/100 g, respectively. The R
2 values of models determined for these variables were between 0.739
and 0.999. Significant models were determined for pH, a
w, L*, hardness, chewiness, and sensory
properties (structure and general acceptability) (p < 0.05). The L*, a*, and b* values for the optimized candy sample with Brix, pH,
and a
w values of 86.50, 2.83, and 0.6056,
respectively, were 36.415, 17.798, and 3.262, respectively. The hardness
of the sample was measured at 1588 g, while the chewiness value was
246.14. Hardness and chewiness values increased due to the amounts
of wheat flour and resistant dextrin. Sensory analysis was conducted
using a 9-point hedonic scale, evaluating taste, texture, and overall
acceptability. The optimized sample received a score of 7.00 for taste,
7.20 for texture, and 7.30 for overall acceptability. Based on our
findings, resistant dextrin can serve as an effective sucrose alternative
and bulking agent in the development of low-calorie licorice, offering
optimized texture, physicochemical characteristics, and sensory qualities.