Management of moisture transfer processes during the storage of confectionery with a jelly-like consistency

During storage, confectionery products of a gelatinous consistency are subject mainly to physical changes, such as staleness or moisture, however, there are some cases of their "mold" or fermentation, which are caused by moisture transfer processes, and the driving force is the gradient of water activity. The rate of transition of water from one phase to another depends on the difference between the equilibrium and working concentrations, the physical properties of the system and the "hydrodynamic setting" of the process. The relationship between the factors is established using the equations of diffuse kinetics. The influence of various factors on the processes of moisture transfer of confectionery products of a jelly-like consistency was investigated using the example of jelly-fruit marmalade. It is shown that an increase in storage temperature by 10 °C leads to an increase in the rate of moisture transfer of jelly-fruit marmalade, made without the use of modified starch, by a factor of 2.2. The use of 2% different types of modified starch allows to reduce the rate of moisture transfer of jelly-fruit marmalade by 1.3-1.7 times. The use of modified starch E1412 reduces the rate of moisture transfer by 1.7 times as compared to the control sample of marmalade without the addition of modified starch. The use of modified starch E1401 in the manufacture of jelly marmalade predicts an increase in the preservation of products (no "crust" during storage). To predict moisture loss during storage of confectionery products of a gelatinous consistency, it is proposed to use the molecular diffusion coefficient, which allows to substantiate the type of structurant, the thickness of the packaging used and the storage temperature of products with a given shelf life. The molecular diffusion coefficient of jelly-fruit marmalade ranges from 0.56 ? 10-13 m2/s to 2.04 ? 10-13 m2/s. The maximum coefficient corresponds to the highest rate of moisture transfer processes.