Caramel stickiness: Effects of composition, rheology, and surface energy

Formulated with varied moisture contents (10-12%), dextrose equivalence (DE) of corn syrups (28, 42, 63 DE), and the concentrations of mono-and diglycerides (MDG, 0-2%), 9 caramel samples were compared in terms of rheology, surface energies, hardness, and stickiness. Results indicated that moisture and DE significantly altered the rheology of the caramel matrix, whereas MDG reduced the surface energies. Results from a peel test showed that the adhesive forces between caramel and a packaging material followed a bell-shaped trend with G' and G '' of the caramels and decreased with the surface energies of both the caramels and the materials. On the other hand, the caramel structure was sensitive to pressure. Increased penetration strain resulted in structural collapse, which reduced cohesion while facilitating adhesion. At 50% strain, the pressure-induced adhesive forces decreased with moisture content, DE of corn syrup, and MDG concentration. MDG (>1%) in caramel was an effective anti-sticking agent, which reduced both peel and pressure-induced adhesion.

Automated summary

The study found that the moisture and DE content of caramel significantly affected its rheological properties, while MDG could reduce the surface energy of caramel. Caramel structure was found to be sensitive to pressure, with increased penetration strain leading to structural collapse and reduced cohesion.