Thermal study on cotton candy by differential scanning calorimetry

Cotton candy is a confection made by solidifying melted sugar into fibers. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was performed for two kinds of cotton candy made in an air (CCA) and in a nitrogen gas (CCN) and for crystalline sucrose (CS) and its quenched melt as amorphous sucrose (AS). The CCA was mainly crystalline with a small amorphous part and easily degraded by aging. The CCN exhibited a more glassy structure, and its aging behavior was different from that of the CCA. Gas conditions in cooking were found to be crucial to the physical state and thermal stability of cotton candy.

Automated summary

The study found that the gas conditions during the cooking process of cotton candy are crucial to its physical state and thermal stability. Cotton candy made in air was mainly crystalline with a small amorphous part, and easily degraded by aging. Meanwhile, cotton candy made in nitrogen gas exhibited a more glassy structure and had a different aging behavior compared to the one made in air.