Click here to shop gummy bears online Creating the Gummy Mixture The process to create gummy bears begins with a mixture of gelatin, sugar, glucose syrup, and food coloring. Gelatin is the key ingredient that provides the gummy bear its characteristic chewy texture. Sugar contributes sweetness while glucose syrup works to maintain the soft texture by preventing crystallization of sugar. The mixture is heated until it forms a smooth paste.
Flavoring and Coloring Flavoring and coloring are added next. The flavoring is what differentiates one gummy bear from the other, giving each its unique taste. Dyes are added after flavoring to impart the vibrant colors we associate with gummy bears. The introduction of natural ingredients like fruit juices and natural colorants is increasingly common in modern gummy bear production.
Molding the Gummies Once the mixture is flavored and colored, it's time to give the gummy bears their iconic shape. Molds made from starch are used for this process. This involves impressing bear-shaped cavities into a tray filled with starch, then filling those cavities with the warm gelatin mixture.
The filled starch trays are then channeled through a cooling tunnel. This cooling phase is crucial; it allows the gummy bears to set and acquire their beloved chewy texture.
Shaking Off Excess Starch Once the gummy bears are set, the starch molds are broken up, and the gummy bears are separated from the loose starch. The candies then go through large sieves, each bear shaking loose from the stiff confines of its mold, getting rid of the starch that clings stubbornly to their tiny bodies.
Polishing The next step in gummy bear production is the polishing process. In the large drum-shaped polishers, the bears are tumbled and showered with beeswax and carnauba wax, giving the gummy bears a shiny surface. This process not only contributes to the aesthetics but also helps prevent the candies from sticking together.
Quality Control and Packaging Once polished to perfection, each gummy bear undergoes a rigorous quality check. Every single bear is checked for quality, ensuring they meet the shape, size, and glossy outer appearance standards. Once they pass the quality checks, they are ready for packaging, which is done by a machine.
In conclusion, the science behind making gummy bears encompasses a blend of exact science and culinary artistry. From the essential stage of crafting the gummy mixture to the final stages of polishing and quality checking, each step is perfectly calibrated to produce these favorite chewy, tiny, bear-shaped marvels. Each unique flavor, the iconic shape, and the satisfying chewiness encapsulates the meticulous process of their creation, ready to be relished by gummy bear lovers worldwide.
