Questions and Answers - Gummy Manufacturing

Learn about the different types of gummies and the processes of gummy production manufacturing. Starting with the basics...

WHAT IS A GUMMY?  A gummy is a chewable fat-free confectionery product considered the most versatile and well-known candy produced, marketed as a sweet treat for general consumption and also used in the pharmaceutical industry for medicinal delivery. Vitamins, multivitamins, fiber, and diet aids have long been added to gummies because of their chewable nature and good flavor, and ideal for young people and others adverse to pills. Gummies can be produced with varying degrees of firmness, texture and flavor, per the manufacturer’s ingredients and manufacturing specifications.

The Gummy Bear is the most iconic gummy shape but gummies can be produced in many different sizes and shapes and considered one of the most flexible confection products. Dating back to the early 1920’s, a German entrepreneur named Hans Riegel used gum Arabic as his original base ingredient to produce a gummy candy in the form or shape of a bear, inspired by watching trained bears at street festivals as a youth. In the 1980’s, gummies became a more prominent candy treat in the U.S. and consumption has continued to increase due to their fat-free properties, eye-catching appeal, and good taste.  

WHAT INGREDIENTS MAKE UP A GUMMY?  Typically, gummy candy is made from gelatin, flavorings, coloring, and sweeteners. Traditional gummy ingredients include sugar, glucose, starch, flavoring, coloring, citric acid, and gelatin. Other recipes substitute pectin for gelatin. 

WHAT IS GELATIN?  Gelatin is a virtually colorless and tasteless water-soluble protein prepared from collagen (animal based) and used in food preparation and used as a setting agent in jellies.

WHY PRODUCE A GELATIN GUMMY?  Gelatin gummy products do not set up as quickly as pectin gummy products, so manufacturers appreciate more flexibility regarding production processing time. However, ingredients must maintain a proper working temperature throughout the process, typically using a heated hopper or tank. Larger gummy manufacturing systems will incorporate one or more large heating/cooling tanks plus a transfer pump system to move gummy ingredients from the tank to the applicable processing equipment.

WHAT IS PECTIN?  Pectin is a soluble gelatinous polysaccharide that is present in ripe fruits (plant based) and is extracted for use as a setting agent in jellies.

WHY PRODUCE A PECTIN GUMMY?  Because pectin is plant-based it is vegan friendly and is produced for specialty markets where a protein-based confection is not desired.

CAN BOTH GELATIN AND PECTIN GUMMIES BE MANUFACTURED FROM THE SAME EQUIPMENT? When shopping for gummy production equipment, you will need to know if you will be producing a gelatin or pectin-based gummy and advise your potential supplier. Equipment selections for gummy production are typically geared to specific ingredients for best processing.

WHAT MAKES A GUMMY TASTE GOOD? The taste of a gummy bear or other gummy product begins by using good tasting raw materials, and/or using a masking technology in the event of adding vitamins or minerals, or other ingredients such as fiber, protein or fatty acids that may have a non-pleasant taste. For instance, if marketing a vegan gummy, gummy manufacturers may include flax oil from plant extracts, especially fruit, to improve the taste.

Besides considering taste, gummy manufacturers consider the color of their gummy candy which can lead to a perceived appealing or non-appealing product. The texture of your gummy product is also important to good taste. What type or kind of texture will best meet your marketing objectives?

WHAT MACHINERY IS USED TO MAKE GUMMIES?  Gummy production equipment comes in numerous configurations and is generally suited to your specific requirements. Find candy making equipment in table top versions for start up operations and larger gummy production equipment for larger distribution.

CAN GUMMIES BE MANUFACTURERD IN ANY SIZE?  Gummies can be produced in most any size and typically determined by your marketing objectives. If producing a medicinal delivery product, the amount of macronutrients or other active ingredients may affect your piece size.

ARE ALL GUMMIES MADE WITH SUGAR?  Some form of sweetener is added to the majority of all gummy products for an appealing taste. Because gummies are chewy and usually made with sugar, they can stick to teeth and promote tooth decay. Some gummy producers substitute sugar with a sugar free sweetener such as Aspartame, Xylitol, mannitol, sorbitol, etc., or may use beet sugar. Sugar substitutes decrease the probability of tooth decay and allow diabetics and those watching their sugar intake to enjoy gummies as well.

ARE THERE DIFFERENT METHODS OF PRODUCING GUMMIES? The first gummies were produced using a starch mogul machine. This method is still in use today and has its benefits, but a more recent and trending method of producing gummies is to deposit into specific mould shapes, typically made from silicone or metal, plastic or rubber. Gummies produced in this manner are called starchless gummies.

• Gummies Made with a Starch Mogul Machine:  A starch mogul machine is aptly named because starch is a major component of the candy manufacturing process. Initially made from wood in the late 1800’s and several decades later from steel, starch mogul machines use trays filled with starch that are firmly pressed with a stamping die (specialized machine tool) to form cavities in the starch which are then injected with gummy candy ingredients. Once injected, trays are left to cool or harden and normally transferred to a cooling area for faster processing. During this phase of production, the starch helps absorb excess water making it easy to handle the gummy candy moulds. When the product is set, trays are emptied and the starch and gummy candy are separated, and then the starch is reused. This process can take several days. 

Starch mogul machines will have a cooking system, a starch tray conveyor and loader, a starch conditioning system, depositors, and can have various accessories. 

Benefits of a Starch Mogul Gummy Machine: Starch mogul production machines for gummies can produce any design by changing out the piston operated dies that are pressed into trays filled with starch. This means that individual moulds for specific designs are not used. Instead, the piston operated dies are responsible for producing different gummy designs.

• Gummies Made with Moulds: Gummy manufacturers have found that they can produce product in a much shorter timeframe by depositing ingredients into moulds, rather than depositing gummies into starch pressed with dies. Unlike the starch mogul process, gummies produced with moulds have a shorter drying period so can be processed much faster. This form of gummy manufacturing is called Starchless Gummy Manufacturing. Using a gummy depositing machine made for starchless gelatin or pectin moulds, moulds are first moistened with a release agent and then filled with the jelly mass. After the mass has cooled, pieces are demolded and then the moulds are filled again to begin a new cycle. ​ 

Benefits of a Starchless Gummy Machine: Customers can use gelatin or pectin recipes and silicone moulds that are flexible and cleanable. Once moulded, gummies and jellies will have a perfect shape. During moulding, new fruit ingredients can be added for a healthy snack. Production times using a starchless gummy production machine are greatly reduced due to the shorter cooling times, plus gummies can dry within 20 minutes so there is no need for a drying room. Other nice benefits include a smaller production area footprint and reduced energy costs due to less mixing and cooling times. Plus, this process is very hygienic and approved by the FDA in compliance with GMP standards.

Find candy cooking and basic depositors plus complete gummy production lines and support equipment for gummies like trays and dollies. TCF Sales specializes in candy making equipment and is located in the Austin, TX area. Contact us at 512-201-4443 for more information about making gummies and to discuss your requirements. 

TCF Sales
"The Confectioner's Friend"
www.tcfsales.com