Gelatin-free aerated confectionery products and methods for preparing the same

A continuous method for preparing an aerated confectionery product having a density of 0.1 to 0.5 g/cm3, comprising the steps of:

• A. providing a foam structuring composition comprising:
• (i) a native potato protein;
• (ii) a highly branched starch (HBS) obtained by treatment of starch or a starch derivative with glycogen branching enzyme (EC 2.4.1.18), and wherein said HBS has a molecular branching degree of at least 6%, wherein the molecular branching degree is defined as the percentage of α-1,6 glycosidic linkages of the total of α-1,6 and a-1,4 glycosidic linkages ((α-1,6 /(α-1,6 +α-1,4) *100;
• and
• (iii) a gelling starch distinct from HBS comprising a modified potato starch, acid-degraded starch, oxidative degraded starch or an enzymatically degraded starch;
• B. providing a slurry confectionery blend comprising:
• mixing about 50 to 80% of a saccharide component, about 1 to 30% moisture, and about 1 to 30% (dry weight basis) of the foam structuring composition to form a mixture;
• and
• heating the mixture by direct steam pressure to form the slurry confectionary blend;
• C. cooling the heated slurry confectionery blend in a vacuum cooler to obtain a confection blend;
• D. aerating the confection blend to form an aerated confection foam having a density of about 0.1 to 0.5 g/cm3 and a temperature of at least 70° C.;
• E. extruding the aerated confection foam at a temperature of about 85-100° C. to form an aerated confection extrudate;
• F. cooling the aerated confection extrudate to form a set aerated confection extrudate;
• and
• G. forming the set aerated confection extrudate into pieces.