Course:FNH200/Projects/2020/Marshmallow

Introduction

Marshmallows are a sugary confectionery product that are popular throughout the world. Originally, marshmallows were used for medicinal purposes and contained the root of a marshmallow plant, Althaea officinalis. However, now marshmallows are mostly used as a sweet food product known for its unique consistency. The marshmallow is light, fluffy, and squishy, and is made from protein, sugar, water and a few additional ingredients.

It is commonly used as a filling in baking, or it can be molded into shapes and manufactured as a food item. Now, there are so many varieties of marshmallows- mini, giant, coloured, flavoured. From roasting over a campfire, adding to hot chocolate, using in cereal treats, marshmallows are a favourite!

History

The Althaea officinalis plant.

Today, marshmallows are known for their gooey texture and the classic pairing with campfires. However, the origins of marshmallows go back centuries.

The 'marshmallow plant,' otherwise known as Althaea officinalis, is a herb native to Europe, West Asia, and North Africa. Around 2000 BCE, Ancient Egyptians discovered this plant and the decadent sweet sap that could be extracted. The sap was used to make honey candy and this product was reserved for royalty and gods, particularly to soothe coughs and sore throats. The sweet treat also gained popularity among Romans and Greeks during this time period.

During the early 19th century, French confectioners begin experimenting with the marshmallow sap. They would whip the sap with egg white, sugar, and water, resulting in a solid bar form of a marshmallow. The mallow root sap was used as a binding agent. This product was known as Pâte de Guimauve and took up to two days to craft by hand.

A few decades later, the marshmallow technology was updated, decreasing processing time and ensuring supply could keep up with increasing demand. The starch mogul system was used, in which a machine fills trays with starch, compresses it, presses a printing board with the final marshmallow moulds into the starch and then withdraws the board. Next, hot creme is poured into the gaps left by the moulds, forming the marshmallows. The resulting marshmallows were sold in tins as penny candy. Around this time, the use of mallow root as a binding agent was replaced with gelatin.

As marshmallows were becoming easier to produce and sell, marketing was also used to increase sales. In 1927, the Girl Scouts in America produced The Girl Scout Handbook, which was the first publication credited with sharing a recipe for s'mores. The recipe called for roasted marshmallows, paired with chocolate and graham crackers. The famous term 's'more' stands for 'gimme some more,' in reference to the delicious taste created by s'mores.

Marshmallow peeps.

Marshmallows continued to gain popularity worldwide. In 1955, a new technology was invented by Alex Doumak of Doumak, inc. called the extrusion process. This ensured the process was cost-effective and efficient. In this process, the marshmallow mixture is pushed through tubes, cut into equal pieces, cooled, and packaged. Doumak, inc. has been renamed and is now known as Campfire Marshmallows, one of three marshmallow manufacturers in the US. This technology made marshmallows much more readily available, making it cheaper and more popular in households around the world.1.

In the following decades, marshmallows have taken on new shapes and forms. You can now find chocolate covered, pastel coloured, vegan, and bunny shaped marshmallows. The Just Born company alone produces over a billion individual peeps (chick-shaped marshmallows) each year.

The modern marshmallow has evolved over time, with new ingredients, flavour combinations, shapes, and manufacturing methods.

Ingredients

The ingredients and measurements used in the production of marshmallows change depending on the producer and their desired final product. However, the main ingredients that are the basics in the production of marshmallows are:

1.Corn Syrup

Corn syrup is the main and most heavily-used ingredient. It is made when corn starch is hydrolysed by the enzyme amylase or by heating it with dilute acid. The syrup almost entirely consists of glucose (which links to form maltose) and is considered a carbohydrate-based sugar substitute that elicits sweetness but also has functional properties such as adding texture, preventing the crystallization of sugar and enhancing the flavour of the food product. In this case, the glucose is used to attract moisture and keeps the sucrose/sugar from crystallizing. Corn syrup is separate from its popular counterpart, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) which is also widely used in the commercial production of sodas and processed foods. HFSC contains glucose that is converted to fructose by the enzyme glucose isomerase and through innovations in technology, scientists have been able to produce HFCS with varying levels of fructose to impart a similar sweetness profile as sugar but at a lesser cost.

Most recipes call for more corn syrup than sugar because it allows for more solubility and hastens crystallization.

Corn syrup that gives marshmallow its sweetness while adding a chewy texture.

2. Sugar

Sugar, or table sugar is a simple carbohydrate that mainly consists of the disaccharide sucrose. It is formed when glucose (50%) and fructose (50%) are linked together and it is obtained from crystallizing the juice from sugar-canes or sugar-beets. Compared to corn syrup, it is twice as sweet on the sweetness index. In the making of marshmallows, the mixture between sugar and corn syrup prepares itself for the mechanical process that contributes to the structure of marshmallows.

3. Modified corn starch

Modified corn starch is corn starch that has been altered by a chemical or enzyme which allows it to perform certain functions in foods as opposed to when it is in its original form as regular corn starch. Modified can mean any change produced by roasting, treating the starch with acid, using an electrical charge on the acid, or treating it with sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide. Corn starch when heated breaks down, while modified corn starch can be used as a gelling agent to maintain the texture of microwaved foods.

Modified corn starch is coated onto the mixture and in its mold or tray so that the outer surface of the candy dries more quickly. It also increases the marshmallow’s shelf life.

4. Dextrose

Dextrose is a simple sugar that is made from corn and is similar to fructose and biochemically identical to glucose. In the case of marshmallows, it can be mixed with the corn syrup as an artificial sweetener to produce HFCS. Dextrose also extends the shelf-life of many food products and allows for the 6-8 month longevity of commercial marshmallow products.

5. Water

Water is used to dissolve the sugar and corn syrup mixture. However the beating process conducted between the melted gelatine and sugars controls the amount of moisture content in the recipe. The moisture content is an indication of the quality assurance of the marshmallow.

6. Contains Less than 2% of Gelatin

Gelatin is from the animal protein collagen that is taken from animal body parts like bones and fish skin. Gelatin has two major functional properties, firstly it forms a gel by trapping large volumes of water in a semi rigid 3-D protein matrix. Proteins such as this contribute to the gummy texture of food products. In this case, it is used as a whipping agent by binding water in the marshmallow. Gelatin is also an amphiphilic molecule (contains both hydrophilic and hydrophobic portions) and therefore, also acts as a foam-stabilizer by trapping air in bubbles.

Gelatin contains the amino acids alanine, glycine, proline, arginine, glutamic acid, and hydroxyproline. Some recipes call for egg whites as a replacement, however gelatin is able to form a fluffy foam that maintains the marshmallow’s  elasticity and spongy quality much longer.

The sugar is poured into the gelatine and is beat rapidly so that air is incorporated into the structure and small bubbles are created throughout, giving the marshmallow its bouncy and fluffy structure.

Gelatin in powder form that is ready to use for cooking and baking.

Marshmallows being made in an industrial commercial production line.

The combination of corn starch, water, gelatin in combination with other additional ingredients such as modified food starch, gum and whipped egg whites are used in various combinations at the discretion of the producer. However, the basics give marshmallows their texture and act as emulsifying agents by maintaining fat distribution and allowing for aeration through rapid mixture.

The following ingredients below are additional ingredients that are used at the discretion of the producer to give marshmallow a certain aroma/flavour profile and texture:

7. Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate (Whipping Aid)

TSPP is an inorganic sodium salt compound that acts as an anti-tartar ingredient in toothpastes.

Interestingly, it is also a food additive and is used in the production of marshmallows as an emulsifier. It allows for the ingredients to stick together and can be found in other gummy-texture foods such as chicken nuggets and imitation crab.

8. Natural and Artificial Flavor

Natural flavours are defined by government regulations to mean those that derive their flavour chemicals from plant or animal sources. Whereas artificial flavours are chemical mixtures that mimic a natural flavour. If marshmallows are coloured, the colouring usually comes form an artificial colouring.

Natural flavours or artificial flavours that mimic the taste can mean the essential oil/essence or any product that is produced from roasting, heating, or enzymolysis which is derived from the ingredients.

Marshmallows usually have a vanilla flavour to them or are indicated on the package as exhibiting a different flavour profile. Currently the federal labeling rules in Canada under the Food and Drugs Regulations (FDR) and Canadian Consumer Packaging and Labelling Regulations (CPLR) only requires the written identification of an artificial flavour in the ingredients list if the packaging includes a picture of some product indicating a flavour that is not pre-existing. In the case of marshmallow, it could be something fruity or chocolate-like.

9. Blue 1.

Blue 1 is a synthetic organic compound that acts as an artificial food dye. It is produced from petroleum and is used as a blue colorant for processed foods, medications, dietary supplements, and cosmetics. In the production of marshmallows, it is used to give the white colour that is famously known around the world.

Manufacture

The commercial manufacture of marshmallows can be broken down into 4 steps: cooking, forming, cooling, and packaging.

Sugar, corn syrup, and gelatin are boiled to make the marshmallow mixture.

1. Cooking

First, sugar and corn syrup is dissolved in water and boiled. Gelatin is added to the mixture and the ingredients are heated in a kettle to 240°F (115°C). Then, the mixture is strained to remove any extraneous matter. The hot boiling mixture is whipped into a foam that is double or triple the initial size. Usually, this is accomplished in a rotor stator pump which is a machine that helps incorporate air into the mixture to create the whipped foam. At this point, any flavouring can be added. The mixture is then cooled in a tempering kettle, filtered again, and enters the extrusion process.

2. Forming

Marshmallows are formed through an extrusion machine.

The marshmallows are shaped by extrusion or depositing them onto starch bands. Depositing the marshmallow mixture allows for creation of various shapes. Otherwise, they are extruded as the classic marshmallow pillow shape through a machine. They can also be extruded in rope form which they are cut into smaller pieces and dried on a conveyor belt. A coat of corn starch is used to hold the marshmallow’s shape after extrusion and minimize stickiness.

3. Cooling

The pillow-like marshmallows are then sent through a cooling drum. In this stage, excess corn starch is removed while the temperature of the marshmallows are cooled enough to be packaged.

4. Packaging

After cooling, the marshmallows are weighed and packaged to ship to retail stores.

Packaging

Marshmallow Packaging

The packaging process of marshmallows requires a careful and delicate approach. Since marshmallows are light and fluffy, they can be problematic to package. The weight of marshmallows are so light, they in fact cascade down the machinery's forming tube, and eventually displace air, causing them to rush upwards to impede their downward flow .

Marshmallows can be packaged in various shapes and forms. Moulds are primarily used to create the shape of the marshmallow- and there are two techniques used. The first technique is relatively easy but mostly used when making marshmallows at home. The beaten marshmallow mixture is poured directly into a tray that has been covered with butter and lightly dusted with cornstarch. Once the marshmallow mixture has been set, the marshmallow cubes are cut into cubes, and dusted powdered sugar and cornstarch. The second option uses a starch mould, and it is commonly used by companies to make large amounts of marshmallows at a time. The moulds are created by preparing a tray of cornstarch, and impressions are made in the starch using shapes. Then, the marshmallow mixture is boiled and poured into the impressions in the starch, which allows the marshmallow pieces to set quickly- because the drying effect of starch, and prolongs the shelf-life.

After the marshmallows are shaped and formed, they are packaged into various films, for example, cellophane. The use of cellophane has many benefits. It is economical, and the use of transparent material displays the product, making it more appealing to consumers. However, this type of packaging frequently results in deforming of the marshmallows because they tend to stick together. The plastic bag the marshmallows are substantially gas impermeable, and relatively non-stretchy, to allow for enough air in the bag to allow the marshmallows to flow freely without sticking.

Packaging equipment not only packs the marshmallows into packages or boxes, but also preserves the appearance of the product while guaranteeing the highest quality of products. The most common packaging machine used is the Vertical Cartoner Basis40 . This packaging machine provides high quality packs at speeds up to 40 packs per minute, and provides the possibility of products packing in a wide range of various forms.

Preservation Techniques and Shelf Life

The suggested shelf life on a pack of store bought marshmallows usually lasts between two and six months. This is a suggested time period which is very useful in determining the prime time to consume the given marshmallows but can be looked at objectively on a case to case bases.

A ziplock bag would be a great way to store marshmallows as it is airtight and can lock molecules from the outside environment out.

Marshmallows tend to stay edible for a long period of time subsequent to the expiry date due to the main ingredient in marshmallows: Corn Syrup. Corn Syrup is a preservative in itself and helps keep marshmallows edible and fresh, while minimizing water activity. Another apect that can heavily impact the shelf life of marshmallows is the packaging and environment. As stated before, marshmallows are packaged tightly, and sealed in a way that does not let excess air molecules and moisture from outside the bag enter and come in contact with the marshmallow. Marshmallows harden and lose moisture when they are exposed to air. Storing Marshmallows in a very cool environment such as the fridge can be beneficial if stored properly, in a airtight container, but if too much moisture is able to enter the packaging, it can further the marshmallows degradation process instead. The ideal place to store marshmallows, in order to keep marshmallows in their natural, fresh state the longest possible is by sealing the packaging tightly and placing them in a slightly cool (just below room temperature) and dark area where access to light is limited. Examples of these places might include a cupboard or pantry. The less the packaging is opened, and the less air exposed to the marshmallows the better. By doing these few things, the shelf life of marshmallows can be drastically extended.

This is how marshmallows should look in their fresh state.

It is also important to make sure bugs do not have easy access to the marshmallows; as marshmallows are very sweet, insects will be drawn to the product already. It is important to thoroughly inspect the packaging before consumption.

A good alternative that preserves marshmallows for long periods of time is freezing them. Marshmallows are recommended to be frozen for a couple months at a time. This preservation technique controls water activity and reduces the amount of moisture that come in contact with the marshmallows. Ultimately, this technique can store marshmallows in their original state for longer, but once they are thawed out, they will be harder than they were before.

One can tell if marshmallows have gone bad by the smell, texture, taste and colour. Perfectly good marshmallows should smell slightly sweet, have a texture that is not stale but instead, soft, (if you press it with your thumb, it should not crack and break but return to its original shape quickly and easily), and the colour should be white.

Marshmallows should also stay separate from one another, If improperly stored, marshmallows may also become sticky and form clumps within the packaging, which may be a sign that it has been left in environments that were too moist or humid. When left in these environments, marshmallows may melt into one another or obtain a very chewy texture that is not the same as fresh marshmallows.

Regulation and Safety

Marshmallows are an unstandardized food, like most confectionery items with the exception of chocolate products and mixed nuts. This means that there is no standard for composition outlined in the Canada Food and Drug Act.

However, the Canadian Food and Drug Regulations outlines some of the specificities involved in the making of marshmallows.

For instance, in section B.14.062 [S], on gelatin, the Act permits the use of certain ingredients only for the use of making marshmallows. When manufacturers are making marshmallows, sodium hexametaphosphate or sodium lauryl sulphate may be added to the gelatin. This is a unique situation, as when gelatin is used in other food products, the addition of these ingredients is not permitted.

As well, there are rules outlined in the Canada Food and Drugs Act that ensure that food available for consumers is safe and edible. These rules ensure products will not be sold that contain poison, were prepared in an unsanitary manner, or are unfit for human consumption, to name a few. Packaging and advertising cannot be deceptive or false.

In addition, marshmallows have to abide by the general Canadian guidelines for labelling food. This includes bilingual labelling, storage instructions, date markings, list of ingredients and allergens, net quantity, nutrition labeling, and any food additives.

These rules and regulations ensure that marshmallow products remain safe for consumers throughout Canada.

Exam Question

When toasting a marshmallow over a campfire, what type of browning reaction occurs?

A. Caramelization

B. Maillard Browning reaction

C. Toasting reaction

D. Neither

This is an important exam question because we learned about different browning reactions in lesson 2. The answer to this question is caramelization- the reaction of sugars when heated at high temperatures to produce a butterscotch flavour (resulting in the caramel colour).