The production process of producing a good quality candy involves the following. First of all sugar, glucose syrup are dissolved in water and boiled to 145C0. Then color is added and the boiling process continues until the temperature reaches 150C0. The boiling sugar syrup is then poured immediately on an oiled slab. After a little cooling, citric acid, flavor and color are quickly kneaded into the whole mass. The material is fed into a roller machine to obtain boiled sugar drops which are packed in plastic films after sprinkling starch.
The alternative technology of production is commonly known as extrusion cooking. This technology has led to the creation and development of numerous products. Extrusion cooking is carried out with a double screw conveyor, i.e. two infinite screw vises rotating in the same direction. In the process, powdered ingredients such as cereal flours, sugar, or cocoa, as well as processed liquids and possibly fat and emulsifiers are measured out and premixed before being introduced into the extruder. Then the mix is submitted to a thermo mechanical process (combined effect of pressure and temperature) generating a cooked mixture that is then forced through a tube. This technology, however, is used mainly in the production of breakfast cereals (also called ready-to-eat cereals). In addition, the investment cost is very much higher when compared to the technology adopted by the envisaged plant.
