Confectionery Jelly: Definition, Formulation, and Pectin vs Gellan Comparison
What Is Confectionery Jelly?
Confectionery jelly (also spelled confectionary jelly in some regions) refers to a soft, elastic gel-based candy made primarily from sugars, water, and a gelling agent. It is a broad category of sugar confectionery that includes many familiar chewy sweets.
Typical products include:
- Gummy bears and gummy shapes
- Fruit jelly candies
- Wine gums
- Jelly beans (gel center)
From a food science perspective, confectionery jelly is a high-solids sugar gel, where a hydrocolloid network traps water and dissolved sugars to form a chewable, elastic, and shelf-stable gel.
Key Characteristics of Confectionery Jelly
Compared with ordinary dessert jellies, confectionery jellies are defined by:
- High sugar content (usually 65–80 °Brix)
- Chewy or elastic texture, not spoonable
- Clear or translucent appearance
- Low water activity, enabling room-temperature storage
- Designed for biting and chewing, not melting in the mouth
These properties are achieved through precise control of:
- Sugar composition
- Gelling agent type
- pH and acid level
- Mineral balance (especially for ion-set systems)
Common Gelling Agents Used in Confectionery Jelly
Several hydrocolloids are used depending on texture and labeling needs:
- Gelatin – classic elastic gummies
- Pectin – traditional fruit jellies with clean bite
- Agar – firm, brittle vegetarian gels
- Low-acyl gellan gum – firm, clear, heat-stable gels
- Blended systems – texture and process optimization
Among plant-based systems, pectin and gellan gum are the most important and most frequently compared.
Example Formula: Fruit-Style Confectionery Jelly
(Low-Acyl Gellan Gum System)
Target texture: firm, elastic, clean bite
Target solids: ~72 °Brix
Suitable for: fruit jellies, clear jelly candies, vegan gummies
Typical Formulation (by weight %)
| Ingredient | Percentage (%) |
|---|---|
| Water | 22.0 |
| Sucrose | 38.0 |
| Glucose syrup (DE 40–42) | 38.0 |
| Low-acyl gellan gum | 0.25 |
| Calcium source (e.g. calcium lactate) | 0.03 |
| Citric acid (50% solution) | 0.40 |
| Flavor | 0.25 |
| Color | q.s. |
| Total | 100.0 |
Basic Processing Steps
- Dry blend gellan gum with part of the sugar
- Heat water to 85–90 °C and dissolve sugars
- Add gellan gum under agitation until fully hydrated
- Add calcium source to initiate gel network formation
- Adjust pH with citric acid (typically pH 3.4–3.8)
- Add flavor and color
- Deposit hot syrup into molds
- Cool, set, demold, and finish (sugar coating or oil polish)
Pectin vs Gellan Gum in Confectionery Jelly
Although both are plant-based hydrocolloids, pectin and gellan gum produce very different confectionery jelly textures and processing behaviors.
1️⃣ Texture & Eating Experience
| Attribute | Pectin Jelly | Gellan Jelly |
|---|---|---|
| Bite | Short, clean bite | Firm, elastic, resilient |
| Break | Sharp snap | Controlled fracture |
| Chewiness | Low–medium | Medium–high |
| Mouthfeel | Juicy, fruit-like | Smooth, dense |
Simple rule:
- Pectin breaks cleanly
- Gellan resists and rebounds
2️⃣ Gel Structure & Appearance
| Aspect | Pectin | Gellan (Low-Acyl) |
|---|---|---|
| Gel mechanism | Sugar + acid set | Calcium ion set |
| Clarity | Good | Excellent (crystal clear) |
| Syneresis | Low (well-formulated) | Very low |
Gellan gum is preferred when maximum transparency is required.
3️⃣ Sugar & pH Requirements
| Parameter | Pectin | Gellan |
|---|---|---|
| Required solids | ≥65 °Brix | 55–75 °Brix |
| Sugar dependency | High | Lower |
| Optimal pH | 3.0–3.5 | 3.2–6.5 |
| Low-sugar suitability | Poor | Good |
Pectin is highly dependent on sugar and acid.
Gellan offers much wider formulation flexibility.
4️⃣ Thermal & Processing Stability
| Property | Pectin | Gellan |
|---|---|---|
| Heat resistance | Moderate | Excellent |
| Shape retention | Moderate | Very strong |
| Hot filling | Limited | Highly suitable |
Gellan-based jellies perform better in:
- Hot climates
- Long-distance export
- High-temperature processing
5️⃣ Dosage Efficiency
| Hydrocolloid | Typical Usage (%) |
|---|---|
| Pectin (HM) | 0.8 – 1.5 |
| Gellan gum (LA) | 0.15 – 0.35 |
Gellan gum delivers stronger gels at much lower dosage.
Typical Application Choices
Pectin is preferred when:
- Traditional fruit jelly texture is desired
- Clean break and juicy bite are important
- High-sugar formulation is acceptable
- “Fruit-derived” labeling matters
Gellan gum is preferred when:
- Firm, elastic, gummy-style texture is required
- High clarity is critical
- Heat and shape stability are needed
- Sugar reduction is targeted
- Precise texture control is necessary
Blended systems (pectin + gellan) are often used to balance:
- Clean bite
- Elastic strength
- Processing tolerance
- Cost efficiency
Conclusion
Confectionery jelly is a structured sugar gel confection distinguished by its chewy texture, high solids, and shelf stability. While pectin delivers a traditional fruit-jelly eating experience, gellan gum offers superior clarity, strength, and thermal stability. Understanding the differences between these systems allows manufacturers to design texture intentionally, rather than by trial and error.
