Study on process optimization of soft candy with hericium and agar

The agar was used as the coagulant in this paper. A kind of new soft candy was developed by adding hericium powder in the soft candy. The effect of the sucrose-starch syrupratio, the content of agar, citric acid and hericium powder on the product quality were studied by single factor experiment. The technical formula was optimized by orthogonal experiment, and sensory evaluation and texture profile analysis were used to test the sensory quality indicators of the product. The experimental results showed that the best technical formula for production of soft candy as follows:92.135% sugar (the quality ratio of sucrose and starch syrup was 1:2), 3.2% agar, 0.075% citric acid and 4.5% hericium powder, 0.09% fruit essence. The hardness of the optimized product was 5188 g and tastes moderate, the chewing value of it was 2119 g and its chewiness was very good.