STUDY OF THE STABILITY OF FOAM AND VISCOELASTIC PROPERTIES OF MARSHMALLOW WITHOUT GELATIN

Marshmallow is a special kind of chewing souffle, prepared on the basis of sugar and gelatin, belongs to popular confectionery products. The study aims at developing a marshmallow technology with the replacement of gelatin (taking into account religious and ethnic restrictions in human nutrition) with various non-starch polysaccharides. Taking into account the data on the synergism of polysaccharides, some pairs of non-starch polysaccharides (xanthan gum, guar gum and locust bean gum) with the total concentration of 1-2%, based on which eight marshmallow samples had been produced, were experimentally selected. The organoleptic quality of these samples was estimated using the subjective estimation of shape retention, elasticity, and an increase in volume. The marshmallow texture indicators were analyzed using a tool-software complex "TA.XT plus Texture Analyzer". The shelf life was estimated by measuring the moisture content and water activity using a water activity analyzer "HygroPalmAw" (Rotronic, Switzerland), which is equipped with a dielectric moisture sensor. The study of the moisture content and water activity of eight selected samples with different concentrations of xanthan gum and vegetable gums allows to refer the corresponding samples to a class of products with a mid moisture content. Based on the study, the organoleptically acceptable and economically viable marshmallow samples were selected, each of which successfully reproduces the main attributes of the well-proven and widely consumed traditional marshmallow.