Physical and sensory aspects of maltodextrin gel addition used as fat replacers in confectionery filling systems

- Maltodextrin gels were incorporated as fat replacer in confectionery fillings.
- Fat reduction resulted in an increase in hardness of the final product.
- Fat reduced systems were darker.
- Trained panellists rated 5% fat reduced systems better than control sample.
- Untrained panellists found all the samples sensory acceptable.

Confectionery fillings are products used in confectionery and baking industry containing approximately 30-40 g fat/100 g product. Due to the high fat content, they have considerable high caloric value. Therefore, there is a trend to decrease fat content in confectionery filling formulations. The objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility of using two types of maltodextrin gels as potential fat replacers in confectionery fillings.Vegetable fat was partially replaced by potato maltodextrin and specially derived waxy-maize maltodextrin aqueous gels (15 and 20 g/100 g) in three different ratios (5, 10 and 15 g/100 g). The increase in the amount of fat reduction resulted in an increase in hardness and change in colour of the final product. According to sensory analysis performed by trained sensory panel as well as by measurements of product acceptance-preference performed by untrained panellists (consumers), confectionery filling with 5 g/100 g fat reduction had the highest scores. However, according to product acceptance-preference test, it was estimated that the final product with 15 g/100 g fat reduction was also sensory acceptable.