Understanding the Phenomenon of Sugar Crystallisation in Complex Systems & Identifying Methods of Measuring its Extentto Aid its Prediction?evention

Confectionery products are complex systems where multiple sugars coexist, typically in mixture with non-sugar compounds. Whilst concentrated sugar systems naturally evolve towards the crystalline state, the metastable amorphous state is often preferred for its superior sensorial properties. The products state is affected by their overall composition, processing history and storage conditions. It is essential to identify the critical formulation, processing, and post-processing conditions to preserve the amorphous state without increasing the amount of sugar added in the product to achieve the desired sensorial experience. This is crucial as increased sugar consumption is a well-known risk factor for chronic disease development.

PhD project Aim: Understand and predict the crystallisation behaviour of concentrated sugar mixtures in chemically heterogeneous supersaturated systems.

Objectives:
1. Investigate the impact of sugar type, concentration, and the cooling induced supersaturation on the crystallisation behaviour of sugar mixes and their resulting physicochemical properties.
2. Understand the impact of non-sugar components, e.g. mouthfeel enhancers and preservatives, on sugar mixture amorphous state and re-crystallisation behaviour over time.
3. Evaluate the role of processing and post-processing conditions on the molecular assembly and amorphous state of selected formulations.
4. Evaluate the sensory response to reformulated sugar systems with a view to reduce sugar intake. This will be evaluated across different age classes.