Starch moguls have been the standard for gummy candy molding for 100 years. The advantages of using starch molding include fast molding of any shape, absorption of excess water which aids drying, and starch can be recycled in the process. The disadvantages include long setting times in a refrigerated room, risk of dust fire, and risk of contamination from recycled starch. Contamination presents the largest concern; gummy candies are increasingly produced as nutraceuticals, vitamins, and edibles ( i.e., CBD or THC containing gummies) which makes their standards more stringent. Running THC through a line means that products like vitamins cannot be subsequently run on the same line due to the contamination risk.
The goal of this project is to develop an alternative design to starch mogul processing for gummy candies, particularly edibles, with the main objective of reducing cross-contamination between non-CBD/THC and CBD/THC products being produced on the same molding line. The new design must be able to maintain the characteristics of gummy candies that elicit positive responses in consumers. Another goal is also to address some of the problems associated with starch moguls such as drying time and net cost.