Physical and Chemical Properties of Caramel Systems

Molecular and mechanical relaxation properties of caramel systems as a function of temperature and composition were investigated using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). Corn syrup, the major carbohydrate in the original recipe, was replaced by polydextrose to different extents. The glass transition temperature (Tg) of the caramel systems estimated using both the NMR and DMA techniques increased with increasing polydextrose content. Cold flow, one of the most important rheological characteristics, was retarded in the higher polydextrose caramel system, coincident with the decrease in proton mobility of the caramel system.