Seaweed candy, anyone?
Here’s another product generated by research: Seaweed candy.
The candy was produced from Eucheuma, one of the country’s important seaweed species with high export as well as domestic market value.
Commercial Eucheuma farming in the country started in 1972 in southern
Test trial of Eucheuma farming was started in Gonzaga, Cagayan, in 1992 with successful results. In the same year, quality extract was found better when cultured from December to May.
This kind of seaweed contains Kappa carrageenan, which has industrial and pharmaceutical values. Carrageenan is applicable in the formulation of food and nonfood items because of its quality attributes such as gelling agent, viscosity binder, stabilizer and emulsifier.
Studies on seaweed product formulation such as candy, flan, jams, fellies, and other dessert items have been conducted over the years.
Among the latest focused on Eucheuma candy done by Marivic Anzo and Dr. Theresa Domingo of the
They presented the results of their study at the 2008 Aquatic Technology Commercialization and Marketplace (ATCOM) sponsored by the Los Baños-based Philippine Council for Aquatic and Marine Research and Development (PCAMRD) during the observance of its 20th anniversary.
The two-phased research aimed to develop a standard process for making Eucheuma candy. The first phase focused on three formulations and the second on the shelf life of Eucheuma candy coated with pure granulated sugar and pure peotraco (powdered) sugar.
The formulation had the same ingredients but different amounts.
Results showed that Formulation 3 was “highly significant in terms of color, texture, odor/flavor and general acceptability.” The ingredients of F-3 are two cups carrageenan, one cup each of refined sugar and glucose, one tablespoon artificial flavor/color, one tablespoon cornstarch (dissolved in two teaspoons of water), and a pinch of ascorbic acid.
The product has a moderately gummy texture, moderate fruit flavor, and was accepted very much by the panelists, Anzo and Domingo reported.
They also observed that Eucheuma candy coated with granulated sugar had a shelf life of two months. That coated with peotraco sugar remained acceptable up to six months of storage. — Rudy A. Fernandez
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