Add the Perfect Finishing Touch to Your Gummy Vitamins and Supplements
Gummy coatings can be used to enhance the consumer experience when they purchase their favorite gummy pharmaceutical products. Though this step is optional in the manufacturing process, it remains popular for this reason.
Coatings can improve flavor, texture, and moisture levels in gummies as well as prevent sticking. With the right commercial-grade equipment, this can be managed efficiently at a scale that meets your production needs.
In this ultimate guide, we’re going to cover everything you need to know about coating gummies and why you should consider it.
When Do You Add Coatings to Your Gummies?
The gummy manufacturing process is broken up into 3 phases: Cooking, Depositing and Cooling, and Coating and Quality Control. As these names suggest, adding a coating to your gummy products happens during the final phase.
Once the gummies have been cooled, solidified, and released from their molds, they are then conveyed onto drying trays. At this point, the manufacturer has the option to add a coating if they wish to.
What Are Gummy Coatings Made Of?
There are no universal base ingredients for gummy coatings. Depending on the purpose the coating is intended to serve, it can be made from a variety of substances. These can include but aren’t limited to:
- Sugar – to enhance the sweetness and texture of the gummy
- Wax – to create a firmer outer layer to protect the gummy and prevent sticking
- Cornstarch – to prevent gummies from sticking together in the packaging and reduce excess moisture
- Citric acid and sugar blend – to create a sour gummy
Why Add Coatings?
Adding a coating to your gummy vitamin or supplement is completely optional. Some manufacturers prefer to keep the gummy as-is once it has finished fully drying. However, if you do wish to add coating, here are a few reasons you might want to consider this:
To Enhance or Modify Flavor
Sweet or sour coatings can be added to gummies to alter or enhance their flavor profile. Oftentimes, these types of coatings are in a granular medium and may add a slightly rougher outer consistency to the otherwise chewy product.
To Prevent Sticking
Some coatings are also purely functional. For example, a thin coating of cornstarch is a popular choice for many manufacturers who want to prevent individual gummies from sticking together in their packaging. The starch creates a nonstick outer layer which prevents the stickier layers underneath from bonding.
To Change the Texture
You might notice that some gummies have a slightly firmer outer layer. This is often due to the manufacturer adding a thin layer of wax around them. Oftentimes, this is a plant-based wax like carnauba which can safely be consumed in an amount as small as a gummy coating. Other ingredients like sugar granules can also give the gummy a slightly rougher texture which contrasts nicely with the chewier core when bitten.
To Control Moisture
Some coatings can help keep your gummies from becoming too wet or too dry. This helps preserve the intended texture and toughness of the gummy without moisture levels affecting the finished product.
What Do You Need to Start Coating Gummies?
Depending on your production needs, most commercial-grade gummy manufacturing equipment will be able to offer coating capabilities. In addition to coating machinery you will also need the following items:
- Base ingredients for creating gummies: Gelatin or gelatin substitute, sweeteners, active ingredients, colors, flavors, and citric acid
- Gummy coating of your choice
- Production equipment to handle the cooking, depositing, and cooling aspects of the manufacturing process
- Molds to shape the gummies as they cool and solidify
- Water activity meter to verify acceptable Aw levels during quality control
Start Coating Your Gummy Pharmaceuticals Today
Gummy coatings can elevate the consumer experience and improve your packaging capabilities. To learn more about the right gummy manufacturing equipment for your specific production needs, contact us any time to speak with one of our team members.