Jelly Manufacturing Process: The Ultimate Guide
Jelly is a soft elastic food substance made with gelatin or pectin.
You can spread jelly on toast and break to make them sweet.
Besides, you can also use jelly in cakes or doughnuts as a filling.
Ingredients for Jelly Manufacturing Process
Jelly
The basic ingredients used in the jelly manufacturing process are fruits, sugar, water, and pectin.
You can add preservatives and other substances to enhance the flavor of jelly.
You can add an acid like citric acid to prevent the jelly from fermenting.
Fresh fruits are mostly used in the jelly manufacturing process.
The sugar you use in the jelly manufacturing process is used to set pectin.
You should not use artificial sugars in the jelly manufacturing process as it causes the pectin not to set.
Choosing Jelly Manufacturing Machine
The jelly manufacturing machine you choose depends on the scale of production.
The commercial jelly manufacturing process requires big machines compared to the homemade process.
Some of the considerations you will take into account while choosing a jelly manufacturing machine include;
· Cost of Jelly Manufacturing Machine
Jelly manufacturing machines also come in a range of prices.
The amount you wish to spend will determine the jelly manufacturing machine you will choose.
Jelly manufacturing machines will cost you from 100 US dollars to 180,000 US dollars.
This difference depends on the type of jelly manufacturing machine.
· Quality Standards
The jelly manufacturing machine you choose should be of high standards.
By maintaining the quality of the jelly manufacturing machine, you can achieve these high standards.
Some of the main standards a jelly manufacturing machine must adhere to include;
- Food and Drug Administration [FDA] quality standards
- International Standards Organization [ISO] certified standards.
- CE marking quality standard
- Current Good Manufacturing Practices [cGMP]
· Level of Automation
Jelly manufacturing machine
The level of automation required in choosing a jelly manufacturing equipment depends on the scale of production.
The amount of labor force needed will also determine the level of automation you will choose.
Jelly manufacturing machine can be fully automatic or semi-automatic;
1) Semi-automatic Jelly Manufacturing Machine
This requires that you have support from humans
A semi-automatic jelly manufacturing machine can do some production on its own.
2) Fully Automatic Jelly Manufacturing Machine
It does not require too much human labor.
You will produce more jelly and in scale with it compared to a semi-automatic jelly manufacturing machine.
A fully automatic jelly manufacturing machine produces jelly on its own.
A fully automatic jelly making machine will cost you more than a semi-automatic jelly making machine.
· Size of your Manufacturing Plant
The jelly manufacturing machine you choose will also depend on the size of your production plant as they come in various sizes.
If you have a small production plant, it is better that you choose a jelly manufacturing machine that will fit.
· Type of Materials
Choose a jelly manufacturing machine that is made of stainless steel.
This is because stainless steel is resistant to corrosion.
This will make your jelly making machine last long as it has high tensile strength.
Choosing a jelly manufacturing machine made of stainless steel will not affect the hygiene of the jelly manufacturing process.
You will also need other parts of the machine, for example, rubber or plastic.
· Technological Advancement
You should also choose a jelly manufacturing machine with the latest technology.
The jelly manufacturing machine should also allow you to upgrade when new technological advances come.
You will need a fully automatic jelly manufacturing machine for large scale production of jelly.
You can customize your jelly manufacturing machine depending on your production desires.
Some of the equipment you will need to consider for the jelly manufacturing process include;
- Storage racks
- Canteen burners
- Stainless steel utensils
- Graters and cutters
- Hand gloves
- Working tables
- Weighing scale
- Glassware
- Testing equipment like refractometer and jelly meter
- Cap sealing machine
- Grinder
- Mixer
- Slicer
- Bottle filling and washing machine
- Juice extractor
- Pulper
- Carton sealing machine
Types of Jelly you can Manufacture
You can manufacture a variety of jelly.
The type of jelly you can manufacture is dependent on the types of fruits you have.
Some of the jelly flavors you can manufacture include;
- Grape jelly
- Strawberry jelly.
- Nectarine jelly
- Apricot jelly
- Apple jelly
- Raspberry jelly
- Blackberry jelly
- Peach jelly
- Mango jelly
- Apple cinnamon jelly
- Green grape jelly
- Plum jelly
- Boysenberry jelly
- Green grape jelly
- Orange jelly
- Jalapeno jelly
- Cranberry jelly
- Guava jelly
- Marionberry jelly
- Sugarplum jelly
- Muscadine jelly
- Guava pineapple jelly
- Pineapple jelly
Support Equipment in Jelly Manufacturing Process
Support equipment in the jelly manufacturing process will enhance your jelly candy production.
Some of the jelly manufacturing process support equipment you may consider include;
· Jacketed Cooker
You can use a jacketed cooker to safely heat your ingredients in the jelly manufacturing process.
It is an alternative to the melting and mixing tank in the jelly manufacturing process
· Holding Tank
The holding tank temporarily stores jelly as it moves through different stages in the jelly manufacturing process.
It also has the capability of maintaining and heating the temperature of the jelly making syrup.
The holding tank can come in various sizes depending on the type of production you have.
· Cooling Tunnels
The purpose of cooling tunnels in the jelly manufacturing process is to gradually reduce the temperature of jelly while it’s hot.
This means it will help you a lot when you pack jelly while it is still hot.
Common Problems during Jelly Manufacturing Process
There are a few problems you may encounter during a jelly manufacturing process.
You can easily troubleshoot these problems the moment you notice them.
Some of the problems you may encounter include;
· Solid Jelly Texture
Solid jelly texture in the jelly manufacturing process is as a result of excess cooling or drying.
You can easily sort this problem by regulating the temperatures of the machine.
You will also need to repair or replace the cooling system if it is broken or faulty.
· Lack of Ingredient Flow
Ingredients in the melting and mixing tank in the jelly manufacturing process might fail to mix properly.
This will lead to producing jelly of bad standards.
You can easily sort this out by fixing the mixing and melting tank.
You will also adjust the production specifications using the control panel.
In addition, you need to also have the correct measurements of all the ingredients to be used in the jelly manufacturing process.
How to Manufacture Jelly (Step-by-step Process)
The jelly manufacturing process is a delicate matter that requires accuracy.
You can use the standard or long boiling method.
Here, you will boil the extracted juice and sugar until a gel is formed
You are to use this jelly manufacturing process with fruits that contain pectin in adequate amounts.
Since you need sufficient pectin, you are recommended not to use commercially canned juices.
Standard or long boil jelly manufacturing process produces a jelly that has a rich flavor than pectin added jelly.
Here are the steps you can use in long boil or standard jelly making process;
- Prepare the fresh fruits and extract the juice
- You are to use 3 parts of ripe to 1 part of unripe fruit
- Wash the fruits before you start the jelly manufacturing process
- You will then cut the fruits into small pieces together with the peels as they will produce pectin when cooked.
- Add water depending on the fruit used then cook fruits and stir continuously until they are soft.
- When the fruit is now tender, strain through a double cheesecloth without squeezing.
- Test for pectin and acid to ensure they are in the right amount.
- Prepare your jars and put 6 to 8 cups of the juice that has been extracted in a large kettle.
- Add sugar to the juice and bring to boil.
- Stir until sugar dissolves in the juice.
- You are then to boil the mixture to the jellying point of 220 to 222 Fahrenheit.
- Test for doneness
- Remove the jelly from the heat and skim off the foam quickly.
- You are then to pour the jelly into hot containers.
- Seal the jars and pack once it has cooled.
How to Test the Quality of Jelly
You can measure the quality of jelly by determining its doneness level.
You can use a spoon test or a thermometer test.
Fruit jelly
· Spoon Test
You are to dip a cool metal spoon in boiling jelly.
Lift the spoon and let the liquid run off the side.
When two big drops slide and hang together to the side of the spoon, the jelly is done.
· Thermometer Test
You are to insert a candy thermometer inside cooking jelly.
The jelly is done when the temperature is 8 Fahrenheit higher than boiling water.
Difference between Jelly and Jam
Jam and jelly are different products.
They have different characteristics and are produced differently.
They also have similarities, for instance, they are made with fruits or parts of fruits.
Here are some of the distinguishing qualities to jam and jelly;
· Jelly
Jelly is a clear spread made of fruit and consists of firmed vegetable or fruit juice.
You can use jelly both as a dessert or as a food accompaniment.
Jelly is generally clear, sparkling and it is also firm and holds itself in place.
Jellies have the juice part of the fruit in it.
· Jam
Jam is made with whole fruits that are cut into pieces or are crushed.
You can only use jam as a food accompaniment only.
Jams are gelled syrups that are loose and cannot hold itself in place.
Jams do contain fruit pulps in them.
Good Practices during Jelly Manufacturing Process
The good practices during the jelly manufacturing process deals will all things from ingredients to packaging.
These good practices will ensure that your jelly manufacturing process will run smoothly.
This will ultimately lead to the production of high standard jelly.
These good practices have to be consistent all through the jelly manufacturing process
Some of the good practices you can apply in the jelly manufacturing process include;
· Fill Temperature
You do not need a hot water bath if you have maintained a 190-degree temperature when you are filling jars.
This is because your fill is already sterile.
The fruit in the jar will have cooled enough for the gel to begin taking place.
If you put the jar in hot water, you risk breaking the pectin chains built during the jelly manufacturing process.
· Pallet Burns
You are never to put hot jars of jelly in cases and then on a stack of pallets.
By doing so you will break the pectin achieved in the jelly manufacturing process.
You are recommended to cool down the jars to 100 degrees before the packing process.
This can be achieved by a simple cold-water bath.
· The Recipe
You are never to change from your recipe during the jelly manufacturing process.
This will ensure that you do not produce jelly that is not proven and tested.
It will also save you money if it all goes wrong.
If you want to make some changes to your recipe, you are to do small sample tests.
This will also ensure you make a jelly that is fit for human consumption.
Once proven, you can then apply it during the jelly manufacturing process.
· Capping
Capping is the process of putting a cover on the jars of jelly.
If you are hand capping, you are recommended to use a threaded cap.
Hand capping also has its limitations like speed and consistency.
A capping machine will help you in capping many jars with accuracy.
Machine capping is to be used for lug type lids.
This is because you can adjust the torque that will best suit your caps in the jelly manufacturing process.
· Manufacturing
The goal of the jelly manufacturing process is to produce the most consistent products.
It’s important to weigh your ingredients during the jelly manufacturing process.
This will enable you to produce jelly that is of good consistency, flavor, and color.
You are also recommended to use the same kind of heating process during the jelly manufacturing process.
When you want to change from an electric to a gas heating system, you are to use expert advice.
This is because they heat the jelly at different rates.
Different Techniques in Jelly Manufacturing Process
There are two techniques in the jelly manufacturing process.
· Continuous Process
In the continuous jelly manufacturing process, you are using pectin solution and not pectin powder.
All ingredients are then heated to dissolve in a vacuum station.
· Batch Process
Here, you mix and stir the jelly manufacturing ingredients.
You will maintain the boiling point of the solution until you add pectin.
The flavor and color are added at the end of the process.
Safety Measures during Jelly Manufacturing Process
While in the jelly manufacturing process, it is important you ensure the safety of staff and jelly.
This will ensure no staff is at harm and that no jelly produces is below required standards.
The jelly manufacturing machines should have sensors to detect and give a warning when danger is detected.
The sensors will send you a warning in due time to prevent any harm.
The sensor also has the ability to shut down the jelly manufacturing process when a great danger is detected.
The jelly manufacturing machines also have covers on heating and electric parts of the system to prevent injury.
It’s also important that you have enough moving space during the jelly manufacturing process for ease of maneuverability in case of emergencies.
You should have all staff wearing protective clothing during the jelly manufacturing process.
These include gloves, gumboots, apron, hairnets, and safety glasses.
How to Package Jelly
You are to pack manufactured jelly in jars.
These jars can be made of glass or stainless steel.
Best Ways to Store Jelly
You are to store manufactured jelly in a cool dark place away from direct sunlight
Once opened, it’s recommended to keep it refrigerated.
SaintyCo offers a range of jelly making machines depending on your unique specifications.
You can contact us now for inquiries and free consultations.