Process of caramelization

Caramelization is what happens when any sugar is heated to the point that the molecules undergo chemical reactions with oxygen in the air and with each other – the molecules either break apart into smaller molecules, or combine with one another to make larger molecules. The result is a very complex, brown colored mixture that normally call caramel.

Caramelization occurs in food, when food surfaces are heated strongly, e.g. the baking and roasting processes, the processing of foods with high sugar content such as jams and certain fruit juices, or in wine production.

Sugar is caramelized when it is melted into a clear golden to dark brown syrup, reaching a temperature from 320 to 356 degrees F. It goes through many stages which are determined by the recipe being made.

At 338 degrees F, the sugar syrup begins to caramelize creating an intense flavor and rich color, from light and clear to dark brown. Depending upon when the cooking stops and it cools and hardens, caramel textures can range from soft to brittle. A soft caramel is a candy made with caramelized sugar, butter and milk. Crushed caramel is used as a topping for ice cream and other desserts.

The large brown molecules (caramelin, caramelen and caramelan) are what give caramel its color, its viscosity and its stickiness. The aroma molecules give caramel its flavor.

Caramel colors, i.e. ammonia caramel, ammonia sulphite caramel, and caustic caramel are the most widely used food additives and are found as coloring agents in a wide range of foods and beverages.
Process of caramelization 

The Softdrinks

The Softdrinks
All softdrinks have a basic compositional structure. First, there is the water that makes up about 87 to 92% of the beverage volume.

The water used is normally separately pretreated to remove impurities, microorganisms and other undesirable attributes, such as off-tastes, odors and turbidity.

It is also treated to regulate alkalinity and hardness. Make no mistake about the fact that water used in softdrinks made by more reputable bottling companies is much more purified than what comes out of the common tap in your house.

Next we have the sweetener, which is usually refined white sugar, though other natural or artificial sweeteners are being used as alternatives.

In a natural sweetened softdrinks, the sugar makes up about 8 to 12% of the beverage by mass.

Another ingredient common to almost all softdrinks is the acidulant. This is term used for any inorganic or organic acid that contributes to the sourness of the beverage.

The balance between sweetens and sourness is what gives it the basic typical taste profile of all flavored softdrinks.

Without this sweetener and acid balance, the beverage would taste totally wishy-washy and unexciting.

To this basic taste background, a flavorant, or a flavorant combination, is added.

Flavorant may be natural, nature identical, or completely synthetic. They are usually in very concentrated forms and give beverages their characteristics tastes.

Flavorant can be c0mpared to perfumes in as much as they also contribute to the smell of the product, which plays an important role in the general overall sensory perception of the drink.

To round off the taste of the softdrinks, colorants are added to the composition when such coloring is considered essential to the visual impact the drink has on the consumer.

Colorant may be natural ingredients but are more commonly synthetic food dyes. They are used in minute quantity individually or in combinations that give us the rainbow spectrum of softdrinks colors we see in the marketplace.
The Softdrinks