TECHNOLOGICAL SOLUTIONS OF FRUIT PASTILLES AND THEIR QUALITY ASSESSMENT

The production of fruit pastille was aimed at replacing traditional sugar-rich sweets. For ecological and economic reasons, they were mainly made from local raw materials. These fruit pastilles were produced using natural materials such as fruit and vegetables, without the use of any food colouring or other artificial additives such as sweeteners, etc. To produce a healthier alternative to traditional sweets, appropriate technological solutions have been taken. Fruit pastilles were made exclusively from different varieties of apples, as well as by mixing apples and carrots, apples and blueberries without added sugar and with 20 % sugar. The fruit pastilles were evaluated by children aged 4-10 years. The fruit pastilles without added sugar, made from Bogatyr apples and blueberries scored the highest points due to their distinctive taste, as the panellists identified them as blackcurrant pastilles. The moisture content and water activity of the fruit pastilles, which affect texture and shelf-life, were determined. These physico-chemical parameters were found to be higher in the samples with added sugar: 43 % moisture, 26 % water activity and 62 % ash compared with the samples without added sugar. This could be due to the sugar-pectin structure formed. Fruit pastilles, both without and with added sugar, were lower in calories than traditional sweets