---
title: "Gummy and Jelly Production with Glucose, Maltitol and Pectin — LiangduSyrup"
url: "https://liangdusyrup.com/gummy-and-jelly-production-with-glucose-maltitol-and-pectin/"
date: 2026-09-23
---

# Gummy and Jelly Production with Glucose, Maltitol and Pectin

Gummies and jellies depend on a partnership between a sweetener system and a gelling agent. Change either and the texture moves. Understanding the roles of glucose syrup, maltitol and pectin turns guesswork into control.

The sweetener system
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Glucose syrup is the backbone of most gummies: it controls crystallisation, adds body and manages the final chew. Sucrose supplies sweetness. In sugar-free versions, maltitol or other polyols replace the sugars, which changes not just sweetness but how the gel sets and how it ages.

Gelling agents
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- **Gelatin:** springy, elastic, the classic gummy bite. Not vegetarian.
- **Pectin:** soft, short bite, fruit-friendly, works in vegan recipes.
- **Starch:** the basis of many wine gums and jelly shapes.
- **Agar and carrageenan:** firm, brittle gels for specific textures.

Getting the texture right
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Gel strength depends on concentration, pH, and the presence of sugar or polyol. Pectin needs the right acidity and solids to set properly; gelatin needs careful temperature control to avoid degrading. Every change to the sweetener system should trigger a gel-strength check.

**Practical tip:** test texture after accelerated ageing. A gummy that is perfect on day one can turn rubbery or sticky by day 90.

Sugar-free considerations
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Polyol gummies benefit from a humectant to prevent drying and from careful label declaration of the laxative threshold. Flavour perception also changes without sugar, often requiring more aroma. Validate in a full shelf-life test before launch.