Dates and Nuts based Energy Bar

Hi
I hope you are all doing well
I need guidance of expertise. Pl cooperate
I am working on the development of Dates and Nuts based energy bar by cold processing.
Process
Sealing of Ground (4 pieces/almond)Almonds with 5% Gum Arabic solution prepared as 5g Gum Arabic dissolved in 100ml water (cooking to 60-70C) then in this solution I am adding 0.2 ml Sustain oil as antioxidant and spraying this prepared solution on my almonds then roasting I am carrying out. Similarly I am roasting barley flour, sesame and watermelon seeds to brown color. Then I am taking pitted dates in a machine which prepare paste (adding 1g sodium benzoate/1kg dates paste )then in this paste I am adding my roasted aforementioned ingredients. Now while paste forming I am keeping temp of machine 70-90c in different trials to dry the paste.
I am not adding any qty of water in this paste forming process OK ?
Brix of the paste is ranging b/w 81-83°Brix.
Final moisture of my finished bar is ranging b/w 11-14%.
What do you senior FT/NPD/ R&D expert say
Would it keep longer and mold free at this moisture content ?
What could be shelf life of this product?
Is this moisture content 11-14% is safe for this product ?
I am using BOPP 30 micron packing material for it.
I have explained all my process for the ones who are interested in this business, if you need further help please feel free to contact me.
Please my seniors and R&D specialist give your recommendations.
Thanks and Regards
Ali
Research and development executive
Masters degree in Food sciences

Hello Ali
I’m interested in this kind of niche and would love to ask what is the reason for using gum Arabic and what is the sustin oil?
What is the binder for the ingredient is it the date?
Did it get dry and tough in time?
Is it OK to add oil to make the dough softer?
And what type of oil?

I have a problem of that this kind of doughs and items because it’s tough and heavy doughs that requires high cost of machains also there might not be a machine that can form this items easily and fast unlike flour bread doughs

Hi CAPTM
gum Arabic is thickener as well as binder. You can also add it in your chew confectionery (I carried it’s trial today in chew batch in place od f starch, it, though increased the cooking temp of batch but it helped in achievement of desired results )
Well
Sustain oil is actually combination of BHA BHT (antioxidants) to prevent oxidation

What machines are suitable to extrude and cut this type of doughs into the desired shape and size?
Is there any stuffing or topping in the final item like chocolate or peanut butter filling?

If you want to go with cold processing then paste forming head is needed to form paste and in the same you can add all other of your ingredients to have final paste to form sheet and then bars of desired measurementa

@Roy @CBD_hemp_MJ @Roy
I hope you are doing well
Can you comment on my this post regarding what should be safe moisture content (To have mold free longer shelf life) and water activity of my this Dates and nuts based bar ?
If you read my post you will get to know how I am preparing this
I ll be grateful if you share your experience

the water activity should definitely be below 2%. Date concentrate, which you should use in a bar with a mixture of dates and hazelnuts, can help you. Using date concentrate instead of sugar makes it easier.

i think you mean water content.

I guess I misused the expression. I meant the moisture content required in the final product. The process should be adjusted, taking into account the moisture from the flavor used in snack bar groups. The flavor is heated to a maximum of 60-70 degrees Celsius in order to remove it from its own moisture.

Hi Ali,

Maybe a picture of your trial, will assist the real specialists with respect to the guys who could assist you at the stage you at now.

Moisture content is being taken care of by processing, micro sizing, adsorption heating etc. Maybe an extra nut flour added, not just grinded nuts.?
Water Activity is also been assisted by Gum Arabic or Acacia.Maybe another or Co gum of Fibre to take up moisture, Fibres can absorb up to 8 x their mass in moisture and some of the natural oil. Date may be doing this too, I’ve never worked with dates.

I think these are now the two parameters,you need to control to make a perfect bar with good preservation.

Dear I am not adding any extraneous water in the process
Moisture content is being contributed by the intrinsic moisture content of ingredients which are being used in bar.

I can’t come down to 2% moisture content.
Moisture is ranging b/w 9-13%.
Is it safe.
So far, I mean its been three months I started this project. I am continuously analyzing my samples and I haven’t detected any fungal growth yet.

I am unable to post here the picture.
Options here unable to upload my bar here.
@ufukayyildiz can you help me in uploading picture.
Actually I am unable to copy paste or drag the picture herr

You can use pictures links try to convert a picture into a link

I think your product will last longer than 3 months due to the dates it has a high sugar content
But the main problem in such items that contain dates is it becomes harder so be careful with adding more moisture absorption agents
Maybe a humactent would be a good idea like low % of glycerol

Hi,
i think you can do shelflllife test … keep the samples in dry area with tempeature around 25 C . and do the micro test after 1,2, months. As you know there are two terms moitsure or water content and water actvity …both are different … water activity should by less than 2 … but it dosn’t mean moisture content should be less than 2 … as in caramel making process we add water and water content is 8 - 10 % . but you can see caramel in chocolate have shelf life of morre than a year. flour has upto 14 % water and have shelf life of 3 months . so you have to do shelf life test … as nuts paste have oil in it … more prone to oxidation … and dates and sesame seeds get worms very frequently … so either use dry date powder … as you are dealing with very delicate product … make sure to do shelf life test .

Thanks @neetuchaudhary06 for writing in response.
Water activity value 2 ! Is it correct ?
Literature says your sample should have aw<0.6 to avoid fungal attack. If its not wrong ?
My product till now haven’t gone under microbial attack yet.
Now the problem is that Bars are getting dried and turning Hard in texture.
I am not using any humectants in its preparation.
I am using Barley flour upto 7-10% (Roasted to 3-4% moisture content).
I guess its drying my bars ?
No off taste and physical appearance of fungus I have witnessed till yet. Its been almost 4 months I am working in this niche

Water activity not higher than 0.6 some bars have Aw lower than that without humectant your products become unappealing and unappetizing to eat.If its in round form.its value is for good slingshot ammunition not for eating.
A blend of invert syrup anf glycerin would maintain a chewable texture in your nut bar , cut on your drying agent…those flours won’t help, you are destroying your product with it
You only need humectant laden syrup( sucrose, glucose, invert syrup, glycerin and fat) to bind that…nuts and dates with compression molding .you little gum if needed I bake and dry mine not gentle heat.

@Roy thanks for your suggestions
Actually i want to go NATURAL. I dont want to add processed ingredients LIKE ANY FAT, GLYCERIN, INVERT SYRUP. ETC
TO make it clear to you here are the ingredients I want to go with
Roasted chopped Almonds, roasted sesame, roasted barley flour, Pitted dates, roasted watermelon seeds…

What is the compression molding?
Do anyone is suggesting a type of machain to make this type of items into balls and bars shape?

Well you had to bear with it that you will end up with a product that is better for slingshot ammo than desirable eating…
There is nothing unnatural with glycerin and invert syrup as its a product made from the breakdown of fats.When you eat fatty matter it will also be broken down similarly by enzymatic means to fatty acids and glycerin in your body.
Invert syrup is the major sugar of honey…
I think you need to expand your perspective and understand the chemistry of your ingredients so you have lots of options.
Formulating products with not much knowledge and a biased mind at the start will led to failure. You are no different from a cook mixing things in the kitchen with no in deep understanding about the molecular side as well as the real story of the ingredients.
I repeat honey is a natural form of invert syrup.Humectants like glycerol occurs in nature although they can be made synthetically…

There are machines that uses pressure to press a comestible into shape.