You are developing the formulation for cream-filled cookies in which the cookie

Question

You are developing the formulation for cream-filled cookies in which the cookie has a water activity of 0.31 and moisture content of 1.4% and a cream filling which has a water activity of 0.80 and a moisture content of 15%. The ratio of cookies to cream filling in the final product is 2:1 and the final product must have a water activity of less than 0.40 to meet the specifications for acceptable quality. Will this product meet those specifications? If not, how could the formulation be altered to reach the required specifications?

Explanation / Answer

Water activity is a measure of the amount of water available in a food stuff.

A water activity of 0.31 means the vapour pressure is 31% of pure water

Water activity of the cookie = 0.31 = p1 / p0 => p1 = 0.31xp0

where p0 and p1 are respectively vapour pressure of pure water and vapour pressure of water in the cookie

Water activity of the cream filling = 0.80 = p2 / p0 => p2 = 0.80p0

where p2 = vapour pressure of water in the cream filling

the ratio of cookies to cream filling = 2:1

Now the water activity of the cream filled cookies mixture can be calculated as

aw (mixture) = (2x0.31p0 + 0.80p0) / 3p0 =  0.47

But we need a water activity of less than 0.40

This can be achieved by reducing the water content.

Hence we either ned to reduce the cream fill cntent or increase the cookie content.

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