HK1063131A - High precision multiple-extrusion of confectionary products - Google Patents

Description

High precision multi-layer extrusion of confectionery products

References to related applications

The present application claims provisional patent application serial No.60/262919 (filed 2001, 1/19) entitled "three component coextruded soft candy center filled lollipop with hard candy shell".

Technical Field

The present invention relates to center-filled confectionery products, such as hard lollipops having a liquid filled soft candy center.

Background

Hard shell lollipops with a center or different materials are known. Such two-phase confectionery products include "tottsie Pops" which have a hard confectionery outer layer and a softer (chewy) confectionery center. Another known two-phase confectionery product is the "Blow Pop" which has a hard candy shell and a bubble gum center.

There are a number of two-phase gummy products on the market, such as "Bubbaloo" and "Freshen-Up". Each of these fondants has an outer shell and a soft or syrup-like center.

It has not been possible to produce acceptable three-phase lollipop products or lollipop products with a semi-liquid center to date because of the difficulty in limiting leakage of the semi-liquid center during manufacture and/or insertion of the lollipop stick in such products. There are currently no lollipop products on the market with a three-phase composition, i.e. with one of the three different raw material layers or zones being a semi-liquid type raw material.

Disclosure of Invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method for the manufacture of lollipops. It is another object of the present invention to provide a system and method for making a semi-liquid center-filled confectionery product, such as a lollipop.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a system and method for producing a confectionery product having three different materials or phases. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system and method for making a confectionery product having three phases, one of which is a semi-liquid type material.

In accordance with the present invention, improved systems and methods are provided for making center-filled confectionery products filled with both a center layer (core) of hard or chewable material and a semi-liquid type material. Co-extrusion of the three-layer or three-phase confectionery product into a three-component "rope" utilizes a co-extruder or two separate co-extruders to extrude a material having an outer hard confectionery layer and an inner hard or chewy (i.e., chewy) layer, such as a fondant. In addition, a semi-liquid material is sandwiched between the inner layers simultaneously with or immediately after the formation of the coextruded confectionery piece.

This three-phase product is passed through a rope sorting mechanism into a rotary or chain final candy shaper. The three-phase extruded product is formed into a sheet or individual pieces of candy. Lollipop sticks can be formed when desired by inserting them into the mass while the mass is being processed. The final product is conveyed to a cooling tunnel or cooling mechanism to undergo shaking (rolling) and cooling. After this process is complete, the product is sent to storage for further processing or to a separate plant for immediate packaging and shipment.

The present invention provides a flavor precipitating agent throughout the three layers or phases described above to improve the sensory effect for the user. The hard candy shell provides a taste that is met by the first use as it dissolves. The gummy or bitten inner layer provides the chewing attributes with additional flavor release agents. The semi-liquid center-fill provides a sudden and highly irritating acidity and rapid breakdown, which is surprising and satisfying to the user. Finally, if bubble gum is used as the inner layer, it allows the user to continue to bubble even after some flavor has been extracted and consumed.

Other advantages, features and details of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a schematic top view of a confectionery forming method and system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the system and method of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a finished center-filled lollipop product made in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the product itself being shown in partial cross-sectional view;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the lollipop product of FIG. 3, the cross-sectional view being taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows a cord of a 3 component co-extruded product of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of the system shown in FIGS. 1 and 2; this cross-sectional view is taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 are side, top and front views, respectively, of one form of lollipop forming machine for use with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a partial cross sectional view of a lollipop forming head mechanism of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a schematic view of a rotary cooling tunnel for use in the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of a lollipop product made by one embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrate another preferred cooling mechanism for use with the present invention;

fig. 15 and 16 illustrate another 3-phase confectionery forming mechanism that may be used with the present invention.

Detailed description of the preferred embodiments

Fig. 1 and 2 illustrate a system for making a center-filled lollipop in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 1 is a top view of the system and fig. 2 is a side view of the system shown in fig. 1.

For ease of description, the present invention will be described in detail with respect to the formation of lollipop products. It should be recognized that the present invention can be used to form any three-phase confectionery product and is not limited to forming lollipop or fondant-type confectionery products. For example, the outer layer may be a hard candy having one flavor and one color, or may even be clear, and the middle or second (inner) layer may be made of a hard or chewy candy material while having a second flavor and a second color. The intermediate layer can also be made of gum or bubble gum, which is one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention. The center layer or core may be any high viscosity fluid material, such as a gel or any semi-liquid material.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the illustrated lollipop manufacturing system 10 includes a first extruder 20, a second extruder 22, a pumping system 24 for the center-filled semi-liquid portion, a rope sorting mechanism 28, a lollipop forming machine 30, a conveying apparatus, and a cooling device 34.

The extruder 20 is used to form an outer layer 24 of a co-extrusion 25 (see fig. 5). The extruder 22 is used to form a center or gum center 26 of a co-extruded material 25. As shown in fig. 1, 2 and 6, the fondant is fed from extruder 22 through barrel 23 directly into barrel 27 on extruder 20, and as fondant 24 is extruded through barrel 27, the fondant is sandwiched into the center of fondant 24 through barrel 23 which projects into barrel 27.

The core of the fondant 26 is filled with a semi-liquid parison 29 by the pumping mechanism 24. The semi-liquid parison 29 is sandwiched or funneled into the soft candy mass through a conduit 31 that is also attached to the extruder 20.

This composite three-phase material 42 then travels along the sorting mechanism 28 where sets of sorting rollers form it into its final size and shape for entry into the lollipop forming machine 30. A drum mechanism 44 (described in detail below) forms the three-phase candy/gum/semi-liquid center rope into individual candy pieces and inserts lollipop sticks into each candy piece. The lollipop products 46 are then discharged from the forming machine 30 onto the conveyor mechanism 32 where they are fed into the cooling tunnel 34. Air is circulated within the drum 50 in the cooling tunnel 34 to cool and harden the final lollipop product. A motor 48 is applied to rotate a tub 50 of the cooling tunnel 34.

The products made according to the invention are schematically shown in figures 3 and 4. This lollipop product 46 is a three-phase product, i.e., comprising three layers of three different materials. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the lollipop product 46 includes a semi-liquid center L (typically having a jelly-like consistency), a second layer of gum or bubble gum material G, and a hard outer layer of candy material C. During the forming process the lollipop sticks S are inserted into the three-phase product, forming a complete lollipop product.

The fondant to be extruded from the extruder 22 is first formed in batches by any conventional method, such as in a pan 52. Fondant products made by batch processes are typically made in sigma blade pan mechanisms. Such fondant making methods are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4329369 and 4968511. It is also possible to provide gum or bubble gum made by extrusion in a continuous mixer, such as shown in U.S. patent nos. 5045325 and 5135760.

The gum material for the lollipops is delivered from the pan 52 into the inlet or aperture 22A of the extruder mechanism 22. In the extruder 22, the gum material is further mixed and conveyed along the barrel 23 by a rotating screw mechanism. In the system of the present invention, the gum or bubble gum material is extruded as a "rope" having a generally circular cross-section in the barrel or tube member 23, where it is extruded into the barrel 27 of the extruder 20.

The semi-liquid center-fill phase for this lollipop product can be made in any conventional manner and then delivered to the pumping mechanism 24.

Such semi-liquid center generally has a syrupy or jelly-like consistency. The core is cooled and optionally flavoured and coloured. This center is then fed through conduit 31 and injected into the center of the extruded rope of gum material.

The conduit 31 is typically surrounded by a water jacket (not shown) to maintain the temperature of the semi-liquid feed within a certain temperature range, such as 40-50 ℃. The barrel 27 of such a coextrusion system is also preferably surrounded by a cooling jacket to achieve the same purpose. Water or low pressure steam at about 80-100 deg.C may be used.

The semi-liquid material, which is used as a center mass of the fondant, enters the barrel 27 of the extruder 20 through a conduit 31. This semi-liquid material drains from end 31A of conduit 31 into the fondant 24. The seated head member 31B of the discharge end 31A forms a defined space of slightly increased size within the extruded gum material, allowing the extruded semi-liquid center to form a uniform layer of different phases within the gum material. This not only provides a defined area for the semi-liquid core, but also forms a central cavity for the semi-liquid core to fill.

A lollipop forming machine that may be used with the present invention is shown in fig. 7, 8 and 9. Details of the foregoing drum mechanism are shown in fig. 10, and the lollipop forming machine, such as those available from Latini or others, manufactures similar products and is commercially available. In this regard, the BLP-4 ball lollipop forming Machine of the Latini Machine Company may be used for the purposes of the present invention. Generally, the lollipop forming machine 30 includes a housing 12, a feed/sort mechanism 122, a number of revolutions 44, and a conveyor 32.

In this lollipop forming machine 30, a rope of, for example, solid candy material passes through a feed/sorting mechanism 122 and around a rotating drum 44 that includes a plurality of forming dies 124. The feed/sorting mechanism 122 includes a pair of upstanding roller members 122A and 122B (see fig. 7) that feed the rope into a forming die 124 at a suitable thickness.

The forming die 124 includes an array of semi-circular grooves around the outer periphery of a rotating ring member 126 and semi-circular groove members 128 hinged to the drum member 44 for allowing extruded sugar material to enter the forming die 124 and be discharged therefrom after the final product is formed.

Drum 44 rotates about a central axis 130 and includes cam-operated plunger members 132 and 134 located on opposite sides of such semicircular die grooves. When the hinged mold channel 128 is positioned adjacent the forming mold 124, an oval shaped cavity 136 is formed and the candy material is positioned therein and formed into the same shape. The lollipop sticks S (46B) are located in a stick magazine or hopper 140 and are automatically dispensed one by one into a stick channel 142 adjacent the drum mechanism 44. A separate plunger member (not shown) pushes the lollipop stick S axially or longitudinally to insert it into the semi-solid formed candy portion 46A of the lollipop. Here, as shown in FIG. 6, the stick member S is inserted only into the candy portion C and the soft candy portion 9 of the lollipop 46. This ensures that the gum is integrally sealed around the liquid center portion L, preventing such liquid material from leaking out of the candy portion 46A and/or causing defective goods.

The lollipop products 46 are discharged from the lollipop forming machine 30 or 180 into the conveyor 30, which feeds them into the cooling mechanism 34. These lollipops are preferably formed with a small piece of candy material between them to hold them in a continuous string of lollipops. The string of lollipops is allowed to fall onto the conveyor belt under the forming die as the die drum rotates. The cooling tunnel 34 includes an outer housing 150 and a central rotating cartridge 50. The cartridge 50 is rotated by the motor 48 and belt drive 152.

Air is injected through an orifice 154 of a conduit or channel 156 located at the center of the drum 50. The finished lollipop products 46 are rolled and cooled in the cooling tunnel 34 from the inlet end 34A to the outlet end 34B. If the lollipops are not separated as they enter the cooling tunnel, the tumbling process will separate them one by one. The rolling operation also helps to keep the finished product in a better and more uniform circular shape. The continuous movement of the formed lollipop products in the cooling tunnel prevents them from being deformed. The final lollipop product is either sent to a storage point for later processing or directly to packaging for subsequent delivery to the user.

Fig. 13 and 14 illustrate another preferred cooling mechanism 200. This cooling means 200 may be, for example, model BC1 sold by Aquarius Holland. Such a cooling mechanism 200 may be used in place of the cooling tunnel 34. It serves the same function and is used in the same manner. The cooling mechanism 200 is immediately after the forming machine 30. The transport mechanism 32 feeds these lollipops into the inlet 202 of the housing 204.

The housing 204 is made, for example, of sheet metal, and is generally sized and shaped as shown in the figures, with a pair of service doors 206 and 208, an outlet 210, and a motor-controlled spiral cam mechanism 212. Air is introduced into the enclosure and used to cool the lollipop products. Within the housing are a number of angled chutes 214. These chutes 214 are located on movable wheels 216 to allow the chutes to swing side-to-side within the housing. A post 218 is attached to each chute and is operatively connected at its outer end to the spiral cam mechanism 212. Thus, as the spiral cam rotates, the chutes rapidly swing side-to-side. The result is that the lollipops on the chute are caused to swing, roll and rotate, thereby allowing them to cool evenly and preventing deformation.

The series of chute members in the housing are inclined in opposite directions (as shown in fig. 14) to allow the lollipops to move back and forth in the housing. The rod ends are swung to travel along their full length on the uppermost tray, fall onto the tray immediately below, and move repeatedly in this manner into the bottom tray of the housing to exit through the aperture 210. The lollipops exiting the cooling mechanism 200 are collected in a box or container (not shown) and transported to a storage site for later processing or directly transported for packaging and then shipment to a customer.

The rope sorting mechanism 28 includes a planar surface on which a plurality of pairs of sorting rollers 74 and 76 are provided. A set of rollers may be provided at the inlet end of the sorting deck, but a pre-sorting mechanism may also be attached to the end of the batch former 24 as described above. The rope sorting mechanism 28 includes a table member 29 having a plurality of roller members for conveying and accurately sorting the cross-sectional diameter of the three-phase extruded rope product for entry into the lollipop forming machine 30.

Preferably, a roller set and two pairs of flat rollers are used to sort the rope. In this regard, the gum material may be reduced to 2.00 inches in the roller set, to 1.50 inches in the first pair of planar rollers, and to 1.25 inches in the second pair of planar rollers. The feed rolls on the forming machine were then able to further reduce the diameter to a final size of 1.20 inches.

As noted above, the present invention may be used to form a wide variety of three-phase confectionery products in which the core phase or center is a highly viscous fluid or semi-liquid material. Although a bar may be added to convert such confectionery products into lollipops, the three-phase product herein may be formed without a bar and packaged and dispensed in the same manner as any other confectionery product.

In addition, the outer layer need not be a hard candy. Such outer layer or shell may be not only a hard sweetener with or without sugar, but also toffee or caramel or even a separate gummy or bubble gum layer. The intermediate or inner layer may also be a hard or chewy candy of the sugar or sugarless type, toffee or caramel or a soft or bubble gum material. The core may for example be any highly viscous or semi-liquid mass, such as a water-based liquid filling of various viscosities, a fat-based cream, a confectionery jelly, a jam, a nut paste, a chocolate, a cream-based confectionery or a caramelised milk-based confectionery.

Another lollipop forming machine that may be used in the present invention is a chain forming machine 180 (shown in FIGS. 15-16). Instead of rotating the die drum in the Latini forming machine, it uses a pair of rotating chain members, which are sold by Euromec, italy. Each of the pair of chains has a set of semi-circular die grooves formed therein which come together on the three phase rope to cut it into separate pellets of semi-molten candy material. The lollipop end bars can be inserted into the sugar balls of the Euromec machine as needed and from there the finished lollipop product is discharged onto a conveyor. Another company that may be used with the present invention in its lollipop forming machine is Robert Bosch GmbH, Germany.

A representative chain forming machine 180 of this type is schematically shown in fig. 15. The former 180 includes two mating rotating chains 181 and 182 as best shown in fig. 17. To form a lollipop (not the drum set described above). Each of the two chains has a portion of a forming die set for forming the final shape of the lollipop. The rope 42 of fondant is fed into the intersection where the two chains come together in rotation. The two individual forming dies are mated together at the point where the rope is cut, forming the pieces of each die into an oval shape (or the shape of the cavity of the forming die). The two mold sections travel together for a certain portion "D" of the chain length in their mated closed position. This defines the final shape of the product, into which the lollipop sticks are inserted from one side, also by means of a lollipop stick funnel 183.

When the two chains separate after the forming process, the formed lollipop products 46 with their sticks fall from the forming machine onto a conveyor 184 for transport into a cooling and rolling mechanism, such as cooling mechanism 34 or 200.

A stable center product is provided for either form of the invention. The semi-liquid center is effectively contained within a center shell of gum or bubble gum surrounded by a hard candy shell. The three layers of material form a stable leak-free lollipop.

The formulation of the semi-liquid center for the present invention has a very high percentage of pectin, which helps prevent the center from leaking out of the lollipop product through the gum or bubble gum. The amount of pectin is about 1.0-1.3% by weight of the final product, which helps to prevent the semi-liquid center from gelling. In addition, the fondant and center fill have been maintained at relatively low temperatures, below about 50℃, which also helps to prevent the semi-liquid center fill from gelling or reducing viscosity.

In the production process of the present invention, it is important to maintain the temperatures of the raw materials L, G and C in appropriate ranges. In order to prevent subsequent leakage through the semi-liquid center-fill upon insertion of the lollipop stick S, the outer layers of candy shell, gum, and semi-liquid center-fill must remain in a "plastic" state. The temperature is below the glass transition temperature at which the material becomes a solid, and above the flow temperature, the material becomes a flammable liquid. The formula of the raw material of the flavoursome core material layer L is as follows:

raw materials Weight (%)

10-16 medium-grained granulated sugar

12 to 18 g of water

45-55 parts of high fructose syrup

14 to 18% of glycerin

0.3-0.4% of pectin solution

5-8 parts of citric acid

Colorant NO. 10.002-0.003

Blue pigment NO. 20.00004-0.00005

0.6-0.8% of seasoning

The pectin is gently mixed with glycerol. Cooking a mixture of glucose syrup, sugar, water and glycerol (including pectin) to 109-110 ℃. Then cooling the mixture to 80-85 ℃, and then adding acid, pigment and flavoring. This mixture had a jelly-like consistency. The amount of pectin is such that the semi-liquid center-fill thickens sufficiently to prevent it from migrating through any cracks or voids in the center layer of the gum and passing to the outside, which would otherwise cause difficulties in the forming process of the stick end and produce an unacceptable finished product.

The key to producing a qualified liquid-filled confectionery product is to prevent the liquid center L from leaking out of the center of the extruded rope of material as the two semi-circular dies come together to form the confectionery portion 46A of the lollipop product 46. The edges of the two semicircular dies are brought together to compress the extruded rope in the X and Y portions shown in figure 12. The gum or bubble gum material G at the center is also extruded at both ends to form flat portions A and B. Maintaining the semi-liquid portion L in a thicker composition, for example increasing the amount of pectin in the formula, will help prevent the semi-liquid center L from being squeezed out at points X and Y of the confectionery shell C along the joint or seam of portions a and B.

Representative examples of formulations and mixing methods for the bubble gum material in the soft candy G portion and the candy material in the candy C portion of the three-phase flavored lollipop products are as follows:

soft sweet Weight (%)

13-17 parts of glucose syrup

18-22 of soft candy base mixture

60-63% of sugar

0.70-1.1% of citric acid

Colorant # 20.02-0.04

0.45-0.65% of glycerin

Corn oil (Corn oil) 0.15-0.35

0.8-1.2% of seasoning

0.4-0.6 of talcum powder

This glucose syrup and gum base mixture and talc were added to a batch pan mixer and mixed for at least 1 minute by a mixing blade rotating in one direction and thus for at least 3 minutes by a reverse rotation. The temperature of the kettle was maintained at about 120F and the jacket temperature was about 120 c. The final fondant base temperature is 85-95 ℃ and fondant drop temperature is 46-50 ℃, then sugar, citric acid and blue colorant are added into the pot, and the mixture is further mixed for at least 3 minutes. During this mixing, glycerol was added and the mixture was further mixed by rotating the blades in each direction for at least half a minute. At the end the corn oil and flavor are added and mixing continued for a few more minutes. If necessary, sugar can be divided into two portions and added at different times during the process to alter the texture of the resulting fondant product.

The fructose materials are mainly medium-grained granulated sugar (about 55.0%, dried) and glucose syrup (about 45.00%, dried). When this ingredient is added to the digester, water is added. After the candy mass is cooked, a color solution of about 1.33% FD & C colorant # 20.33% FD & C colorant #40 and 98.33% natural spring water is added. The candy base is then cooled to about 140 ℃. The flavoring part is mixed in advance, and comprises flavoring, malic acid and citric acid, and their ratio amounts are 0.08, 0.12 and 0.8 respectively. The cooked candy material is injected into an extruder 20, and the flavored pre-mix is placed into the extruder and kneaded therein.

A typical three-phase finished confectionery product may have a final total weight of 20 grams including 4.3 grams of an oak chip gum or hard candy G, 0.7 grams of a semi-liquid center L, and 15.0 grams of a hard candy C. Another preferred proportion of such ingredients is 60% hard candy shell, 30% soft candy shell and 10% center by weight.

The process parameters and processing sequences for the linear method and system of the present invention are set forth below. The temperature of the soft sugar material entering the extruder is 39-42 ℃ and the temperature of the soft sugar material when the soft sugar material is discharged is 46 ℃. The temperature of the head was 63 ℃ and the temperature of the barrel was 120 ℃. The speed of the extruder was 14 rpm. The core material was injected into the fondant at a temperature of 43 deg.C and a pressure of 1400 psi. The temperature of the candy material in the extruder is controlled to about 93-96 ℃. The rope sorter 28 speed was 50rpm with a 1.50 inch and 1.25 inch spacing between the flat surface rollers in the three sorting roller sections. The speed of the cooling drum was 80rpm and the angle of the drum with respect to the horizontal was 3 °.

The present invention enables the co-extrusion of two center-filled confectionery products. The multi-layered extruded rope of candy material may be reduced to the desired diameter using conventional rope sorters, the reduced diameter rope may be formed into discrete pieces of candy (or "candy pieces") on a rotary or chain plastic former or lollipop former, and if the center-filled rope is strong enough to be cut, the center-filled rope of candy material may be cut into individual pieces using conventional "cut-and-pack" type machinery.

The ratio of the components in the candy made according to the invention can be controlled and maintained within + -10%. This is an improvement over conventional processes with a wider range of component ratios. Thus, the present invention more easily achieves consistency and efficient productivity of the product. And meanwhile, the probability of human errors in operation can be reduced to the maximum extent or even eliminated.

The present invention also simplifies the existing process for combining two components into a rope of confectionery material. According to the present invention, the three components of a candy of different texture can be combined into a single candy (confectionery) product. The system used in the present invention is more of a closed and self-contained system, the temperature of the various components being maintained substantially at the desired component ratio independent of external meteorological conditions.

While the invention has been described in connection with one or more embodiments, it is to be understood that the specific devices and methods described are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. Various modifications may be made to the method and apparatus described above without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims (15)

1. A method of making a three-layer (three-phase) confectionery product having an outer shell layer of a first confectionery material, an intermediate layer of a second confectionery material and an inner core of a semi-liquid material, said method comprising the steps of:

extruding a first layer of a first confectionery material from a first extruder, the first layer of the first confectionery material forming an outer shell of the confectionery product;

extruding a second layer of a second confectionery material into the first layer of the first confectionery material by a second extruder, the second layer of the second confectionery material forming an inner intermediate layer of the confectionery product;

a third layer of a third confectionery material is injected into the second layer, the third confectionery material being a semi-liquid material and the third layer forming a central core of the confectionery product.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of forming the three-layer confectionery product into a piece of candy.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first confectionery material forms a hard shell layer on the confectionery product.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second confectionery materials have different flavor components.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first confectionery material is a transparent material and the second confectionery material forming the inner intermediate layer is visible through the outer shell layer when forming the confectionery article.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second confectionery material is a chewable confectionery material.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the third confectionery material is a material selected from the group consisting of a water-based liquid material, a fat-based cream, a confectionery jelly, a jam, a nut paste, a chocolate, a cream-based confectionery, or a milk-based confectionery.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of inserting a lollipop stick into each of the candy pieces.

9. The method of claim 2 wherein the forming structure is taken from one of the group of a chain forming machine, a rotary forming machine, or a cut-and-package forming machine.

10. A system for making a three-material lollipop product, the system comprising:

a first extruder with a barrel for extruding confectionery material;

a second extruder for extruding a fondant, the fondant being extruded into the confectionery material;

a semi-liquid material filling mechanism for adding the semi-liquid material into the soft candy material to form a material rope comprising three layers of raw materials, namely a semi-liquid material central layer, a soft candy material intermediate layer and a candy material outer layer;

a sizing mechanism for sizing the three-layer rope; and

a lollipop forming machine for forming the three-layer rope into lollipop pieces, the lollipop forming machine inserting a stick into each lollipop piece to form each lollipop.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a conveying mechanism and a cooling mechanism, the conveying mechanism positioned to feed the lollipop products into the cooling mechanism.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein said semi-liquid filling mechanism is added to said gum material in said barrel of said first extruder.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein said cooling mechanism includes a housing, a plurality of chutes within the housing, and means for shaking said chutes to roll said lollipop products.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the lollipop forming machine comprises a housing having a rotating drum with a plurality of candy forming dies thereon.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein said lollipop forming machine comprises a housing having a pair of rotating chains, each rotating chain having a plurality of cube forming dies thereon.