Many healthy foods go to great lengths to prove that they contain no artificial or junk food-like ingredients. Going against this trend is PepsiCo, which has filed a patent for a very strange combination: granola bars and the carbonated candy known as Pop Rocks. Although it has not been revealed how the candy will be added, the result will be another melded product in need of proper food labels so as not to confuse customers.
The patent describes how the candy could be added to either the coating of a “chewy granola product” or mixed into it more thoroughly during production. It wouldn’t be the only additive to these bars, as the patent also allows for yogurt, peanut butter, chocolate and other substances as “enhancements” in the base. The patent abstract was published last month and is viewable online.
There are also problems with this proposed approach. The statement notes that Pop Rocks lose their “pop” if they encounter too much moisture during preparation, which means they must be handled and prepared carefully before being added.
“It is important that prior to preparing the chewy bar, the carbonated candy has, or is coated with, a moisture impervious coating to ensure that premature popping does not occur during processing,” the patent reads. “During consumption (chewing), the coating is broken, exposing the carbonated candy therein.”
While products that incorporate candy unexpectedly are common on grocery store shelves, any company that takes uses tactic should create appropriate packaging that makes the addition clear. Pop Rocks already has a colorful logo, so label printers that are best-suited to those colors are the optimal choice in this case.
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