Starch mogul facts for kids
A starch mogul is a special machine. It makes soft candies and candy centers. Think of yummy treats like gummy bears or jelly beans! This machine uses cornstarch to help shape the candies. It's a clever way to make lots of sweets quickly.
History of the Starch Mogul
Starch moguls were first invented a long time ago. This was around the year 1899. Within about 10 to 20 years, many candy factories used them. The first machines were made of wood. Later, they started building them from strong steel. A person named Hans Arthur Faerber improved the machine a lot. He made the modern starch mogul system in 1952.
How a Starch Mogul Works
The starch mogul system is a special way to mold candy. It lets candy makers use runny liquids or gels. These liquids would be too soft for other molding methods.
Here's how it works:
- First, the machine fills flat trays with cornstarch.
- Next, a mold is pressed into the starch. This creates many small holes. These holes are shaped like the candy.
- Then, the liquid candy material is poured into these holes.
- The candies are left to cool or harden. While they set, the starch helps absorb extra water. This makes the candies firm enough to handle.
- Finally, the machine empties the trays. The candies are separated from the starch. The starch is then cleaned and reused. This makes the process very efficient!
Why Starch Moguls Are Important
Starch moguls changed how candy factories worked. Before these machines, people made all the candies by hand. This took a lot of time and effort.
These machines helped in a few ways:
- Lower Costs: They made it cheaper to produce candies. This meant more people could enjoy sweet treats.
- Safer Work: Old candy factories had a lot of starch dust in the air. Breathing this dust could make workers sick. Starch moguls helped reduce this dust. This made the factories much safer for everyone. It also lowered the risk of fires caused by dust.
