The Malaga Paste (Art. No. 873644) produced by Expertarom Food Ingredients S.R.L., Sibiu, Romania, is a flavouring paste developed for use in the food industry, particularly in ice cream and confectionery products. It is designed to enhance flavour, colour, and texture in finished products and is intended for manufacturing purposes rather than direct consumption. The recommended dosage is approximately 20 g per 1 kg of mix.
The paste is made from sugar, water, glucose syrup, and caramelised sugar, combined with flavourings, modified starch, and citric acid, with potassium sorbate used as a preservative. Colour is provided by lutein (E161b) and annatto (E160b(ii)), giving the paste its characteristic appearance. At 20°C, the product is a homogeneous brown paste with a typical aroma and flavour.
Physico-chemical parameters include a Brix value of approximately 71°Bx (±3) and a pH of 3.3 (±0.5). Nutritionally, the product provides 1197 kJ / 281.7 kcal per 100 g, with 0.3 g of fat (of which 0.3 g are saturated), 68.3 g of carbohydrates (57.3 g sugars), no fibre, less than 0.1 g of protein, and 0.12 g of salt.
The product complies with microbiological specifications of maximum 1000 cfu/g total germ count, 10 cfu/g Enterobacteria, and 100 cfu/g yeasts and moulds, and meets the requirements of EU Regulation (EC) No. 2023/915 regarding contaminants.
Malaga paste is supplied in food-grade polypropylene sealed buckets. It should be stored in its original unopened packaging in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight at temperatures between 5°C and 25°C. Once opened, it should be kept refrigerated at 0–8°C and the container closed after each use. Under these conditions, the product has a shelf life of 24 months from the production date and should be transported in clean, dry, covered vehicles to prevent contamination or deterioration.
