Lemon pie prepared with instant pudding mix

Instant pudding is an instant food product that is manufactured in a powder form and used to create puddings and pie filling. It is produced using sugar, flavoring agents and

thickeners A thickening agent or thickener is a substance which can increase the viscosity of a liquid without substantially changing its other properties. Edible thickeners are commonly used to thicken sauces, soups, and puddings without altering their t ...

as primary ingredients. Instant pudding can be used in some baked goods.

Manufacturing

Many flavors of instant pudding are produced. Sugar, a flavoring agent, and thickeners are primary ingredients. Instant chocolate pudding mix is manufactured using cocoa. A key ingredient in instant pudding is gelatinized starch, a dried instant starch that readily absorbs liquids, which causes the pudding to gel when mixed with milk. Additional ingredients sometimes used as a thickener include

gums The gums or gingiva (plural: ''gingivae'') consist of the mucosal tissue that lies over the mandible and maxilla inside the mouth. Gum health and disease can have an effect on general health. Structure The gums are part of the soft tissue lin ...

that are soluble in cold water, such as

carrageenan Carrageenans or carrageenins ( ; ) are a family of natural linear sulfated polysaccharides that are extracted from red edible seaweeds. Carrageenans are widely used in the food industry, for their gelling, thickening, and stabilizing properties. T ...

s and

alginate Alginic acid, also called algin, is a naturally occurring, edible polysaccharide found in brown algae. It is hydrophilic and forms a viscous gum when hydrated. With metals such as sodium and calcium, its salts are known as alginates. Its colour ...

Phosphate In chemistry, a phosphate is an anion, salt, functional group or ester derived from a phosphoric acid. It most commonly means orthophosphate, a derivative of orthophosphoric acid . The phosphate or orthophosphate ion is derived from phosph ...

salts are sometimes used, which contribute to the gelling of the finished product. Some

Jell-O Jell-O is an American brand offering a variety of powdered gelatin dessert (fruit-flavored gels/jellies), pudding, and no-bake cream pie mixes. The original gelatin dessert ( genericized as jello) is the signature of the brand. "Jell-O" is a ...

brand instant puddings are

vegan Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal product—particularly in diet—and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. An individual who follows the diet or philosophy is known as a vegan. ...

, such as those in vanilla, lemon, banana crème, and pistachio flavors. Many flavors of instant pudding are produced, with manufacturers including

Kraft Foods The second incarnation of Kraft Foods is an American food manufacturing and processing conglomerate, split from Kraft Foods Inc. in 2012 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. It became part of Kraft Heinz in 2015. A merger with Heinz, arran ...

and

Jel Sert The Jel Sert Company is a privately held company based in West Chicago, Illinois, United States. Established in 1926, its primary products are snack foods and beverages. History and products The Jel Sert Company was named for its original produ ...

whose products are marketed under the

and Royal brand names.

Nutrition information

One serving (one-quarter of a box) of dry Jell-O chocolate-flavored instant pudding contains 110 calories, 430 mg sodium, 8 g carbohydrate, 18 g sugars, and 1 g of dietary fiber. It also contains 4% of the daily

Recommended Dietary Allowance The Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) is a system of nutrition recommendations from the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) of the National Academies (United States). It was introduced in 1997 in order to broaden the existing guidelines known as Reco ...

of iron. Instant pudding mixes are produced in non-fat and sugar-free varieties.

Preparation

Instant pudding is typically prepared by combining the powdered mix with milk and mixing the ingredients. Puddings may be cooled in a refrigerator before serving.

Uses

In addition to being eaten as-is and used as a pie filling, instant pudding can be used in baked goods such as cakes and cookies. Instant pudding added to cake mix can result in a denser and moister cake compared to cakes prepared without it. The use of instant pudding can cause a cake to fall or shrink as it cools, more than a cake prepared without the pudding. Use of a small amount of instant pudding lessens shrinkage compared to using a whole box. Cookies prepared using instant pudding may be moister compared to those without it.

References

{{Puddings Instant foods and drinks Puddings Powders

Manufacturing

Nutrition information

Preparation

Uses

See also

References