Polishing improves the appearance of dragees and provides a protective coating. The process is usually carried out in pans and they are equipped with ribs or baffles to prevent the product bed from slipping, one the product has been polished.
Irrespective of the polishing agent, the surface of the chocolate dragee must be very smooth and have sufficient hardness before application of the polishing solution.
Usually, the sealing stage commences with application of a moisture barrier. Shellac also known as confectionary glaze, is commonly used for sealing process. Shellac dissolved in alcohol is used. As soon as the alcohol evaporates, shellac forms a hard and transparent layer and protects the polished dragee against moisture absorption.
Products that are not treated with shellac easily take up moisture, and in the case of bad packaging, begin to stick to one another and finally lose gloss relatively quickly.
Polishing and sealing of chocolate