Can you substitute cook and serve pudding for an instant in a recipe?

In this article, we will answer the question “Can you substitute cook and serve pudding for an instant in a recipe?” and discuss how to use pudding in a cake recipe, the benefits and drawbacks of using instant pudding in the place of cook and serve pudding.

Can you substitute cook and serve pudding for an instant in a recipe?

Yes, you can substitute the cook-and-serve pudding for an instant pudding in a recipe. There is not much difference in the fundamental ingredients of these puddings. 

The only difference is that the instant pudding contains modified starch as a thickener while the cook-and-serve pudding contains regular starch as a thickener (1,2). 

To substitute cook and serve pudding for an instant pudding in a recipe, you should not cook the instant pudding. The cooking of an instant pudding can lead to the collapsing of the modified starch and loss of its thickening properties (3).

What are the benefits and drawbacks of using an instant pudding in the place of a cook-and-serve pudding?

The main benefits and drawbacks of using an instant pudding in the place of cook and serve pudding are the following (1,2,3):

Benefits

The instant pudding does not require cooking, therefore you can serve time by the preparation

Instant pudding is easily and readily prepared, and does not need to be refrigerated when used in cold applications, such as cakes, where they can be applied right after preparation

Instant pudding is less affected by syneresis during storage than cook and serve pudding, due to the different structure of the starch present in these products 

Because instant pudding does not require cooking, there is no risk of overcooking and loss of the swelling properties and viscosity

Drawbacks

Instant pudding should not be cooked, due to possible loss of its properties of increasing viscosity and swelling. You cannot use it in preparations that will be cooked

Because it is not cooked, the risks of foodborne illnesses are increased by using instant pudding mixes. Cooking can effectively reduce the microbial load of food and in this way, cook and serve puddings are safer (4)

What are the differences between instant pudding and cook-and-serve pudding?

Preparation 

Cook-and-serve pudding needs to be added with milk or another liquid and cooked. After a few minutes of cooking, the viscosity is increased and the heat is seized. The pudding is allowed to cool down before being stored in the refrigerator to be served cold (1). 

Instant pudding mix needs to be mixed with the required cold liquid using a mixer and allowed to rest for about 5 minutes. After this time, it can be used in recipes or eaten (2). 

Taste 

The taste of cook-and-serve pudding and instant pudding are similar. They contain flavorings that can be artificial or natural. There are different flavors and manufacturers of these products (5,6).

Texture 

The texture and the storage properties, that is, the texture changes and retrogradation, aggregation, dehydration and others, during storage of the products may differ depending on their ingredients.

Many products contain hydrocolloids, such as carrageenan, which reduce the negative impact and degree of retrogradation of the starches during storage (3). Other additives, such as whey and gums are also used, which can affect the texture of the prepared product (1,5,6).

What are the risks of using instant pudding?

The risks of using instant pudding are of experiencing a foodborne disease. Several food outbreaks were related to the ingestion of contaminated instant products, such as instant pudding (7).

Bacteria such as Klebsiella spp., Citrobacter spp., Erwinia spp., Enterobacter cloacae, E. coli, Enterobacter were found in instant foods, including instant pudding. 

The ingestion of foods infected by such bacteria or their toxins can lead to diseases, with possible symptoms being diarrhea, vomiting, stomach cramps, and flu-like symptoms, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Conclusion

In this article, we answered the question “Can you substitute cook and serve pudding for an instant in a recipe?”and discussed how to use pudding in a cake recipe, the benefits and drawbacks of using instant pudding in the place of cook and serve pudding.

References

  1. Thompson, L. U., et al. Succinylated whey protein concentrates in ice cream and instant puddings. J dairy sci, 1983, 66, 1630-1637.
  2. Dogan, Mahmut, et al. Optimization of gum combination for instant pudding based on creep and recovery parameters by mixture design approach. Euro Food Res Techno, 2014, 238, 47-58.
  3. Wurzburg, Otto B. Modified starches. Food polysaccharides and their applications. 2006, 87-118.
  4. Fung, Daniel YC, and F. E. Cunningham. Effect of microwaves on microorganisms in foods. J Food Protect, 1980, 43, 641-650.
  5. Jell-O instant pudding.
  6. Jell-O cook and serve pudding.
  7. Kandhai, M. C., et al. A study into the occurrence of Cronobacter spp. in the Netherlands between 2001 and 2005. Food Control, 2010, 21, 1127-1136.

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