Field of the invention The present invention relates to tobacco-betel nut flavored chewing gum and a process for preparing the same.

Background of the invnetion Tobacco flavored chewing gums or chewing gum containing tobacco, which stimulates chewing tobacco are well-lcnown in the art and have been described in US patent nos. 3,877, 468; 5,488, 976; 4,317, 837; 4, 802, 498; 4,093, 752 ; 3,845, 217; 865, 026 and 904,521.

This tobacco-flavored chewing gum is usually recommended for smokers as a substitute for smoking tobacco. US patent 3,877, 468 and 5,488, 976 disclosed chewing gum having variable amounts of nicotine. US patent 4, 317, 837 ; 4, 802,498 describe chewing gums wherein tobacco rather than nicotine is added to chewing gum. US patent 4,093, 752 employs tobacco tlavourings such as 2, 4, 6-triisobutyl-1, 3, 5-trioxane and US patent no. 3,845, 217 employs buffered nicotine in chewing gum. Further, US patent nos. 865, 026 and 904,521 use mixtures of tobacco and wax. The tobacco flavourings may be employed in conjunction with non-sweet taste or flavourings such as salt, pepper, sour, bitter, meaty, with or without sweetness, as desired.

None of these patents discloses the use of quimam and betel nut powder with the chewing gum base.

In the tropical Asian countries, there is a tendency of people to consume betel nut and tobacco together in the form of Areca quid. Accordingly, chewing of Areca quid is quite popular in the tropical Asian countries. This type of

Areca quid mainly consists of Areca nut (betel nut), lime paste (in India it is known as chuna), a resinous extract from the matrix of Acacia tree (in India known as Kattha or catechu). All these are spread over betel leaf and the whole quid is consumed along with the betel leaf, which is commonly known as'pan'in India.

The disadvantages in consuming betel nut and tobacco together in the form of Areca quid are that: a. it generates a bright thick liquid in red colour and mixes with saliva which the consumer has to expectorate, causing pollution of the environment ; b. this type of Areca tobacco mixture mostly contains alkaline lime, which in long use could result in oral cancer. c. long use of such Areca/tobacco mixtures causes contraction of oral tissue, which results incapability of opening the mouth fully.

The object and summary of the invention The object of this invention therefore is to obviate the above drawbacks by providing a chewing gum with betel nut powder and tobacco extract together.

This chewing gum gives full satisfaction to the consumer by providing the required nicotine to the consumer along with the taste of betel nut.

To achieve the said objective, this invention provides a tobacco betel nut flavoured chewing gum comprising : Gum Base : 12-30 % by wt Plasticizer : 0. 5-7 % by wt.

Wheat flour : 0. 5-8 % by wt Liquid glucose : 14-35 % by wt.

Sweetening agent 35-65 % by wt.

Betel nut powder : 1. 5-9 % by wt.

Quimam : 1. 5-10 % by wt.

Mentha piperita oil : 0. 1-3 % by wt.

A tobacco betel nut flavoured chewing gum comprising: Gum base : 19. 0-22. 0% by wt.

Plasticizer 2-5 % by wt.

Wheat flour : 2-6 % by wt.

Liquid glucose : 16. 0-24.0% by wt.

Sweetening agent 46. 0-51. 0% by wt.

Betel nut powder : 3. 5-5.0% by wt.

Quimam : 3. 5-5.0% by wt.

Mentha Piperita Oil : 0. 8-2 % by wt.

A tobacco betel-nut flavoured chewing gum contains: Gum base : 20. 8 % by wt.

Plasticizer 2. 0 % by wt.

Wheat flour 1.0 % by wt.

Liquid glucose : 18. 8 % by wt.

Sweetening agent 47.8 % by wt.

Betel nut powder 4.4 % by wt.

Quimam. 4.4 % by wt.

Mentha Piperita Oil 0.8 % by wt The sweetening agent is powdered sugar.

The plasticizer is glycerine/propylene glycol The present invention also provides a process of preparing tobacco betel nut flavoured chewing gum comprising:

mixing the following ingredients : 12-30 % by wt. of gum base 0.5-7 % by wt of plasticizer 0.5-8 % by wt of wheat flour 14-35 % by wt of liquid glucose 75% of 35-65% of sweetening agent 1.5-9 % of betel nut powder heating the above mixture between 45-90 t) C uniformly to soften the gum base for forming a dough, adding 1.5-10 % by wt. of quimam to the dough and reheating the dough at 45-75 ° C for uniform mixing of the quimam in the dough, adding 0.1-3 % by wt. of mentha piperita oil and followed by thorough mixing, and gradually mixing remaining 25 % of sweetening agent to obtain the required chewing gum.

The said process comprising: mixing the following ingredients: 19.0-22. 0% by wt. of gum base, 2-5% by wt. of plasticizer, 2-6% by wt. of wheat flour, 16.0-24. 0% by wt. of liquid glucose 75% of 46. 0-51. 0% by wt. of sweetening agent 3. 5-5.0% by wt. of betel nut powder heating the above mixture between 60-70°C uniformly to soften the gum base to form a dough, adding 3. 5-5.0% by wt. of quimam to the dough and reheating the dough for uniform mixing of the quimam in the dough,

adding 0. 8-2 % by wt. of mentha piperita oil and followed by thorough mixing, and gradually adding the remaining 25% of the sweetening agent to obtain the tobacco betel nut flavoured chewing gum.

The said process comprising : a mixing the following ingredients 20.8% by wt. of gum base 2. 0 % by wt. of Plasticizer 1.0% of wheat flour 18.8% by wt. of liquid glucose 75% of 47.8% by wt. Of sweetening agent 4.4% by wt. of betel nut powder - heating the above mixture between 55-75°C uniformly to soften the gum base to form a dough, - adding 4.4% by wt. of quimam to the dough and reheating the dough for uniform mixing of the quimam in the dough, - adding 0.8 % by wt. of mentha piperita oil and followed by thorough mixing, and - gradually adding the remaining 25% of the sweetening agent to obtain the tobacco betel nut flavoured chewing gum.

The sweetening agent is powdered sugar.

The plasticizer is glycerine/propylene glycol.

The temperature at which the mixture is heated is 55°C.

The quimam used is prepared by: - boiling tobacco leaf and water in the ratio of 0.5-1. 5: 5-6 for at least 20 minutes.

- filtering the said mixture to obtain the extract.

- concentrating the extract to 0.5 to 0.05 times of the total original weight, - adding sugar at 2-3% of the weight of the tobacco.

- adding flavouring agent and spices along with 0. 1 % preservative, if desired.

The ratio of tobacco leaf to water is preferably 1: 6 and is boiled for about 30 minutes.

The flavouring agent is selected from geranium oil, cardamom flavour, saffron flavour, clove oil, cinnamon flavour, quimam flavour, tobacco flavour A, tobacco flavour B, cardamom powder or mixture thereof.

The said flavouring agents are present in the following proportions: (% by weight) range Geranium oil 0.7-0. 9 Cardamom flavour 2.0-3. 0 Saffron flavour 0. 15-0. 35 Clove oil 0.15-0. 35 Cinnamon flavour 0.5-0. 6 Quimam flavour 0.5-1. 5 Tobacco flavour A 0.5-0. 7 Tobacco flavour B 1. 0-2. 0 Cardamom powder 0.5-1. 5

The said flavouring agents are present in the following proportions (% by weight) Geranium oil 0.84 Cardamom flavour 2.60 Safron flavour 0. 25 Clove oil 0. 25 Cinnamon flavour 0.55 Quimam flavour 1.00 Tobacco flavour A 0.65 Tobacco flavour B 1.38 Cardamom powder 1.00 The invention will now be described with reference to the following examples: EXAMPLE 1: mixing the following ingredients 20.8% by wt. of gum base 2. 0 % by wt. of Plasticizer 1.0% of wheat flour 18. 8% by wt. of liquid glucose 75% of 47.8% by wt. of sweetening agent 4.4% by wt. of betel nut powder heating the above mixture at 55°C uniformly to soften the gum base to form a dough, adding 4. 4% by wt. of quimam to the dough and reheating the dough for uniform mixing of the quimam in the dough,

adding 0.8 % by wt. of mentha piperita oil and followed by thorough mixing, and gradually adding the remaining 25% of the sweetening agent to obtain the tobacco betel nut flavoured chewing gum. spreading the said chewing gum mass in the form of a sheet of uniform thickness and cut into rectangular or any other shape pieces. The cut pieces are wrapped in aluminum foil for air-tight packing.

EXAMPLE II : mixing the following ingredients: 18. 2% by wt. of gum base, 1.8% by wt. of Plasticizer, 2.4% by wt. of wheat flour, 17% by wt. of liquid glucose, 75% of 51. 5% by wt. of powdered sugar, 5% by wt. of betel nut powder, heating the above mixture at 65°C to soften the gum base to form a dough, adding 3% by wt. of quimam to the dough and reheating the dough for uniform mixing of the quimam in the dough. adding 1.1 % by wt. of mentha piperita oil and followed by thorough mixing, and, gradually adding the remaining 25% of the powdered sugar and to obtain the tobacco betel nut flavoured chewing gum. spreading the said chewing gum mass in the form of a sheet of uniform thickness and cut into rectangular or any other shape pieces. The cut pieces are wrapped in aluminum foil for air-tight packing.