FIELD

[0001] The presently disclosed subject matter relates to chewing gum base compositions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Chewing gums comprise a water soluble phase and a water insoluble phase. The water soluble phase typically contains sweeteners, flavors, bulking agents and water soluble softeners. The water soluble components are quickly extracted during chewing, leaving a cud composed primarily of the insoluble phase which is the gum base. Chewing gum bases are complex multi-component mixtures which include, but are not limited to, synthetic resins, natural resins, synthetic rubbers, natural rubbers, fats, emulsifiers and fillers.

[0003] The fundamental components of a chewing gum typically are a water- insoluble gum base portion and a water-soluble bulking agent portion. The primary component of the gum base is an elastomeric polymer which provides the characteristic chewy texture of the product. The gum base will typically include other ingredients which modify the chewing properties or aid in processing the product. These include plasticizers, softeners, fillers, emulsifiers, plastic resins, as well as colorants and antioxidants. The water soluble portion of the chewing gum typically includes a bulking agent together with minor amounts of secondary components such as flavors, high-intensity sweeteners, colorants, water-soluble softeners, gum emulsifiers, acidulants and sensates. Typically, the water-soluble portion, sensates, and flavors dissipate during chewing and the gum base is retained in the mouth throughout the chew.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The present invention comprises chewing gum base bases and base concentrates having desirable chewing and physical properties. The gum base concentrate is primarily composed of butyl rubber, a filler, polyethylene, high molecular weight polyvinyl acetate and stearic acid.

[0005] Other ingredients may be added to the gum base concentrate to produce a final chewing gum base composition. Alternatively, the gum base concentrate may be used as a gum base without modification.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The present invention provides formulations and processes for preparing chewing gum bases and gum base concentrates having desirable chewing and other physical properties.

[0007] Gum bases comprise an elastomer which provides the gum cud with its bouncy chew characteristics. Butyl rubber is a critical Butyl rubber used in the gum base concentrates of the present invention can be any butyl rubber commonly used or appropriate for use as a gum base elastomer. Particularly preferred are butyl rubbers having a molecular weight of 300,000 to 600,000 dalton. Butyl rubber may be sourced from renewable (plant-based) sources. Use of such renewably-sourced butyl rubber is explicitly contemplated in the present invention. Butyl rubber is present in the gum base concentrate at a level of 25 to 70 % by weight of the concentrate.

[0008] The gum base concentrates of the present invention comprise a low melting polyethylene wax as a softener. By low melting, it is meant that the polyethylenes useful in the present invention will preferably have a Mettler Drop Point between 100°C and 1 15°C. One preferred polyethylene is Honeywell AC-6. Polyethylene may be sourced from renewable (plant-based) sources. Use of such renewably-sourced polyethylene is explicitly contemplated in the present invention. The gum base concentrate will comprise 20 to 60 wt.% of polyethylene.

[0009] The gum base concentrates of the present invention will optionally contain at least one high molecular weight polyvinyl acetate. By high molecular weight, it is meant that the PVAc will have a GPC average molecular weight of 12,000 to 100,000 dalton. Polyvinyl acetate may be sourced from renewable (plant-based) sources. Use of such renewably-sourced polyvinyl acetate is explicitly contemplated in the present invention. The gum base concentrate may contain up to 30 wt. percent or up to 20 wt.% of PVAc.

[0010] The gum base concentrates of the present invention will contain an inorganic filler such as talc or calcium carbonate. The preferred filler is talc. Filler is present at a level of 2 to 10 wt.% or 3 to 8 wt.% of the gum base concentrate.

[0011] The gum base concentrates will also contain 1 to 5 wt.% or 2 to 3 wt.% of stearic acid.

[0012] The gum base concentrates may contain up to 1 % of colors and antioxidants. Preferably it is free of colors and antioxidants.

[0013] Generally, the gum base concentrate will be free of oleaginous softeners such as fats, oils. It will also typically be free of emulsifiers such as lecithin and acetylated or unacetylated mono- and di-glycerides. It will further typically be free of elastomer plasticizers (sometimes called elastomer solvents or simply resin). In some embodiments of the present invention, the water-insoluble gum base concentrate of the present invention may contain small amounts (less than 10% total) of elastomers other than butyl rubber such as polyisobutylene and styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR). Preferably the gum base concentrate will be free of these additional components or at least that their total level not exceed 10% or 5% or 1 % by weight of the gum base concentrate.

[0014] The gum base concentrates of the present invention may be blended with other gum base components, including those which are preferably not present in the gum base concentrate itself. Such blending will typically occur at the site of chewing gum manufacture and preferably in the mixer used to make the chewing gum. Alternatively, it may be blended with complete gum base compositions to modify their characteristics. However, the gum base concentrates of the present invention may be used as a complete gum base without any additional base ingredients. Thus the gum base concentrate may form any portion of the gum base from a small fraction of a percent to 100% by weight. The compositions of the gum base components and gum bases with which the concentrate can be blended are unlimited and will be dictated by factors, including for example the desired properties (e.g., physical (mouthfeel), taste, odor, and the like) and/or applicable regulatory requirements (e.g., in order to have a food grade product, food grade components, such as food grade approved oils like vegetable oil, must be used.)

[0015] The water-insoluble gum bases prepared from the base concentrates of the present invention may constitute from about 5 to about 95 % by weight of the chewing gum. More typically it may constitute from about 10 to about 50% by weight of the chewing gum and, in various preferred embodiments, may constitute from about 20 to about 35% by weight of the chewing gum.

[0016] The gum base concentrates of the present invention can be manufactured by blending the ingredients in any order using any appropriate mixing device. Typically the will be mixed in a sigma blade mixer at an elevated temperature such as at least 160°C or at least 170°C but less than 200°C or less than 190°C. In some embodiments, the gum base concentrate will be prepared by first softening and melting the butyl rubber in a sigma blade mixer for a few minutes before adding the filler followed by portions of the polyethylene wax. After all of the wax has been incorporated, the polyvinyl acetate is added and finally the stearic acid.

[0017] In addition to a water-insoluble gum base portion, a typical chewing gum composition includes a water-soluble bulk portion (or bulking agent) and one or more flavoring agents. The water-soluble portion can include high intensity sweeteners, binders, flavoring agents (which may be water insoluble), water-soluble softeners, gum emulsifiers, colorants, acidulants, fillers, antioxidants, and other components that provide desired attributes.

[0018] Water-soluble softeners, which are also known as water-soluble plasticizers and plasticizing agents, generally constitute between approximately 0.5 to about 15% by weight of the chewing gum. Preferably glycerin is used as a water soluble softener. Aqueous sweetener solutions such as those containing sorbitol, hydrogenated starch hydrolysates (HSH), corn syrup and combinations thereof, may also be used as softeners and binding agents (binders) in chewing gum.

[0019] Preferably, a bulking agent or bulk sweetener will be useful in chewing gums of this invention to provide sweetness, bulk and texture to the product. Typical bulking agents include sugars, sugar alcohols, and combinations thereof. Bulking agents typically constitute from about 5 to about 95% by weight of the chewing gum, more typically from about 20 to about 80% by weight and, still more typically, from about 30 to about 70% by weight of the gum. Sugar bulking agents generally include saccharide containing components commonly known in the chewing gum art, including, but not limited to, sucrose, dextrose, maltose, dextrin, dried invert sugar, fructose, levulose, galactose, corn syrup solids, and the like, alone or in combination. In sugarless gums, sugar alcohols such as sorbitol, maltitol, erythritol, isomalt, mannitol, xylitol and combinations thereof are substituted for sugar bulking agents. Combinations of sugar and sugarless bulking agents may also be used.

[0020] In addition to the above bulk sweeteners, chewing gums typically comprise a binder/softener in the form of a syrup or high-solids solution of sugars and/or sugar alcohols. In the case of sugar gums, corn syrups and other dextrose syrups (which contain dextrose and significant amounts higher saccharides) are most commonly employed. These include syrups of various DE levels including high-maltose syrups and high fructose syrups. In the case of sugarless products, solutions of sugar alcohols including sorbitol solutions and hydrogenated starch hydrolysate syrups are commonly used. Also useful are syrups such as those disclosed in US 5,651 ,936 and US 2004-234648 which are incorporated herein by reference. Such syrups serve to soften the initial chew of the product, reduce crumbliness and brittleness and increase flexibility in stick and tab products. They may also control moisture gain or loss and provide a degree of sweetness depending on the particular syrup employed. In the case of syrups and other aqueous solutions, it is generally desirable to use the minimum practical level of water in the solution to the minimum necessary to keep the solution free-flowing at acceptable handling temperatures. The usage level of such syrups and solutions should be adjusted to limit total moisture in the gum to less than 3 wt.%, preferably less than 2 wt.% and most preferably less than 1 wt.%.

[0021] High intensity artificial sweeteners can also be used in combination with the above-described sweeteners. Preferred sweeteners include, but are not limited to sucralose, aspartame, salts of acesulfame, alitame, neotame, saccharin and its salts, cyclamic acid and its salts, glycyrrhizin, stevia and stevia compounds such as rebaudioside A, dihydrochalcones, thaumatin, monellin, lo han guo and the like, alone or in combination. In order to provide longer lasting sweetness and flavor perception, it may be desirable to encapsulate or otherwise control the release of at least a portion of the artificial sweetener. Such techniques as wet granulation, wax granulation, spray drying, spray chilling, fluid bed coating, coacervation, and fiber extrusion may be used to achieve the desired release characteristics.

[0022] Usage level of the artificial sweetener will vary greatly and will depend on such factors as potency of the sweetener, rate of release, desired sweetness of the product, level and type of flavor used and cost considerations. Thus, the active level of artificial sweetener may vary from 0.02 to about 8% by weight. When carriers used for encapsulation are included, the usage level of the encapsulated sweetener will be proportionately higher.

[0023] Combinations of sugar and/or sugarless sweeteners may be used in chewing gum. Additionally, the softener may also provide additional sweetness such as with aqueous sugar or alditol solutions.

[0024] If a low calorie gum is desired, a low caloric bulking agent can be used. Examples of low caloric bulking agents include: polydextrose; Raftilose, Raftilin; fructooligosaccharides (NutraFlora); Palatinose oligosaccharide; Guar Gum Hydrolysate (Sun Fiber); or indigestible dextrin (Fibersol). However, other low calorie bulking agents can be used. In addition, the caloric content of a chewing gum can be reduced by increasing the relative level of gum base while reducing the level of caloric sweeteners in the product. This can be done with or without an accompanying decrease in piece weight.

[0025] A variety of flavoring agents can be used. The flavor can be used in amounts of approximately 0.1 to about 15 weight percent of the gum, and preferably, about 0.2 to about 5%. Flavoring agents may include essential oils, synthetic flavors or mixtures thereof including, but not limited to, oils derived from plants and fruits such as citrus oils, fruit essences, peppermint oil, spearmint oil, other mint oils, clove oil, oil of wintergreen, anise and the like. Artificial flavoring agents and components may also be used. Natural and artificial flavoring agents may be combined in any sensorially acceptable fashion. Sensate components which impart a perceived tingling or thermal response while chewing, such as a cooling or heating effect, also may be included. Such components include cyclic and acyclic carboxamides, menthol derivatives, and capsaicin among others. Acidulants may be included to impart tartness.

[0026] In addition to typical chewing gum components, chewing gums of the present invention may include active agents such as dental health actives such as minerals, nutritional supplements such as vitamins, health promoting actives such as antioxidants for example resveratrol, stimulants such as caffeine, medicinal compounds and other such additives. These active agents may be added neat to the gum mass or encapsulated using known means to prolong release and/or prevent degradation. The actives may be added to coatings, rolling compounds and liquid or powder fillings where such are present.

[0027] The present invention may be used with a variety of processes for manufacturing chewing gum including batch mixing, continuous mixing and tableted gum processes.

[0028] Exemplary methods of extrusion, which may optionally be used in conjunction with the present invention, include the following, the entire contents of each being incorporated herein by reference: (i) U.S. Pat. No. 6,238,710, claims a method for continuous chewing gum base manufacturing, which entails compounding all ingredients in a single extruder; (ii) U.S. Pat. No. 6,086,925 discloses the manufacture of chewing gum base by adding a hard elastomer, a filler and a lubricating agent to a continuous mixer; (iii) U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,919 discloses continuous gum base manufacture using a paddle mixer by selectively feeding different ingredients at different locations on the mixer; and, (iv) yet another U.S. Pat. No. 5,397,580 discloses continuous gum base manufacture wherein two continuous mixers are arranged in series and the blend from the first continuous mixer is continuously added to the second extruder.

[0029] Chewing gum is generally manufactured by sequentially adding the various chewing gum ingredients to commercially available mixers known in the art. After the ingredients have been thoroughly mixed, the chewing gum mass is discharged from the mixer and shaped into the desired form, such as by rolling into sheets and cutting into sticks, tabs or pellets or by extruding and cutting into chunks. [0030] Generally, the ingredients are mixed by first softening or melting the gum base and adding it to the running mixer. The gum base may alternatively be softened or melted in the mixer. Color and emulsifiers may be added at this time.

[0031] A chewing gum softener such as glycerin can be added next along with part of the bulk portion. Further parts of the bulk portion may then be added to the mixer. Flavoring agents are typically added with the final part of the bulk portion. The entire mixing process typically takes from about five to about fifteen minutes, although longer mixing times are sometimes required.

[0032] In yet another alternative, it may be possible to prepare the gum base and chewing gum in a single high-efficiency extruder as disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,543, 160. Chewing gums of the present invention may be prepared by a continuous process comprising the steps of: a) adding gum base ingredients into a high efficiency continuous mixer; b) mixing the ingredients to produce a homogeneous gum base, c) adding at least one sweetener and at least one flavor into the continuous mixer, and mixing the sweetener and flavor with the remaining ingredients to form a chewing gum product; and d) discharging the mixed chewing gum mass from the single high efficiency continuous mixer. Of course, many variations on the basic gum base and chewing gum mixing processes are possible.

[0033] Because the gum base concentrates of the present invention are free of elastomer plasticizers and oleaginous softeners, they are physically and chemically stable over relatively long time periods and under harsh environmental conditions such as high temperatures. This allows more flexibility in storage, inventory and shipping than conventional gum bases. This is especially helpful in remote and/or less developed regions. This stability may also allow alternative uses of the gum base concentrate such as for producing molded articles and films such as those used for food wrapping and in the manufacture of plastic bags.

[0034] After mixing, the chewing gum mass may be formed, for example by rolling or extruding into and desired shape such as sticks, tabs, chunks or pellets. The product may also be filled (for example with a liquid syrup or a powder) and/or coated for example with a hard sugar or polyol coating using known methods. [0035] After forming, and optionally filling and/or coating, the product will typically be packaged in appropriate packaging materials. The purpose of the packaging is to keep the product clean, protect it from environmental elements such as oxygen, moisture and light and to facilitate branding and retail marketing of the product.

EXAMPLES

[0036] The following examples of the invention and comparative formulations are provided to illustrate, but not to limit, the invention which is defined by the attached claims. Amounts listed are in weight percent.

[0037] Gum base formulas can be prepared according to Examples 1 -12 in Tables 1 -2. Amounts are in percent by weight.

[0038] The gum base concentrates may be manufactured by blending the ingredients in a sigma-blade mixer at 170 - 180°C. The butyl rubber is softened and melted in the mixer for about five minutes. The filler is added and mixed in for two minutes. Half of the polyethylene wax is mixed in for three minutes. The second half of the PE Wax is added and mixed for 5 minutes. The polyvinyl acetate (shere used) is mixed in for two minutes. Finally, the stearic acid is added and mixed in for two minutes. The homogeneous blend is the discharged from the mixer and allowed to cool and solidify.

[0039] Although the presently disclosed subject matter and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosed subject matter as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, the scope of the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure of the presently disclosed subject matter, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the presently disclosed subject matter. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.

[0040] Patents, patent applications publications product descriptions, and protocols are cited throughout this application the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties for all purposes.