The subject matter of the invention is a sugar-free hard dragee consisting of a compressed core and a hard coating completely surrounding the compressed core, wherein the hard dragee is sugar-free. The compressed core contains a mixture of erythritol. D-sorbitol and steviol whereas the hard coating contains a mixture of D-maltitol, erythritol and stevia/steviol. The hard dragees according to the invention surprisingly have a good compatibility in spite off the combination of sugar replacement substances and non-sugar sweeteners. Moreover, the compressed cores of the hard dragees according to the invention have a very good compressibility.

An apparatus and method for post-extrusion filling and closing of an extrudate includes a feeder arranged in relation to an extruded rope of material flowing from an extrusion die of an extruder, wherein the rope of material has an opening that can receive a filler material. The feeder deposits the filler material into the opening of the rope of material as the rope of material flows by the feeder. A former receives the rope of material after the feeder has deposited the filler material into the opening of the rope. The former shapes the rope of material and close a portion or all of the rope around at least a portion of the deposited filler material to retain the filler material within the rope. A cutter may axially cut the rope to form the opening. A finisher may cut the shaped rope into portions containing the deposited filler material.

Apparatus for injecting ice cream through a sleeve and nozzle into pastries receives ice cream from soft-serve ice-cream machines. The sleeve is temperature controlled by electric heating element, temperature sensor, and controller. The nozzle has a pointed tip and deposits an ice cream stream, optionally including a flavored syrup injected into its center as it flows through the nozzle, into a ball in a pastry. Another nozzle formed with openings on opposite sides of the tip deposits ice cream with ripple effect. A method of injecting ice cream into pastries includes positioning a pastry with injector nozzle tip in the pastry; flowing ice cream through a temperature controlled injection device and nozzle into the pastry; and removing the pastry. In embodiments, the method includes injecting flavored syrup into a center of a stream of ice cream and deposits the ice cream in a ball or rippled stream within a pastry.

A chewing gum component for use in a chewing gum composition is provided including a component body and a plurality of regions of at least one active ingredient encapsulated within an encapsulating material. The plurality of regions is disposed within said component body. Less than 15% of an average active concentration in said component body is in contact with an exterior surface of said component body.

A filling head comprising: a housing having a lower nozzle exit, a first material inlet, a second material inlet and a reciprocatable piston movable within the housing; the piston having a) an outer wall and upper and lower ends; b) a first internal material flow channel connecting an entry in the outer wall to an exit in the lower end, c) a second internal material flow channel connecting an entry in the outer wall to an exit in the lower end, and; wherein the exit of the first channel is annular, surrounding the exit of the second material flow channel; the piston, housing and inlets being positioned and dimensioned such that the piston in relation to the housing has: (1) an upper position wherein material flows from both first and second inlets are blocked by the piston outer wall; (2) a mid position wherein the first material inlet is in communication with the first internal material flow channel entry but the second material inlet is blocked by the piston outer wall; (3) a lower position wherein the first material inlet is in communication with the first internal material flow channel entry and the second material inlet is in communication with the second internal material flow channel entry.

Disclosed are confectionery products having a dual texture provided by a combination of sanding coating and chewy confectionery core. The confectionery product provides a crunchy texture imparted by a particulate coating and a chewy texture imparted by the confectionery core. Also disclosed are methods of preparing the dual-textured confectionery product using a particulate coating composition. Upon consumption, the confectionery product exhibits reduced adhesion to a consumer's teeth, dental braces, palatal expanders, dental retainers, and other orthodontic appliances.

Disclosed are confectionery products having a dual texture provided by a combination of sanding coating and chewy confectionery core. The confectionery product provides a crunchy texture imparted by a particulate coating and a chewy texture imparted by the confectionery core. Also disclosed are methods of preparing the dual-textured confectionery product using a particulate coating composition. Upon consumption, the confectionery product exhibits reduced adhesion to a consumer's teeth, dental braces, palatal expanders, dental retainers, and other orthodontic appliances.

Disclosed are confectionery products having a dual texture provided by a combination of sanding coating and chewy confectionery core. The confectionery product provides a crunchy texture imparted by a particulate coating and a chewy texture imparted by the confectionery core. Also disclosed are methods of preparing the dual-textured confectionery product using a particulate coating composition. Upon consumption, the confectionery product exhibits reduced adhesion to a consumer's teeth, dental braces, palatal expanders, dental retainers, and other orthodontic appliances.

Disclosed are confectionery products having a dual texture provided by a combination of sanding coating and chewy confectionery core. The confectionery product provides a crunchy texture imparted by a particulate coating and a chewy texture imparted by the confectionery core. Also disclosed are methods of preparing the dual-textured confectionery product using a particulate coating composition. Upon consumption, the confectionery product exhibits reduced adhesion to a consumer's teeth, dental braces, palatal expanders, dental retainers, and other orthodontic appliances.

Natural encapsulation flavor products. Substantially natural particulate extrusion encapsulated flavor products are described including a flavor encapsulate, encapsulated in a natural glassy matrix, where the amount of flavor encapsulate encapsulated in the natural glassy matrix is based upon polarity of the flavor encapsulate as measured by dielectric constant.