Chewing gums and methods for their preparation

Abstract

An improved coated chewing gums and methods for their preparation.

Claims

1. A coated sugar- and glycerol-free chewing gum comprising a core and a coating, wherein the core comprises: a) at least one chewing gum base, b) at least one monoterpene, and c) a sweetener system comprising: c 1) hydrogenated starch hydrolysate, wherein the hydrogenated starch hydrolysate is present in the core in an amount of 5 to 20 wt.-% (based on total weight), c 2) isomalt particles, wherein at least 90 wt.-% of the particles have a particle size less than 100 μm, and wherein the isomalt particles are present in the core in an amount of 20 to 60 wt.-% (based on dry substance of the core), c 3) sorbitol particles, wherein the sorbitol particles are present in the core in an amount from 9 to 30 wt.-% (based on dry substance of the core), and c 4) at least one high intensity sweetener and/or a sweetness enhancer, wherein said sweetener system is the only component present in the core that provides sweetness, wherein the wt.-% ratio of the isomalt particles to the at least one monoterpene in the core is from 6:1 to 20:1, of the overall amount of the isomalt particles and the sorbitol particles to the hydrogenated starch hydrolysate in the core is from 4:1 to 6:1 and of the isomalt particles to the sorbitol particles in the core is from 2.2:1 to 2.8:1 (each wt.-% ratio based on total weight), wherein the coating comprises at least 80 wt.-% isomalt (based on dry substance of the coating); and wherein less than 2 mg/kg of the at least one monoterpene migrates into the coating after a period of 4 weeks.

2. The coated chewing gum according to claim 1, wherein the at least one monoterpene is at least one monocyclic monoterpene.

3. The coated chewing gum according to claim 2, wherein the monocyclic monoterpene is menthol.

4. The coated chewing gum according to claim 1, wherein the hydrogenated starch hydrolysate is maltitol syrup.

5. The coated chewing gum according to claim 1, wherein the chewing gum comprises 20 to 45 wt.-% coating and 55 to 80 wt.-% core (each based on dry substance of the chewing gum).

6. The coated chewing gum according to claim 1, wherein the wt.-% ratio of the isomalt particles to the sorbitol particles in the core is 2.5:1 (based on dry substance of the core).

7. The coated chewing gum according to claim 1, wherein the monoterpene is present in the chewing gum in form of corn mint oil, peppermint oil or mint oil.

8. The coated chewing gum according to claim 1, wherein the core, the coating or both comprises at least one additive selected from the group consisting of a hydrocolloid, gum arabic, a lubricant, a vitamin, a mineral, a pharmaceutically active ingredient, a preservative, a colour, TiO.sub.2 and an edible acid.

9. The coated chewing gum according to claim 1, wherein the coating comprises at least one high intensity sweetener and/or sweetness enhancer.

10. The coated chewing gum according to claim 1, wherein the high intensity sweetener is aspartame, acesulfame K, sucralose, saccharine, glycyrrhicine, thaumatin, neohesperidin-dihydrochalkone, cyclamate, a stevia extract, steviol glycoside, stevioside, rebaudioside A, monellin or alitame.

11. The coated chewing gum according to claim 1, wherein the at least one monoterpene is menthol and the sweetener system consists of maltitol syrup, an equimolar mixture of 1,6-GPS and 1,1-GPM, sorbitol particles and at least one high intensity sweetener and/or sweetness enhancer.

12. The coated chewing gum according to claim 11, wherein the coating comprises at least 80 wt.-% of a mixture of 71 to 79% 1,6-GPS and 29 to 21% 1,1-GPM.

13. A method for the production of a coated sugar- and glycerol-free chewing gum according to claim 1, which comprises the steps of i) providing a chewing gum core comprising components a) to c), ii) providing a coating medium comprising a solvent and isomalt, iii) applying the coating medium to the chewing gum core, so as to obtain at least one coating layer on the core, iv) evaporating the solvent from the at least one coating layer and v) obtaining the coated chewing gum, wherein the coating comprises at least 80 wt.-% isomalt (based on dry substance of the coating).

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the isomalt is a mixture of 71 to 79% 1,6-GPS and 29 to 21% 1,1-GPM.

15. A coated sugar- and glycerol-free chewing gum comprising a core and a coating, wherein the core comprises: a) at least one chewing gum base, b) at least one monoterpene, and c) a sweetener system consisting of: c 1) hydrogenated starch hydrolysate, wherein the hydrogenated starch hydrolysate is present in the core in an amount of 5 to 20 wt.-% (based on total weight), c 2) isomalt particles, wherein at least 90 wt.-% of the particles have a particle size less than 100 μm, and wherein the isomalt particles are present in the core in an amount of 20 to 60 wt.-% (based on dry substance of the core), c 3) sorbitol particles, wherein the sorbitol particles are present in the core in an amount from 9 to 30 wt.-% (based on dry substance of the core), and c 4) at least one high intensity sweetener and/or a sweetness enhancer, wherein said sweetener system is the only component present in the core that provides sweetness, wherein the wt.-% ratio of the isomalt particles to the at least one monoterpene in the core is from 6:1 to 20:1, of the overall amount of the isomalt particles and the sorbitol particles to the hydrogenated starch hydrolysate in the core is from 4:1 to 6:1 and of the isomalt particles to the sorbitol particles in the core is from 2.2:1 to 2.8:1 (each wt.-% ratio based on total weight), wherein the coating comprises at least 80 wt.-% isomalt (based on dry substance of the coating), and wherein, after a period of 4 weeks, less than 2 mg/kg of the at least one monoterpene migrates into the coating and the coated sugar- and glycerol-free chewing gum has a texture profile analysis (TPA) crunch number that is not lower than an initial TPA crunch number when the coated sugar- and glycerol-free chewing gum is made.

16. A chewing gum comprising: a core comprising: a) a chewing gum base, b) a monoterpene, and c) a sweetener system consisting of: c 1) hydrogenated starch hydrolysate at a concentration of 8 to 15 wt.-% (based on total weight), c 2) isomalt particles at a concentration of 36 to 44 wt.-% (based on dry substance of the core), the isomalt particles having a particle size less than 100 μm, c 3) sorbitol particles at a concentration of 11 to 19 wt.-% (based on dry substance of the core), the sorbitol particles having a particle size less than 100 μm, and c 4) at least one of a high intensity sweetener or a sweetness enhancer at a concentration of 0.01 to 0.08 wt.-% (based on dry substance of the core), wherein the sweetener system is the only component present in the core that provides sweetness; and a coating comprising at least 80 wt.-% isomalt (based on dry substance of the coating), wherein, after a period of 4 weeks, less than 2 mg/kg of the monoterpene migrates into the coating and the chewing gum has a texture profile analysis (TPA) crunch number that is not lower than an initial TPA crunch number when the chewing gum is made, and wherein the chewing gum is sugar-free and glycerol-free.

17. The chewing gum according to claim 16, wherein: the core comprises 1.5 to 3.91 wt.-% menthol, the sweetener system consists of about 10.6 wt.-% maltitol syrup, about 40 wt.-% isomalt, about 15.4 wt.-% sorbitol, about 0.05 wt.-% aspartame, and about 0.02 wt.-% sucralose, and the coating comprises about 65 wt.-% isomalt (based on the total weight of the coating), about 30 wt.-% water, and about 4 wt.-% gum arabic.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention is now described by way of the following non-limiting examples.

(2) The figures show:

(3) FIG. 1 shows graphically menthol migration from the core into the coating for the inventive chewing gum and three comparative examples,

(4) FIG. 2 shows graphically the TPA crunch number for the inventive chewing gum and three comparative examples,

(5) FIG. 3 shows graphically the sensorial crunch of the inventive chewing gum and the three comparative examples,

(6) FIG. 4 shows graphically the sensorial hardness of the inventive chewing gum and three comparative examples,

(7) FIG. 5 shows graphically the TPA hardness of the inventive chewing gum and three comparative examples,

(8) FIG. 6 shows graphically the TPA hardness of the inventive chewing gum core and three comparative examples and

(9) FIG. 7 illustrates the colour changes during storage tests for the inventive chewing gum and three comparative examples.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Example 1

(10) Preparation of Chewing Gum Dragees:

(11) A) Recipes of Cores:

(12) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Composition of chewing gum cores (Weight and weight-% based on total weight) Mannitol Maltitol Isomalt Sorbitol Center Center Center Center Gum Base Navia 30.00% 30.00% 30.00% 30.00% Isomalt ST/PF 40.00% Sorbitol powder 15.40% 15.40% 15.40% 55.40% Maltitol powder 40.00% Mannitol powder 40.00% Lycasin 10.60% 10.60% 10.60% 10.60% Menthol 3.91% 3.91% 3.91% 3.91% Aspartame 0.05% 0.05% 0.05% 0.05% Sucralose 0.02% 0.02% 0.02% 0.02% Color: (indicator device) 0.02% 0.02% 0.02% 0.02% Brilliant Blue (Sensient) Center Weight 1.126 g 1.124 g 1.204 g 1.154 g

(13) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Composition of further chewing gum cores (Weight and weight-% based on total weight) Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4 Mannitol Maltitol Isomalt Sorbitol Center Center Center Center Gum Base Navia 30.00% 30.00% 30.00% 30.00% Isomalt ST/PF 40.00% Sorbitol powder 15.40% 15.40% 15.40% 55.40% Maltitol powder 40.00% Mannitol powder 40.00% Lycasin 10.60% 10.60% 10.60% 10.60% Menthol 1.50% 1.50% 1.50% 1.50% Peppermintoil 2.41% 2.41% 2.41% 2.41% Aspartame 0.05% 0.05% 0.05% 0.05% Sucralose 0.02% 0.02% 0.02% 0.02% Color: (indicator device) 0.02% 0.02% 0.02% 0.02% Brilliant Blue (Sensient) Center Weight 1.126 g 1.124 g 1.204 g 1.154 g

(14) Trial 3 represents the chewing gum core of the present invention, while trials 1, 2 and 4 are comparative examples.

(15) Sorbitol particles: 90%<100 μm

(16) Isomalt particles: Isomalt ST/PF (90%<100 μm)

(17) The gum base, the maltitol syrup (Lycasin) and a part of the isomalt particles, the sorbitol particles, maltitol and mannitol, if applicable, were thoroughly mixed in a kneader for 30 minutes. Subsequently menthol, peppermint oil, the colouring, aspartame and sucralose and the remaining part of the above identified sweeteners were added. The mixture was subsequently thoroughly kneaded for 30 minutes. The amount of the compounds fed into the kneader corresponds to the recipes given in Table 2.

(18) The kneading was performed at 50° C.

(19) B) Coating Recipe:

(20) TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Composition of coating Standard Isomalt GS Coating Isomalt GS 65.00% Water 29.80% Gum Arabic Sol. (50%) 4.10% Titaniumdioxide 1.00% Aspartame 0.05% Acesulfame K 0.05% Working temperature 55° C.
C) Coating Process

(21) TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Process phases Powder: Isomalt ST/PF 750 g Amount of Centers: 7 kg Number of cycles Syrup addition/cycle Powder addition/cycle Phase 1 1 Phase 2 1 120 g  120 g Phase 3 7 90 g  90 g Phase 4 38 90-100 g     Phase 5 5 70 g Phase 6 2 60 g Phase 7 1 50 g Phase 8    .sup.  Waxing (without air) Phase 9    .sup. Waxing (with air)

(22) Chewing gum centers are provided in the coating drum (Driacoater 500/600). The coating solution (cf. B) is applied to the chewing gum centers at 55° C., wherein during said coating isomalt ST/PF (powder, 90% of the particles<100 μm) is added as powdery dry charges in phase 2 and phase 3. The applied coating layers are dried after each cycle with a constant air stream (approximately 25° C., <20% relative humidity). After finishing the application of the syrup the dragees are subjected to a waxing step.

(23) TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 5 Process conditions Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4 Mannitol Maltitol Isomalt Sorbitol Center Center Center Center Process time 243 min 240 min 182 min 182 min Layer thickness 33.9% 34.4% 34.0% 34.2%

Example 2

(24) Determination of Chewing Gum Characteristics

(25) Analysis of Menthol in the Coating of the Dragees:

(26) The menthol migration from the core into the coating was measured as follows:

(27) One chewing gum dragee is placed in a beaker glass containing 10 mL of water and the mixture is shaken for 30 s. Subsequently the liquid phase is subjected to GC/SPME analysis (solid phase micro extraction) on menthol. Thereby the menthol of the liquid phase is adsorbed at a SPME-fiber, afterwards transferred and desorbed in the injection system of a gas chromatograph (Agilent GC 6890), where the analysis is carried out. Quantification of menthol is carried out according the method of the internal standard (3-pentanol).

(28) TPA Analysis of Hardness and Crunch Number:

(29) The TPA crunch number and the hardness were determined as follows:

(30) Texture profile analysis (TPA) is carried out using the texture analyzer TA-XT from Stable Micro Systems.

(31) Measurement Parameters:

(32) measuring cell: 50 kg

(33) probe: cylinder P/5 (diameter 5 mm)

(34) probe distance: 3 mm

(35) forward speed: 0,1 mm/s

(36) test speed: 0,1 mm/s

(37) backward speed: 5 mm/s

(38) threshold value: 0,06 N

(39) Evaluation:

(40) Hardness=max. peak of the graph [N]

(41) Crunch number=Σ Peaks (t1 to (t1+10 s))>threshold 0.06 N

(42) t1=time of first breaking of the coating

(43) The measurement results mentioned in the FIGS. 2, 5 and 6 are mean values calculated from the measurement of 20 samples.

(44) The sensorial crunch and hardness of the chewing gum dragees was determined as follows:

(45) Sensorial Evaluation of Chewing Gum

(46) Sensorial evaluation of chewing gums (hardness and crunchiness) were carried out by a panel of 15 trained judges according to a descriptive examination with scale. The attributes were rated from 0 (not detectable) till 8 (extremely strong) and statistically evaluated.

(47) Attributes Dragees:

(48) Crunchiness: Overall impression at the first bite; Noise and harshness when crushing the product Hardness: Hardness of the total product at first bite.

(49) The results are shown in the FIGS. 3 and 4.

Example 3

(50) Results:

(51) FIG. 1 shows that the three comparative coated chewing gums of trials 1, 2 and 4 exhibit a high menthol migration from the core into the coating. In contrast, the coated chewing gum of the present invention, namely the chewing gum dragee of trial 3, shows hardly any menthol migration into the coating.

(52) FIGS. 2 to 5, which show the TPA crunch number and sensorial crunch as well as the sensorial and TPA hardness of the three comparative coated chewing gums (dragees) and the coated chewing gum (dragee) of the invention illustrate that both, the TPA and sensorial crunch as well as the TPA and sensorial hardness of the present inventive chewing gum is superior over the comparative examples.

(53) FIG. 6 shows that the TPA hardness of the chewing gum core of the present inventive chewing gum dragee is superior over the TPA hardness of the chewing gum core of the comparative examples.

(54) FIG. 7 shows the colour changes during a four weeks storage, tested under 85% relative humidity at 40° C. Accordingly, the product of trial 3, namely the product of the present invention, shows hardly any decolouration, which is in contrast to the three comparative examples.