A POUCHED PRODUCT FOR ORAL USE COMPRISING A PARTICULATE FILLING MATERIAL

Abstract

Described is a pouched product for oral use that includes a liquid permeable cover material and a portion sized amount of a filling material comprising a first type of particles, the filling material being enclosed by the liquid permeable cover material, the pouched product having a first main surface and a second main surface and a thickness between the first main surface and the second main surface. The particles of the first type of particles have an average particle size within the range of from 0.3 mm to 3.0 mm and a pre-use moisture content of from 1% by weight of the filling material to 35% by weight of the filling material. The first type of particles are water insoluble particles. The filling material has one or more water soluble components. The pouched product has a pre-use thickness (t1) and a post-use thickness (t2) and a ratio (t2/t1) between the post-use thickness (t1) and the pre-use thickness (t1) which is in the range of from 1.0 to 1.5.

Claims

1. A pouched product for oral use comprising a liquid permeable cover materialand a filling material, the filling material comprising a first type of particles, the first type of particlesbeing water insoluble particles, the filling materialbeing enclosed by the liquid permeable cover material, the pouched product having a first main surface and a second main surface and a thickness between the first main surfaceand the second main surface characterized in that the filling material is free from tobacco material or the filling material comprises tobacco material in an amount within the range of from 0.05 wt % to 10 wt % based on the total weight of the filling material, the particles of the first type of particleshave an average particle size within the range of from 0.5 mm to 3.0 mm, the filling materialhas a pre-use moisture content of from 1% by weight of the filling materialto 35% by weight of the filling material, and the filling materialcomprises one or more water soluble components, the pouched product having a pre-use thickness (t1) determined as the maximum distance between the two main surfaces of the oral pouched product at an applied pressure force of 0.5 N and a post-use thickness (t2) determined as the maximum distance between the two main surfaces of the oral pouched product at an applied pressure force of 0.5 N after a use period of 10 minutes according to the test procedure disclosed herein, and a ratio (t2/t1) between the post-use thickness (t1) and the pre-use thickness (t1) being in the range of from 1.0 to 1.5.

2. A pouched product according to claim 1, wherein the first type of particlesare particles of microcrystalline cellulose, water insoluble starch or a mixture thereof.

3. A pouched product according to claim 1, wherein the first type of particles constitutes 75% by dry weight to 99% by dry weight of the filling material.

4. A pouched product according to claim 1, wherein the volume of the water insoluble first type of particles defines the volume of the filling material, with any additional component or components of the filling material contributing by less than 5% to the volume of the filling material.

5. A pouched product according to claim 1, wherein the filling materialcomprises tobacco material in an amount within the range of from 0.05 wt % to 1 wt % based on the total weight of the filling material.

6. A pouched product according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the product increases by up to 50% during use.

7. A pouched product according to claim 1, wherein the particles of the first type of particles have a particle density in the range of from 0.8 g/cm.sup.3 to 1.7 g/cm.sup.3.

8. A pouched product according to claim 1, wherein the filling material comprises nicotine which is added in the filling material in the form of a nicotine compound.

9. A pouched product according to claim 1, wherein the filling material comprises an additive selected from the group consisting of a flavouring agent, a sweetener, a humectant, and any mixture thereof.

10. A pouched product according to claim 9, wherein the additive comprises a flavouring agent.

11. A pouched product according to claim 1, wherein the filling material in addition to the water insoluble first type of particlescomprises a second type of particles, the second type of particles having an average particle size which is less than the average particle size of the first type of particles.

12. A pouched product according to claim 11 wherein the second type of particles are water soluble particles.

13. A pouched product according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more water soluble components is present on an outer surface of at least some of the particles of the first type of particles.

14. A pouched product according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more water soluble components is present in interstices between the particles of the first type of particles.

15. A pouched product according to claim 1, wherein the liquid permeable cover materialis a nonwoven material.

16. A pouched product according to claim 15, wherein the liquid permeable cover materialhas a basis weight in the range of from 10 g/m.sup.2 to 28 g/m.sup.2.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0053] The present invention will be further explained hereinafter by means of non-limiting examples and with reference to the appended drawings wherein:

[0054] FIG. 1 shows a pouched product for oral use;

[0055] FIG. 2 shows a cross-section along the line II-II through the pouched product of FIG. 1;

[0056] FIG. 3 shows generally spherical particles suitable as a first type of particles;

[0057] FIGS. 4a-4d show some alternative shapes for the first type of particles; and

[0058] FIGS. 5a-5b show schematically how the thickness of a pouched product for oral use is determined.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0059] It is to be understood that the drawings are schematic and that individual components are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0060] The pouched product 1 for oral use which is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises a liquid permeable cover material 2 and a portion sized amount of a filling material 3 comprising a first type of particles 4 enclosed by the liquid permeable cover material 2. The cover material 2 may be any suitable type of cover material as disclosed herein and is formed into a generally rectangular pouch into which the filling material 3 has been inserted.

[0061] A common way of making a pouched product having a generally rectangular pillow-like shape, such as the pouched product 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, is either to provide the cover material as a seamless and endless tube or to form a flat web of cover material into an endless tube which is provided with a continuous seal in the longitudinal direction of the endless tube. The endless tube is subsequently intermittently sealed in the transverse direction of the endless tube while filling the endless tube with filling material into pockets which are created between the transverse seals. Individual pouched products are severed from the filled and sealed tube of cover material and are usually packed in user containers. Sealing of the cover material may be made with any suitable method or combination of methods, such as by means of adhesive, heat sealing, ultrasonic welding, needling, etc. Heat sealing and ultrasonic welding require the cover material to contain at least a functional amount of thermoplastic material, such as thermoplastic fibres or thermoplastic binders.

[0062] The longitudinal seal created during manufacturing appears as a longitudinal seal 6 extending along the length I of the pouched product 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. No such seal will be present if the cover material is provided in the form of an endless seam-less tube. The transverse seals form end seals 7 which define the width w of the pouched product 1. The pouched product 1 has a first main surface 8 and a second main surface 9 and a thickness t being defined as the greatest perpendicular distance between the first main surface 8 and the second main surface 9, as measured according to the method as disclosed herein. The first type of particles 4 are water insoluble particles and the filling material 3 has a pre-use moisture content of from 1% by weight of the filling material to 35% by weight of the filling material and comprises one or more water soluble components. The pouched product 1 has a pre-use thickness t1 and a post-use thickness t2 and a ratio t2/t1 between the post-use thickness t1 and the pre-use thickness t1 being in the range of from 1.0 to 1.5.

[0063] The first type of particles 4 do not dissolve when being subjected to saliva in the oral cavity of a user which means that they have a high shape stability and do not diminish in size during use.

[0064] The first type of particles 4 may constitute a very high proportion of the total dry weight of the filling material 3, such as 80% by dry weight to 99% by dry weight of the filling material.

[0065] The filling material 3 further comprises one or more water soluble components 11, such as flavours, sweeteners, active ingredients such as nicotine, etc. as disclosed herein.

[0066] A part of a filling material 3 is shown in FIG. 3, the filling material 3 comprising a plurality of generally spherical water insoluble particles constituting the first type of particles 4 of an oral pouched product as disclosed herein.

[0067] The particles of the first type of particles 4 have a relatively large average particle size within the range of from 0.5 mm to 3.0 mm. By using large water insoluble particles for the first type of particles 4, a major part of the water soluble components 11, i.e. components which are soluble in water and saliva, may to a large extent be present in the filling material on surfaces of the first type of particles 4 which face interstices 12 between the first type of particles 4. In that manner, any water soluble components 12 may be substantially concealed within the mass of the filling material 3 where they do not add to the volume of the filling material 3.

[0068] FIG. 3 shows only a very small number of the first type of particles 4. In a full portion of filling material for an oral pouched product 1, the number of the first type of particles is considerably higher, such as in the order of 150 particles or more which means that a large majority of the particle surfaces will be located in the filling material 3.

[0069] As disclosed herein, the first type of particles 4 may be dense, non-porous particles having a particle density in the range of from 0.8 g/cm.sup.3 to 1.7 g/cm.sup.3, such as from 1.0 g/cm.sup.3 to 1.5 g/cm.sup.3, such as from 1.1 g/cm.sup.3 to 1.4 g/cm.sup.3. In such dense non-porous particles, no, or substantially no water soluble components 11 are present within the first type of particles 4 themselves.

[0070] As set out herein, the filling material 3 in addition to the water insoluble first type of particles may comprise a second type of particles (not shown), which may be water soluble particles and which have an average particle size which is less than the average particle size of the first type of particles 4. Preferably, the second type of particles are sufficiently small to be accommodated within interstices 12 between the first type of particles 4.

[0071] FIGS. 4a, 4b, 4c and 4d illustrate some alternative shapes for the first type of particles 4 of the filling materials 3 as disclosed herein.

[0072] The particles 4 which are shown in FIG. 4a have a substantially cubic shape, the particles 4 which are shown in FIG. 4b are grain-shaped, the particles 4 which are shown in FIG. 4c have a substantially cylindrical shape and the particles 4 which are shown in FIG. 4d have an irregular shape. The particles 4 in FIG. 4a, has an aspect ratio w/l which is approximately 1, while the particles 4 shown in FIGS. 4b-4d have a smaller aspect ratio.

EXAMPLES AND DESCRIPTION OF TEST METHODS

Method for Determining Moisture Content, Loss on Drying (LOD)

[0073] The moisture content as referred to herein may be determined by using a method based on literature references Federal Register/vol.74, no. 4/712-719/Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009/Notices Total moisture determination and AOAC (Association of Official Analytical Chemics), Official Methods of Analysis 966.02: Moisture in Tobacco (1990), Fifth Edition, K. Helrich (ed). In this method, the moisture content is determined gravimetrically by taking 2.50.25 g sample and weighing the sample at ambient conditions, herein defined as being at a temperature of 22 C. and a relative humidity of 60%, before evaporation of moisture and after completion of dehydration. Mettler Toledo's Moisture Analyzer HB43, a balance with halogen heating technology, is used (instead of an oven and a balance as in the mentioned literature references) in the experiments described herein. The sample is heated to 105 C. (instead of 99.50.5 C. as in the mentioned literature references). The measurement is stopped when the weight change is less than 1 mg during a 90 second time frame. The moisture content as weight percent of the sample is then calculated automatically by the Moisture Analyzer HB43.

Test Method for Determining Thickness of a Pouched Product

[0074] Apparatus The thickness of a pouched product is determined using a rheometer having a stationary bottom plate 21 and a movable press plate 22 as shown in FIGS. 5a and 5b.
Sample Preparation Each sample is tested before and after use. When handling the sample products, care should be taken not to squeeze the samples or otherwise disturb the filling material inside the product cover.

[0075] Used samples are prepared by a test person placing a non-used sample product under the upper lip and leaving the sample in place under the lip for a use period of 10 minutes. No food or drink should be ingested during the use period. If the used samples cannot be tested directly in connection with the use, each sample oral pouched product is placed in an individual container which is sealed and kept under refrigeration at 4 C. The thickness of the used samples should be measured within 24 hours after use.

Test Procedure

[0076] The rheometer is started according to the start procedure.

[0077] An oral pouched product 1 is placed flat with one of the two main surfaces 8, 9 on the bottom plate 21 of the rheometer 20, as shown in FIG. 5a. The oral pouched product 1 is removed from the storage container by hand or by means of a pair of tweezers and care is taken to center the sample on the bottom plate to ascertain that the force is evenly distributed over the sample during the measurement.

[0078] The measuring sequence is started and the thickness of the sample at a low applied pressure force of 0.5 N is registered.

[0079] The pre-use thickness t1 or the post-use thickness t2 of the oral pouched product is determined as the maximum distance between the two main surfaces 8,9 of the oral pouched product 1 at an applied pressure force of 0.5 N as shown in FIG. 5b.

[0080] The thickness of a tested oral pouched product is determined as the average thickness of tested product samples taken from the same batch of oral pouched products.

EXAMPLES

[0081] All sample products had a liquid permeable nonwoven cover material. The product format and the volume of the filling material in the non-used products were the same for Reference 1 and Example 1. The product format and the volume of the filling material in the non-used products in Example 2 were different from those of Reference 1 and Example 1.

Example 1

[0082] Filling material: Total pre-use weight 0.58 g and total pre-use volume 0.75 cm 3 . The filling material was constituted by approximately 78% by weight of the total weight of the filling material of particles of microcrystalline cellulose having an average particle size of 945 m, a sphericity of 0.90.05, a particle density of 1.3 g/cm.sup.3 and a bulk density of 0.78 g/cm.sup.3, and approximately 9% by weight of additional components based on the total weight of the filling material. The moisture content in the filling material was 13% of the total weight of the filling material.

[0083] Product format: length 28 mm, width 14 mm.

Example 2

[0084] Filling material: Total pre-use weight 0.73 g and total pre-use volume 1.1 cm.sup.3.

[0085] The composition of the filling material was the same as in Example 1.

[0086] Product format: length 34 mm, width 14.5 mm.

Reference 1

[0087] Reference 1 was a commercial product sold under the name ZYN Dry citrus 3 mg from Swedish Match North Europe AB.

[0088] Filling material: Total pre-use weight 0.34 g and total pre-use volume 0.72 cm.sup.3. The filling material was constituted by approximately 84% by dry weight of a combination of granules of microcrystalline cellulose and maltitol and approximately 16% by dry weight of hydroxypropyl cellulose powder, flavour additives, pH regulators and nicotine bitartrate.

[0089] The moisture content in the filling material was 3% of the total weight of the filling material.

[0090] Product format: length 28 mm, width 14 mm.

Reference 2

[0091] Reference 2 was a commercial product sold under the name Nordic Spirit Spearmint Intense from Nordic Spirit AB.

[0092] Filling material: Total pre-use weight 0.68 g. According to the ingredient list on the packaging, the bulk of the filling material is maltitol and cellulose. The filling material further contains chewing gum base, glycerol, propylene glycol, nicotine, sodium carbonate and flavour additives. The moisture content in the filling material was 7.8% of the total weight of the filling material.

[0093] Product format: length 35 mm, width 15 mm.

Reference 3

[0094] Reference 3 was a commercial product sold under the name LOOP Sicily Spritz from Another Snus Factory.

[0095] Filling material: Total pre-use weight 0.58 g. According to the ingredient list on the packaging, the bulk of the filling material is fiber. The filling material further contains, erythritol, nicotine, flavour additives, xylitol, sodium carbonate, sodium alginate, acesulfame and sodium chloride. The moisture content in the filling material was 33.3% of the total weight of the filling material.

[0096] Product format: length 36 mm, width 13 mm.

Reference 4

[0097] Reference 4 was a commercial product sold under the name Shiro Sweet Mint from AG Snus.

[0098] Filling material: Total pre-use weight 0.46 g. According to the ingredient list on the packaging, the bulk of the filling material is cellulose. The filling material further contains, glycerol, flavour additives, sodium chloride, nicotine, sodium carbonate, potassium sorbate and guar gum. The moisture content in the filling material was 20.5% of the total weight of the filling material.

[0099] Product format: length 35 mm, width 15 mm.

Reference 5

[0100] Filling material: Total pre-use weight 0.54 g and total pre-use volume 0.75 cm.sup.3.

[0101] The composition of the filling material was the same as in Example 1, with the exception that the particles of microcrystalline cellulose had an average particle size of 445 m, a sphericity of 0.90.05, a particle density of 1.3 g/cm3 and a bulk density of 0.78 g/cm.sup.3. Product format: length 34 mm, width 14.0 mm.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 t1 (mm) t2 (mm) t2/t1 Reference 1 2.92 2.33 0.80 Reference 2 4.93 4.21 0.85 Reference 3 4.54 4.23 0.93 Reference 4 4.41 4.22 0.96 Reference 5 3.34 3.14 0.94 Example 1 3.78 4.46 1.18 Example 2 4.86 5.69 1.17

[0102] As can be seen in Table 1, the oral pouched products according to Examples land 2 were found to increase in thickness to approximately the same degree during use i.e., by 18% for Example 1 and 17% for Example 2, while the thickness of the reference products was found to decrease during use. In References 1-4 the decrease in thickness is believed to be a combined effect of a large amount of water soluble components in the filling materials and a small particle size of the insoluble components. Reference 5 shows that the particle size affects the ability of the filling material to retain or increase its original volume during use. While the larger particles used in the filling materials of Examples 1 and 2 were found to cause the thickness of the tested samples to increase during use, the Reference 5 product having the same filling material composition as in Examples 1 and 2, except for the particles of microcrystalline cellulose having a smaller size than in Examples 1 and 2, was found to decrease in thickness.