IOTA CARRAGEENAN-MULTI-VALENT CATION ALGINATE BINDER COMPOSITION

Abstract

A toothpaste composition comprising a binder composition wherein said binder composition comprises (a) alginate comprising a polyvalent cation alginate and (b) carrageenan comprising iota carrageenan. Such binder composition provides desirable rheological properties coupled with unexpectedly enhanced processability and visual characteristics.

Claims

1. A toothpaste composition comprising a binder composition wherein said binder composition comprises (a) alginate comprising a polyvalent cation alginate and (b) carrageenan comprising iota carrageenan.

2. The toothpaste composition of claim 1 wherein the polyvalent cation is calcium.

3. The toothpaste composition of claim 1 wherein the weight ratio of alginate to carrageenan in the binder composition is between 1:10 and 1:1.

4. The toothpaste composition of claim 3 wherein the weight ratio of alginate to carrageenan in the binder composition is between 1:3 and 1:1.

5. The toothpaste composition of claim 1 wherein the weight percent of polyvalent cation present in the alginate (a) is at least 10%, based upon the total weight of cations present in such alginate.

6. The toothpaste composition of claim 5 wherein the weight percent of polyvalent cation present in the alginate (a) is at least 20%, based upon the total weight of cations present in such alginate.

7. The toothpaste composition of claim 6 wherein the weight percent of polyvalent cation present in the alginate (a) is at least 30%, based upon the total weight of cations present in such alginate.

8. The toothpaste composition of claim 1 wherein the weight ratio of guluronic acid to mannuronic acid of alginate (a) is less than 1:1.

9. The toothpaste composition of claim 8 wherein the weight ratio of guluronic acid to mannuronic acid of alginate (a) is between 2:3 and 1:3.

10. The toothpaste composition of claim 1 wherein carrageenan (b) comprises kappa, kappa-2 or lambda carrageenan and at least 50% by weight of the total weight of carrageenan present is iota carrageenan.

11. The toothpaste composition of claim 1 wherein carrageenan (b) comprises 100% by weight iota carrageenan.

12. The toothpaste composition of claim 1 wherein such composition further comprises water and optionally further comprises one or more members of the group consisting of an abrasive, a humectant, a surfactant/foaming agent, a fluoride source, a sweetening agent, a flavor, a whitening agent, a preservative and a sensitivity agent.

13. The toothpaste composition of claim 12 wherein such composition comprises; a) between 0.1% and 2% binder composition; b) between 1% and 50% water; c) between 0% and 50% abrasive; d) between 0% and 40% humectant; e) between 0% and 3% surfactant/foaming agent; f) between 0% and 2% fluoride source; g) between 0% and 1% sweetening agent; h) between 0% and 2% flavor; i) between 0% and 2% preservative; and j) between 0% and 10% sensitivity agent; wherein all such percentages are by weight based upon the total weight of the composition.

Description

EXAMPLES

[0035] The following examples are provided to illustrate the invention in accordance with the principles of this invention, but are not to be construed as limiting the invention in any way except as indicated in the appended claims.

Example 1

[0036] The following toothpaste compositions were prepared by blending the following ingredients:

TABLE-US-00001 Grams per Ingredient kilogram Na Saccharine 3.8 NaF 3.8 Sorbitol 320.5 Glycerin 320.5 Hydrocolloid 12.8 (as specified below)
a) Sodium calcium alginate having a Na:Ca weight ratio of 64:36; (Comparative Experiment 1A);
b) Iota carrageenan low viscosity; (Comparative Experiment 1B);
c) Iota carrageenan high viscosity; (Comparative Experiment 1C); and
d) Equal amounts of sodium calcium alginate having a Na:Ca weight ratio of 64:36; sodium iota carrageenan and of high mw iota carrageenan; (Example 1).

[0037] The compositions (in an amount equivalent to 6 grams of hydrocolloid) were added to 594 mL of deionized water and stirred. The composition of Comparative Experiment A was clear, as was expected as alginates having a high sodium content are known to be water soluble. The compositions of Comparative Experiments B and C were cloudy suspensions, which was expected as carrageenans are typically water insoluble at room temperature. Surprisingly, the blend of Example 1 was clear, despite comprising a high carrageenan content.

Example 2

[0038] Toothpaste formulations having the following composition (by weight percent) were prepared based upon the following recipe:

TABLE-US-00002 Grams per Ingredient kilogram Deionized Water 338.5 Na Saccharine 3.8 NaF 3.8 Sorbitol 320.5 Glycerin 320.5 Hydrocolloid 12.8

[0039] Such formulations were prepared employing the following process:

A premix was prepared by mixing the deionized water with Na Sacchrin and NaF.
The hydrocolloid was added to the glycerin and mixed for 1 minute in a Thermomix mixer.
The sorbitol was added to the mixture and blended for 5 minutes.
The premix was added to the hydrocolloid mix and mixed for 15 minutes at 100 F.
An 8 ounce polypropylene jar was filled with the blended mixture.

[0040] The hydrocolloids employed were as follows:

Ca Alginate

64:36 Na:Ca Alginate

85:15 Na:Ca Alginate

Low Viscosity Na Alginate

High Viscosity Na Alginate

[0041] Low Viscosity Na iota carrageenan
High viscosity iota carrageenan

[0042] The viscosity of the resultant formulation was measured at a 0.1/sec shear rate and a 1.0/sec shear rate using a stress-controlled AR1500ex rheometer. A 4 cm stainless steel parallel plate with peltier plate base for temperature control was utilized with a 1000 micrometer gap height between plates. The shear rate was varied from 0.01 to 100.0/s over the course of 300 seconds, and data taken using a logarithmic sampling mode. The result of such testing (in cps) is presented in the following Table and provides a view both of viscosity and shear thinning nature of the solutions:

TABLE-US-00003 Example (EX) 0.1/sec. 1.0/sec. or Comparative Shear Rate Shear Rate Experiment (CE) Hydrocolloid (cps) (cps) 2CE-1 Ca Alginate 9,035 7,315 2CE-2 64:36 Na:Ca Alginate 35,030 24,690 2CE-3 85:15 Na:Ca Alginate 29,100 22,450 2CE-4 Low Visc. Na Alginate 174 183 2CE-5 High Visc. Na Alginate 27,070 21,570 2CE-6 Low Visc. I-Carrageenan 391,300 66,130 2CE-7 High Visc I-Carrageenan 48,300 11,410 2CE-8 50% Low Visc. 202,900 35,320 I-Carrageenan + 50% High Visc. I-Carrageenan 2-EX1 34% Ca Alginate + 447,700 71,040 66% Low Visc. I-Carrageenan 2-CE-9 34% Low Visc. 32,100 7,039 Na Alginate + 66% Low Visc. I-Carrageenan 2-CE-10 34% High Mw 201,500 43,650 Na Alginate + 66% Low Visc. I-Carrageenan 2-EX-2 33% Low Visc. 334,300 54,930 I-Carrageenan + 33% High Visc. I-Carrageenan + 34% 64:36 Na:Ca Alginate 2-EX-3 33% Low Visc. 246,600 44,960 I-Carrageenan + 33% High Visc. I-Carrageenan + 34% 85:15 Na:Ca Alginate

[0043] The above results indicate that combinations comprising calcium alginate exhibited increased viscosities (relative to the carrageenan component alone); in contrast, blends of sodium alginate with carrageenan exhibited reduced viscosities (relative to the carrageenan component alone).

Example 3

[0044] The long term stability of several calcium carbonate formulations was evaluated as described below. Toothpaste formulations having the following composition (by weight percent) were prepared based upon the following recipe:

TABLE-US-00004 Ingredients % Weight Precipitated Calcium 46.00% Carbonate Deionized (DI) Water 21.94% Na Monofluorophosphate 0.76% (NAFP) Na Saccharin 0.20% Na benzoate 0.30% Hydrocolloid 0.80% Glycerin 10.00% Sorbitol 17.00% Sodium Laurel 2.00% Sulfate (SLS) Flavor 1.00% 100.00%

[0045] The hydrocolloids employed were the same as those employed in Example 2

[0046] Toothpaste compositions were prepared as follows:

Process:

Premix: Add Na MFP, Na Saccharin, Na Benzoate to DI Water

[0047] Add Hydrocolloid to glycerin in separate vessel, mix for 5 minutes using overhead mixer.
Add Sorbitol, continue to mix for 5 minutes.
Add water/salt premix, continue to mix for 25 minutes (at 65 C. for high viscosity carrageenan control; room temperatureabout 25 C. for the other formulations)
Add this elixir phase mixture to Ross mixer, add Precipitated Calcium Carbonate, mix 20 minutes under vacuum.
Add SLS and flavor, mix 10 minutes under vacuum.

[0048] The compositions were stored at room temperature and at 50 C. for three months. The 0.1/sec shear rate was measured as described in Example 2. The results of such evaluation are presented in the Table below:

TABLE-US-00005 Room Temp. Flavor 50 C. Flavor Hydrocolloid 3 Months Separation 3 Months Separation High Visc. 402,000 cps none 590,000 cps none I-Carrageenan 65 C. Processing High Visc. 252,000 cps none 454,000 cps slight I-Carrageenan 25 C. Processing 64:36 NaCa 235,000 cps severe 325,000 cps slight Alginate 85:15 NaCa 258,000 cps severe 296,000 cps slight Alginate High Visc. Na 574,000 cps severe 227,000 cps slight Alginate Ca Alginate 248,000 cps severe 450,000 cps slight 33% 64:36 256,000 cps none 387,000 cps none NaCa Alginate 33% Low Visc. I-Carrageenan 33% High Visc. I-Carrageenan

[0049] The above results demonstrate that the compositions of this invention provide desirable long term stability, even under elevated storage conditions. Further, the results indicate that desirable products can be obtained formulating the compositions of this invention at room temperatures, despite the presence of carrageenans which typically required the use of elevated temperatures.