Wm Wrigley Jr Company

Steven E Zibell

Joo H Song

Robert J Yatka

Kevin B Broderick

Michael J Greenberg

David W Record

Philip G Schnell

Roman M Barabolak

Mansukh M Patel

David L Witkewitz

Michael A Reed

Gordon N McGrew

Henry T Tyrpin

Marc A Meyers

Adebisi A Campbell

Ronald L Ream

Lindell C Richey

Donald J Townsend

David G Barkalow

Christine L Corriveau

Sonya S Johnson

William J Wokas

Jeffrey S Hook

James Roy Maxwell

Christafor E Sundstrom

Daniel J Zyck

Stanley J Kopecky

Philip W Urnezis

Steven B Courtright

Michael P Russell

Edward S Dubina

Victor V Gudas

Daniel J Sitler

Donald Arthur Seielstad

William T Boyd

Rebecca Ann Aumann

Thomas M Tongue, Jr

Patrick Prombo

Daniela Zaluda

Jack D Nimz

A method for producing a chewing gum with a controlled release of an antimicrobial agent, as well as the chewing gum so produced, is obtained by physically modifying the release properties of the antimicrobial agent by coating and drying. The antimicrobial agent is coated by encapsulation, partially coated by agglomeration, entrapped by absorption, or treated by multiple steps of encapsulation, agglomeration, and absorption. The coated antimicrobial agent is preferably then co-dried and particle sized to produce a release-modified antimicrobial agent for use in chewing gum. When incorporated into the chewing gum, these particles are adapted to produce a fast release or a delayed release when the gum is chewed. The preferred antimicrobial agent is chlorhexidine digluconate.

Method of controlling release of antimicrobial agents in chewing gum

A method for producing a chewing gum with a controlled release active agent, as well as the chewing gum so produced, is obtained by physically modifying the release properties of the active agent, such as a nutraceutical or nutritional supplement, by coating and drying. The active agent is coated by encapsulation, partially coated by agglomeration, entrapped by absorption, or treated by multiple steps of encapsulation, agglomeration, and absorption. The coated active agent is preferably then co-dried and particle sized to produce a release-modified active agent for use in chewing gum. The active agent may also be used in a coating on a chewing gum product, as part of a rolling compound applied to the chewing gum product, or as a part of the liquid in a liquid-center chewing gum product.

Nutraceuticals or nutritional supplements and method of making

Method of controlling release of antimicrobial agents from chewing gum and gum produced thereby

A method for providing single units of sugarless chewing gum and compositions so packaged. Individual pieces of chewing gum are provided which units will have a sufficiently long shelf life in order to allow the units to be sold and carried by a consumer even in environments that are detrimental to the stability of chewing gum, e.g., high temperature and humidity. To this end, a piece of chewing gum is provided that is substantially sugar free and that is surrounded by a wrapper, with at least a first portion of the wrapper being sealed to a second portion of the wrapper to create a sealed environment that houses the piece of chewing gum. The wrapper has a moisture vapor permeation rate of less than 0.10 g/100 in.sup.2 /24 hr at 100.degree. F., 90% RH as measured by ASTM method F1249-90. In an embodiment, the wrapper has an oxygen permeability that is less than 0.10 cc/100 in.sup.2 /24 hr at 1 ATM as measured by ASTM method D3985-81.

Method for packaging single units of chewing gum and chewing gum so

A process is disclosed wherein an ingredient is treated so that it will exhibit a controlled release when incorporated in chewing gum. According to the method, a quantity of a powdered ingredient is mixed with an agglomerating agent, such as a modified cellulose, and a limited quantity of a solvent for the agglomerating agent, such as water. The quantity of solvent is limited so as to produce a mixture which is only moist or damp. This damp mixture is characterized as being dust-free, non-flowing and crumbly. The damp mixture is then dried and the dried mixture is treated, e.g. by grinding and/or screening, to produce the desired particle size range in the agglomerated ingredient particles. These agglomerated particles comprise collections or clusters of ingredient particles which have been bound together by the agglomerating agent.

Method of making chewing gum with delayed release ingredients

A method of making a zein-cellulose derivative gum ingredient is disclosed. Preferably, a solution of zein and water at a pH of between about 11.5 and about 12.1 is prepared, containing between about 10% and about 20% by weight zein, and the aqueous zein solution is combined with a cellulose derivative such as HPMC to form a zein-coated ingredient. The zein-cellulose derivative ingredient is then used to make chewing gum. The zein-cellulose derivative ingredient has been found to reduce late chew bitterness and harshness in high mint-flavor content gums.

Strongly mint-flavored chewing gums with reduced bitterness and harshness

Polyvinyl acetate encapsulation of crystalline sucralose for use in

A sucrose-containing chewing gum ingredient is prepared by mixing about 50 to about 95 parts by weight polyvinyl acetate with about 5 to about 50 parts by weight of a solution comprising sucralose dissolved in a solvent. The mixture is then dried to drive off the solvent. A chewing gum is prepared by mixing sucralose-containing ingredient, gum base, a bulking agent and flavor to make a chewing gum composition.

Polyvinyl acetate encapsulation of sucralose from solutions for use in

A stabilized high intensity sweetener ingredient for use in chewing gum is prepared by encapsulating a high intensity sweetener using a mixture of about 75 to about 99 weight percent zein and about 25 to about 1 weight percent shellac. This combination of zein and shellac prolongs the shelf life of the chewing gum and the high intensity sweetener, to a greater extent than zein or shellac used individually or in other combinations.

Zein/shellac encapsulation of high intensity sweeteners in chewing gum

A chewing gum that contains porous polymeric beads impregnated with active gum ingredients together with a method of making such a chewing gum.

Gum composition containing dispersed porous beads containing active

Polyvinyl acetate encapsulation of codried sucralose for use in chewing

The use of encapsulated salts to enhance flavor and sweetness characteristics of gum is disclosed. The gum of the present invention comprises gum base, a sweetening and bulking agent, a flavoring agent, and a salt encapsulated in a manner to delay its release from the gum composition during chewing. The encapsulated salt is made by standard coating and encapsulation techniques. The gum is made by standard mixing techniques, though it is preferred to mix the encapsulated salt into the molten gum base.

Use of encapsulated salts in chewing gum

A method is disclosed for granulating active ingredients using a granulation which includes polyvinyl acetate, alcohol and modified cellulosic. Methods for adding granulated active ingredients to oral compositions, including chewing gum, are provided. A chewing gum composition containing granulated active ingredients is also provided.

Granulation of active ingredients using polyvinyl acetate and alcohol

A method of making zein coated, high-potency sweeteners or other gum ingredients that does not use alcohol is disclosed. A solution of zein and water at a pH of between about 11.5 and about 12.1 is prepared, containing between about 1% and about 25% by weight zein, and the aqueous zein solution is combined with a high-potency sweetener or other gum ingredients to form a zein-coated ingredient. The zein coated ingredient is then used to make chewing gum. Preferable coating steps include spray drying and fluid bed coating.

Aqueous zein coated sweeteners and other ingredients for chewing gum

A chewing gum composition having an extended sweetness and flavor comprising a chewable gum base and a sweetener comprising 4,1',6'-trichloro-4,1',6'-trideoxy-galactosucrose (TGS), also known as sucralose. the gum base preferably comprises polyvinyl acetate, wax, and fats and oils. Within the initial 2 minutes of chewing, the TGS releases from said gum at a rate less than about 8 sucrose equivalents per minute, and at about 10 minutes of chewing, said TGS releases from said gum at a rate greater than about 3 sucrose equivalents per minute. To improve sweetness and flavor balance, a portion of the TGS is modified to make it fast releasing or a fast release sweetener is added to the chewing gum. The chewing gum is manufactured by mixing chewing gum ingredients including the chewable gum base and the sweetener in any conventional manner.

Chewing gum having an extended sweetness

Growing community of inventors

Tinley Park, IL, United States of America

Steven E Zibell