DK174334B1 - Prodn. of controlled-release chewing gum ingredients - by agglomeration, drying and grinding - Google Patents

Abstract

Prodn. of controlled-release ingredients for chewing gum is effected by (a) mixing an ingredient (I) with an agglomerating agent (II) and a small amt. of solvent to form a dust-free, non-flowing, crumbly, damp mixt.; (b) drying the mixt.; and (c) coverting the prod. into particles within a predetermined size range.

Description

in DK 174334 B1

The present invention relates to processes for the manufacture of controlled release ingredients for use in chewing gum.

5 In recent years, efforts have been made to regulate the release properties of various chewing gum components. In particular, attempts have been made to delay the release of sweeteners and flavorings in various chewing gum compositions, thereby prolonging the satisfactory chewing time of the chewing gum. Delaying the release of sweeteners and flavorings may also serve to avoid an unwanted overwhelming outbreak of sweetness or aroma during the initial chewing period. On the other hand, some constituents have been treated to increase their release rate in chewing gum. Furthermore, attempts have been made to delay or completely prevent the release of active ingredients into the chewing gum composition during storage of the chewing gum, thereby temporarily increasing the stability of the component.

For example, U.S. Patent No. 4,597,970 discloses a process for preparing an agglomerated sweetener wherein the sweetener is dispersed in a hydrophobic matrix consisting mainly of lecithin, a glyceride and a fatty acid or a wax species having a melting point between 25 and 100 ° C. In the described process, a spray drying step is used to form the sweetener-containing matrix into droplets followed by another coating of the agglomerated particles in a fluidized bed.

U.S. Patent No. 4,515,769 and No. 4,386,106 describe a 30-step process for producing a delayed-release flavoring for chewing gum. According to this process, the flavor is prepared in an emulsion with a hydrophilic (hydrophyllic) matrix. The emulsion is dried and ground, and the particles are then coated with a water-impermeable substance.

35 U.S. Patent No. 4,230,687 discloses a method of encapsulating an active ingredient to achieve gradual release of the ingredient in a product such as chewing gum. The process described comprises adding the ingredient to an encapsulating material in the form of a viscous paste. High shear mixing is used to obtain a homogeneous dispersion of the component in the matrix which is then dried and ground.

U.S. Patent No. 4,139,639 discloses a method of "fixing" aspartame by co-drying (by spray drying or by drying fluidized bed) of a solution containing aspartame and an encapsulating agent such as gum arabic, thereby to surround and protect the aspartame during storage in the gum.

U.S. Patent No. 4,384,004 discloses a method of encapsulating aspartame with various solutions of storage agents by various encapsulation techniques, such as spray drying, to enhance the storage stability of aspartame.

Of course, methods utilizing spray drying or fluidized coating techniques for encapsulating the constituents require relatively large investments in equipment and require trained personnel to perform and advanced process control.

The present invention relates to improved methods of preparing a controlled release ingredient for use in chewing gum.

In short, the method of the present invention generally comprises the following steps. An amount of a powdered component is mixed with an agglomerating agent such as a modified cellulose and a limited amount of a solvent such as water. The amount of solvent is limited to produce a mixture which is only moist or moist. This moist blend is characterized as being non-dusty, non-firming and slightly crumbly. The moist mixture is then dried. The dried mixture is treated, for example by grinding and / or sieving, to obtain the desired particle size range in the agglomerated constituent particles. Oily agglomerated particles comprise assemblies or chunks of constituent particles which have been bonded together with the agglomerating agent.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the component to be treated is the high-potency artificial sweetener known as aspartame, and the agglomerating agent is hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC).

The aspartame is dry mixed with HPMC in an amount such that HPMC constitutes about 15% by weight of the agglomerated aspartame. The mixing takes place in a planetary mixer or other type of mixer which affects compressive forces between the components. Water is added in small portions to the dry mixture during mixing until it is present in an amount of about 36% of the moist mixture. The moist mixture is spread on trays and dried at about 77 ° C for 12 to 14 hours. After drying, the mixture preferably contains between 2 and 3% by weight water. The dried mixture is then ground in a high speed grinder with a 0.13 cm sieve.

The present invention provides advantages in that it offers a relatively simple and inexpensive method of treating ingredients to achieve controlled release in chewing gum.

In particular, the process of the present invention can be performed in a relatively short time and using relatively simple equipment. It was a surprising result that with this relatively simple and inexpensive method, agglomerated components with controlled release profiles similar to those processed by more complicated and expensive methods could be prepared. Moreover, the present invention, although it can be carried out by a continuous process, is also suitable for batch processes. This is particularly important for the small amounts of constituents typically used.

It should be noted that the term "controlled release component" used in this specification and subsequent claims refers to a component that has been treated to exhibit a different release profile than that of the present invention. the component without such treatment exhibits. In other words, the present invention encompasses various modifications of the release rates of chewing gum ingredients such as decreasing or increasing the release rate or changing the order of release rate.

In the context of the present invention, the term "controlled release" may also refer to enhancing the storage stability of a chewing gum ingredient by preventing or delaying the release of the ingredient into the chewing gum during storage. controlled release ", also referring to protection of the ingredient from the other chewing gum components during storage.

These and other advantages of the present invention will be illustrated by the following description, which, in connection with the accompanying figures, shows the presently preferred methods of the present invention.

Figure 1 is a schematic representation of the preferred method of the present invention.

Figure 2a is a photomicrograph of untreated aspartame crystals.

Figure 2b is a photomicrograph of a product of the most preferred method of the present invention.

30

Figures 2c and 2d are crochet photos of products of alternative embodiments of the present invention.

Figures 3a and 3b are graphs comparing the controlled release properties of various products of the present invention with untreated aspartame and conventionally treated aspartame.

5 DK 174334 B1

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating the steps of the method of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. First, an amount of powdered ingredient is mixed with an amount of powdered agglomerating agent. The powdered ingredient can be selected from a wide variety of chewing gum ingredients such as sweeteners, flavorings, acidifiers, pharmaceuticals and so on. Preferably, the ingredient is a high potency sweetener such as aspartame, acesulfame K, alitam, saccharin and its salts, cyclinic acid and its salts, dihydrochalcones, thaumatin, monellin and so on.

Most preferably, the high-potency sweetener used in this invention is the dipeptide sweetener L-aspartic acid ester 15 of L-phenylalanine, commonly known as aspartame. Aspartame used in the most preferred embodiment is available from G.D. Searie Company under their designation "NutraSweet" ·. This is a powdered form with generally needle-shaped crystals, which is within a wide range of particle sizes.

Figure 2a is a photomicrograph at 100x magnification showing the shape of the aspartame crystals prior to treatment according to the present method. As can be seen, the crystals are relatively small and needling. Generally, this powder is considered to be difficult to work with due to its poor 25 flow rate and low room weight. In particular, it is relatively difficult to coat these individual aspartame crystals 11 due to their small size and needle-like shape.

In alternatively preferred embodiments, the high potency sweetener is the potassium salt of 6-methyl-1,2,2-oxathiazine-4 (3H) -one-2,2-dioxide, commonly known as acesulfame K. In other alternatively preferred embodiments, high potency sweetener L-aspartyl-0-alanine-2,2,4,4-tetramethylthienylamide.

commonly known as alitam.

35

The present invention also encompasses the counting of more than one component. That is, two or more chewing-gum ingredients can be mixed together before or during the present process. For example, it may be desirable to mix a sweetener and a flavoring agent together to produce agglomerated particles which will cause a controlled release of both components.

5

The powdered agg1 ornamenting agent1 can be selected from a wide variety of agglomerating agents. Examples of suitable agglomerating agents include modified cellulose compounds such as hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC), gums, such as gum arabic, shellac, alcohol soluble proteins such as zein, starch species, maltodextrins, laxtose, polymers, carbohydrates, , polyvinyl acetate and so on. Plasticizing and conditioning agents for the agglomerating agents may also be used.

15

Modified cellulose compounds are preferred for use with sweeteners, where HPMC is used in the most preferred embodiment with aspartame. The HPMC used in the most preferred embodiment is obtained from the Dow Chemical Company from their METHOCEL-1 ine under the specific designation "EAM".

The present invention encompasses the simultaneous use of more than one agglomerating agent. For example, two or more different types or qualities of HPMC could be mixed to modify the properties of the agent as a whole. Moreover, it may be desirable to use two or more agglomerating agents having different solubility properties so as to obtain a stepwise release of the product in use.

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The present invention also encompasses the use of more than one agglomeration step whereby more than one layer of agglomerating agent can be applied to the clumps of agglomerated component sparingly. Depending on the desired result, it may be desirable to use either the same or different agglomerating agents in each of the layers.

The relative ratio of agglomerating agent to component depends on the specific component selected and the specific agglomerating agent selected. In addition, the amount of agglomerating agent used will depend on the release profile desired for the component. Generally, using more agglomerating agent will result in a slower release of the ingredient as the gum is chewed.

Of course, the amount of agglomerating agent must be kept below the level where it would have an adverse effect on the aroma or texture of the chewing gum. Preferably, the agglomerating agent will comprise between about 1 and about 65% by weight of the agglomerated component, that is, percent of combined weight of the component and the agglomerating agent. In the most preferred embodiment, HPMC is added to between about 5 and about 50% by weight of the agglomerated component, even more preferably between about 10 and about 30%.

As shown in Figure 1, it is preferred that the ingredient and agglomerate be mixed well in dry form prior to any addition of solvent. In the most preferred embodiment, this is accomplished by simply adding the two powdered components in a mixing bowl to a planet-type mixer. This mixer is activated long enough to thoroughly mix the two powders. This dry mixture of the component and the agglomerating agent is believed to be desirable, thus the two components are uniformly dispersed in each other prior to the addition of the limited amount of solvent, thereby providing a more uniform dispersion during the solvent addition and in the final agglomerated product. 1 2 3 4 5 6 In alternative embodiments, the solvent may be added 2 to the agglomerating agent before being added to the component. For example, a carbohydrate syrup can be used in the present 4 process and thus act as both the agglomerating agent 5 and the solvent. Other agglomerating agents may also be premixed with their solvent prior to addition to the component. For example, shellac is preferably used with an ethanol solvent1 already present.

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In other alternative embodiments, the solvent may be added to the high-potency sweetener before the agglomerating agent is added.

After the dry component and the dry agglomerating agent are thoroughly mixed, referring again to the preferred embodiment illustrated in Figure 1, a solvent for the mixture, that is, a solvent for the agglomerating agent and / or the component.

Of course, the choice of solvent will depend on the choice of the agglomerating agent and / or the component. Using HPMC in the preferred embodiment, the preferred solvent is water. When using shellac or zein as agg1 ores in solvent, the preferred solvent is ethanol. It is essential to avoid solvents that would not be harmless to use in food preparation.

The total amount of solvent added will also depend on the choice of agglomerating agent. As mentioned, the amount of solvent is deliberately limited in order to produce a moist, non-dusting, non-flowable, non-extrudable, light-crumbling mixture. By the word "crumbly" is meant that the moist mixture is easily separated. For comparison, the moist mixture should have the same texture and texture as wet sand. By contrast, the moist mixture should not contain so much solvent that it becomes doughy, paste-like, clay-like or soupy. It has been found that if the mixture reaches the dough-like stage, many of the advantages of the present invention are lost. In particular, the doughy mixture is more difficult to mix, handle and dry, and it is significantly more difficult to obtain the desired particle sizes.

35 The preferred method of adding the solvent to the mixture is to add it in small amounts with time-separated increases during continuous mixing. By adding the solvent in this way, it is desirable to allow the mixture to become homogeneous before the next addition of solvent. Following this preferred method, the solvent is allowed to be absorbed slowly into the mixture without producing puddles of solvent which can result in large clay-like lumps in the mixture.

It has been found that one way to determine when sufficient solvent has been added is to follow the mixer power requirement. In particular, the power requirement will increase sharply as the mixture goes from the desired moist blend state to a doughy state. It is believed to be due to the fact that at the desired moist mixing stage, the mixture is slightly crumbly, i.e. easily separable, whereas the mixture as it moves toward the clay stage becomes more cohesive. As a result, the power requirement of the mixer can be followed and the solvent addition stopped, just as the power demand begins to rise sharply.

It is also possible to determine the correct amount of solvent by visually following the state of the moist mixture.

The properties mentioned above, i.e., non-dusting, non-flowing and light crumbling, are relatively easy to observe and contrast with the consistency and flowability of the dough-like stage.

When the optimum amount of solvent is determined for a particular agglomerating agent and a specific weight ratio of agglomerating agent to component, this optimum amount will of course be reproducible.

30

In the most preferred embodiment where aspartame is agglomerated with HPMC, water is added so that it constitutes between about 20 and about 55% by weight of the moist mixture, more preferably between about 30 and about 40% and most preferably about 37%.

When zein is used to agglomerate aspartame, ethanol is most preferably present in an amount of between about 25 and about 50% by weight of the moist mixture. Also, when pre-solvated shellac is used to agglomerate aspartame, ethanol is preferably present in an amount of between about 7 and about 15% by weight of the moist mixture.

After the last of the solvent is added, the combination is continuously mixed long enough to form a homogeneous mass. In particular, the solvated and non-solvated component, the solvated and non-solvated agglomerating agent and any free solvent should all be evenly distributed in the mixture. The optimum mixing time can be determined visually.

The type of blend performed on the blend is considered to be important to the present invention. In particular, a mixture of the type carried out by compression is considered important for pushing the solvated agglomerating agent and the particles of component together into chunks. This is in contrast to a high shear type mixer which would act by separating the components of the moist mix. Therefore, the preferred type of mixer is a planetary mixer or other mixer type which would provide similar mixing of the type carried out by compression.

After the final mixture, the moist mixture is dried. Preferably, virtually all solvent should be removed from the mixture. The drying is preferably accomplished by taking the moist mixture out of the mixing bowl and spreading it on dry trays. It has been found advantageous to feed the drying trays with paper to facilitate the removal of the dried product. In the most preferred embodiment, the moist mixture is spread on trays at a depth of about 2 cm.

It is preferred that the drying is done by placing the trays in a drying oven at a temperature and for a period sufficient for 1 to 35 to expel virtually all the solvent. Of course, the drying temperature and time will depend on the specific solvent and amount of solvent used, as well as factors such as the heat or humidity stability of the constituent. Therefore, it may be desirable to allow the moist mixture to dry under ambient conditions. In the most preferred embodiment, aspartame agglomerated with HPMC is dried at about 77 ° C for 12 to 14 hours.

Another factor that can affect the drying temperature is whether it is desirable for the solvent to boil as it leaves the particles. It is known in the art that if the solvent boils during drying, the residual coating on the particles tends to be porous due to bubble formation. This porosity may be desirable in certain embodiments in which a rapid release is desired.

After drying according to the most preferred embodiment, the agglomerated aspartame has been found to have a water content of between about 2 and about 3% by weight of the total. The acceptable level of solvent remaining in the agglomerated constituent particles may be higher or lower than this amount and will depend on the nature of the constituent used and the agglomerating agent used. Of course, if the component is degraded in the presence of the solvent, or if the solvent is not compatible with the chewing gum composition in which the agglomerated component is to be used, it is of course important to expel as much of the solvent as possible.

After drying, the mixture is usually characterized as being in the form of hard, dry lumps of various shapes and sizes. At this point, the dry mixture is ready to be processed to produce the desired particle size range. This can happen in several ways. Most preferably, the dry mixture is fed into a grinder which fines the mixture into smaller particles. Other apparatus, such as a rolling mill, may also be used to comminute the dried mixture. The molding apparatus or other apparatus is preferably provided with a sieve which will allow particles within the desired size range to pass. If desired, other techniques, such as a second screen or a cyclone separator, may be used to ensure both a minimum particle size and a maximum particle size. Currently, a 0.13 cm hole screen is used to prepare the agglomerated aspartame particles of the most preferred embodiment.

Figure 2b is a micrograph of 100x magnification of the product according to the most preferred embodiment of this invention. More specifically, the product is aspartame crystals 10 as shown in Figure 2a, which has been agglomerated with 15 wt * "E4M" -HPMC as described above. The dried mixture was ground in a Fitzmi 11 molding apparatus with a 0.13 cm hole sieve. As seen, the product comprises assemblies or chunks of individual aspartame crystals which have been bonded together by HPMC. This photographer also shows how the invention is applicable to reducing the total surface area of the aspartame crystals. Thus, it is believed that the preferred embodiment delays the release of asparagus in chewing gum, not only by covering some of the crystals with agglomerating agent, but also by reducing the exposed surface area of the crystals.

The product also includes aspartame crystals which are not bound to others. These unbound crystals may have avoided bonding during the aggregation process or they may have been detached from the clumps during the grinding process.

In the most preferred embodiment, only the maximum particle size is controlled. That is, the smaller particles 30 are not retained. As a result, and as shown in Figure 2b, there are small unbound crystals besides the clumps. This is believed to be preferred for certain ingredients in certain chewing gum compositions. For example, in the most preferred embodiment, it is believed to give the effect that some smaller and / or unbound aspartame particles are released faster when chewing gum than aspartame bound in the lumps. As a result, the release profile becomes such that the consumer experiences sufficient sweetness from the start and later.

In alternative embodiments, it may be desirable to control the maximum and minimum particle size to obtain a narrower particle size range. This may be desirable when the component is intended to have a more uniformly delayed release.

Figure 2c is a photomicrograph of a product similar to that of Figure 2b, except that the product shown had a 30% by weight HPMC content of the agglomerated aspartame (see Example 10 2). As can be seen, the lumps in this product have more HPMC around their outer surfaces. Experiments have shown that this 30% HPMC product gives a generally slower release than the 15% HPMC product of Example 1 (see graph in Figure 3a).

Figure 2d is a micrograph of 100x magnification of a product prepared according to the most preferred method described above except that zein was used as agglomerating agent instead of HPMC (see Example 5). Zein was used in an amount of about 60 to 20% by weight of aspartame. The solvent for zein was ethanol, which was present in an amount of about 27% by weight of the moist mixture. As can be seen in the photomicrograph, the use of zein at this level results in a product that is more crystalline. The release profile of this product is shown in figure 3b.

The following examples are provided for explanation and illustration. Examples 1 to 14 were performed with aspartame as the component. Examples 15 to 18 were carried out with acesulfame K 30 as the component. Examples 19, 20 and 21 were performed with citric acid, tartaric acid and ascorbic acid respectively.

Example 1 was carried out according to the most preferred embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, 35,711 g of Formula 1 was an aspartame from Q.D. The Searie Company placed in the 40 qt. Dish in a Hobart mixer. 1361 g of Methocel E4M from the Dow Chemical Co. was also placed in the bowl. These two powders were blended dry at the low speed setting of the mixer for about 15 minutes. In total, about 4880 ml of water was added to this mixture. This was achieved by adding between 200 and 1000 ml of water every 3 to 5 minutes while the mixer was running. The moist mixture obtained was dust free and hung together when pressed. The moist mixture was mixed for about 5 minutes after the last water addition to ensure complete dispersion between the materials. The moist mixture was transferred to stainless steel trays and spread to a depth of about 2 cm. At this time, the material consisted of about 34.6 wt% water, 9.8 wt% HPMC and 55.6 wt% aspartame. The trays were placed in an oven and heated to 77 ° C for 12 to 14 hours. After drying, the mixture was ground in a Fitzmill at high speed and using a 0.13 cm sieve. The water content of the final product was between 2 to 15% by weight. The product of this example is shown in Figure 2b.

Example 2 was carried out in the same manner as Example 1 except that the batch size was greatly reduced. Specifically, the total weight of component and agglomerating agent in Examples 2-21 was 50 g. In Example 2, the proportion of HPMC was twice that of Example 1, i.e. 15 g E4M was used together. with 35 g of aspartame. In addition, the water was present in the moist mixture in an amount of about 42% by weight of the moist mixture.

25

Example 3 was carried out in the same manner as Example 2 except that instead of water, a solution comprising 70% by weight sorbitol and 30% water was used. Also, only 7.5 g of E4M was used together with 42.5 g of aspartame to obtain 30 agglomerated aspartame, which comprised 15 wt.% HPMC.

Example 4 was carried out in the same manner as Example 2 except that 3.5 g of HPMC was added to 50 ml of water to prepare a pre-dissolved HPMC. Then 3.5 g of this pre-dissolved HPMC was added to 46.5 g of aspartame. Thus, HPMC was present in an amount of about 0.5% by weight of the agglomerated aspartame. The total moisture content of the moist mixture was about 6.5%.

DK 174334 B1

Example 5 was performed in the same manner as Example 2 except that zein was used as the agglomerating agent. Zein got from Freeman Industries Inc. as their usual quality. The solvent used was ethanol in an amount of 27 5% by weight of the moist mixture. Zein was present in an amount of 60% by weight of the agglomerated aspartame. The product of this example is shown in Figure 2d.

Example 6 was carried out in the same manner as Example 5, except for 10 that zein was present in an amount of 40% by weight of the agglomerated aspartame. The solvent ethanol was present in an amount of 37% by weight of the moist mixture.

Example 7 was carried out in the same manner as Example 5, except for a different grade of zein. Specifically, zein was obtained here in a finer particle size. Incidentally, water was used as the solvent in an amount of 38% by weight of the moist mixture. Zein was present in an amount of 60% by weight of the agglomerated aspartame.

20

Example 8 was carried out in the same manner as Example 7 except that the solvent used was ethanol in an amount of 40% by weight of the moist mixture.

Example 9 was conducted in the same manner as Example 2 except that shellac in an ethanol solution was used as the agglomerating agent. Shellak was given from Bradshaw and Prager as their Food Grade 6 # cut confectioner's dewaxed lac glaze. The ethanol was present in an amount of about 25% by weight of the 30 moist mixture. Shellac was present in an amount of 15% by weight of the dried, agglomerated aspartame particles.

Example 10 was carried out in the same manner as Example 2, except that rubber arabic was used as the agg1 ornament. Rubber arabic was obtained in spray-dried form from Meer Corporation. The solvent was water present in an amount of 32% by weight of the moist mixture. Rubber arabic was present in an amount of 15% by weight of the agglomerated aspartame.

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Example 11 was performed in the same manner as Example 10 except that ethanol was used as the solvent for gum arabic. The ethanol was present in an amount of about 45% by weight of the moist mixture.

5

Example 12 was carried out in the same way as Example 2 except a maltodextrin was used as the agglomerating agent.

The maltodextrin was obtained from Grain Processing Corp. under the designation "Maltrin 150". It had a dextrose equivalent of 13-10 to 17. The solvent water was present in an amount of about 31% by weight of the moist mixture.

Example 13 was conducted in the same manner as Example 2 except that a starch type was used as the agglomerating agent. The starch was obtained from the A.E. Staley Company under the designation "Binasol 15". The solvent water was present in an amount of about 41% by weight of the moist mixture.

Example 14 was carried out in the same manner as Example 2 except that a gelatin was used as the agglomerating agent. The gelatin was obtained from Grayslake Gelatin Co. like a 250 Bloom type A gelatin powder. The solvent water was present in an amount of about 52% by weight of the moist mixture.

Example 15 was carried out in the same manner as Example 5 except that the high potency artificial sweetener known as acesulfame K was used as the ingredient. Acesulfam K was obtained from Hoechst. Zein was the agglomerating agent and it was added in an amount of 60% by weight of acesulfame K. The solvent ethanol was present in an amount of 21% by weight of the moist mixture.

Example 16 was carried out in the same manner as Example 15, except that a modified cellulose was used as the agglomerating agent. This modified cellulose was specifically ethyl cellulose obtained from the Dow Chemical Co. under the designation "Ethocel". Water was used in the soro solvent in an amount of 12% by weight of the moist mixture.

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Example 17 was carried out in the same manner as Example 15 except that shellac was used in an ethanol solution as the agg1 ornaments. Shellac was present in an amount of about 5 percent * of the agglomerated acesulfame K particles. The solvent ethanol was present in an amount of about 4% by weight of the moist mixture.

Example 18 was carried out in the same manner as Example 17 except that after the agglomerated particles were dried and formally light, they were treated according to the same procedure to apply another layer of shellac to the particles. Second, ethanol was present in an amount of 7% by weight of the moist mixture. The final particles comprised 12 to 14 weight * of the twice-coated acesulfame K.

15

Example 19 was carried out in the same manner as Example 2 except that citric acid was used as the component. The citric acid was obtained from Pfizer Chemical Division as anhydrous citric acid powder. The E4M HPMC described above was used as the agglomerating agent and was added in an amount of 30% by weight of the agglomerated citric acid. Water was present in an amount of 22% by weight of the moist mixture.

Example 20 was carried out in the same manner as Example 2 except that tartaric acid was used as the component. The tartaric acid was obtained from Pfizer Chemical Division as synthetic L-tartaric acid. E4M was present in an amount of 15% by weight of the agglomerated tartaric acid. Water was present in an amount of 16% by weight of the moist mixture.

30

Example 21 was carried out in the same manner as Example 2 except that ascorbic acid was used as the component. The ascorbic acid was obtained from Hoffmann LaRoche as a fine powder. E4M was present in an amount of 15% by weight of the ascorbic acid. Water was present in an amount of 22% by weight of the moist mixture.

An experiment was performed to measure the release profile of the products made according to the invention when incorporated into a chewing gum. The experiment consisted of making a batch of chewing gum with the products of Examples 1, 2, 5, 9 and 10 as the sweetener. Chewing gums with untreated aspartame and conventional aspartame, i.e., coated in fluidized bed, were also tested. Specifically, in each of the chewing gums tested, the amount of aspartame (without counting the agglomerating agent) was added to 0.18 weight * of the chewing gum. In chewing gums made with the sweetening agent of Examples 1, 9 and 10, the agglomerated sweetener was 0.21 wt * of the chewing gum-10. The chewing gum made with the product of Example 2 comprised 0.26% by weight of the agglomerated sweetener. The chewing gum prepared with the product of Example 5 comprised 0.45 wt * zein agglomerated sweetener. Chewing gum formulas were not identical in each batch except that the sweetener was changed in each case.

Chewing gum rods of 2.8 g were chewed by 4 subjects for specific time periods and then collected. Oe collected pieces were then analyzed to determine the remaining amount of aspartame in the chewing gum. As a result, it was determined how much aspartame was released from the gum after 0.0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 6, 12 and 24 minutes.

These results are plotted in the graphs of Figures 3a and 3b.

In Figure 3a, the open squares represent the observed levels of aspartame release, when aspartame was untreated, the "♦" symbols represent the observed levels of the chewing gum containing aspartame with a 15 weight * shellac coating applied at a conventional fluidized bed -technique.

The rudder symbols represent the observed levels of 15 wt * HPMC product of the present invention. The triangles represent the observed levels of 30 wt * HPMC product of the present invention.

As can be seen in Figure 3a, the product of Example 1 has a slower release from the gum than free aspartame. In particular, it should be noted that within the first three minutes, the chewing gum with untreated aspartame had released about 38 * of this aspartame, whereas the product of Example 1 had released only 26%.

Figure 3a also compares the release rate of products of the invention with that of a conventional coated aspartame. As can be seen, the release rate of aspartame coated by fluidized bed is slower than that of the product of Example 1, but not as much as might be expected. It was a surprise to the inventor that the process of the invention, which is lighter and less expensive than fluidized bed coating, produced a controlled release ingredient which was so similar to that produced by coating at fluidized bed.

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Figure 3a also shows that the release rate of the product of Example 2 is lower than that of the product of Example 1.

It is also seen that the process of the present invention can be adjusted to obtain a release rate 20 lower than that of conventionally coated aspartame.

In Figure 3b, the chewing gum release rates made with the products of Examples 5, 9 and 10 are compared with the release rate of untreated aspartame. As can be seen, the release of aspartame can be widely varied according to the present invention. The product of Example 10, which was coated with 15 wt * gum arabic, the panes on the graph, actually showed an increased release rate. The product of Example 5, i.e., agglomerated with 60 wt * zein, the tri-edges of the graph, produced a delayed release of aspartame. Finally, the product of Example 9, that is, agglomerated with 15 wt * shellac, showed the "♦" symbols on the graph, the greatest reduction in release rate.

Each of the agglomerated powders prepared in the examples described above was tested to determine its handling capability. Each powder was tested to determine its resting angle and its crankcase weight.

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The resting angle was measured by pouring an amount of the powder through a 6 cm funnel, which had an outlet 1.27 cm above the inlet of a 7 cm funnel, which in turn had its outlet 2.54 cm above a flat, even plate. Height and radius of the pile formed on the plate were measured. The angle was obtained by taking the arcustan gens to the height divided by the radius.

The crankcase weight was measured by placing 25 ml of powder into a graded cylinder and then knocking cylinder 10 against the table 40 times for it to settle. More powder was added to the cylinder, which was knocked another 25 times. Any powder other than 25 ml was removed and the cylinder weighed. The weight was multiplied by 4 to obtain the crankcase weight as the weight in grams for 100 ml of powder.

15

The following table summarizes the results for each of the above examples. In addition, the values for the untreated powders are included.

20 25 1 35 21 DK 174334 B1

Table

No. Ingredient Average Resolution Quantity Angle Density1 Mean 5 Aspartame None 46.8 32.6 1 "HPMC H20 15% 39.4 56.6 2" HPMC H20 30% 36.7 47.8 3 "HPMC Op 1. 70 15% 40.1 66.9 10 4 "HPMC H2O 7% 40.1 48.5 5" zein EtOH 60% 31.1 66.0 6 "zein EtOH 40% 31.6 60.3 7" zein2 H2O 60% 30 6 48.7 8 "zein2 EtOH 60% 34.8 55.5 15 9" Shellak EtOH 15% 27.8 65.7 10 "rubber arabic H20 15% 45.0 46.8 11" rubber arabic EtOH 15% 38.7 51.5 20 12 '1 maltrin H 2 O 15% 45.0 58.8 13 "Binasol H 2 O 15% 44.1 46.4 14" gelatin H 2 O 15% 36.7 57.3 acesulfame K nothing 30.2 126.8 15 "said EtOH 60% 33.2 65.3 25 16" ethocel EtOH 15% 34.8 79.0 17 "shellac EtOH 5% 34.2 103.4 18" shellac EtOH 12% *** 32 , 6 92.2 citric acid none none 61.2 flow 30 19 "HPMC H20 30% 29.7 74.3 tartaric acid none 70.4 flow in ng 20" HPMC H20 15% 31.6 78.2 ascorbic acid none none 85 , 3 35 flow 21 ”HPMC H20 15% 70.3 cranking room weight in g / 100 ml 2 fine quality zein powder 22 GB 174334 B1 *** two layers of shellac applied t in two granulation processes

In short, a relatively simple and economical process for producing controlled release ingredients for use in chewing gum has been described. Although specific embodiments and examples have been described, it should be borne in mind that they serve for explanation and illustration and that the present invention is not limited thereto. Certain modifications which are within the skill of those skilled in the art are considered to be within the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims, including all equivalents.

16 20 25 1 35

Claims (12)

A process for preparing a controlled release chewing gum ingredient S, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: a) mixing an amount of ingredient with an amount of agglomerating agent and a limited amount of solvent to prepare a moist mixture; the moist mixture being characterized as being non-dusting, non-flowing and slightly crumbly, b) drying the moist mixture, c) particle size distribution of the dried mixture, thereby obtaining agglomerated particles of the component which are within a predetermined particle size range and d) adapting the agglomerated particles to achieve a controlled release of the component when used in chewing gum. A process for preparing a controlled release ingredient for use in chewing gum, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: a) dry blending an amount of the ingredient with an amount of a powdered agglomerating agent, b) gradually adding a limited amount of solvent for the mixture of component and agglomerating agent in an amount sufficient to form a moist mixture, the moist mixture being characterized as being non-dusting, non-flowing and light rolling, c) drying the moist mixture and d) comminution of the dried mixture to thereby form particles of the component adapted to produce controlled release upon incorporation into chewing gum. Process according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the component is selected from sweeteners, flavoring agents, acidifying agents and drugs and mixtures thereof. Process according to claim 3, characterized in that the component is a high potency sweetener. Process according to claim 4, characterized in that the high-potency sweetener is aspartame. Process according to claim 1, 2 or 5, characterized in that the agglomerating agent is selected from modified cellulose, gums, shellac, zein, maltodextrins, gelatins, starches and lactose and mixtures thereof. Process according to claim 6, characterized in that the agglomerating agent is added in an amount of between about 1 and about 65% by weight of the agglomerated aspartame. The process according to claim 6, characterized in that the 25 agglomerating ring needle is hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose. Process according to claim 6, characterized in that the hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose is added in an amount of between about 5 and about 50% by weight of the agglomerated aspartame. 30 Process according to claim 9, characterized in that the solvent is added in an amount of between about 20 and about 55% by weight of the moist mixture. 3. li. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that the agglomerating agent and the solvent are combined in a carbohydrate syrup. DK 174334 B1 A process for treating aspartame to produce controlled release when used in chewing gum, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: a limited amount of solvent for the mixture of aspartame and hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose in an amount sufficient to produce a moist mixture, the moist mixture being characterized by having a solvent content of between about 30 and about 40 weight percent of the moist c) drying the moist mixture to remove virtually all the solvent, and d) comminuting the dried mixture to thereby produce 20 agglomerated aspartame particles adapted to obtain controlled release when used in chewing gum. Process according to claim 12, characterized in that the hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose is added in an amount of between about 10 and about 30% by weight of the agglomerated aspartame. 1 35