FR2535608A1 - Xylitol-based capsule suitable for sucking by man, process for producing it and device for implementing this process - Google Patents

Abstract

The said capsule is also suitable for chewing. This capsule, which is suitable for sucking by man, comprises: a. about 15% to about 60% by weight of gelatin; b. about 15% to about 70% by weight of a plasticiser such as glycerine and/or sorbitol; c. up to about 70% by weight of xylitol. Prevention and treatment of tooth decay.

Description

 The present invention relates on the one hand to the field of human food, more particularly that of sweets, and on the other hand it relates to that of public health.

 In fact, the present invention aims to produce a new product that can be used by humans, more particularly by children as a candy.

 pr, we know that during the 20th century, the consumption of sugar and the frequency of tooth deterioration, or dental caries, both increased substantially. "Sugar decays your teeth" is a slogan well known to both children and their parents.

Odontological studies which include:
GUSTAFSSON, BE: The vipeholm Dental Caries Study
the Effect on Different Levels of Carbonhydrate Intalce on
Caries Activity in 436 Individuals Observed. For five years.

 Acta Odont. Scand. Il: 232, p. 34 364 (1953) have shown convincingly that it is not so much the quantity of sugar, but rather the time of its consumption and the form in which it is ingested that determines the appearance of caries. Very concentrated and pasty forms, such as candies, caramels and other sweets which are sucked and which are in close contact with the teeth for prolonged periods, have proven to be a major cause of the increase in caries, whereas sugar consumed at meals has much less effect.

 Odontologists have studied the process of caries formation and at present we have in-depth knowledge and a broad understanding of the correlations that exist between bacteria and their environment in the oral cavity; we are better aware of the multiple roles played by food sugars as initiators of bacterial formation of dental plaque and as an energetic substrate of bacterial metabolism in the production of acid which deteriorates dental enamel and heaps in active caries.

 As a result of these studies, many dentists, doctors, school nurses and teachers, informed their patients and pupils of the certain dangers caused to their dental health by the consumption between meals of sweets, candies, chewing gum and the like.

 These perfectly understandable attitudes of doctors and educators, however, revealed a real conflict.

Indeed, for multiple reasons, both social, cultural and psychological, for pleasure or for any other reason, nobody wants to deprive themselves of sweets, nor the pleasures that sugar and confectionery bring, although we know that their cumulative effect may be harmful to health. Even diabetics, for the most part, for whom the consumption of refined sugar poses an even more immediate and more serious danger to their life expectancy and their well-being, admit, when asked about their eating habits and preferences, that they are not ready to give up sweets altogether (see
MEHNERT, H.: Uber den relativen Wert von Zuckeraustauschstoffen und Sulistoffen in der Diabetesdiàt. Wissensch.

Veroff. der Dtsch. Ges. Ern. 20: 79 (1971)).

 Much research has been done in the candy industry to find sweeteners or sweeteners that are not as cariogenic as sugar.

 One of the major discoveries made during this research-a. concerned xylitol.

We can indeed refer to a major work published on the subject of this compound, namely: "ACTA ODONTOLOGICA
SCANDINAVICA Vol. 33, Supplementum 70, 1975, Turku Sugar
Studies - Edited by A. SCHEINING & KK MÄKINEN ".

Before recalling the well-known properties of xylitol, it is necessary to clarify the nature of this body
It is a polycarbonate with five carbons belonging to the group of sugar alcohols. It can be obtained in particular by reduction of a pentose.

Its formula

XYLITOL chemical structure C5H12 0
Its molecular weight is 152.15.

 It appears as a white crystalline powder practically odorless and having a sweet taste.

 The sweetening power of xylitol is similar to that of sucrose.

 Its solubility in water at 200C is of the order of 'L, 6 g / ml.

 The pH of an aqueous xylitol solution at a rate of 1 g / 10 ml is between 5 and 7.

 The melting point of xylitol is 93-94.50C against 179-1860C for sucrose.

With regard to its other characteristics or properties, reference may be made to the report of the conference "Sugar and Sugar Repriments", to the "Food RA Symposium
London 10 September 1973 (U. Manz, E. Vanninen and F.

Voirol) ".

 Xylitol has in fact been known for almost 100 years and is found in many fruits, vegetables and mushrooms.

Xylitol can be obtained microbiologically and is used mainly in Japan and the Republic
Federal Republic of Germany for the preparation of solutions for infusions.

 In the above-mentioned work Turku Sugar Studies, the studies of Professors Arje Scheinin and Kauko K. are reported.

 Màkinen on the behavior of xylitol in the human body.

 In these studies, around 50 people took meals sweetened with xylitol for 2 years only.

Among the food items prepared from this compound were baked goods, canned goods, jams, drinks, sweets, sauces ...

 The dentition of these people was compared with a control group that used regular sugar.

 The respective blood conditions of each group were also determined and further clinical trials were undertaken.

The results of these studies have highlighted the following realities: during the complete replacement of sugar by xylitol in the diet,
- cavity formation is reduced by 90%,
- plaque formation is reduced by 50%,
- the formation of cavities caused by bacteria is reduced,
- the blood and urine levels were not changed compared to the sucrose group,
- an accommodation of the micro-organism to the use of xylitol could not be detected.

 From the interpretation of these results, we were able to draw the following conclusions: xylitol is the first natural sweetener in non-cariogenic sugar.

 What is more, studies which have not yet been completed, and which are carried out under the supervision of the World Health Office (WHO), seem to show that xylitol could have the effect on humans not only of preventing , but to provide a therapeutic action against cavities.

 It is therefore understandable that following such studies, it was reasonable to try to make sweets or similar articles intended for human consumption and more particularly for children, in which the usual sugar, that is to say sucrose, would be replaced by xylitol.

 In certain fields, this substitution presented no difficulty.

 For example, the production of chocolate bars using as a sweetening agent xylitol has been carried out in particular in the USSR.

 In this case, -ground xylitol is used and the chocolate produced is presented as a dietetic food, containing 34% of xylitol and intended more particularly for diabetics under medical supervision.

 It is known that chewing gums containing xylitol are currently available for sale.

 In the case of chewing gum, the glucose syrup can be replaced by glycerin, gum arabic, an aqueous solution of xylitol and / or special gum bases. The manufacturing processes differ only slightly from conventional methods.

Depending on the gum base used, mixing should be done in an aqueous solution of xylitol or glycerin. Xylitol should be used in powder form. It is sufficient that the average size of the grain corresponds approximately to that of normal powdered sugar.

 However, difficulties are encountered in molding in ordinary uncooled molds.

 Indeed, the particularly low melting point of xylitol conceals in it the danger of agglomeration. Qn has therefore designed special mills and we are currently studying the possibilities of being able to make xylitol powder available.

 Besides striped and extruded chewing gum, there are also sugared almonds on the market. The coating with xylitol has been well studied and the use of gelatin during hot coating with xylitol syrup seems essential if one wishes to obtain regular coverage. It is also possible to coating the chocolate cores or tablets with xylitol.

 On the other hand, the production of candies or sweets from xylitol poses much greater difficulties which have not yet been really resolved.

 Of course, we know that a patent application has been filed for the manufacture of hard caramels with xylitol base, but the manufacturing process calls for the coexistence of the melting of xylitol and xylitol powder to the point of fusion.

 On the other hand, there are really no candies or sweets on the market composed solely of xylitol.

 Several obstacles stand in the way of this achievement.

 This is first of all an economic obstacle since, if xylitol, as we have seen above, behaves identical or almost identical to that of sucrose, its cost price is about ten times more higher than usual sugar.

On the other hand, from a technical point of view, the manufacture of xylitol-based sweets faces serious difficulties, which have been described in the brochure "XYLITOL Importance
Action Application "published by ROCHE in 1975 - 270 70 840 (1547).

 It is stated in this brochure that, despite a large number of experiments which have been carried out in the industry, it has been impossible to manufacture a hard and clear candy in the traditional way and using xylitol.

 The only possibilities for making such a sweet consisted in adding sorbitol to xylitol-, with a view to obtaining a product which can be sucked.

 The above difficulties were related to the behavior of xylitol during crystallization, behavior which is different from that of sucrose.

 The present invention aims to provide a solution to the aforementioned problems and is intended to produce a new product capable of being sucked by humans and which can only contain, as a sweetening element, xylitol.

This new product consists of a capsule comprising two joined half-capsules, themselves made up of gelatin and a plasticizer, this capsule being characterized in that it contains between the two half-capsules a gas or gaseous mixture and in what it consists of:
a) about 15% to about 60% by weight of gelatin
b) about 15% to about 70% by weight of a plasticizer
c) up to about 70% by weight of xylitol.

 As the plasticizer, glycerine is preferably used, but all or part of it can be replaced by sorbitol.

 The amount of xylitol used in these capsules can be between 30 and 60, preferably between 40 and 50%, capsules constituting a judicious compromise contained 49 to 50% of xylitol.

 Of course, it is possible to add other agents to the capsule in the usual way.

So the flavoring agents can be added
Up to a content of about 5% by weight.

 Taste enhancers can be added up to about 3% by weight.

 As a flavor enhancing agent, citric acid can be used, for example.

 It is also possible to add preservatives commonly used in this field, such as, for example, ethyl or propyl parahydroxybenzoate, sodium or not, potassium sorbate or the like.

 For presentation purposes, a colorant can be incorporated into the base constituting the capsules, its content may reach Up to about 5%.

 As dye, it is possible to use products already known in this field, namely titanium dioxide, quinoline yellow, new coccine or the like.

 When it is desired that the capsule or candy thus formed exerts an additional action for the benefit of the dentition, it is possible to add fluorine ions to the material.

 These ions can be introduced for example in the form of sodium fluoride, sodium monofluoro phosphate or the like.

 As previously indicated, it is desirable that xylitol is the only sweetener in the capsule.

However, for commercial or other reasons, it is possible to add other sweetening agents
Up to a content of about 2% such as in particular sodium saccharinate, sodium cyclamate or the like.

 Of course, it will be preferable that the sweetening agents thus added are not in themselves cariogenic, so as not to destroy the beneficial effect of xylitol.

 The capsules according to the present invention can have any suitable shape as well as any size.

 The capsules are mainly characterized in that xylitol. contained in their walls is located mainly on the outside of them and in crystallized or partially crystallized form.

 Of course, it goes without saying that these dimensions must be compatible with the goal to be achieved, that is to say sucking by man and most often by young children.

 The dimensions of these capsules will therefore be close to the usual dimensions of candies in this area.

 As regards the shapes, they can be quite diverse, for example square, rectangular, round, oval, long, hexagonal ..., no limitation exists in this regard.

 To allow a sufficiently long suction as well as physical rigidity properties of the capsule, the thickness of each of the half-capsules can be of the order of 0.3 to 2.5 mm, preferably from 1 to 2 mm, and more particularly from 1.3 to 1.4 mm.

 The basic material, ensuring the structure of the capsule, consists of gelatin, but it is possible to partially replace it with gums.

 The gas mixture introduced inside the capsule is most often air, but it goes without saying that inert gases, such as nitrogen, compatible with human consumption, can also be provided.

 In general, the pressure of the gas inside the capsule corresponds substantially to atmospheric pressure.

 The capsules or candies according to the present invention have been found to have quite remarkable properties.

 Indeed, it has been found that in said capsules, xylitol has migrated essentially on the surface thereof, or it has crystallized after drying.

 Due to these unexpected migration and crystallization, taking into account the thickness of the gelatin bands, it is possible to obtain, during the suction of the capsule by the child or the man, a distribution on the mucous membranes. mouth of a colloidal film of gelatin containing the active substance, that is to say xylitol.

 It is important to emphasize that the external and internal parts of the walls of the capsule are not identical.

 The inventors have in fact demonstrated that xyli tol, during the manufacture of the capsules, tends to migrate towards the outside of the capsule, where it crystallizes, at least partially.

 Moreover, the external surface of the capsules most often has a grainy mat appearance, whereas it is noted, after opening of the said capsule, that the internal surface is, on the contrary, shiny and smooth.

 Under these circumstances, the new capsules according to the invention make it possible to achieve the best conditions so that xylitol can ensure the preventive and possibly therapeutic role which it exerts with regard to the teeth, more particularly the teeth of young children.

 This very essential advantage, linked to the fact that it is possible, with the new form of presentation thus chosen, to offer young children a candy of usual size and whose cost is not higher, at least in a sensitive way, with traditional sweets, and which, manifesting for the users the same interest or the same pleasure as these, exerts, without knowing it, a beneficial action, which was not the case of sweets of the prior art.

 In addition, as indicated above, it is possible to add to the capsule material or to the candy other compounds or bodies of therapeutic value such as fluorine ions.

 Likewise, solid or liquid compounds may optionally be added inside the capsule in place of air or gas, according to the traditional method.

 The invention also relates to a new method for manufacturing a capsule as described above.

 This process takes advantage of known techniques for the constitution of soft gelatin capsules.

 It will be recalled that the soft gelatin capsule was invented in France by MOTHES in 1833 (patent FR NO 9690).

 Since that date, the techniques have of course been perfected and currently, the process known as the SCHERER process is very famous for producing soft capsules intended to contain medicaments with active principles which can be used for therapeutic treatments.

 The operating principle of the machine will be briefly recalled here.

 Two cylindrical molds placed side by side and rotating in opposite directions are fed by two gelatin ribbons of a determined thickness which passes between the molds.

 These ribbons are thus cut in the form of a capsule as and when.

 The two cylinders in which the capsules are formed have cells, each of which corresponds to the capacity of a half-capsule.

 As the sides of the two cells begin to join, the drug is forced between the gelatin films through a sort of perforated metal wedge fed by very precise micro-pumps.

 The edge of the corner which is interposed between the cylinders is pierced with as many flow lights as there are cells on a cylinder generator. The corner is slightly heated, the surfaces of the gelatin films are softened to allow a perfect weld. The capsules are expelled from the cylinder by a series of ejectors in the alveoli acting by gravity.

The method of manufacturing a capsule according to the invention comprises the following steps
a) preparation of a mass containing the gelatin, the plasticizer, the xylitol and the other possible constituents in the required proportions.

b) formation of 2 ribbons of appropriate thickness from the mass obtained in step (a),
c) passage of the 2 ribbons obtained in step (b) on two cylinders or rotary cylindrical molds, placed side by side, rotating in opposite directions and comprising cells, each of which corresponds to the capacity of a half-capsule
d) to inject, at the moment when the cells located opposite each cylinder begin to join, a gas or a gaseous mixture
e) slightly heating the sides of the cells to allow the two half-capsules to be welded
f) expelling said capsules from their cells.

Step (a) of this process consists in
i) mix the gelatin and the plasticizer in the required proportions in the presence of water
ii) heat this mixture under vacuum at a temperature of 60 to 80 ° C. until 11 obtaining a homogeneous mass without bubbles
iii) incorporating xylitol in said homogeneous mass in the desired proportions.

 During step (a), it is of course possible to provide for the addition of any other components which the capsules may contain and which have been previously indicated.

 After the step (f) of expelling the capsules from their cells, it is possible to provide an additional step (g) of drying said capsules.

 As indicated, the first step (a) (of the process) relates to the preparation of gelatin-based mass or paste by mixing it with a plasticizer which is most often glycerin, but which can be constituted with sorbitol or a glycerin-sorbitol mixture in variable proportions.

 The mixing of the gelatin and the plasticizer in the appropriate proportions which have already been indicated in the present invention is carried out in the presence of water.

 The amount of water to be added will be determined by a person skilled in the art, so as to obtain an appropriate consistency allowing the subsequent passage of the strips on the cylinders.

 After mixing, the mixture is heated under vacuum to a temperature between about 60 and about SO0C to remove air bubbles.

 Then add the desired amount of xylitol to this mass.

 The xylitol thus added can be in the form of a powder, a solution or a suspension in water.

 The dough is then put to the thickness chosen by means known per se in the form of two identical ribbons.

 These ribbons then pass over two cylinders comprising the cells, the shape of which has been predetermined by the manufacturer.

 It is desirable to provide lubrication between the gelatinous paste and the x-rollers to avoid adhesions.

 Of course, these lubricants must be of the food or pharmaceutical type. Those skilled in the art will be able to refer to the techniques known in this field for the choice of this component.

 When two cells of each cylinder are almost opposite, a gas or gas mixture, preferably air or an inert gas such as nitrogen, is injected by a pump or any other suitable injection system. the two parts of ribbons which constitute the half-capsules so that there is then formed, by welding the slightly heated edges, a capsule constituted by two half-capsules welded and containing this air or gas mixture.

 Each capsule thus produced is extracted from the cell where it has remained included by means of an ejector, generally of the pneumatic and possibly mechanical type, and located at the bottom of said cell.

 The capsule thus obtained is rid of the lubricant which covers it with suitable solvents of the food or pharmaceutical type.

 The capsules are then dried, for example under infrared, to remove traces of water or solvent which could remain on its surface or in the mass.

 These capsules, as has already been specified, can be of entirely variable shapes depending on the wishes of consumers, these different shapes being predetermined by the shape of the cell present on the surface of the cylinders.

 For example, these capsules can be in the form of a small pillow or cushion containing air.

This structure has several advantages
- An apparent volume similar to that of a candy or other candy of the traditional type, for an actual mass of reduced material
- A flexible consistency, of a pneumatic type, which is attractive to users and especially children
- A completely original structure of the envelope which constitutes the capsule itself and which allows, during the suction, to achieve a good diffusion of xylitol at the level of the oral mucosa, which constitutes an essential element of the he invention since this close contact between xylitol and the mouth is essential for obtaining the desired effect of xylitol on the dental level.

 In this respect, it is significant and important to note that the invention took advantage of a known technique which aimed to produce containers for liquids and solids, or empty capsules (SCHERER capsules sold under the brand GELSOLETS), in modifying this technique to adapt it to the specific problem of adding xylitol.

 In fact, in the case of the present invention, the container in fact becomes its own container whereas, in the space which it defines between the walls of each half-capsule, no solid or liquid material is generally included, and due to the very specific and unexpected behavior of xylitol in the capsule wall (surface migration and crystallization), we end up with a product with completely surprising properties, so that xylitol can fulfill its role in completely ideal conditions.

The invention also relates, as means specially intended for the implementation of the method described above, a device for the manufacture of capsules having the characteristics described above, this device being characterized in which comprises
a) two identical and adjacent cylinders rotating in opposite directions, the axes of rotation of which are parallel and having cells on their surface
b) means for injecting a gas or gas mixture such as air or an inert gas such as nitrogen between the two cylinders and in the directions of rotation thereof.

 This device can also include means for ejecting the capsules when they have been formed in the cells.

 For purposes of illustration, this device will now be described with reference to the single figure appended to this description and which represents a schematic view of this apparatus.

 In this figure, two cylinders (1,2) rotate in opposite directions. according to the arrows (3,4) around two parallel axes (5,6).

 They have on their surface a plurality of cells (7,8).

A wedge-shaped device (9) can be inserted between the cylinders (1,2) to inject air or a gas between the two strips or ribbons of gelatin glycerin-xylitol paste (not shown) when two cells will meet face to face during the rotation of the cylinders, to form by welding the edges which are heated (heating device not shown) a
capsule containing air or gas.

 When the capsule rotates from the cylinders to the lower part of the device, it is ejected by ejectors of the pneumatic or mechanical type (10,11) located at the bottom of the cells (7,8).

 The capsules then fall by gravity and they are collected.

 The various parameters of this device and particularly the dimensions of the cylinders which the cells form and the speed of rotation need not be specified here and those skilled in the art will be able, within the scope of their simple skills, to define these characteristics. depending on the goals he wants to achieve.

 The examples below of making capsules according to the invention are intended to illustrate the latter, without in any way limiting its scope.

 Various formulations of capsules were produced using the device described above. In all of these examples, as more generally in the whole description, all the proportions are indicated by weight.

Example 1
The capsules below have been produced to define the somewhat general form which the invention can take.

These capsules had the following composition
- gelatin 283.010 mg
- glycerin 193.480 mg
- xylitol 210,000 mg
686.490 mg
These capsules therefore had a xylitol content of approximately 30%.

These capsules had substantially the appearance of a small cushion or pillow. With a substantially hexagonal shape, one of the faces being concave and the other convex,
The thickness of the membrane constituting the envelope of this capsule was of the order of 1.3 mm.

 This capsule was colorless.

 It turned out that, for users, the taste of this capsule appeared to be insufficiently sugar.

Example 2
The capsules had the following composition
- gelatin 282.178 mg
- glycerin 192.911 mg
- titanium dioxide 0.350 mg
- quinoline yellow 0.350 mg
- new beetle 0.007 mg
- xylitol 210,000 mg
- banana flavor 3,000 mg
688.796 mg
These capsules had the same appearance as those of Example 1 but had a yellow color.

 The taste of these capsules appeared to be good for the users, but the xylitol content deserved to be reinforced.

Example 3
- gelatin 278.361 mg
- glycerin 190.301 mg
- orange yellow S 3,500 mg
- citric acid 7,000 mg
- xylitol 210,000 mg
- orange flavor 1,500 mg
690.662 mg
These orange flavored capsules were yellow in color and were appreciated by users, apart from the slightly insufficient xylitol content.

Example 4
- gelatin 280.786 mg
- glycerin 191.960 mg
- new beetle 1,000 mg
- citric acid 3,500 mg
- xylitol 210,000 mg
- strawberry flavor 1,500 mg
688.746 mg
These capsules were pink in color and were also appreciated by their users for their strawberry flavor.

Only the xylitol content appeared to some users to be too low.

Example 5
In this case, a capsule was produced having a face or half-capsule in a mass of a certain composition and the second face in another composition.

The first dem-i-capsule had the following composition
- gelatin 139.686 mg
- glycerin 95.496 mg
- new beetle 0.500 mg
- citric acid 3,500 mg
- xylitol 105,000 mg
- tutti-frutti flavor 0.750 mg
344.932 mg
It was red.

The second side had the following composition
- gelatin 139.180 mg
- glycerin 95.151 mg
- orange yellow S 1,750 mg
- citric acid 3,500 mg
- xylitol 105,000 mg
- tutti-frutti flavor 0.750 mg
345.331 mg
It was orange in color.

 Aside from the taste that has been appreciated by users, this original appearance of two-tone candy has also been well received.

Example 6
- gelatin 271.285 mg
- glycerin 185.464 mg
- new beetle 1,000 mg
- citric acid 7,000 mg
- xylitol 210,000 mg
- neosorb NC 85 21,000 mg
- tutti-frutti flavor 1,500 mg
697.249 mg
Example 7:
Capsules have also been manufactured, comprising only gelatin, glycerin, xylitol and an aroma in the following proportions
- gelatin 29.3%
- glycerin 20.25%
- xylitol 50
- flavor 0.45%
Capsules with an xylitol content of 50% have been more particularly appreciated by users.

Example 8
On the basis of the results of Example 7, capsules were produced having the following composition
- gelatin 255,000 mg
- glycerin 128,000 mg
- strawberry flavor 7,500 mg
- new beetle 1,000 mg
- xylitol 376,000 mg
767,500 mg
Again, these capsules were appreciated.

Example 9:
The capsules produced during this experiment had the following composition:
- gelatin 222.365 mg
- glycerin 152.020 mg
- citric acid 7,000 mg
- orange essence 3,000 mg
- orange yellow S 3,500 mg
- xylitol 376,500 mg
764.385 mg
It turned out that in this case, the presence of citric acid led to the production of less flexible capsules than those of the previous examples and this hardness of the product was not appreciated by users.

Example
- gelatin 255,000 mg
- glycerin 129,000 mg
- titanium dioxide 0.700 mg
- quinoline yellow 0.350 mg
- new beetle 0.007 mg
- xylitol 376,000 mg
- banana flavor 3,000 mg
764.057 mg
These ocher-yellow capsules with a banana taste and a xylitol content of around 49% were highly appreciated by users.

Example 19
In the context of this experiment, capsules were produced which contain not only xylitol as a sweetening agent, but also sodium saccharinate.

These capsules had the following composition
- gelatin 283.010 mg
- glycerin 193.480 mg
- titanium dioxide 0.700 mg
- quinoline yellow 0.350 mg
- new beetle 0.007 mg
- lemon essence 17,500 mg
- citric acid 7,000 mg
- sodium saccharin 1,880 mg
- xylitol 175,000 mg
678.927 mg
Of course, the presence of saccharinate associated with a low xylitol content is of commercial interest but largely reduces the interest of said capsules insofar as it was desired to provide users with sweets or sweets devoid of the character objectionable to the regard to dental caries.

 It goes without saying that the invention which has been described here cannot be limited to the examples previously indicated or to the modes of implementation specifically described.

 A person skilled in the art will be able, within the scope of his simple skills, to bring variants to the embodiments of applications without going beyond the ambit of the invention.

 It is quite certain that if the invention firstly aims to provide the public and more particularly children with sweets which they can consume without endangering their health and at a cost comparable to that of ordinary sweets, it is possible to using the method of the invention to produce capsules having a more purely therapeutic purpose.

 Thus, it will be possible to include in the gelatin-plasticizer-xylitol mass compounds having therapeutic properties such as, for example, fluorine ions, the positive effect of which has long been recognized on the teeth, in particular in young children.

 This example of fluorine is of course not exclusive and it would be possible to conceive of other additions with known or unknown products, without departing from the scope of the invention, since any capsule thus produced would always have the particularity of being hollow and to include an outer wall allowing, during the suction, to distribute the oral mucosa with a colloidal film of gelatin containing on the one hand xylitol, and on the other hand, said active substance, this presentation being essential to allow the different active ingredients to fulfill their role under the best conditions.

 Finally, it will be specified that the gelatin used in the context of the invention may be of variable origins. As an example, it will be recalled that gelatin can be obtained from animal bones or skins. It can be obtained after alkaline or acid hydrolysis.

 It will be emphasized that in the present text, it has been indicated that the capsules according to the invention could be sucked, or they can also be chewed because of their original structure and texture, which constitutes an additional approval which is likely to facilitate the action of xylitol.

Claims (19)

 1. - As a new product, a capsule suitable for human suction, comprising two adjoining half-capsules made of gelatin and a plasticizer, characterized in that said capsule contains between the two half-capsules a gas or mixture gaseous and in that the capsule itself consists of  a) about 15% to about 60% by weight of gelatin  b) about 15% to about 70% by weight of a plasticizer such as glycerin and / or sorbitol  c) up to about 70% by weight of xylitol.  2. - Capsule according to claim. 1 characterized in that the xylitol represents from 30 to 60%, preferably from 40 to 50% and more particularly from 49 to 50%.  3. - Capsule according to one of claims 1 or'2 characterized in that it further contains up to about 5 t0 of a flavoring agent.  4. - Capsule according to any one of claims 1 to 3 characterized in that it eontient.jusqu'à about 3% of a flavor enhancer.  5. - Capsule according to claim 4 characterized in that said taste enhancer is citric acid.  6. - Capsule according to any one of claims 1 to 5 characterized in that it contains a preservative such as parahydroxybeflzoate ethyl or propyl sodium or not, potassium sorbate or the like.  7. - Capsule according to any one of claims 1 to 6 characterized in that it also contains up to about 5% of a dye such as titanium dioxide, quinoline yellow, new coccine or the like .  8. - Capsule according to any one of claims 1 to 7 characterized in that it also contains ions Fluorine.  9. - Capsule according to any one of claims 1 to 8 characterized in that it also contains up to approximately 2% of a sweetener such as in particular sodium saccharinate, sodium cyclamate or the like.  10. - Capsule- according to any one of claims 1 to 9 characterized in that the thickness of each of the half-capsules is of the order of 0.3 to 2.5 mm, preferably from 1 to 2 mm and more particularly of 1.3 to 1.4.mm.  11. - Capsule according to any one of claims 1 to 10 characterized in that the gelatin is partly replaced by gums.  12. - Capsule according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the gas or gas mixture is air or an inert gas such as nitrogen.  13. - Capsule according to any one of claims 1 to 12 characterized in that the xylitol contained in its walls is located essentially on the external part thereof and in the crystallized form most crystallized.  14. - Capsule according to any one of claims 1 to 12 characterized in that the air or gas is replaced by a liquid or solid compound.  15. - A method of manufacturing a capsule according to any one of claims 1 to 13 characterized in that it comprises the following steps  a) preparation of a mass containing the gelatin, the plasticizer, the xylitol and the other possible constituents in the required proportions.  b) formation of 2 ribbons of appropriate thickness from the mass obtained in step (a).  c) passage of the 2 ribbons obtained in step (b) on two cylinders or rotary cylindrical molds, placed side by side, rotating in opposite directions and comprising cells, each of which corresponds to the capacity of a half-capsule.  d) to inject, at the moment when the cells situated opposite each cylinder begin to join, a gas or a gaseous mixture.  e) slightly heating the sides of the cells to allow the two half-capsules to be welded.  f) expelling said capsules from their cells.  16. - Method according to claim 15 characterized in that step (a) consists in  i) mix the gelatin and the plasticizer in the proportions required in the presence of water  ii) heat this mixture under vacuum at a temperature of 60 to 800C until a homogeneous mass without bubbles is obtained  iii) incorporating xylitol in said homogeneous mass in the desired proportions.  17. - Method according to claim 16 characterized in that step (-a) further comprises one or more additional steps for the addition of other possible components.  18. - Method according to any one of claims 15 to 17 characterized in that it further comprises a step (g) of drying said capsules.  19. - As a means specially intended for the implementation of the method according to any one of claims 15 to 18, device for the manufacture of the capsules according to any one of claims 1 to 13 characterized in that it comprises  a) 2 identical adjacent cylinders (1,2), rotating in opposite directions (3,4), the axes of rotation (5,6) of which are parallel, and have cells (7,8) on their surface  b) means (9) for injecting a gas or gas mixture between said cylinders (1,2) in the direction of rotation thereof.