RU2360429C2 - Isolated chewing gum and its manufacturing method - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: food industry.

SUBSTANCE: group of inventions is related to bakery industry. The first invention object provides for isolated chewing gum, containing at least one inner filler, surrounded by chewing gum material not containing sugar. Mentioned chewing gum contains anti-agglutinative agent which helps to prevent sticking of chewing gum together and to the equipment. Mentioned isolated chewing gum has cover which at least partly encapsulates mentioned isolated chewing gum and mentioned anti-agglutinative agent. Second and third invention objects provide for isolated chewing gum production method, including stages of sugar-non-containing chewing gum substance binder (or free from sugar), containing inner filler extraction from extruder to forming device. Mentioned forming device, forms and cuts mentioned isolated chewing gum binder continuously. Anti-agglutinative agent is continuously put on mentioned binder after mentioned extrusion at least simultaneously or before mentioned forming and cutting. Cover not containing sugar or free from sugar is pur on mentioned isolated chewing gum using covering device.

EFFECT: chewing gum has increased structural and encapsulating properties.

59 cl, 17 dwg, 4 tbl, 5 ex

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a piece of chewing gum according to paragraph 1 of the claims and a method for producing chewing gum.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various variants of chewing gum with a so-called filled center or liquid center are well known in the prior art, and some suggestions, both in terms of structure and processing details, relating to a method for producing such chewing gum, are proposed in writing in the prior art.

However, the number of chewing gum with a filled center on the market is limited, since its production is associated with various technical problems.

In particular, the present invention relates to sugarless or sugarless chewing gum. A particular problem regarding sugarless or sugarless chewing gum is that the gum base composition is different from the gum base composition of a traditional sugar gum, in particular, the method for producing and manufacturing piece chewing gum.

This problem, in particular, arises when applying a coating, for example, to a so-called sugarless gum or sugar-free chewing gum with a filled center or liquid center, since there is a problem of leakage of filler or liquid before or during coating, it is desirable to have a suitable coating, which will avoid this problem, typical of traditional chewing gum with a filled center.

In particular, a particular problem is, among other things, that the coating should have improved encapsulating properties, while the encapsulation process tends to weaken or destroy the capsule.

The object of the present invention is a sugarless or sugarless chewing gum having excellent structural and encapsulating properties.

An additional problem is that during the whole process of obtaining chewing gum with a filled center, a high percentage of rejects takes place both at the stage of processing piece chewing gum without coating and at the stages of coating piece chewing gum, which increase the percentage of rejects.

Another object of the present invention is a method for avoiding cooling or at least minimizing cooling, especially during the processing step prior to cutting and shaping a piece of chewing gum, as the chewing gum material that forms the capsule becomes brittle upon cooling.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a piece of chewing gum containing at least one internal filler encapsulated in a sugar-free chewing gum substance, said piece chewing gum has an anti-adhesive agent, and said piece chewing gum has a coating that at least partially encapsulates said piece chewing gum and said anti-adhesive agent.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the anti-adhesive agent contributes to the effective coating of piece chewing gum, since typically a water-based coating is prone to loosening or breaking the capsule covering the internal filler. This is especially important in terms of encapsulation quality suitable for extrusion of a continuous chewing gum tow during molding of individual chewing gum products.

It should be noted that, according to an embodiment of the present invention, an anti-adhesive agent may be introduced during the manufacturing process of the piece chewing gum of the present invention. The method includes extruding a chewing gum tow with a filler from which piece chewing gum is formed. An anti-adhesive agent can generally be used in a chewing gum bundle, and thus, the piece chewing gum formed from the bundle can be coated with an anti-adhesive agent before applying an outer coating layer.

In one embodiment of the invention, said piece chewing gum comprises at least one substantially flat side.

In an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, piece chewing gum can be obtained so that it has a flat (flattened) side. Especially the advantage of this option is manifested during the production process at the stages of sorting and packaging. At these stages, it was found that the simultaneous movement of a large number of units of products of the present invention is more convenient when the products have at least one flat side. The presence of a flat side on the blanks as a result allows you to orient the individual blanks relative to each other, thereby facilitating the counting and sorting of the manufactured chewing gum pieces before coating, thereby avoiding unnecessary coating or even problems associated with the coating process of unusable or leaking products piece chewing gum.

Orientation can be done, for example, due to the mechanical entry of products into certain gutters or using a special feed conveyor.

The flat sides of the chewing gum preform may be two opposed, substantially symmetrical sides, flattened by pressure with a piston. Alternatively or additionally, the flat side of the chewing gum preform in appearance may be a flat chewing gum tape having a girth within the preform.

In one embodiment of the invention, said piece chewing gum comprises at least two substantially parallel, substantially flat sides.

In one embodiment, said chewing gum piece has a flat surface comprising at least 5%, preferably at least 10%, and most preferably at least 20% of the total surface of said chewing gum piece.

In one embodiment of the invention, said unit chewing gum comprises a polymer component and at least two ingredients selected from the group consisting of flavoring agents, sweeteners, plasticizers, fillers, colorants, waxes, fats, surfactants, antioxidants , active ingredients and their combinations.

In one embodiment of the invention, said polymer moiety comprises at least one polymer.

In a preferred embodiment, the polymer moiety comprises one, two, three or four polymers, with the largest number of polymers being more than conventional. However, in one embodiment of the present invention, the largest number of polymers can be used to control the structure of the chewing gum preform material.

In one embodiment of the invention, said chewing gum substance comprises a gum base, the bulk of which is said polymeric component.

As a rule, only components that are essentially water insoluble are included in the gum base. Thus, the gum base makes up the water-insoluble part of the chewing gum substance.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said gum base comprises a chewing gum base forming chewing bubbles in an amount of from 2 to 100%, preferably from 2 to 50%, and most preferably from 2 to 15% by weight of the gum base.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said gum base comprises high molecular weight polyvinyl acetate (Mm) from about 20,000 to 70,000 g / mol, preferably from about 35,000 to 65,000 g / mol, and most preferably from about 40,000 to 60,000 g / mol in an amount of from 0 , 1% to 20%, preferably in an amount of from 0.2 to 5% by weight of the substance of chewing gum.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the presence of even a small percentage of high molecular weight polyvinyl acetate (PVA) is believed to affect the stretchability of the chewing gum material. In addition, the PVA according to the present invention can be used to obtain a chewing gum structure suitable for extrusion and enclosing an internal filler, which is at least partially liquid.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said gum base comprises fat in an amount of from 0.001% to 5%, preferably from 0.002 to 2%, by weight of the gum base.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said gum base comprises a high molecular weight elastomer that ranges from 300,000 to 400,000 g / mol in an amount of mainly 3%, preferably mainly 2%, by weight of the chewing gum material.

Both the gum base and the chewing gum substance are easily controlled by the amount of high molecular weight elastomers used. The structure of chewing gum can vary significantly from relatively soft to relatively hard as a result of a slight increase in the percentage of high molecular weight elastomer, such as, for example, an increase of 5 to 7 percent by weight of the gum base.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said chewing gum substance forms a wall into which said internal filler is enclosed in substantially all directions.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said wall has an average thickness ranging from about 0.5 to 10 mm, preferably from about 1 to 5 mm, and most preferably from about 1.5 to 3 mm.

In one embodiment of the invention, said chewing gum substance comprises at least one active ingredient.

Typically, any desired active ingredients may be incorporated into a chewing gum substance. A list of examples of active ingredients along with pharmacological, cosmetic or biologically active substances is given by reference in the detailed description of the present invention.

Two, three, or more different active ingredients may be incorporated into a single filled chewing gum of the present invention.

In one embodiment of the present invention, at least one said active ingredient is included in said gum base.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, it may be preferable to introduce certain active ingredients into a part of the gum base of the chewing gum material, for example, to obtain a slower release of these specific active ingredients.

In one embodiment of the invention, said chewing gum substance comprises at least one biodegradable polymer.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the at least one biodegradable polymer comprises a polyester.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said polyester is prepared from one or more cyclic ethers by ring-opening polymerization.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said polyester is prepared by polymerizing at least one alcohol or derivative thereof with at least one carboxylic acid or derivative thereof.

In one embodiment of the invention, said chewing gum substance comprises at least two different polyesters.

At least two different polyesters can be such that at least one is obtained by ring opening polymerization and at least one is obtained by polymerization of alcohols and carboxylic acids or derivatives of these components. Alternatively, at least two different polyesters can be prepared by the same polymerization reactions, with different monomers being their basis.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said piece chewing gum has a weight in the range of 0.5 to 8 grams, preferably 1 to 5 grams, and most preferably 1.5 to 3 grams.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said piece chewing gum has a shape such as a dragee, bar, stick, pillow, plate, bolus, ball, tablet, or sphere.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said internal filler comprises from 2 to 40%, preferably from 5 to 20%, and most preferably from 8 to 15% by weight of said piece chewing gum.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said internal filler is at least partially in a solid state at a temperature, preferably 5 ° C.

Accordingly, the filler of the present invention is in a liquid state at a temperature of about 5 ° C or at least at a temperature of about 15 ° C. The advantage of this is that the consumer can enjoy liquid-filled chewing gum even at relatively low ambient temperatures.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said internal filler is at least partially in a solid state up to a temperature of 30 ° C.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, an advantageous product can be obtained when the preform is filled in at least a relatively solid state at generally accepted storage temperatures of chewing gum. Thus, leakage of the liquid filler can be avoided even if holes or cracks are accidentally formed in the chewing gum material. In addition, consumers can appreciate this when, according to some embodiments of the present invention, the filler, initially in a relatively solid state, then melts while in the mouth for several seconds or minutes.

Typically, the use of an anti-adhesive agent provides a great advantage when a liquid-filled chewing gum tow is moved. This advantage is that in the event of accidental leakage of liquid filler during the manufacturing process, stickiness can increase dramatically. It can be assumed that the use of the anti-adhesive agent of the present invention reduces the severity of this problem.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said internal excipient comprises components selected from the group consisting of syrups, pastes, powders, and mixtures thereof.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said internal filler has a viscosity in the range of 0.6 to 200,000, preferably 100 to 100,000 mPa, measured at 40 ° C.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said internal filler comprises at least one sweetener and at least one flavor and aromatic agent.

It should be noted that all the sweeteners and flavoring agents mentioned in the detailed description of the present invention as chewing gum ingredients can in fact be used with the same success in the filler.

In one embodiment of the invention, said internal filler comprises at least one sweetener selected from the group consisting of mannitol, xylitol, hydrogenated hydrolysates of starch, maltitol, isomaltol, erythritol, lactitol, glycerol, sucrose, dextrose, maltose, dextrins, trehalose, D-tagatose, invert sugar, fructose, levulose, galactose, corn syrup, sucralose, aspartame, salt of acesulfame, alitam, neotam, twin suite, saccharin and its salts, cyclamic acid and its salts, isom lta, dihydrochalcone, glycyrrhizin, dihydrochalcone, thaumatin, monellin, talin, steviazida and mixtures thereof.

Typically, a filler according to an embodiment of the present invention can be described as a material containing a mixture of several ingredients, including a variety of syrup and flavoring agent.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said internal filler comprises at least one flavor and aroma enhancing agent selected from the group consisting of essential oils, flavor and aroma flavoring agents of fruits, peppermint, curly mint, wintergreen, cinnamon, lemon, orange, lime, grapefruit, grapes, strawberries, pineapple, cherries, apples and mixtures thereof.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said internal excipient comprises active ingredients.

Typically, any desired active ingredients may be included in the excipient. A list of examples of active ingredients along with pharmacological, cosmetic or biologically active substances is given by reference in the detailed description of the present invention.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said internal filler is at least about the center of said piece chewing gum.

The scope of the present invention includes chewing gum preforms, which according to the present invention may include a filler located actually in the center of the chewing gum preform depending on the production method or depending on the shape of the chewing gum preform.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said internal filler is present in at least two partially separated portions of said piece chewing gum.

Here, these departments are defined as sections or chambers filled with a filler, which is exemplified above, separated by a chewing gum substance. Thus, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the chewing gum substance acts as a kind of wall between the filled sections of the chewing gum preform.

In some embodiments of the present invention, it is preferable to obtain a chewing gum preform with many filled departments, such as three, four, six, seven, etc. Thus, when chewing, you can feel the excellent original taste and structure of chewing gum.

Methods for producing divided filled sections, such as two or three filled sections in a chewing gum preform, may include coextrusion or triple extrusion.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said anti-adhesive agent is located on the outer surface of said piece chewing gum and on the inner surface of said coating.

The anti-adhesive agent of the present invention serves to prevent adhesion to mechanisms during the manufacturing of a filled chewing gum preform. In addition, the anti-adhesive agent serves to prevent the adhesion of the chewing gum blanks to each other.

The sugar-free or sugar-free chewing gum substance of the present invention has a relatively pronounced tack compared to traditional sugar-containing chewing gum. However, the above advantages can be obtained through the use of an anti-adhesive agent. In fact, it has been found that the anti-adhesive agent plays an even more important role in the production of sugar-free chewing gum than in the production of sugar-containing chewing gum.

In addition, the anti-adhesive agent has a more important function in the preparation of the relatively small size chewing gum preforms of the present invention, it is contemplated that they can actually be filled at least partially with a liquid filler. By reducing the size of the filled chewing gum preforms of the present invention, leakage can occur much more often and the anti-adhesive agent has an important function as an agent that prevents the chewing gum substance from sticking to the mechanisms.

An important advantage of using an anti-adhesive agent is that the problem of adhesion can be solved while maintaining a relatively high operating temperature. In the absence of an anti-adhesive agent, lowering the temperature is used to avoid stickiness of the chewing gum, which may often be the cause of other problems, including problems such as leakage and problems with obtaining sufficient elasticity of the chewing gum material. Thus, an anti-adhesive agent indirectly helps to avoid these problems.

An anti-adhesive agent may be located between the surface of the preform and a layer of coating material deposited on the preform. In other words, an anti-adhesive agent can be applied to the surface of the preform first, followed by coating. The coating, inter alia, serves to coat an anti-adhesive agent, thereby providing a pleasant initial feeling when a consumer consumes a new unit of chewing gum, for example, filled chewing gum of the present invention.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said anti-adhesive agent is selected from the group consisting of calcium hydroxide, talc, D-mannitol, silicon dioxide, sucrose ester, calcium stearate, zinc stearate, magnesium stearate and other metal stearates, polyoxyethylene monostearates, silicates, polyethylene glycols, silica, colloidal silicon dioxide, stearic acid, calcium carbonate and mixtures thereof.

Some substances, such as certain metal stearates, for example magnesium stearate, may be used as anti-adhesive agents, but may not be preferred due to the relatively high price compared to other alternatives such as talc.

In addition, it should be noted that oil or fatty lubricants, such as, for example, vegetable oils and animal fats, are not suitable as anti-adhesive agents of the present invention. This statement is based on the fact that such lubricants have at least a weak dissolving effect on the substance of the chewing gum, thus, they may cause the surface of the piece chewing gum to be unsuitable for coating.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said coating is selected from the group consisting of hard coatings, soft coatings, and film coatings.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said coating comprises from about 1 to about 85% by weight of a fully coated piece of chewing gum.

Suitable coatings include hard coatings, film coatings, and soft coatings of any composition, including those currently used to coat chewing gum, in pharmaceutical products and small confectionery products. Active ingredients may be incorporated into the coating of a piece of chewing gum.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said coating is formed from layers of liquid suspensions applied sequentially from one to one hundred coating cycles.

Coating can be performed as a continuous process that can be carried out in one cycle. Alternatively, the coating can be applied in batches, each batch of chewing gum is placed for repeated cycles of application of the coating solution.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said coating comprises ingredients selected from the group consisting of polyols, high intensity sweeteners, flavor and aromatic agents, and active ingredients.

According to the present invention, each of these ingredients can be selected from the list below in detailed description as chewing gum ingredients.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said coating is sugar free or sugar free.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said coating is a hard coating comprising at least one polyol component selected from the group consisting of sorbitol, maltitol, mannitol, xylitol, erythritol, lactitol, isomalt and mixtures thereof.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said coating is a film coating comprising at least one component selected from the group consisting of wax, cellulose derivatives, modified starches, dextrins, gelatin, shellac, gum arabic, zein, vegetable resins, synthetic polymers and mixtures of them.

In one embodiment of the present invention, piece chewing gum is prepared based on a substantially uncooled chewing gum material.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the term uncooled preferably refers to avoiding or minimizing active cooling before forming and slicing a piece of chewing gum.

Almost any prior art coating method, such as hard coating, film coating, soft coating, etc., is suitable for the small piece confectionery products of the present invention.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the present invention, several coating layers may be applied, these layers may include or may be formed by various types of materials constituting the layers.

In an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, chocolate may be applied as a coating, since a modular product or a center-filled product such as a polymer system has confirmed strength using such sufficiently aggressive plasticizing components that dissolve the chewing gum with a traditional formulation.

Currently, one of the types of preferred coatings is hard coating, the term is used in its traditional meaning and includes coatings containing sugar, and coatings free of sugar (or sugar free) and combinations thereof. The hard coating is a sweet crispy layer that is evaluated by the consumer and protects the case of a piece of confectionery from negative influences. In the traditional method for producing a piece of chewing gum with a sugar-containing protective coating, the piece chewing gum is successfully processed in a suitable device for coating with aqueous solutions of crystallizing sugar, such as sucrose or dextrose, which, depending on the coating step, may contain other functional ingredients, for example fillers, dyes, etc. In the present context, the sugar-containing coating may contain additional functional or active substances, including flavoring agents, pharmaceutically active substances and / or substances of degradable polymers.

In the manufacture of the piece confectionery of the present invention, however, it is preferable to replace the cariogenic sugar in the coating with other, preferably crystallizing, sweeteners that do not have a cariogenic effect. In the prior art, such coatings generally relate to sugar free or sugar free coatings. Currently preferred non-cariogenic hard coatings include polyols, for example sorbitol, maltitol, mannitol, xylitol, erythritol, lactitol, isomalt and tagatose, obtained industrially by hydrogenating D-glucose, maltose, fructose or levulose, xylose, erythrose, lactose, and isomalt D-galactose, respectively.

In the traditional method of applying a hard coating, as will be described below in detail, syrup containing crystallized sugar and / or polyol is applied to the bodies of small piece confectionery products, and the water contained in it evaporates when blowing with warm, dry air. This cycle can be repeated several times, typically 10 to 80 times, to achieve the desired increase in volume. The term "volume increase" refers to an increase in the mass of products at the end of the coating process compared to the beginning and with respect to the final weight of the coated products. In accordance with the present invention, the coating layer comprises, for example, from about 1 to 75% by weight of the final small piece confectionery, such as from 10 to 60 wt.%, Including from about 15 to 50 wt.%.

In addition, in the embodiments used, the outer coating layer of the small piece confectionery product of the present invention is a layer which is coated with a film and which thus includes one or more polymer film forming agents and optionally one or more excipients, for example plasticizers, dyes and opacifying agents. The film coating is a thin polymer-based coating applied to the body of a small piece confectionery product of any of the above forms. The thickness of such a coating is usually from 20 to 100 microns. Typically, a film coating is obtained by passing the bodies of small piece confectionery products through the spray zone, where tiny drops of coating material are sprayed onto them in a suitable aqueous or organic carrier, after which the material adheres to the bodies of small piece confectionery products and dries before applying the next portion of the coating. This cycle is repeated until completely coated.

In the present context, suitable film-forming polymers include edible cellulose derivatives such as cellulose ethers, including methyl cellulose (MC), hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC), hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) and hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC). Other film-forming agents used are acrylic polymers and copolymers, for example a copolymer of methyl acrylate amino ester or a mixture of cellulose derivatives and acrylic polymers. A separate group of film-forming polymers is also considered as functional polymers, which are polymers that, in addition to their film-forming characteristics, allow the characteristics of the active components of the formulation of a small piece confectionery to be changed during isolation. Such released modifying polymers include methyl acrylate ester copolymers, ethyl cellulose (EC), gastric acid resistant intestinal polymers and readily degradable in the duodenum. The last group of polymers includes cellulose acetate phthalate (AFC), polyvinyl acetate phthalate (PVAF), shellac, methacrylic acid copolymers, trimellitate cellulose acetate (TAC) and HPMC. It will be appreciated that the outer film coating of the present invention may include a combination of the above film-forming polymers.

The choice of film-forming polymer (s) and plasticizing agent (s) for the optimal external coating of these small piece confectionery products is carried out on the basis of achieving the best barrier properties of the coating in terms of dissolution and penetration of moisture and gases through the film.

The film coating of small piece confectionery products may contain one or more dyes or clouding agents. In addition to providing the desired color, agents can also be added to protect small piece confectionery products from various factors in the period prior to use, in particular, agents form a barrier against moisture and gases. Suitable colorants / opacifiers include organic colorants and their varnishes, inorganic colorants, for example titanium oxide, and natural colorants, such as, for example, β-carotene.

Additionally, film coatings may include one or more adjuvants, such as flavoring agents, and waxes or saccharide compounds, such as polydextrose, dextrins, including maltodextrin, lactose, modified starch, a protein, such as gelatin or zein, and vegetable resin and any combination thereof.

Another aspect of the present invention is that the outer coating of a small piece confectionery product may include one or more pharmaceutical or cosmetic components, including those mentioned above.

According to other embodiments of the invention, the aforementioned coating of a hard coated small piece confectionery or film coating of the present invention is a coating, wherein the outer coating comprises at least one additional component selected from a binding agent, a moisture absorbing component, a film-forming agent, a dispersing agent, an anti-adhesive component, excipient, flavor and aroma agent, colorant, pharmaceutically or cosmetically active component cient, a lipid component, a wax component, a sugar and an acid. If necessary, to delay exposure to any of these additional components present in the outer layer before chewing a small piece of confectionery, such components in accordance with the present invention can be encapsulated using any conventional encapsulating agent, such as, for example, protein, including gelatin, and soy protein, a cellulose derivative, including any of the above, a starch derivative, food-grade synthetic polymers and lipid substances, the latter optionally in the form of liposome capsules.

In other embodiments, the coating of the small piece confectionery product of the present invention has an outer coating in the form typically described in the prior art as a soft coating. Such soft coatings are applied using conventional methods, and may advantageously consist of a mixture of sugar or any of the above non-cariogenic sweeteners that do not contain sugar and starch hydrolyzate.

It should be noted that the application of the above coating can be delayed until the last stage of production, due to the fact that the applied barrier layer also acts as a complete or at least partial barrier to the transfer of moisture from the environment to the workpiece.

The present invention further relates to a method for producing a piece of chewing gum, comprising the steps of sequentially extruding a tow of sugarless or sugar free chewing gum material, including filling a preform with an internal extruder filler to give the preform a regular shape, said preform forming the correct shape with continuous shaping and cut from a tourniquet into individual pieces of piece chewing gum,

continuously providing said tow with an anti-adhesive agent after said extrusion and at least simultaneously or before molding and cutting,

applying a sugar-free or sugar-free coating to said individual pieces of chewing gum piece by means of a coating apparatus.

According to the present invention, shaping the workpiece is carried out by cutting, punching, punching, stamping.

The present invention further relates to a method for producing piece chewing gum according to any one of claims 1-44.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said method further includes the step of calibrating the tow of material of said chewing gum by at least one calibration device for the tow after extrusion and before said molding and cutting.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a device for calibrating the tow is used after the extruder to reduce the diameter of the filled chewing gum tow.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said anti-adhesive agent is applied twice or more during said method.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said anti-adhesive agent is applied before or at the same time as calibrating said tow.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said anti-adhesive agent is applied at the exit of said extruder.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said anti-adhesive agent is applied to the surface of a chewing gum tow.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said anti-adhesive agent is applied to a portion of said tow gauge or preform molding device in contact with a tow of chewing gum.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said anti-adhesive agent is applied using a spray, spray or lubricant treatment device.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said extrusion and said molding and cutting are carried out essentially without cooling.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said extruder, apparatus for calibrating tow and forming a workpiece operate at a temperature of at least 30 ° C, preferably at least 35 ° C, and most preferably at least 40 ° C.

The operating temperature during the implementation of the embodiments of the present invention may be below 120 ° C, preferably below 80 ° C.

In one embodiment of the invention, said piece chewing gum is cooled prior to coating or storage to a temperature of at most 30 ° C, preferably at most 25 ° C.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the tow of said chewing gum substance has a diameter in the range of 5 to 50 mm, preferably in the range of 8 to 25 mm, and most preferably in the range of 10 to 20 mm.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said chewing gum substance forms walls around said internal filler.

In one embodiment of the present invention, said wall has a thickness in the range of 0.5 to 10 mm, preferably 1 to 5 mm, and most preferably 1.5 to 3 mm.

The wall thickness indicated here is the final wall thickness of the calibrated filler chewing gum substance and the wall thickness of the final piece chewing gum filled product.

Figures

The invention is described with reference to the figures.

FIG. 1A-1C illustrates the steps of the continuous molding process of a unit filled chewing gum of the present invention;

FIG. 2A-2D illustrates a cross-section through an extruded chewing gum tow with internal filling;

FIG. 3A-3H illustrates examples of various forms of filled filled chewing gum of the present invention; and

FIG. 4A-4B illustrate a substantially internal filled chewing gum, chewing gum substance, anti-adhesive agent, and coating.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

When considering the present invention - a piece filled chewing gum - many aspects should be taken into account. The following is a detailed description of the components and processes used to make the filled gum filled chewing gum of the present invention.

Piece chewing gum of the present invention includes a sugarless or sugar free chewing gum substance in which an internal excipient is encapsulated. Additionally, in the manufacturing process of a piece of chewing gum with an uncoated filler, an anti-adhesive agent is applied to the outer surface of the chewing gum substance. Then, an external protective coating is applied to the piece chewing gum, which can additionally give a pleasant taste and an initial feel when using the filled chewing gum of the present invention.

Basically, the composition of the chewing gum substance of the present invention typically contains a water-soluble portion of the base and a water-insoluble portion of the gum base and flavoring agents. The water-soluble part and part of the agent giving flavor and aroma dissolve during chewing. The gum base remains in the mouth while chewing. The term chewing gum in its main meaning refers to chewing gum as such, and to chewing gum, which forms bubbles when chewing.

Typically, one or more taste and aroma adding agents and a water soluble part of the base, which may include fillers, sweeteners, high intensity sweeteners, flavor and flavoring agents, softeners, are additionally added to a portion of the water-insoluble gum base in the chewing gum material of the present invention, emulsifiers, dyes, acidifiers, fillers, antioxidants and other components that give the desired properties.

Let us return to the first water-insoluble part of the gum base, which forms the chewing part of the final substance of chewing gum and which affects the chewing characteristics of the final product. As a rule, the gum base determines the release profile of flavoring agents and sweeteners and plays a significant role in the gum product.

The water-insoluble part of the gum base of chewing gum, as a rule, may contain any combination of elastomers, vinyl polymers, elastomeric plasticizers, waxes, softeners, fillers and other optional ingredients such as dyes and antioxidants. A portion of the gum base may comprise from about 5 to 95 percent by weight of the chewing gum substance, more preferably the gum base may be from about 10 to 50 percent by weight of the chewing gum material.

The formulation of the gum base may vary substantially depending on the particular preferred product, the desired desirability and sensory characteristics of the final product. However, as a rule, the limits (wt.%) Of the above components of the gum base are: from 5 to 50% by weight of elastomeric compounds, from 5 to 55% by weight of elastomeric plasticizers, from 0 to 40% by weight of waxes, from 5 to 35% by weight of softeners, from 0 to 50% by weight of filler and from 0 to 5% by weight of various ingredients, such as antioxidants, dyes, etc.

Elastomers provide elasticity, cohesive properties of the gum base, which vary depending on the chemical structure of the ingredients and their interaction with other ingredients. The elastomers are suitable for use in the gum base and chewing gum of the present invention, including natural and synthetic.

The elastomers may be water-insoluble polymers known from the prior art, and include those polymers that are used for chewing gum per se and chewing gum to form chewing bubbles, approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration, Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21, part 172, 715, "Chewing substances of natural plant origin" and "Synthetic chewing substances."

Natural elastomers used include rubber such as smoked or liquid latex and guaula, natural resins such as jelutong, cure caspi (lechi caspi), perillo, sorva, massaranduba balata, chocolate massaranduba (massaranduba chocolate), nispero (nispero), rosidinha (rosidinha), chickle (chicle), gutta percha (gutta percha), gutta kataiu, nigergutta (nigergutta), tunu (tunu), chilt ( chiquibul), gutta hang kang (gutta hang kang).

Used synthetic elastomers include high molecular weight elastomers, such as copolymers of butadiene and styrene, polyisobutadiene and copolymers of isobutylene and isoprene, low molecular weight elastomers such as polybutene, polybutadiene and polyisobutylene, vinyl polymer elastomers such as polyvinyl acetate copolymers such as vinyl acetate / vinyl laurate, vinyl acetate / vinyl stearate, ethylene / vinyl acetate, polyvinyl alcohol, or mixtures thereof. Typically, some preferred low molecular weight elastomers have a molecular weight in the range of 40,000-60000 g / mol (Mm), while high molecular weight elastomers have a molecular weight in the range of 250,000 to 450,000 g / mol (mm).

Elastomers such as styrene-butadiene or those that can be combined under the name SBR (styrene-butadiene rubber) are typically copolymers having a monomer ratio of from about 20:80 to about 60:40 styrene: butadiene. The ratio of these monomers affects the elasticity of SBR when measuring Mooney viscosity. Decreasing the styrene: butadiene ratio reduces the Mooney viscosity. The SBR structure, as a rule, consists of unbranched chains of 1,3-butadiene copolymerized with phenylethylene (styrene) and provides a non-linear molecular nature of these elastomers. The average molecular weight of SBR is <600,000 g / mol.

Elastomers of the isobutyl-isoprene type, or those that can be combined under the name butyl, typically have molar percent levels of isoprene ranging from 0.4 to 4.0. Like SBR, a decrease in the isoprene: isobutylene ratio decreases the Mooney viscosity.

The structure of butyl rubber, as a rule, consists of branched 2-methyl-1,3-butadiene (isoprene) copolymerized with branched 2-methylpropene (isobutylene), and, like SBR, this type of structure has a non-linear nature. The average molecular weight of SBR is in the range of 150,000 to 1,000,000 g / mol.

Polyisobutylene, also called PIB, elastomers of this type are 2-methylpropene polymers and, like SBR and butyl, are non-linear. Low molecular weight elastomers provide softness to the chewing characteristics of the gum base, and also give elastic qualities, as well as other elastomers. The average molecular weight can range from about 30,000 to 120,000 g / mol, and the penetration depth can range from about 4 millimeters to 20 millimeters. A higher penetration rate corresponds to a softer PIB. Like SBR and butyl, PIB elastomers with high molecular weight provide elasticity to the gum base, and their average molecular weight can range from 120,000 to 1,000,000 g / mol.

Polybutenes have an average molecular weight of from about 5,000 g / mol to about 30,000 g / mol.

Vinyl polymer type elastomers and copolymer type elastomers provide adhesion resistance by varying the chewing characteristics of the gum base based on vinyl polymers and provide useful hydrophilic properties in the sensory perception of the final product.

For varieties of vinyl copolymers, the amount of vinyl laurate, vinyl stearate or ethylene present in the copolymers is vinyl laurate / vinyl acetate (VL / VA), vinyl stearate / vinyl acetate (VS / VA) or ethylene / vinyl acetate (EVA) respectively, typically is in the range of from about 10 to about 60 percent by weight of the copolymer. The average molecular weight is in the range from about 2000 g / mol to about 100000 g / mol.

Vinyl polymers such as polyvinyl alcohol and polyvinyl acetate can have an average molecular weight of from about 7000 g / mol to 65000 g / mol. Polymers of vinyl acetate (PVA) are a branched structure. The degree of branching increases with the copolymerization of vinyl acetate monomers with vinyl laurate, vinyl stearate, ethylene and the like. The degree of branching increases with increased compatibility when mixed or formulated with normal alkane or isoalkane waxes. The desired consistency of the gum base and the chewing gum substance for a piece chewing gum with a filler of the present invention can be obtained by combining high and low molecular weight PVA in the gum base. In this case, the molecular weight of low molecular weight PVA is 7000-17000 g / mol (mm), while the molecular weight of high molecular weight PVA is 40000-60000 g / mol (mm). Alternatively, only one PVA polymer with an average molecular weight, such as 20,000-35,000 g / mol, can be used.

It is well known that in industrial production a gum base combines a synthetic elastomer with a high molecular weight and an elastomer with a low molecular weight. Currently, preferred combinations of synthetic elastomers include, but are not limited to polyisobutylene and styrene-butadiene, polyisobutylene and polyisoprene, polyisobutylene and isobutylene-isoprene copolymer (butyl rubber) and a combination of polyisobutylene, styrene-butodiene copolymer and a single polymer from all of the above polymers with the addition of polyvinyl acetate, vinyl acetate-vinyl laurate copolymers, respectively, and mixtures thereof.

Elastomeric plasticizers vary the strength of the gum base. Their specificity lies in the breaking of the intramolecular chains of the elastomer (plasticization), which, together with the variation in softening temperatures, is the reason for the variation in the degree of strength of the final gum base and compatibility when used in the base. This can be important when one of them is capable of a greater effect on the alkane chains of waxes.

Vinyl polymers such as PVA may have some plasticizing functions of elastomers, and further plasticizing elastomers suitable for use in the present invention include natural rosin esters, which are often referred to as esterified rosins. Such elastomeric plasticizers known from the prior art are methyl, glycerol and pentaerythritol esters of rosins and modified rosins such as hydrogenated, dimerized and polymerized rosins. Examples are glycerin ether of extraction rosin and gum rosin, glycerin ether of partially hydrogenated extraction rosin and gum rosin, glycerin ether of polymerized extraction rosin and gum rosin, glycerin ether of partially dimerized extraction rosin and gum rosin, glycerol tritol rosins, pentaerythritol esters of partially and fully hydrogenated extraction to nifoli wood and gum rosin, methyl esters of rosin and gum rosins and partially and fully hydrogenated methyl esters of rosin and gum rosin.

Used synthetic elastomeric plasticizers include terpene resins, derivatives of alpha-pinene, beta-pinene and / or d-limonene.

The elastomeric plasticizers used may be of the same type or combinations of more than one type. As a rule, the ratio of one to the other depends on the softening temperature of each, the effect on the release of taste and aroma, and to an appropriate degree on the stickiness exhibited by chewing gum. The softening points of the various types of rosin esters described above can range from about 45 ° C to about 120 ° C, and the softening points of terpene resins can range from about 60 ° C to about 130 ° C.

The chewing gum material used to make the piece chewing gum of the present invention may include biodegradable polymers. If biodegradable polymers are used, they can be present in an amount of 10 to 100% by weight of the gum base.

In the present context, the term biodegradable polymer refers to chewing gum base polymers which, after ejection of the chewing gum, can be physically, chemically and / or biodegradable, thereby discarded chewing gum waste becomes more easily recoverable from the garbage and ultimately decomposes into pieces and particles that are no longer recognized as chewing gum residues. The degradation or decomposition of such degradable polymers can occur under the influence or induced by physical factors, such as temperature, light, moisture, chemical factors, such as hydrolysis due to changes in pH or the action of enzymes capable of degrading polymers.

Some biodegradable polymers suitable for use in the present invention may include polymers obtained by ring-opening polymerization of cyclic ethers or carbonates, and polyesters obtained by polymerizing multifunctional alcohols or their derivatives with multifunctional carboxylic acids or their derivatives.

As for the polyesters obtained by polymerization of one or more ring-opening cyclic ethers, their monomers may typically include glycolides, lactides, lactones and / or carbonates. The polymerization process can take place in the presence of at least one catalyst, such as a metal catalyst, an example of which is tin octoate, but is not limited to, and the polymerization process can be initiated by initiators, such as polyols, polyamines or other molecules with a large number of hydroxyl or reaction groups or mixtures thereof.

Examples of polyester polymers of this type include, but are not limited to:

Poly (L-lactide); poly (D-lactide); poly (D, L-lactide); poly (mesolactide); poly (glycolide); poly (trimethylene carbonate); poly (epsilon-caprolactone); poly (L-lactide-co-D-lactide); poly (D-lactide-co-meso-lactide); poly (L-lactide-co-glycolide); poly (L-lactide-co-trimethylene carbonate); poly (L-lactide-co-epsilon-caprolactone); poly (D, L-lactide-co-meso-lactide); poly (D, L-lactide-co-glycolide); poly (D-lactide-co-trimethylene carbonate); poly (D, L-lactide-co-epsilon-caprolactone); poly (meso-lactide-co-glycolide); poly (meso-lactide-co-trimethylene carbonate); poly (meso-lactide-co-epsilon-caprolactone); poly (glycolide-co-trimethylene carbonate); poly (glycolide-co-epsilon-caprolactone).

Further specific examples of monomers that can be used in this type of polyester polymers include lactone monomers such as e-caprolactone, d-valerolactone, g-butyrolactone and b-propiolactone also include e-caprolactones, d-valerolactones, g-butyrolactones or b-propiolactones in which any non-carbonyl carbon atoms along the ring have been replaced by one or more alkyl or aryl substituents. Further specific examples of monomers include carbonate monomers such as trimethylene carbonate, 5-alkyl-1,3-dioxan-2-one; 5,5-dialkyl-1,3-dioxan-2-one or 5-alkyl-5-alkyloxycarbonyl-1,3-dioxan-2-one; ethylene carbonate; 3-ethyl-3-hydroxymethyl; protylene carbonate; trimethylopropane monocarbonate; 4,6-dimethyl-1,3-propylene carbonate; 2,2-dimethyl trimethylene carbonate and 1,3-dioxepan-2-one.

As for the polyesters obtained from alcohol or its derivatives and carboxylic acids or their derivatives, polymers of this type, as a rule, for the purposes of the present invention can be obtained by stepwise polymerization of di-, tri- or more functional alcohols or their esters with di-, tri- or more-functional aliphatic or aromatic carboxylic acids or their esters. Similarly, monohydroxy acids or anhydrides and halides of polyfunctional carboxylic acids can also be used as monomers. The polymerization can be carried out by direct polyesterification or transesterification with the possible use of a catalyst. The use of branched monomers inhibits the crystallization of polyester polymers. Mixing dissimilar monomer units throughout the chain also inhibits crystallization. The polymer chains can be completed with monofunctional compounds used to stop the polymerization, to control the molecular weight of the biodegradable polymer and the terminal free hydroxyl groups. Long chain aliphatic carboxylic acids or aromatic monocarboxylic acids may also be included in the polymer, and the degree of branching can be controlled. In contrast, multifunctional monomers may be part of a polymer forming the branch points of the polymer.

Examples of preferred polyfunctional carboxylic acids or their derivatives are both saturated and unsaturated aliphatic or aromatic carboxylic acids containing from 2 to 100 carbon atoms, more preferably from 4 to 18 carbon atoms. Specific examples of useful carboxylic acids and their derivatives that can be used include aliphatic polyfunctional carboxylic acids, such as oxalic, malonic, citric, succinic, malic, tartaric, fumaric, maleic, glutamic, adipic, glucuric, pimelic, suberin sebacic, dodecandicarboxylic acid and the like, and cyclic aliphatic polyfunctional carboxylic acids such as cyclopropane dicarboxylic acid, cyclobutane dicarboxylic acid, cyclohexane d carboxylic acid, etc. and aromatic polyfunctional carboxylic acids such as terephthalic, isophthalic, phthalic, trimellitic, pyromellitic and naphthalene 1,4-, 2,3-, 2,6-dicarboxylic acid and the like. To illustrate, but not limited to, some examples of carboxylic acid derivatives include hydroxy acids, such as 3-hydroxypropinic and 6-hydroxycaproic acid, anhedrides, halides or acid esters, for example dimethyl or diethyl ethers of the above acids, designated as oxalic acid dimethyl or diethyl ester , malonic, succinic, fumaric, malic, glucaric, adipic, pimelic, suberinic, azelaic, sebacic, dodecandicarboxylic, terephthalic, isophthalic, phthalic acid etc. In general, methyl esters are sometimes preferable to ethyl esters because alcohols with a higher boiling point are more difficult to remove than alcohols with a lower boiling point.

Additionally, examples of generally preferred multifunctional alcohols contain from 2 to 100 carbon atoms, for example polyglycols and polyglycerols. Specific examples of alcohols, as well as derivatives thereof, that can be used include alcohols such as ethylene glycol, 1,2-propanediol, 1,3-propanediol, 1,3-butanediol, 1,4-butanediol, 1,6 -hexanediol, diethylene glycol, 1,4-cyclohexanediol, 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol, neopentyl glycol, glycerin, trimethylolpropane, pentaerythritol, sorbitol, mannitol, etc. For purposes of illustration, but not limitation, examples of alcohol derivatives include triacetin, glycerol palmitate, glycerol sebacet, glycerol adipate, tripropionine, etc.

In the process of producing polyesters of this type, an acid catalyst or a transesterified catalyst is typically used, and non-limiting examples of these catalysts include metal catalysts such as manganese, zinc, calcium, cobalt or magnesium acetates and antimony trioxide, germanium oxide or halide and tetraalkoxy germanium, titanium alkoxide, zinc or aluminum salts.

Examples of chain terminating agents include monohydroxy alcohols or monocarboxylic acids. Specific examples include methanol, ethanol, butanol, hexanol, octanol, etc., and lauryl alcohol, myristyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, stearic alcohol, etc., and monocarboxylic acids such as acetic, lauric, myristic , palmitic, stearic, arachinic, cerotinic, dodecylenic, palmitoleic, linoleic, linolenic, erucic, benzoic, naphthoic acids and substituted naphthoic acids, 1-methyl-2-naphthoic acid and 2-isopropyl-1-naphthoic acid, etc.

In some embodiments, the gum base includes wax, and in some other embodiments of the present invention, for example, when certain biodegradable polymers are used, the use of wax can be avoided.

However, oil waxes contribute both to the production of the final chewing gum from the gum base, and to the improvement of keeping quality and structure. The size of the wax crystals affects the release of taste and aroma. These waxes with a high content of isoalkanes have crystals with a smaller size than waxes with a high content of normal alkanes, in particular those waxes with a high content of normal alkanes, the number of carbon atoms in which is less than 30. The smaller size of the crystals allows taste and aroma to stand out more slowly. since they more inhibit the release of taste and aroma from these waxes as opposed to wax with a large crystal size. The compatibility of the gum base obtained using normal alkane waxes is less compared to the gum base obtained using isoalkane waxes.

Petroleum wax (refined paraffin and microcrystalline wax) and paraffin wax mainly consist of straight chain normal alkanes and branched isoalkanes. The ratio of normal alkanes to isoalkanes varies.

Normally, alkane waxes have a carbon chain length> C-18, but mostly no longer than C-30. Branched and ring structures are located near the end of the wax chain, which are predominantly normal alkane. The viscosity of normal alkane waxes is <10 mm ² / s (at a temperature of 100 ° C) and with a total average molecular weight <600 g / mol.

As a rule, isoalkane waxes have a carbon chain length predominantly greater than C-30. Branched and ring structures are arranged randomly along the chain of these waxes, which are predominantly isoalkane. The viscosity of normal alkane waxes is more than 10 mm ² / s (at a temperature of 100 ° C) and with a total average molecular weight> 600 g / mol.

Synthetic waxes are obtained from the production of atypical petroleum waxes and, therefore, they are not considered petroleum waxes. Synthetic waxes may include waxes containing branched alkanes copolymerized with monomers such as, but not limited to, propylene and polyethylene, Fisher Tropsh type waxes. Polyethylene wax is a synthetic wax containing alkane units of various lengths with ethylene monomers attached to them.

Natural waxes include rice bran wax, beeswax, carnauba wax, or candelilla wax. Waxes can be used both individually and in any combination.

Softeners can mainly be introduced both in the gum base, and additionally in the water-soluble part of the chewing gum substance. As for the gum base, the choice of softeners affects the softness of the base. Softeners modify the structure, making hydrophobic and hydrophilic components of the base compatible, and can additionally plasticize the synthetic elastomers of the gum base. Emulsifiers belonging to the group of emollients give the gum base moisture-holding properties that make the surface of the gum base pleasantly smooth and reduce the adhesive properties.

Softeners suitable for use on a gum base include non-hydrogenated triglycerides, partially hydrogenated and fully hydrogenated vegetable oils and animal fat, cocoa butter and non-fat cocoa powder, and in addition emulsifiers.

The triglyceride group includes triglycerides of cotton, palm, palm kernel, coconut, safflower, rapeseed, sunflower oil, animal fat, soybean oil, cocoa butter, medium chain triglycerides and the like.

Triglycerides of caproic, caprylic, myristic, lauric and palmitic fatty acids have a plasticizing effect on synthetic elastomers to a greater extent than triglycerides of mainly stearic fatty acid.

The group of emulsifiers includes monoglycerides, diglycerides, acetylated mono- and diglycerides, distilled mono- and diglycerides, glycerol monostearate, propylene glycol monostearate, Na, K, Mg and Ca stearates, glycerol trichloride, mono-glycerol, fatty acids, monoglycerides, fatty acids , esters of lactic acid and esters of mono- and diglycerides of acetic acid, sugar esters of edible fatty acids, also include sucrose polyesters, including those described in WO 00/25598, lecithin and hydroxy lecithin, many of them may be contained in an amount of less than 2 percent of the mass at the stage of the production process.

Softeners, including emulsifiers, can be used either individually or in combination of two or more. As a rule, softeners are introduced into the chewing gum substance to optimize chewing and mouthfeel of chewing gum.

Softeners, also known from the prior art as plasticizers, can comprise from about 0.1 to 15% by weight of a chewing gum substance. Additional examples of the emollient provided by the present invention include glycerin and lecithin. Also, some liquid sweeteners, for example, containing sorbitol, a hydrogenated starch hydrolyzate or corn syrup, can be used as sweeteners and binding agents in the chewing gum material.

The fillers used in the gum base modify the structure of the gum base and facilitate the production process. Particle size affects the bonding ability, density and technological characteristics of the gum base and its components. The smaller the particle size, the more dense and bound the final gum base is. Also, by choosing fillers based on the particle size distribution profile, the initial mass of the mixture formulation can be changed, thereby making it possible to change the characteristics of the mixture of the initial mixture in the process of producing the gum base and, ultimately, the final chewing characteristics of the chewing gum obtained from this gum base. The filler may comprise from about 5 to 60% by weight of the gum base, preferably from 5 to 50% by weight of the gum base.

Excipients suitable for use in gum base include magnesium and calcium carbonate, lime flour, and silicates such as magnesium and aluminum silicates, kaolin and clay, alumina, silica, talc, and also titanium oxide, mono-, di- and tricalcium phosphate, sodium sulfate, cellulose polymers such as ethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose and wood pulp, or a mixture thereof.

In the gum base and chewing gum of the present invention, talc can be used as a filler, which contacts or interacts with acidic agents to add taste and aroma, or provides an acidic environment necessary to prevent degradation of the artificial sweetener by reacting with fillers such as calcium carbonate. The average particle size of calcium carbonate and talc as a filler, as a rule, is from about 0.1 microns to about 15 microns.

Excipients may also include natural organic fibers, such as vegetable fibers of fruits, cereals, rice, cellulose, and combinations thereof.

Antioxidants prolong the shelf life and shelf life of the gum base and the final substance of chewing gum or their corresponding components, including fats and aromatic oils. Antioxidants suitable for use on a gum base include butyl hydroxyanisole (BHA), butyl hydroxytoluene (BHT), betacarotenes, tocopherols, acidifiers, such as vitamin C, propyl gallate, other synthetic and natural antioxidants, and mixtures thereof.

Flavoring and flavoring agents and colorants give characteristics or remove or mask undesirable characteristics. They can be used in a gum base and / or in a mixture of the final substance of chewing gum.

Additional examples of ingredients that can be incorporated into a chewing gum substance representing the final mixture of water-soluble and water-insoluble parts are given below. The ingredients are divided into groups: sweeteners, flavoring agents, surfactants, active ingredients, additives, colorants and encapsulating materials, for example sweeteners, flavoring agents, or active ingredients.

Suitable bulk sweeteners include both sugar and sugarless sweeteners. Bulk sweeteners typically comprise from about 5 to about 95% by weight of the chewing gum, preferably from about 20 to about 80% by weight, most preferably from about 30 to about 60% by weight of the chewing gum.

Used sugar containing sweeteners are saccharide-containing components known from the prior art for the production of chewing gum, and include, but are not limited to sucrose, dextrose, maltose, dextrins, trehalose, D-tagatose, dry invert sugar, fructose, levulose, galactose, dry corn syrup and the like, individually or in combination.

As a sugar free sweetener, sorbitol can be used. Other sugar-free sweeteners used include, but are not limited to sugar alcohols, such as mannitol, xylitol, hydrogenated starch hydrolysates, maltitol, isomalt, erythritol, lactitol and the like, individually or in combination.

High intensity artificial sweetening agents can also be used individually or in combination with the aforementioned sweeteners. Preferred high-intensity sweeteners include, but are not limited to sucralose, aspartame, acesulfame salts, alitam, saccharin and its salts, cyclamic acid and its salts, glycyrchizine, dihydrochalcone, thaumatin, monellin, twinsvit steviazide, neotam and the like, individually or in combination. If desired, then an encapsulation or other control of the release of at least a portion of the artificial sweetener can be used to provide a lasting sensation of sweetness and a sense of taste and aroma. To achieve the desired release characteristics, techniques such as wet granulation, wax granulation, spray drying, spray cooling, powder coating, coacervation, encapsulation in yeast cells and hollow fibers obtained by extrusion can be used. The encapsulation of sweetening agents can also be carried out using other chewing gum components, such as gum.

The introduction of high-intensity sweeteners can be carried out at the stage of mixing the gum base or by mixing the final substance of chewing gum.

The consumption rate of the artificial sweetener can vary significantly depending on factors such as the intensity of the sweetener, the intensity of the release, the desired sweetness of the product, the amount and type of agent used to add taste and aroma, and the cost factor. Thus, the practical consumption rate of the artificial sweetener can vary from about 0.02 to about 30% by weight, preferably from 0.02 to about 8% by weight. Typically, highly interesting sweeteners can be used in small amounts ranging from 0.05 to 1% by weight of the chewing gum substance. When using carriers for encapsulation, the consumption rate of the encapsulated sweetener should be proportionally increased. In the chewing gum formulation of the present invention, combinations of sweeteners containing and / or sugarless can be used. Additionally, an emollient, such as liquid sugar or an alditol solution, may also add additional sweetness.

If low calorie chewing gum is required, a low calorie bulking agent may be used. Examples of low calorie bulking agents include polydextrose, Raftilose, Raftilin, fructooligosaccharides (NutraFlora ^® ), palatinose oligosaccharides, guar gum hydrolysates (e.g. Sun Fiber ^® ) or non-digestible dextrins (e.g. Fibersol ^® ). However, other low calorie bulking agents may also be used.

The chewing gum of the present invention may contain flavoring agents and flavoring agents, including natural and synthetic flavorings, for example, in the form of natural plant components, essential oils, essences, extracts, powders, including acids and other substances that can affect taste profile. In some embodiments of the present invention, flavoring agents may be encapsulated with encapsulating materials described herein below.

Examples of liquid or powdery flavoring agents include coconut, coffee, chocolate, cocoa, vanilla, grapefruit, orange, lemon, menthol, licorice, caramel flavor, honey flavor, peanuts, walnuts, cashew nuts, hazelnuts, almonds, pineapple , strawberries, raspberries, tropical fruits, cherries, cinnamon, peppermint, wintergreen, mint, eucalyptus and mint, fruit essences such as essences from apples, pears, peaches, strawberries, apricots, raspberries, cherries, pineapples and plums. Essential oils include oil of peppermint, ears of mint, menthol, eucalyptus, cloves, laurel, anise, thyme, cedar, nutmeg and oil of the above fruits.

The chewing gum flavor may be a natural flavoring agent that is sublimated, preferably in the form of powder, crystals or particles, or combinations thereof. The particle size may be less than 3 mm, 2 mm or more preferably less than 1 mm, determined by the size of the largest particles. The natural flavoring agent may be in the form of particles having a size of from about 3 microns to 2 mm, preferably from 4 microns to 1 mm. Preferred natural flavoring agents include strawberry, blackberry and raspberry seeds.

In the centers of the chewing gum of the present invention can also be used various synthetic agents that add taste and aroma, such as a mixture of agents that add fruit flavor and aroma. As indicated above, the flavoring agent can be used in smaller quantities than conventionally accepted. Flavoring agents and / or flavoring agents may be used in an amount of from about 0.01 to about 30% by weight of the final product, depending on the desired intensity of the aroma and / or taste. Preferably, the content of the flavoring agent / flavoring agent is in the range of 0.2 to 3% of the total weight of the composition of the chewing gum substance.

In one embodiment of the invention, flavoring agents include natural and synthetic flavoring agents in the form of natural plant components, essential oils, essences, extracts, powders, including acids and other substances capable of affecting the flavor profile .

Additional chewing gum ingredients that may be included in the chewing gum formulation of the present invention include surfactants and / or solubilizers, in particular when pharmaceutical or biologically active ingredients are present. Examples of surfactants that can be used as solubilizers in the chewing gum of the present invention are given by reference to H.P. Fielder, Lexikon der Hillfstoffe für Pharmacie, Kosmetik und Angrenzende Gebiete, pages 63-64 (1981) and lists of food emulsifiers approved for use in each country. Anionic, cationic, amphoteric or nonionic solubilizers can be used. Suitable solubilizers include lecithin, polyoxyethylene stearate, polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters, fatty acid salts, edible fatty acid mono- and diacetyl tartaric acid esters, edible fatty acid mono- and diglycerides citric acid esters, sugar fatty acids acids, polyglycerol esters of fatty acids, polyglycerol esters of transesterified acid of castor oil (E 476), sodium stearoyl-lactylate, sodium lauryl sulfate and sorbitan fatty esters of slot and polyoxyethylated hydrogenated castor oil (for example, a product sold under the CREMOPHOR trademark), block copolymers of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide (for example, products sold under the PLURONIC and POLOXAMER trademarks), polyoxyethylene fatty alcohol esters, polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters , sorbitan fatty acid esters and stearic polyoxyethylene acid esters.

Particularly suitable solubilizers are polyoxyethylene stearates, for example, such as polyoxyethylene (8) stearate and polyoxyethylene (40) stearate, polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters sold under the trademark TWEEN, for example, TWEEN 20 (monolaurate), TWEEN 80 (monooleate) , TWEEN 40 (monopalmitate), TWEEN 60 (monostearate), TWEEN 65 (tristearate), mono- and diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of edible fatty acids, citric esters of mono- and diglycerides of edible fatty acids, sterooyl- sodium lactylate, la sodium lauryl sulfate and sorbitan esters of fatty acids and polyoxyethylated hydrogenated castor oil, block copolymers of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide and other esters, polyoxyethylene fatty alcohol. The solubilizer can be either a single substance or a mixture of several substances. In the presence of the active ingredient, chewing gum may also preferably include a carrier known in the art.

Emulsifiers used as emollients may include animal fat, hydrogenated animal fat and partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, cocoa butter, glycerol monostearate, glycerol triacetate, lecithin, mono-, di- and triglycerides, acetylated monoglycerides, fatty acids, e.g. , oleic and linolenic acids) and their combinations.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, packaged chewing gum may include pharmaceutical, cosmetic, or biologically active substances or ingredients. Examples of such active substances are described in the full list given in WO 00/25598, which is incorporated herein by reference. According to the present invention, the active ingredients can be introduced into the internal filler of a piece of chewing gum, or in a coating or substance of chewing gum, possibly in a gum base. The preferred location of the active ingredients is determined by the desired level of release intensity. In some embodiments of the present invention, the active ingredients are preferably administered in both chewing gum and excipient.

The active agents used in the present invention may be any of the substances required for isolation from chewing gum. If an accelerated release rate is required, the corresponding effect is obtained from a taste and aroma agent that is part of the primary substance with limited water solubility, typically 10 g / 100 ml, including substances that are completely non-soluble. Examples are medicines, dietary supplements, an oral composition, anti-tobacco agents, high intensity sweeteners, pH adjusting agents, and the like.

Additional examples of active ingredients include paracetamol, benzocaine, cinnarizine, menthol, carvone, caffeine, chlorhexidine diacetate, cyclizine hydrochloride, 1,8-cineole, nandrolone, miconazole, mystatin, aspartame, sodium fluoride, nicotine, saccharin, cetylperidinium chloride, others ammonium, vitamin E, vitamin A, vitamin D, glibenclamide or its derivatives, progesterone, acetylsalicylic acid, dimenhydrinate, cyclizine, metronidazole, sodium bicarbonate, active components of ginkgo, active components of propolis, active to ginseng components, methadone, peppermint oil, salicylic amide, hydrocortisone or astemizole.

Examples of active agents in the form of dietary supplements are, for example, salts and substances fortifying with vitamin B2 (riboflavin), B12, folic acid, niacin, biotin, poorly soluble glycerofasfates, amino acids, vitamins A, D, E and K, mineral substances in the form of salts , complexes and compounds containing calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, iodine, manganese, chromium, selenium, molybdenum, potassium, sodium or cobalt.

An additional reference is made to the lists of nutrients permitted by the relevant authorities of different countries, for example, such as the Code of laws on state regulation of the USA, Title 21, Part 182.5013.182.5997 and 182.8013-182.8997.

Examples of active agents in the form of compositions for the care or treatment of the oral cavity and teeth are, for example, agents limited to hydrogen peroxide and compounds capable of releasing urea during chewing.

Examples of active agents in the form of antiseptics are, for example, salts and compounds of guanidine and biguanidine (e.g. chlorhexidine diacetate) and the following substances with limited water solubility: quaternary ammonium compounds (e.g. ceramine, chloroxylene, crystal violet, chloramine), aldehydes (e.g. paraformaldehyde) , compounds of decalvin, polynoxylin, phenols (e.g. thymol, parachlorophenol, cresol), hexachlorophene, salicylic anilide compounds, triclosan, halogens (iodine, iodophors, chloramine, dichlorocyanuric acid salts) alcohols (3,4-dichlorobenzyl alcohol, benzyl alcohol, phenoxyethanol, phenylethanol), additionally taken from Martindale, The Extra Pharmacopoeia, 28th edition, pages 547-578; metal salts, complexes and compounds with limited water solubility, such as aluminum salts (for example, potassium-aluminum alum AIK (SO4) 2, 12H20) and additionally include salts, complexes and compounds of boron, barium, strontium, iron, calcium, zinc, (zinc acetate, zinc chloride, zinc gluconate), copper (copper chloride, copper sulfate), lead, silver, magnesium, sodium, potassium, lithium, molybdenum, vanadium; other oral and dental care formulations, for example salts, complexes and compounds containing fluorine (such as sodium fluoride, sodium monofluorophosphate, aminofluorides, tin fluoride), phosphates, carbonates and selenium are additionally taken from J. Dent. Res. Vol. 28 No. 2, pages 160-171, 1949, which show broadly tested compounds.

Examples of active ingredients in the form of oral pH adjusting agents include, for example, acceptable acids such as adipic acid, succinic acid, fumaric acid, or its salts, or citric acid salts, tartaric acid, malic acid, acetic acid, lactic acid, phosphoric acid and glutaric acid and acceptable bases such as carbonates, bicarbonates, phosphates, sulfates or oxides of sodium, potassium, ammonium, magnesium or calcium, in particular magnesium and calcium.

Examples of active ingredients in the form of anti-tobacco agents include, for example, nicotine, tobacco powder or silver salts, for example silver acetate, silver carbonate and silver nitrate.

Additional examples of active agents are medications of any kind.

Examples of active agents in the form of medicaments include caffeine, salicylic acid, salicylic amide and related substances (acetylsalicylic acid, choline salicylate, magnesium magnesium salicylate, sodium salicylate), paracetamol, pentazocine salts (pentazocine hydrochloride and pentazocin lactate phosphoride phosphoride, codisulfin phosphate hydrochloride, pentazocin lactate phosphoride, phosphoride, phosphoride, and pentazocin lactate phosphoride phosphene); codeine, morphine and morphine salts (hydrochloride, sulfate, tartrate), methadone hydrochloride, ketobemidone and ketobemidone salts (hydrochloride), beta-blockers (propranolol), calcium antagonists, hydrochloride ve Apamea, nifedipine, as well as suitable substances and salts thereof mentioned in Pharm. Int., Nov. 85, pages 267-271, Barney H. Hunter and Robert L. Talbert nitroglycerin, erythritol tetranitrate, strychnine and its salts, lidocaine, tetracaine hydrochloride, ethorphine hydrochloride, atropine, insulin, enzymes (e.g. papain, trypsin, amyloglucosidase, glucose oxidase streptokinase, streptodornase, dextranase, alpha-amylase), polypeptides (oxytocin, gonadorelin (LH. RH) desmopressin acetate (DDAVP)), isoxysuprin hydrochloride, ergotamine compounds, chloroquine (phosphate, sulfate), isosorbide, heparin, demoxi.

Other active ingredients include beta-lupeol, letigen, sildenafil citrate and their derivatives.

Oral products include carb, casein phosphopeptide; chlorhexidine, chlorhexidine diacetate, chlorhexidine chloride, chlorhexidine digluconate, strontium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate, ingredients containing fluoride, fluorides, sodium fluoride, aluminum fluoride, ammonium fluoride, other calcium fluoride, calcium fluoride containing fluorine, ammonium fluorosilicate, potassium fluorosilicate, sodium fluorosilicate, ammonium monofluorophosphate, calcium monofluorophosphate, potassium monofluorophosphate, sodium monofluorophosphate, ammonium octadecentyl fluoride, stearyl dihydrofluoride trihydroxyethyl dihydrofluoride propylenediamine, Vitamins include A, B1, B2, B6, B12, folic acid, niacin, pantoten, biotin, C, D, E, K.

Minerals include calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, iodine, manganese, chromium, selenium, molybdenum. Other active ingredients include Q10 enzymes. Natural medicinal substances, including ginkgo biloba, ginseng and fish oil. The present invention also relates to medications used to combat migraine, such as serotonin antagonists: sumatriptan, zolmitriptan, naratriptan, risatriptan, eletriptan; medications used to combat nausea, such as cyclizine, cinnarizine, dimenhydramine, diphenhydrinate; medications used to combat hay fever, such as cetrizine, loratidine; medicines used to relieve pain, such as buprenorphine, tramadol; medicines used to combat diseases of the oral cavity, such as miconazole, amphotericin B, triamcinolone acetone; and medicines cisapride, domperidone, metoclopramide.

Active ingredients may include, but are not limited to, the following compounds or their derivatives: acetaminophen, acetylsalicylic acid, buprenorphine, bromhexine, celoxib, codeine, diphenhydramine, diclofenac, etoricoxib, ibuprofen, indomethacin, ketoprofen, paraminoxibone, lumiraxoxib, lumiracoxib piroxicam, pseudoephedrine, rofecoxib, tenoxicam, tramadol, valdecoxib, calcium carbonate, magaldrate, disulfiram, bupropion, nicotine, acithromycin, clarithromycin, clotrimazole, erythromycin, tetracycline, granisetron, o dansetron, promethazine, tropisetron, brompheniramine, ceterizine, leco-ceterisin, chlorocyclisin, chlorpheniramine, diphenhydramine, doxylamine, phenofenadine, guaifenesin, loratidine, desloratidine, methylphenidindepenide, methylphenidonide, methylphenidonide, phenyltinfendenide, methylphenidonide benzet, chloride, cetylpyrid, chloride, chlorhexidine, sodium ecobet, haloperidol, allopurinol, colhinin, theophylline, propanol, prednisolone, prednison, fluorine, urea, miconazole, actot, glibenclamide, glipizide, metformin, miglidol, miglind, miglidol pomorphine, cialis, sildenafil, vardenafil, diphenoxylate, simethicone, cimetidine, famotidine, ranitidine, ratinidine, cetrizine, loratadine, aspirin, benzocaine, dextromethorphan, ephedrine, phenylpropanolamine, pseudoephedrine, phenylpiperidyl-cyclidyl-cyclidyl-phenyl-phenyl-phenyl-phenyl-phenyl-cyclidyl-phenyl-cyclidyl-phenyl-cyclide eletriptan, ergotamine, migea, naratriptan, risatriptan, sumatriptan, zolmitriptan, aluminum salts, calcium salts, iron salts, silver salts, zinc salts, amphotericin B, chlorhexidine, miconazole, triamcinoloneacetonide, melatonin, phenobarbitol, coffee ein, benzodiazepiner, hydroxyzine, meprobamate, phenothiazine, buclizine, bromethazine, cinnarizine, cyclizine, diphenhydramine, dimenhydrinate, buflomedil, amphetamine, caffeine, ephedrine, orlistat, phenylephedrine, pheneteroneteronecinerotineronecineronecineronecineronecineronecineronecineronecineronecineronecineronecineronecineronecineronecineronecinerone vitamin B12, vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, pilocarpine, aluminum amino acetate, cimetidine, esomeprazole, famotidine, lansoprazole, magnesium oxide, nizatide and / or ratinidine.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the flavoring agent can be used as a flavoring agent for chewing gum containing active ingredients that themselves have an undesirable taste or that alter taste.

The chewing gum material may optionally contain conventional additives such as binding agents, acidifiers, fillers, colorants, preservatives and antioxidants, for example, butylhydroxytoluene (BHT), butylhydroxyanisole (BHA), propyl gallate and tocopherols.

Colorants and bleaches may include colorants such as FD & C and varnishes, fruit and vegetable extracts, titanium dioxide, and combinations thereof.

Materials used for the above encapsulation methods, for example, sweeteners and flavoring agents, for example, may include gelatin, wheat protein, soy protein, sodium caseinate, casein, gum arabic, modified starch, hydrolyzed starches (maltodextrins), alginates, pectin, carrageenan, xanthan gum, locust bean gum, chitosan, beeswax, carnauba wax, candelilla wax, hydrogenated vegetable oils, zein and / or sucrose.

The preparation of a chewing gum substance usually begins with a gum base. A gum base can be obtained by introducing an elastomer, an elastomeric plasticizer and a filler and, in some cases, a vinyl polymer into a heated (10 ° C-120 ° C), for example, a multi-blade mixer with frontal speed control in a ratio of from about 1.2: 1 to about 2: 1, a higher ratio is usually used for a gum base, which requires a more accurate formulation of elastomers.

The initial quantities of the ingredients that make up the initial mass are determined by the working capacity of the mixing tank to achieve the required consistency and compounding required to break the elastomer and increase the branching of the chains. A higher initial level of filler content or a choice of filler having a certain particle distribution profile, a higher degree of compounding, thus lead to a rupture of the elastomeric chains forming cross-links to a greater extent, causing a greater degree of branching of elastomers, thereby reducing the viscosity of the gum base and softening the final gum base and chewing gum obtained using such a gum base. A longer compounding time, the use of gum base ingredients with a lower molecular weight or with a lower softening point, makes it possible to obtain a gum base with lower viscosity and density.

As a rule, compounding becomes effective only when the ingredients are combined together. The duration of the compounding can be from about 15 minutes to about 90 minutes.

Preferably, the compounding time is from about 20 minutes to about 60 minutes. The amount of introduced elastomeric plasticizer depends on the level of elastomer content and the presence of filler. If too much elastomeric plasticizer is introduced, the initial mass becomes excessively ductile and inhomogeneous.

After the initial ingredients were homogeneously mixed and compounded for the required period of time, the equilibrium of the ingredients of the gum base, introduced sequentially to obtain a completely homogeneous molten mass. As a rule, any remaining amount of elastomer, elastomeric plasticizer, vinyl polymer and filler is introduced 60 minutes after the start of compounding. Typically, the filler and elastomeric plasticizer are weighed separately and administered in parts during this period of time. Optional waxes and softeners are usually administered after the elastomer and elastomeric plasticizers within the next 60 minutes. Then the mass is brought to a homogeneous state and unloaded.

Typically, the processing time of the gum base can vary from about one to about three hours, preferably from about 1 to 2 hours, depending on the formulation. The temperature of the final mass before unloading may be from about 70 ° C to about 130 ° C and preferably from about 100 ° C to about 120 ° C. It should be noted that the mixing time can be reduced, and the temperature is significantly reduced when receiving a gum base and chewing gum substances based on biodegradable polymers. In the case of using biodegradable polymers, the processing temperature can typically be in the range of 40 to 80 ° C. At these temperatures, decomposition can be avoided during the preparation process.

The completely molten mass is discharged from the mixing vessel into coated forms or paper-lined molds, extruded or cast into any desired shape, the mass is cooled and solidified. One skilled in the art will appreciate that there may be a large number of variations of the above procedure. Thus, chewing gum, including the so-called gum base components and also additional chewing gum ingredients, can be extruded in a one-step process. In addition, the preparation of a chewing gum substance can be continuous without any significant time delay in an extruder forming a filler chewing gum bundle from which a piece filled chewing gum of the present invention is obtained.

The chewing gum tow may be filled with any material known in the art, suitable for filling the center of the chewing gum. Typically, at ordinary storage temperatures, the filler has the consistency of a liquid, paste, or powder. The components used in the internal filler of the present invention can be selected from the group consisting of bulk sweeteners, high intensity sweeteners, flavor and flavoring agents, active ingredients and mixtures thereof. Specific examples of the components are given here above, these groups of the above ingredients can be used both in the filler and in the chewing gum material. An advantage of the present invention is the immediate release of the ingredients used in the excipient when chewing piece chewing gum with the excipient. Immediate release can be combined with a slower release of the ingredients used that are mixed with the chewing gum material.

Some of the filler ingredients commonly used in liquid or paste-like chewing gum filler materials include sorbitol, glycerin, maltitol syrup, hydrogenated starch hydrolysates, and lecithin. Similarly, powdered fillers, among many other examples, may include powdered sweeteners and powdered flavoring agents, such as, for example, freeze-dried powdered fruits or herbs, vegetables, licorice, ammonium chloride, and caramel.

It has been found that it is actually possible to extrude and mold a piece of chewing gum with a filler by applying an anti-adhesive agent to the surface of the chewing gum substance tow in the manufacturing process. Thus, it was found that the chewing gum substance has a structure suitable for extruding a thin-walled tow, since the problems of the thickness of the chewing gum with a relatively soft structure do not allow the use of an anti-adhesive agent. In this way, both sticking to the device and sticking together of individual chewing gum articles of the present invention can be prevented.

Examples of suitable anti-adhesive agents include calcium hydroxide, talc, D-mannitol, silicon dioxide, sucrose ester, calcium stearate, zinc stearate, magnesium stearate and other metal stearates, polyoxyethylene monostearates, silicates, polyethylene glycols, silica, pyrogenic silica, stearic acid calcium, etc. and mixtures thereof.

According to the present invention, the outer coating of the filled gum chewing gum is coated with an anti-adhesive agent that provides a pleasant taste and protects the filled gum chewing gum.

One of the advantages of applying to the chewing gum piece filled with an outer layer of the present invention is that an advantage of the protective effect can be obtained. Thus, the chewing gum substance is protected from drying out and, therefore, from cracking of the chewing gum substance and, as a result, from leakage. This protective effect is very important because the chewing gum material used in the present invention is sugar free or sugar free. In General, the coating allows you to get a piece of chewing gum according to the present invention with improved keeping quality.

Various coating materials may be used, and coating types may be selected from hard coatings, soft coatings, film coatings, or any type of coating known from the prior art, or a combination of such coatings. Typically, the coating can comprise from 10 to 50 percent by weight of the coated, filled, filled chewing gum.

Hard coatings include sugar-containing and sugar-free (sugar-free) coatings, and combinations thereof. The advantage of using a hard coating is a sweet crispy layer, if such an initial sensation is required when a consumer consumes a piece of filled chewing gum. Also, the hard coating has the best protective effects that are typically required by the present invention. In a conventional method for applying a sugar-containing protective coating to a piece of chewing gum, the center-filled chewing gum is successfully processed in a suitable coating device in the form of an aqueous solution of crystallizing sugar, such as sucrose or dextrose, which, depending on the stage achieved during coating, may contain other functional ingredients, for example fillers, colorants, active ingredients, and the like.

According to the present invention, a sugar-free or sugar-free coating is preferred, and the coating agent may be, for example, polyol, sorbitol, maltitol, mannitol, xylitol, erythritol, lactitol and isomalt, or for example mono-, disaccharides, including trehalose.

Alternatively, a soft coating may be used that is sugar free or sugar free, including, for example, polyol syrup or mono-, disaccharides, including, by way of example, sorbitol, maltitol, mannitol, xylitol, erythritol, lactitol, isomalt and trehalose.

Additionally, a film coating may be used, which includes film forming agents, such as cellulose derivatives, modified starch, dextrin, gelatin, zein, shellac, gum arabic, vegetable gum, synthetic polymer and the like, or a combination thereof.

The coating of the present invention may include, as a rule, at least a sweetening polyol, a high intensity sweetener and a flavor and aroma agent.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the coating comprises sugar, such as glucose, sucrose, dextrose and the like.

Typically, in certain embodiments of the present invention, it may be preferable to include at least one additional component in the coating material. Examples of such an additional component include binding agents, moisture absorbing components, film-forming agents, dispersing agents, anti-adhesive components, fillers, flavor and flavoring agents, colorants, active ingredients such as pharmaceutical or cosmetic active ingredients, lipid components, waxes components and acids.

The coated filled gum chewing gum of the present invention may have any shape, appearance, or size that allows the gum chewing gum to be coated using any conventional coating method.

The appearance of the final piece chewing gum, for example, can be a small dragee, a small pill-shaped dragee, a tablet, a bar, a lozenge, a ball, a bolus and a sphere, and, as a rule, the mass of a chewing gum with a filler can, for example, range from 0.5 to 15 grams, preferably from about 1 to about 5 grams.

Figures 1A-1C show flow charts of a continuous process that can be used to produce piece chewing gum according to embodiments of the present invention.

The illustrated method for producing chewing gum includes an extruder 10, a feeding device for calibrating the tow 11. A device for calibrating the tow 11 in turn feeds the blank forming device 12, which in turn may optionally power the cooling device 13. In addition, the device includes an air conditioning device 14 for anti-adhesive agent. An intermediate device 15 links the preceding production step to the subsequent coating step of applying the coating using the coating device 16. And finally, the final production step ending in a storage device or packaging device 17.

First, material I, including chewing gum material and internal filler material, is fed, they are fed into the extruder, as shown by arrow - I. Anti-adhesive agent 4 is applied to the chewing gum bundle with filler 3 during the manufacturing process, using a conditioning device 14. Anti-adhesive agent 4 may be applied while the extruded strand 3 passes through a calibration device 11 or a blank forming device 12, or agent 4 may be applied immediately before or after various s devices. For example, FIGS. 1A and 1B show various places for applying an anti-adhesive agent before or during the molding of preforms in the forming device 12. In the device for forming preforms 12, individual pieces of chewing gum 5 are molded. Individual articles of piece chewing gum 5 are uncoated except for the applied anti-adhesive agent. The coating material II is fed into the device for applying the material 16, and the individual products of the piece chewing gum 5 are coated to obtain the final coated piece chewing gum 7, which is stored until it is sent to packaging or packaged immediately.

Initially, the chewing gum substance is mixed, both fresh and with the addition of granules of the previously obtained chewing gum, for example, in a mixer with Z-shaped blades. Alternatively, mixing can be carried out as a continuous process in which the chewing gum substance can be mixed in an extruder. During stirring, the temperature rises and a coherent mass of chewing gum material is obtained.

If the chewing gum substance is mixed in a separate mixer in batches, then it is transported to the extruder 10, where it reaches the desired structure. If, as an alternative, the chewing gum substance is produced in a continuous manner, this mixing can be performed using the illustrated extruder 10 in a known manner.

The extrusion of the chewing gum tow 3 can be carried out at a temperature in the range of 30 to 90 ° C, for example, the extruder 10 can be heated to a temperature of 35 to 50 ° C, and the extruder 10 extrudes the tow of chewing gum, while injecting the material of the inner filler. The material introduced as an internal filler may be liquid or pasty and / or may include powder, crunchy particles or other soluble substances. Typically, the filler may include at least a sweetener and a flavoring agent, and when cooled to a normal storage temperature, such as 20 ° C, the consistency of the filler material may be liquid, pasty or solid.

In one embodiment of the invention, the advantage may be that the chewing gum material that is fed into the extruder is kept or left for at least about 15 minutes after mixing or re-mixing the granules before extruding in the extruder 10.

Examples of transverse profiles of extruded chewing gum tows 3 are shown in FIG. 2A-2D. The substance of chewing gum I encapsulate or enclose the material of the internal filler 2, which may be contained in a bundle of various shapes both in the center and at a distance from the center. The inner filler 2 may, for example, be in approximately rounded or oval shape and, as shown in FIG. 2D can be extruded as multiple strips of filler material 2 with a chewing gum tow of 3.

Directly or within a short period of time after extrusion, the tow is treated by applying an anti-adhesive agent 4 using a conditioning device 14. The anti-adhesive agent 4, for example talc, may, for example, be sprayed or sprayed onto the surface of the tow. If required, the anti-adhesive agent 4 can be applied again immediately before the device for calibrating the bundle 11 or in the device for calibrating the bundle 11, where the mechanism calibrating the bundle can continuously reduce the diameter of the bundle 3 to the required diameter to obtain products of a certain required size. It has been found that a chewing gum tow 3 can be reduced in size to a relatively small diameter and wall thickness (for example, a wall thickness of 2 mm can be obtained) surrounding the internal filler, with an anti-adhesive agent applied to prevent sticking.

After calibrating the tourniquet, the chewing gum tourniquet with filler 3 is fed to the blank forming device 12, where chewing gum 5 is cut and formed from the tourniquet 5. Using various forms, for example, a die for stamping, various kinds of blanks can be obtained. Some of the large number of examples shown in FIG. 3A-3H, where the products are shown in an uncoated form, and thus, marks passing in the form of lines through the middle of a piece of chewing gum become visible at the outlet of the device for forming blanks 12. The products shown in FIG. 3A-3H may be in length, for example, from 10 to 50 mm in the longest direction, each of products 3A-3H is shown separately.

And finally, the final uncovered blanks 5 are cooled, optionally using a cooling device 13, both actively, for example, using a tunnel cooler, and passively as a result of cooling due to the ambient temperature of the production site.

To obtain preforms with a pleasantly sweet or distinct taste and aroma surface, the piece chewing gum is coated to form the final coated piece chewing gum 7, which is also shown in FIG. 4A-4B. FIG. 4A-4B illustrate that the filled chewing gum preforms of the present invention include a chewing gum substance I surrounding the inner filler 2 and coated with an anti-adhesive agent 4 and a coating 6. Because the anti-adhesive agent 4 that is applied to the uncoated preforms during the manufacturing process may the cause of a very undesirable mouthfeel when chewing, therefore it is very important to apply a coating layer directly to an uncoated workpiece, such as talcum powder, 6. Coating A layer serves to provide an excellent initial taste and mouth feel. Often, the coating layer can be a hard, crisp coating, but other types of coating can also be applied with equal success. Soft or film coatings may sometimes be desirable, or as an alternative, the coating may include a variety of caramels, such as candy caramel, toffee, licorice or chocolate caramel.

In one embodiment of the invention, the process of extruding, calibrating the tow and forming the articles can be carried out at a temperature in the range of 30 to 100 ° C, preferably in the range of 35 to 75 ° C, and typically in the range of 45 to 55 ° C. Experiments have shown that elevated temperature causes the chewing gum substance to acquire improved ability to form, adhere and stretch. During the experiment, it was found that the consequence of too much lowering the temperature during the extrusion process, cutting and molding of blanks or articles with filler was presumably the problems associated with the extensibility and flexibility of the chewing gum substance. Even a slight drop in temperature below the optimum temperature for molding chewing gum with specific formulations leads to problems with leakage.

Thus, the ability to stretch and shaping are very important for extruding the chewing gum tow and shaping it into blanks. The stickiness characteristics are also important in order to facilitate quick and effective closing of the end of each piece of chewing gum tow, into which the tow was cut and from which individual products were molded using a molding device. However, although stickiness is necessary to close the pieces, a big problem arises, such as chewing gum sticking to mechanisms. This problem occurs both in the extruder and in the device for calibrating the bundle and in the installation for forming blanks. Experiments have shown that the problem can be solved by using an anti-adhesive agent.

The following examples of the invention do not limit the scope of claims, but merely illustrate the invention.

Examples

Example 1

Gum bases

Three gum bases were prepared according to the formulations shown in Table 1:

Table 1
Examples of various gum base compositions gum base number 501 502 503 Components elastomer 19 14.5 11,4 PVA 19.9 20,2 39.2 natural resins twenty twenty 15,5 filler 17.5 18.9 17.4 softeners 23.6 26,4 16.5

Gummion No. 501 is relatively soft, and gum base No. 502 is relatively hard.

Gum base No. 503 can be classified as a gum base, which forms bubbles during chewing, since the properties of this gum base are very well suited for producing chewing gum, which forms bubbles during chewing. Gumiosnova No. 503 demonstrated the ability to lengthen, which is mainly based on the high content of PVA with high molecular weight.

In addition, it should be noted that softeners and fillers can be introduced as an alternative into chewing gum as part of the chewing gum formulation.

Gum base was obtained by mixing the ingredients at a temperature of about 120 ° C, then the mixture was cooled and served in a chewing gum mixer. It should be noted that the gum base and the chewing gum mixture can be obtained as an alternative in a continuous one-step process.

Example 2

Chewing gum substances

Various chewing gum substances were prepared according to the formulations shown in Table 2.

table 2
Examples of various chewing gum compositions Chewing gum substance 1001 1002 1003 1004 1005 1006 Components gum base number 501 (soft) twenty 40 5 35 33 gum base number 502 (solid) twenty 35 gum base No. 503 (for chewing gum, which forms bubbles when chewing) 35 5 5 7 loose tracker 48.7 48 47.8 48 47.7 48,4 maltitol syrup 5 5.5 5 5 6 four emulsifier 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.3 high intensity sweeteners 0.3 0.2 0.3 peppermint flavoring agents 3 3 lemon flavor and aroma agents 3 3,5 strawberry flavoring agents four four active ingredients 3 3 3 3 3 3

In the examples of chewing gum substances 1001-1006, the percentage of the gum base is about 40% by weight, which makes it possible to compare different chewing gum formulations. However, various additional examples can be obtained with a higher or lower content of the gum base, typically 30-50% of the gum base. Apparently, suitable percentages of the gum base can be lower if the softeners and fillers are directly added to the chewing gum formulation, and therefore, they are not part of the gum base percentage.

The chewing gum ingredients were mixed at a temperature of about 50 ° C, and the chewing gum substance was fed into the extruder. It should be noted that, as an alternative, the mixing procedure of the chewing gum substance can be carried out continuously by using an extruder, which is equally applicable.

Example 3

Getting piece chewing gum with a filler

The filled gum chewing gum was produced using a continuous process, the following steps of this method were carried out: extruding the chewing gum tow with internal filling, calibrating the tow to a diameter of, for example, from about 16 to about 19 mm, and feeding the continuous tow to the molding device individual piece products, in which the tourniquet is cut into pieces, and they are given the required shape. Various sectional views of an extruded filler tow of the present invention are shown in FIG. 2A-2D, where 1 is a chewing gum substance and 2 is an internal filler. The figures illustrate the fact that the filler material can be located in different positions in the bundle, that the location strictly in the middle in the geometric center of the bundle is not necessary.

The method was carried out at a temperature of from about 45 to about 55 ° C, an anti-adhesive agent was applied immediately after the extruder before applying the tow to the calibration device and before applying to the molding device and the cutting device.

Piece chewing gum was obtained, for example, such as that shown in FIG. 3A-3H with an internal filler and approximate dimensions equal to those shown in Table 3. A piece chewing gum of both (round) and oval shape was obtained. As the shape of the piece chewing gum provided by the molding apparatus, the piece chewing gum had flat sides, which then facilitated unloading during subsequent storage and packaging steps.

The material used as an internal filler is maltitol syrup, including a small amount of a flavoring agent and active ingredients, examples of the percentage of filler are shown in Table 3.

Table 3
Some examples of sizes, weight and% filler of the obtained filled chewing gum with filler Blank shape Length (mm) Width (mm) Thickness
(mm) Weight
blanks (g)
covered /
uncovered The mass of the filler (g) % filler in coated /
uncovered
harvesting lenticular coated eighteen eighteen 8 2.0 / 2.3 0.3 15/13 oval
uncovered 24 16 12 3.8 0.4 eleven oval
covered 26 eighteen fourteen 5,0 0.5 10

Example 4

Evaluation of Chewing Gum Substances

During and after receiving the piece chewing gum with a filler, comparisons of various chewing gum substances were made. The structure of various chewing gum substances was evaluated both in terms of technological characteristics and in terms of the feeling of the final chewing gum. See table 4.

Table 4
Evaluation of the structure of the chewing gum substances in relation to technological characteristics and in relation to the sensation when using the substance of chewing gum in the final piece chewing gum Chewing substance
rubber bands Technological characteristics Drinking sensation 1001 Relatively acceptable. The ability to stretch the chewing gum substance is unsatisfactory. Thus, as a rule, problems arise with cracking and rupture of the tourniquet. very dense structure 1002 Acceptable. The filled chewing gum tow can be extruded and the preforms formed in Example 3. However, the extruded tow has an undesirable tendency to crack and / or tear. The chewing gum substance seems too dry. acceptable structure 1003 Acceptable. The substance of chewing gum is very plastic and elastic. The primary ability to elongate has been established, but in practice a tendency to tear has been established. Thus, the extrusion and molding of blanks were carried out quite successfully. However, it was found that due to the high elasticity of the material, the obtained chewing gum piece changed shape after the shaping process was completed. excellent and soft structure 1004 Relatively acceptable. The ability to stretch is insufficient and, as a rule, there are many problems with cracking and rupture of the tourniquet. somewhat overly solid structure 1005 Good enough. The chewing gum substance is sufficiently extensible and holds shape after the shaping process. superior structure 1006 Good enough. The chewing gum substance is sufficiently extensible and holds shape after the shaping process. superior structure

Example 5

Coating of filled chewing gum preforms

The filled gum chewing gum was coated using a conventional hard coating method as described in further detail below.

A syrup containing a water-soluble crystallizable polyol, a high-intensity sweetener and an agent to add taste and aroma was applied to the surface of a piece of chewing gum, the water was evaporated by blowing with warm, dry air. This cycle was repeated several times, usually from 10 to 80 times, to achieve the desired size, which can be desirably increased to the weight of the product, taking into account at the end of the coating process compared to the beginning and with respect to the final weight of the coated products. Alternatively, the coating layer can be applied using a continuous coating method, so that the desired size can also be obtained.

According to the present invention, the coating layer, for example, comprises from about 0 to about 75% by weight of the final small piece confectionery product, preferably from about 10 to about 60% by weight, including from about 15 to about 50% by weight.

FIG. 3A-3H illustrate the differences in the shape of the piece chewing gum of the present invention before coating. It should be noted that sequential coating, as a rule, can give a smoother structural characteristics, in particular, when applying a hard coating.

It should be noted that the shapes of the piece chewing gum shown in FIG. 3B-3H are particularly preferred according to the present invention due to the fact that such blanks facilitate efficient unloading following molding and almost before coating, since the blanks are relatively easy to fix due to at least one substantially flat side transportation from one place to another.

According to the present invention, an advantageous embodiment of the invention can be obtained when the piece chewing gum has a flat (flattened) side. In particular, the advantage is manifested in the stages of sorting and packaging. At these stages, it was found that simultaneously unloading a large number of individual products of the present invention is more convenient when at least one side is flat. The presence of a flat side on the blanks as a result makes it possible to arrange individual blanks with each other, thereby facilitating the evaluation and sorting of the obtained chewing gum pieces before coating, thereby avoiding unnecessary coating or even problems associated with the coating process of unusable or leaking products piece chewing gum.

The arrangement can be carried out by mechanical feeding of individual products into certain gutters or using a special feeder.

The flat sides of the chewing gum preform may have two substantially symmetrical sides opposite each other, flattened by piston pressure. Alternatively or additionally, the flat side of the chewing gum preform in appearance may be a flat chewing gum tape having a girth within the preform.

Claims (59)

1. Piece chewing gum (5), comprising at least one internal filler (2), surrounded by a substance of chewing gum (1), not containing sugar,
moreover, said chewing gum piece contains an anti-adhesive agent (4) suitable for preventing adhesion to the equipment and sticking of individual piece chewing gums, and said chewing gum piece has a coating (6) at least partially encapsulating said piece chewing gum and said anti-sticking agent. 2. Piece chewing gum according to claim 1, where the specified piece chewing gum has at least one essentially flat side. 3. Piece chewing gum according to claim 1, where the specified piece chewing gum has at least two essentially parallel, essentially flat sides. 4. The piece chewing gum according to claim 1, wherein said piece chewing gum has flat surfaces comprising at least 5%, preferably at least 10%, and most preferably at least 20% of the total surface area of said piece chewing gum. 5. Piece chewing gum according to claims 1 to 4, where the specified piece chewing gum contains a polymer component and at least two ingredients selected from the group consisting of agents that add taste and aroma, sweeteners, softeners, fillers, dyes, waxes, fats, surfactants, antioxidants, active ingredients, and combinations thereof. 6. Piece chewing gum according to claim 5, where the specified polymer component includes at least one polymer. 7. Piece chewing gum according to claim 5, where the specified piece chewing gum includes a gum base, the polymer part of which is the main part. 8. Piece chewing gum according to claim 7, where the specified gum base is from 20 to 80%, preferably from 30 to 60% by weight of the substance of chewing gum. 9. Piece chewing gum according to claim 7, where the specified gum base includes a base, forming when chewing bubbles, in an amount of from 2 to 100%, preferably from 2 to 50% and most preferably from 2 to 15% by weight of the gum base. 10. Piece chewing gum according to claim 7, where the specified gum base includes a polyvyl acetate with a high molecular weight (mm) from about 20,000 to about 70,000 g / mol, preferably from about 35,000 to about 65,000 g / mol, and most preferably from about 40,000 to about 60,000 g / mol in an amount in the range of 0.1 to 20%, preferably in the range of 0.2 to 5% by weight of the chewing gum material. 11. Piece chewing gum according to claim 7, where the specified gum base includes fat in an amount of from 0.001 to 5%, preferably from 0.002 to 2% by weight of the gum base. 12. Piece chewing gum according to claim 7, where the specified gum base includes an elastomer with a high molecular weight, the molecular weight of which is from about 300,000 to 400,000 g / mol in an amount of at most 3%, preferably at most 2% by weight of the substance of the chewing gum . 13. Piece chewing gum according to claim 1, where the specified substance of chewing gum forms a wall surrounding the specified internal filler, essentially in all directions. 14. Chewing gum according to claim 13, wherein said wall has an average thickness in the range of from about 0.5 to about 10 mm, preferably from about 1 to about 5 mm, and most preferably from 1.5 to 3 mm. 15. Piece chewing gum according to claim 1, where the specified substance of chewing gum includes at least one active ingredient. 16. Piece chewing gum according to claim 15, wherein said at least one active ingredient is included in said gum base. 17. Piece chewing gum according to claim 1, where the specified substance of chewing gum includes at least one biodegradable polymer. 18. The unit chewing gum of claim 17, wherein said at least one biodegradable polymer comprises a polyester. 19. Chewing gum according to claim 18, wherein said polyester is prepared from one or more cyclic ethers by ring opening polymerization. 20. Chewing gum according to claim 18, wherein said polyester is obtained by polymerizing at least one alcohol or its derivative and at least one carboxylic acid or its derivative. 21. Piece chewing gum according to claim 1, where the specified substance of chewing gum includes at least two different polyesters. 22. Piece chewing gum according to claim 1, where the specified individual product has a mass in the range from 0.5 to 8 g, preferably from 1 to 5 g and most preferably from 1.5 to 3 g 23. Piece chewing gum according to claim 1, where the specified separate product piece chewing gum has the form of a small dragee, bar, cane, pillow, lozenges, bolus, ball, tablet or sphere. 24. Piece chewing gum according to claim 1, where the specified internal filler is in the range from 2 to 40%, preferably from 5 to 20% and most preferably from 8 to 15% by weight of the specified piece chewing gum. 25. Chewing gum according to claim 1, where the specified internal filler is at least partially solid at a temperature of preferably 5 ° C. 26. Chewing gum according to claim 1, where the specified internal filler is at least partially solid at temperatures up to 30 ° C. 27. Chewing gum according to claim 1, where the specified internal filler includes components selected from the group including syrups, pastes, powders and mixtures thereof. 28. Chewing gum according to claim 1, where the specified internal filler has a viscosity in the range from 0.6 to 200000, preferably from 100 to 100000 MPa, measured at 40 ° C. 29. Chewing gum according to claim 1, where the specified internal filler includes at least one sweetener and at least one agent that gives taste and aroma. 30. Chewing gum according to claim 1, wherein said internal filler comprises at least one sweetener selected from the group consisting of mannitol, xylitol, hydrogenated hydrolysates of starch, maltitol, isomaltol, erythritol, lactitol, glycerol, sucrose, dextrose, maltose , dextrins, trehalose, D-tagatose, invert sugar, fructose, levulose, galactose, corn syrup, sucralose, aspartame, salt of acesulfame, alitam, neotam, twin suite, saccharin and its salts, cyclic acid and its salts, isomalt, dihydroch lemon, glycyrchizine, thaumatin, monellin, talin, stevioside and mixtures thereof. 31. Chewing gum according to claim 1, where the specified internal filler includes at least one agent that gives taste and aroma, selected from the group consisting of essential oils, an agent that gives the taste and aroma of fruit, peppermint, spearmint, wintergreen , cinnamon, lemon, orange, lime, grapefruit, grape, strawberry, pineapple, cherry, apple and mixtures thereof. 32. Chewing gum according to claim 1, where the specified internal filler includes the active ingredients. 33. Piece chewing gum according to claim 1, where the specified internal filler is located at least approximately in the center of the specified piece chewing gum. 34. Chewing gum according to claim 1, where the specified internal filler is located in at least two partially separated sections of the specified chewing gum. 35. Chewing gum according to claim 1, wherein said anti-adhesive agent (4) is located on the outer surface of said chewing gum piece (5) and on the inside of said coating (6). 36. Chewing gum according to claim 1, wherein said anti-adhesive agent is selected from the group consisting of calcium hydroxide, talc, D-mannitol, silicon dioxide, sucrose ester, calcium stearate, zinc stearate, magnesium stearate and other metal stearates, polyoxyethylene monostearates , silicates, polyethylene glycols, silicate dioxide, colloidal silicon dioxide, stearic acid, calcium carbonate and mixtures thereof. 37. Chewing gum according to claim 1, where the specified coating is selected from the group consisting of hard coatings, soft coatings and film coatings. 38. Piece chewing gum according to claim 1, where the specified coating is from about 1 to about 85% by weight of a fully coated chewing gum. 39. Chewing gum according to claim 1, where the specified coating is formed by layers of liquid suspensions, applied sequentially in from 1 to 100 coating cycles. 40. Chewing gum according to claim 1, where the specified coating consists of ingredients selected from the group consisting of sweetening syrups, high-intensity sweeteners, agents that add taste and aroma, and active ingredients. 41. Chewing gum according to claim 1, wherein said coating is sugar free or sugar free. 42. Chewing gum according to claim 1, where the specified coating is a hard coating containing at least one polyol as one component selected from the group consisting of sorbitol, maltitol, mannitol, xylitol, erythritol, lactitol, isomaltite and mixtures thereof. 43. Chewing gum according to claim 1, where the specified coating is a film coating comprising at least one component selected from the group consisting of wax, cellulose derivatives, modified starches, dextrins, gelatin, shellac, gum arabic, zein, vegetable resins synthetic polymers and mixtures thereof. 44. The piece chewing gum according to claim 1, where the specified piece chewing gum obtained on the basis of essentially not chilled material of chewing gum. 45. A method of producing a piece of chewing gum (5), comprising the steps of continuously extruding a tow of chewing gum material (3), sugar free or sugar free, containing internal filler (2) from the extruder (10) into a workpiece molding device (12) , the specified device for forming blanks continuously shapes and cuts the specified tow of piece chewing gum (3),
continuous application of an anti-adhesive agent to said tow after said extrusion at least at the same time or before said molding and cutting,
applying a sugar free or sugar free coating to said piece chewing gum using a coating device (16). 46. A method of producing a piece of chewing gum according to any one of claims 1 to 44, comprising the steps of:
continuous extrusion of a tow of chewing gum material (3), free of sugar or sugar free, containing an internal filler (2), from an extruder (10) into a workpiece forming device (12), said workpiece forming device continuously shapes and cuts said tow piece chewing gum (3),
continuous application of an anti-adhesive agent to said tow after said extrusion at least at the same time or before said cutting forming,
applying a sugar free or sugar free coating to said piece chewing gum using a coating device (16). 47. The method according to claim 46, wherein said method further comprises the step of calibrating said tow of chewing gum material (3) using at least one device for calibrating the tow (11) following said extrusion and before said molding and cutting. 48. The method according to item 46, where the specified anti-adhesive agent is applied twice or more during the specified method. 49. The method according to item 46, where the specified anti-adhesive agent is applied before or simultaneously with the specified calibration of the tow. 50. The method according to item 46, where the specified anti-adhesive agent is applied when leaving the specified extruder. 51. The method according to item 46, where the specified anti-adhesive agent is applied to the surface of the tow of chewing gum. 52. The method according to item 46, where the specified anti-adhesive agent is applied to a portion of the specified device for calibrating the bundle or device for forming blanks in contact with the specified bundle of chewing gum. 53. The method according to item 46, where the specified anti-adhesive agent is applied with a conditioning device (14) using spraying, spraying or spreading. 54. The method according to item 46, where the specified extrusion and the specified molding and cutting are carried out essentially without cooling. 55. The method according to clause 47, where the specified extruder, a device for calibrating the bundle and a device for forming blanks operate at a temperature of at least 30 ° C, preferably at least 35 ° C and most preferably at least 40 ° C. 56. The method according to item 46, where the specified piece chewing gum is cooled before coating or storage to a temperature of at most 30 ° C, preferably to a temperature of at most 25 ° C. 57. The method of claim 46, wherein said chewing gum strand has a diameter in the range of 5 to 50 mm, preferably in the range of 8 to 25 mm, and most preferably in the range of 10 to 20 mm. 58. The method according to item 46, where the substance of the specified chewing gum forms a wall around the specified internal filler. 59. The method of claim 58, wherein said wall has a thickness ranging from 0.5 to 10 mm, preferably from 1 to 5 mm, and most preferably from 1.5 to 3 mm.

Images