Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Normally noningestible chewable material or process of... – Low-adhesive type
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-11
2003-07-29
Corbin, Arthur L. (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Normally noningestible chewable material or process of...
Low-adhesive type
C426S006000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06599542
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the use of plasticized proteinaceous materials and composition containing the same especially for the preparation of chewing gums which have unique non-stick properties. The chewing gums, in addition to non-stick properties on a wide variety of substrates including porous and non-porous substrates, possess high flavor properties similar to conventional chewing gums.
The plasticized proteinaceous material is made by first combining at least one protein and at least one plasticizer into a solid state combination which is then treated under heat and controlled shear conditions to produce a plasticized proteinaceous material having properties, which when blended with other ingredients employed in the chewing gum composition, provide the chewing gum with non-stick properties.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Chewing gums are traditionally comprised of a water insoluble base portion and a water soluble portion which contains flavors and sweeteners. The base portion includes a gum base part which includes a masticatory substance which imparts the chew characteristics to the final product. The gum base typically defines the release profile of flavors, and sweeteners and plays a significant role in the gum product. The flavors and sweeteners provide the sensory appeal aspects of the chewing gum.
Chewing gum bases conventionally contain materials called elastomers which provide the bounce or rubber character to the gum. Elastomers are water-insoluble polymers, both natural, such as natural rubbers and chicle, and synthetic polymers, such as styrene butadiene copolymers, polyisobutylene, polyethylene and the like. The elastomers are usually combined with polyvinyl acetates (PVAc) of varying molecular weight to provide stretch or elasticity to the gum base. Conventional gums will also contain materials such as resins which are used as elastomer solvents to soften the elastomer; waxes; fats and/or oils which can act as plasticizers; fillers and optionally, antioxidants and emulsifiers.
Conventional ingredients and techniques for the manufacture of chewing gums are known such as described in Sugar Confectionery Manufacture, 2
nd
Edition, E. B. Jackson, editor, Blackie Academic & Professional, Glasgow, NZ (1995), at pages 259-286, incorporated herein by reference.
Efforts have been made to provide chewing gum compositions with non-stick properties, typically by.eliminating waxes. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,722 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,462,754 disclose a gum composition containing a wax free gum base, natural and synthetic elastomers, fats and oils and/or softeners.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,424,081 discloses a non-adhesive chewing gum base including a gluten component and a protein condensing agent. U.S. Pat. No. 4,241,090 is directed to a non-adhesive chewing gum composition containing alpha cellulose and one or more thickening agents including hydrolyzed cereal solids, us malto-dextrin, modified food starch and the like.
International Publication No's. WO 95/32,634 and WO 95/32,637 disclose non-stick gum compositions containing medium chain triglycerides. U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,930 concerns a non-stick gum composition with medium chain triglycerides and lecithin. Other non-stick gum compositions are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No's. 5,437,875; 5,437,876; 5,437,877; as well as, International Publication No's. WO 93/17570; WO 93/17572; and WO 93/17575.
Prior art non-stick gum compositions of the type mentioned above are disadvantageous because they are non-stick only on smooth non-porous surfaces such as denture material and/or have inadequate sweetness and/or flavor release properties.
An effort to provide a gum composition that is non stick on both porous and non-porous surfaces is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,858 which discloses a non-stick chewing gum base composition which is free from fats, waxes, and elastomer solvent resins. The gum base includes (a) a blend of polyvinylacetates having different molecular weights, (b) a non-elastomer solvent resin plasticizer including glycerol triacetate, acetylated monoglyceride and mixtures thereof and (c) a filler such as calcium carbonate, alumina, talc, clay and the like. The gum composition is non-stick with respect to a variety of surfaces including, denture material, wood, asphalt, concrete, carpet, hair and cloth.
Native proteins, due to their general lack of flexibility, do not exhibit or mimic properties of gum base such as elasticity, extensibility and chewability. Denatured proteins have been used in chewing gums but the art has not provided protein-based gums on a sensory level with conventional gums nor with non-stick properties. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,722 discloses a proteinaceous chewable base for use with confectionery products in which prolamine is dissolved in an alcohol/water solvent system and a texturizing agent is added to form a precipitate with the texturizing agent entrapped therein.
While such systems can be used to form proteinaceous materials that can be substituted for elastomers conventionally used in gums and confectionery compositions, such materials still do not effectively convey the same sensory properties that are associated with conventional chewing gums nor do they provide for non-stick properties.
It would therefore be a significant advance in the art of developing chewing gums to provide the same with non-stick properties that are effective on a wide variety of surfaces, including porous and non-porous surfaces such as leather, rubber and the like and which have the same or similar sensory characteristics as conventional gums.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is in part directed to non-stick chewing compositions containing plasticized proteinaceous materials which are derived from the combination or blend of at least one protein (i.e. a protein component) and at least one plasticizer (i.e. a plasticizer component). The blend is preferably heated under controlled shear conditions to produce a plasticized proteinaceous material which in combination with certain conventional ingredients of chewing gums imparts desired non-stick properties to the product while providing the product with desirable taste and sensory characteristics.
More specifically, the present invention is directed to a non-stick chewing gum composition comprising:
a) from about 2 to 25% by weight of a plasticized proteinaceous material comprising a protein component and plasticizer component wherein a solid state blend of the protein component and the plasticizer component have been heated under controlled shear conditions at a temperature of from about 20° C. to about 140°C.;
b) in combination with chewing gum base ingredients in an amount sufficient to impart chewing gum characteristics to the chewing gum composition in the absence of an elastomer solvent and a wax.
In a particular aspect of the present invention, the non-stick chewing gum composition contains, in addition to the plasticized proteinaceous material, an elastomeric material and/or polyvinyl acetate as well as a softener/emulsifier which serves as plasticizer for the elastomeric material and/or the polyvinyl acetate.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In general, the present invention is directed to non-stick chewing gum compositions containing plasticized proteinaceous materials wherein a plasticizer or mixture thereof (plasticizer component) is dispersed.within a matrix of at least one protein (protein component).
As used herein, the term “gum base” shall include those materials which form the gum composition absent those materials including sugar, flavors and colorants which impart a desirable taste and color to the gum composition. The term “gum composition” shall include the gum base materials in addition to sugar, flavors and colorants.
The successful formation of a plasticized proteinaceous material for use in accordance with the present invention depends first upon the proper selection of one or more blends comprising a protein or mixture thereof and a plasticize
Abdel-Malik Magdy Malak
Orama Angel Manuel
Vishwanathan Arun
Corbin Arthur L.
Warner-Lambert & Company
Waton & Kipnes, P.C.
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