Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Normally noningestible chewable material or process of... – Packaged – structurally defined – or coated
Reexamination Certificate
2001-06-26
2004-09-07
Corbin, Arthur L. (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Normally noningestible chewable material or process of...
Packaged, structurally defined, or coated
Reexamination Certificate
active
06787167
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to the use of natural vegetable flavouring components as flavouring agents in chewing gum coating.
According to the present invention it has surprisingly been found that addition of a natural vegetable component to a chewing gum coating results in increased flavour sensation. The invention also relates to a method for the preparation of a chewing gum wherein the coating comprises a natural vegetable component as flavouring agent.
The aroma agents and flavours generally used in chewing gum coating are for instance natural and synthetic flavourings in the form of essential oils, essences, and extracts. The flavours may be in the form of liquids or powders. The powders are normally prepared on the basis on liquid essences or extracts.
Natural flavours are commonly subject to deterioration due to heat treatment, contact with air, light and moisture. In addition, natural flavours may due to the preparation method lack the natural taste sensation because many taste notes of the original product are changed or disappears during the processes. Accordingly, the overall taste sensation is changed.
Patent application CA 2,027,177 discloses use of fruit juice concentrate as a agent.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,632,358 relates to the use of particles of freeze-dried food in the chewing gum formulations prepared from a chewing gum vehicle. The freeze-dried particles are added to the water-soluble portion of the formulation. The chewing gum is not coated.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, it has surprisingly been found that natural flavour sources such as dried fruits or other vegetable material in its natural form or dried form are excellent flavours in chewing gum coatings. The natural dried fruits or other vegetable material are useful flavours and is used in the coating of the chewing gum. In a further embodiment, the natural dried fruits or other vegetable material may also be added to the chewing gum formulation in order to keep the good taste sensation initiated by use of the dried fruits or other vegetable material in the coating.
It is believed that the surprising effect of the natural vegetable flavouring component according to the present invention is not only due to a minimal treatment of the natural vegetable flavouring agent but is also related to the content of cellular material from the plant. The cellular material may serve as reservoir for the flavouring components and may also help to preserve the sensible chemical structure of the natural selection of flavouring components. When both a great part of the flavouring components are retained as well as in the natural ratios, a very natural taste sensation is obtained. In addition, by being released during the chewing period of a chewing gum where saliva solubilize the different taste components in a way which is very similar to the normal chewing of e.g. a fruit, the consumer experience a much more natural taste sensation than may be obtained by conventional flavours including flavours prepared on the basis of natural products such as from juices. Accordingly, in a preferred embodiment the natural vegetable-flavouring agent of the present invention comprises more or less intact cellular components.
Flavour powders known in the art are conventionally prepared by spray drying of aqueous solutions essences or extracts and drying with hot air. However, during the process the flavour looses the characteristics of the natural taste the liquid flavour might have initially, the liquid may already have lost a great part of the full taste sensation of the original product as liquid flavour lack the full taste characteristics of the original product.
Furthermore, the taste sensation during the compete chewing process is of great importance for the customer. It has now surprisingly been found that use of a dried natural flavouring agent according to the present invention may improve the taste sensation of a chewing gum wherein the dried fruits or other vegetable material is used as flavours in the coating. With relative small amounts of freeze dried natural vegetable flavouring components the following improved characteristics has been identified: less perfumed taste, less synthetic taste, less astringent sensation, increased intensity, increased impact, increased sourness and freshness.
In addition to the increase in taste sensation the use of the natural flavouring components also results in the chewing gum wherein synthetic colouring agents can by avoided. In a preferred embodiment, the natural flavouring component is used in the dragée layer as well as in the chewing gum resulting in an excellent taste as well as colour of the chewing gum product.
Use of the dried natural vegetable components according to the present invention may cause difficulties in a conventional coating process using a wet coating suspension. Accordingly, the present invention also relates to a coating process wherein the dried natural vegetable flavouring agent is applied to the coating in dry form.
Examples natural vegetable flavouring agents according to the present invention are preferable fruits and herbs and include coconut, grape fruit, orange, lime, lemon, mandarin, pineapple, strawberry, raspberry, tropical fruits such as mango, passion fruit, kiwi; apple, pear, peach, strawberry, apricot, raspberry, cherry, pineapple, grapes, banana, cranberry, blueberry, black current, red current, gooseberry, and lingon berries. The herbs include thyme, basil, camille, valerian, fennel, parsley, camomile, tarragon, lavender, dill, cumin, bergamot, salvia, aloe vera and balsam. Also aromatic vegetables such as tomatoes may be used according to the present invention.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, plants known as menthol, spearmint, peppermint, and eucalyptus are used as flavouring agents according to the invention.
The vegetable flavouring component agent may include al parts of the plant, however, the most aromatic part are preferred such as e.g. the leaves of the eucalyptus, spearmint, peppermint and will be known by the skilled person.
As is well known in the art, chewing gum comprises an insoluble gum part and a water-soluble part. The Standard gum bases generally contain elastomers, resins, fats, oils, waxes, emulsifiers and inorganic fillers.
Thus, the invention relates to a coated chewing gum comprising a core of chewing gum and a coating that comprises a coating material, and one or more dried natural vegetable components as flavours.
In one embodiment, the invention relates to a method for the preparation of a coated chewing gum according to the invention comprising the following steps:
1) preparation of a core of chewing gum in a manner known per se,
2) preparation of a coating suspension, also in a manner known per se,
3) repeated applications of the coating suspension onto the cores of chewing gum also in a manner known per se, preferable at a temperature in the interval 30-90° C., preferably 35-75° C.,
4) Applying on the coating the dried vegetable flavouring agent in dried form in one or more increment(s) after the application of the coating suspension, and optionally repeating step 3) and 4)
5) optionally, application of one or more flavours in liquid form in one or more increments between the applications of the coating suspension,
6) optionally, finally application of a surface layer.
Applying of the solid natural flavour agent preferable performed without drying of the coating suspension in order to enable adherence of a substantial amount of the dried flavour to the coating. The drying time for the coating suspension depends on the specific coating formulation, however, the dried flavour is added to the coated chewing gum substantially without delay after the coating processes are finished. If desired, the coated chewing gum may be wetted in case the coating has been allowed to dry for too long time whereby the coated chewing gum is no longer sticky.
The coating process may be repeated as many times as needed in order to obtain the desired thickness of the coating. It is also withi
Corbin Arthur L.
Dandy A/S
Hunton & Williams LLP
LandOfFree
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