Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Applying diverse edible particulate solid to coat or... – Including surface coating with liquid or plastic
Reexamination Certificate
2001-07-18
2003-05-06
Paden, Carolyn (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Applying diverse edible particulate solid to coat or...
Including surface coating with liquid or plastic
C426S289000, C426S295000, C426S003000, C426S302000, C426S455000, C426S456000, C424S440000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06558722
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a process for applying a gum coating to edible, chewable or pharmaceutical centers by panning, and more particularly to the use of powdered gum in making a coating for a confection. As used herein, the term “powdered gum” refers to a chewing and/or bubble gum product having a dry, non-tacky, crumbly, friable form. The powdered, or friable, gum is easily rendered to finely-divided (powder or granular) form at room temperature which can be readily formed into a variety of desired shapes by compression.
Center-filled chewing gums prepared using an extruder are well known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 3,857,963 issued to Graff et al. discloses forming a center-filled chewing gum by extruding a hollow-centered rope of chewing gum through an orifice having a pair of concentric conduits extending therethrough. U.S. Pat. No. 4,156,740 issued to Glass et al. discloses a sugarless center-filled gum wherein the sugarless chewing gum formulation can be extruded to form a hollow-centered rope. U.S. Pat. No. 4,269,860 issued to Ogawa et al. discloses a process for preparing a gas-developing chewing gum by using an extruder to fill a gas-developing composition into a chewing gum. U.S. Pat No. 4,399,154 issued to Pulia et al. discloses a co-extruded chewing gum, which includes an extruded center portion surrounded by and bounded to an extruded outer shell portion. U.S. Pat. No. 5,017,385 issued to Wienecke discloses a chewing gum candy product comprising a matrix of confectionery ingredients having distributed therein multiple discrete regions of a chewing gum composition together with multiple discrete regions of a hardboiled candy composition prepared by extrusion.
A problem encountered in the prior art is the need for extrusion equipment to produce center-filled chewing gum confection. The process of the present invention overcomes this problem by applying a gum coating to edible, chewable or pharmaceutical centers by panning.
So-called pan-coating, or panning, processes are also well known in the art. The process of sugar panning confectionery or pharmaceutical products involves the repetitive crystallization of sucrose or other sugar or syrup-like coating on a tumbling mass of centers. Thin crystal layers build upon each other to form the resulting shell or coating. Two classifications of panning include soft panning and hard panning. Hard panning differs from soft panning mainly in the specific sensory attribute achieved. Hard panning results in a crispy, crunchy coating whereas soft panning results in a softer, chewy coating.
Soft panning, or grossing, comprises the steps of coating edible centers with a coating solution by conventional methods using a rotating pan, sanding the wetted centers with a dry charge of fine crystal sugar, or the like, to form sanded centers. As the dry charge dissolves into the coating syrup the sanded centers become moist. Additional dry charge is added until the sugar, or the like, from the sanding step and the coating syrup from the wetting step reach equilibrium and the sanded centers do not absorb any more dry charge. The wetting and sanding steps are repeated until the desired size is achieved thereby forming grossed centers. The grossed centers are spread onto a drying tray typically for 12-24 hours to dry. A soft, chewy coating forms as a result of the glucose in the coating syrup interfering with, and retarding, any tendency for the sugar to re-crystallize.
One portion encountered with conventional soft-panning is that a dry charge that lacks a uniform composition produces an excessively rough coating. This occurs because the large particulate matter tends to collect towards the back of the pan.
Hard panning, or finishing, comprises the steps of wetting edible centers with one or more layers of a coating solution using a rotating pan and drying the wetted centers by exposure to ambient air or by providing a flow of air to harden each layer in preparation for the application of subsequent layers.
In each of the above disclosures, as well as general practice in the art, there is lacking a method for applying a gum coating, as well as successive outer coatings, to edible, chewable or pharmaceutical centers by panning.
Furthermore, a need still exists for an improved panning process using powdered gum to form a solid center-filled chewing gum having a uniform coating.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a process for applying gum coating to edible, chewable or pharmaceutical centers. The process makes use of a powdered gum as the dry charge in soft panning, or grossing. The pan coating process of the present invention provides for forming a center-filled chewing gum by soft panning, or grossing, wherein a grossing syrup and a powdered gum dry charge are applied to a rotating mass of centers. A dry charge comprising a gum base and a powdered bulk sweetener is added to the revolving pan at room temperature. The process is repeated until a coating of the desired thickness and composition is obtained. Optionally, the product can be finished, waxed and glazed or retain its matte finish.
It is an advantage of the present invention to provide a process whereby edible, chewable or pharmaceutical centers can be provided with a gum coating, and optionally successive outer coatings, by panning.
It is an advantage of the preferred embodiment of the invention to provide a panning process for applying a gum coating by using a powdered gum dry charge at room temperature having a variable particle size distribution.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention is directed to a process for coating centers using a powdered gum wherein a grossing syrup is applied to a rotating mass of centers and then a powdered gum dry charge is added. The process is repeated until a coating of the desired thickness and composition is obtained. Thereafter, the grossed centers can preferably be finished, waxed and glazed.
The preferred process of the present invention is performed as follows. Edible, chewable or pharmaceutical centers are placed in a pan and rotated at a speed of about 5 to 40 rpm, preferably between about 10 and 30 rpm. Those of ordinary skill in the confectionery panning art will appreciate that the selection of the rotation speed of the pan is based on the type of center used in the panning operation. Typically the pans used are stainless steel pans that are either ribbed or baffled. If the centers comprise oils or have a high acid content, a sealant coat is applied as a pre-coat.
The grossing process begins by adding a small amount of grossing syrup to form a thin film on the surface of the centers. Most preferably, the amount of grossing syrup added is sufficient to cover the surface of the centers. Those of ordinary skill in the panning art will appreciate that the amount of grossing syrup added to form the thin film on the surface of the centers varies with the type of centers used. On the one hand, applying too little grossing syrup can result in a rough surface. On the other hand, applying too much grossing syrup results in the centers amassing together in the pan—a problem known as “doubling” in the art. Applying too much grossing syrup may also dissolve or melt the centers.
Typically, the selection of syrup temperature and concentration turns on the desired product quality and desired thickness of the coating. Syrup solids and application temperatures are about 60% to about 80% at about 140° F. (or 60° C.) for hot panning, about 65% to about 75% at about 80° F. (or 27° C.) for cold panning, and about 65% to about 67% at about 80° F. (or 27° C.) for finishing. Preferably, the grossing syrup has a concentration of about 75+/−10% solids, and more preferably a concentration of about 73+/−2% solids at about 125° F. (or 52° C.). Grossing syrups having sucrose, dextrose and sugarless compositions are known in the art, all of which are suitable for the process of the present invention. Non-limiting examples of sugarless grossing syrups include polyol
Corriveau Christine L.
Graff Gwendolyn
Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione
Paden Carolyn
Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company
LandOfFree
Use of powdered gum in making a coating for a confection does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Use of powdered gum in making a coating for a confection, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Use of powdered gum in making a coating for a confection will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3013539