Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Products per se – or processes of preparing or treating... – Beverage or beverage concentrate
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-02
2002-07-30
Pratt, Helen (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Products per se, or processes of preparing or treating...
Beverage or beverage concentrate
C426S074000, C426S118000, C426S477000, C426S516000, C426S517000, C426S591000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06426111
ABSTRACT:
RELATED APPLICATIONS
Effervescent mixtures made by this invention are used to encapsulate hypochlorite releasing compounds for use in disinfecting as described in co-pending applications “Halazone Disinfecting Systems”, and “Tricalcium Hydrogen Tetraphosphate Buffered Disinfectants” and for use in mouthwash preparations as described in co-pending application “Cavity Detecting Mouthwash and Cold Prevention”.
FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to the manufacture and use of a composition of citric acid and carbonate salt for the production of effervescent products, especially those compatible for use with calcium hypochlorite for use in the disinfecting of water for consumption.
BACKGROUND
Effervescent tablets have been made to effect the rapid dissolution of drugs and for the production of carbonate beverages. Some years ago a sweetened and flavored tablet that formed a carbonated beverage was sold under the trade name “Fizzies”. A popular antacid, Alka-Seltzer, uses effervescence to cause rapid dissolution of the active ingredients. The conditions usually employed require only that the effervescence distribute soluble components with the solution. Effervescent tablets are used to improve the cleaning rate for dentures.
The patent to Schobel, et al (U.S. Pat. No. 4,671,972), describes a composition and method of manufacture of tablets suitable for the cleansing of dentures by providing a chlorine odor inactivator. This patent uses dichloro-isocyanurate as the chlorine generator.
The patent to Kurobe, et al (U.S. Pat. No. 4,853,211), describes effervescent compositions for vaginal suppositories which include solid acids, drying agents of the sodium sulfate type, and bicarbonate salts. No oxidizing agents are included. Components are mixed and tableted together. The presence of drying agent reduces swelling on storage of the tablet.
The patent to Goldman and Nathanson (U.S. Pat. No. 4,850,872) describes a method of preparing a tooth for capping which utilizes a chelating agent including citric acid and ethylenediamine followed by flushing with a solution of sodium hypochlorite with surface active agents and emulsifiers.
The prior mixing of citric acid with alkali metal carbonate or bicarbonate to form a granular effervescent mixture is accomplished by the addition of water and stopping the reaction by vacuum drying is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,824,664.
Previous methods of providing effervescent compositions rely on mixing powders of acid producing solid and carbonate source. As the mixture disintegrates, particles can separate. Undissolved acid must first dissolve and the acidic solution reach unreacted carbonate to achieve full effervescent. These limitations are overcome and an efficient method of effervescent product manufacture are achieved by using a meltable acid source such as citric acid. Melting said acid around fine particles of carbonate salt provides a more intimate contact for effervescence. Also the melted acid and solid carbonate can be extruded, These and other advantageous features are describe below.
Specification
Effervescent products have several advantages. One is to provide carbonate to beverages where the carbon dioxide evolved in acidic solutions stimulates the nose and throat when consumed. The second purpose is facilitate the distribution of soluble materials. A third purpose is to stimulate the suspension of particulate matter. Usually it is sufficient to compress a powdered carbonate salt with a powdered acid forming constituent so that local concentrations of acid mix with the carbonate salt forming carbon dioxide or by providing a final pH of 6.5 or less and concentration of carbonate that exceed the solubility of carbon dioxide in water resulting in carbon dioxide effervescence. Such systems are not compatible with ingredients that may react with the acid-forming component in the presence of moisture. These also are not suitable for components which are reactive and may cause damage to the container in which the tablet is placed. It is the purpose of this invention to provide a means for improving the reaction between the carbonate salt and the acid forming component allowing for an active local effervescence not present with powder mixtures.
It is a further purpose of this invention to provide a means for allowing the inclusion of reactive species.
It is a further purpose of this invention to provide a means for reducing moisture penetration to a moisture sensitive or moisture reactive constituent.
It is a further purpose of this invention to provide a means for reducing air penetration to a oxygen sensitive constituent.
It is a further purpose of this invention to provide for continuous production of dosage forms.
It is a further purpose of this invention to provide for rapid production of dosage forms.
The following terms are described for definition of the specification herein and claims which follow:
“Aqueous solution” means any solution containing more than 35% water.
“Meltable Acid” means an organic acid which at room temperature is solid which becomes fluid at a temperature below its decomposition point and which when dissolved in an aqueous solution causes the solution to have a pH of less than 6.5.
“Non-Toxic” means safe for human or animal consumption at the concentration administered in usual circumstances for a particular product or less than 3% of the lowest mammalian LD
50
for components for which toxic effects have not been previously determined.
“Food grade” means a food quality standard as defined by US federal standards as suitable for human consumption.
A “Drying Agent” means a substance which holds water molecules tightly enough to reduce the reaction rate of other ingredients for which water is a solvent, catalyst or reactant. Anhydrous sodium sulfate is one example.
“Component for dissolution or suspension” means a solid or liquid comprising one or more ingredients for which it is desired that said ingredients be dissolved or suspended when the effervescent components are dissolved in water thus freeing said entrained ingredients.
A “low calorie sweetener” is one that has sweetness near that of sugar with less and 10% of the caloric value of the equivalent amount of sugar. Aspartame, Acesulfame are examples of synthetic low calorie sweeteners and Acerola cherry extract and stevioside extracted from the stevia plant are examples of natural low calorie sweeteners.
Meltable acids, when heated, and then mixed with carbonate or bicarbonate salt act as moldable plastics, giving a choice of shape of the overall product, rigidity at room temperature, and reduced permeability for contained components and external substances. By combining the carbonate directly with the acid an intimate relationship is established which when the material is dissolved in an aqueous solution provides a much better effervescence than when separate layers are used or when separate particles of acid and carbonate are physically mixed without fusion. Examples of meltable acids are citric acid, malic acid, and oxalic acid. Oxalic acid is toxic because of its binding properties for calcium and therefore is not suitable for use in products to be consumed by animals or humans.
Products which benefit from improved effervescence are those in which carbonation is desired, those in which rapid dissolution is desired and those for which the carbonate-acid mixture prevents contact between the acid and an additional ingredient. Specific examples are: carbonated beverages, bath tablets, effervescent suspended drugs, and oxidative materials, such as calcium hypochlorite which may otherwise react with or interact with the container. Calcium hypochlorite releases chlorine which reacts with paper and other organic materials. Calcium hypochlorite if mixed directly with melted citric acid catches fire! Solid calcium hypochlorite causes spontaneous combustion with many organic compounds with the exception of mineral oil.
Products which benefit from the protective layer of solid acid are those which are subject to oxidative effects, liquids, and those which might
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