ORAL PRODUCT

• US 20130186417A1
• Filed: 01/18/2013
• Published: 07/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Altria Client Services, Inc. (Altria Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gao, Feng, Atchley, Frank Scott, Griscik, Gregory, DiNovi, Christopher Joseph, Hulan, Phillip M., Gee, Diane, Flora, Jason, Zhuang, Shuzhong
• Granted Patent: US 9,854,831 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 131/275
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 13/00 Tobacco for pipes, for cigars, e.g. cigar inserts, or for cigarettes; Chewing tobacco; Snuff reconstituted tobacco products A24B3/14
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 15/10 Chemical features of tobacco products or tobacco substitutes
• CPC Class Codes: A24B 15/16 of tobacco substitutes
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/465 Nicotine; Derivatives thereof

Abstract

An oral product includes a body that is wholly receivable in an oral cavity. The body includes a mouth-stable polymer matrix, cellulosic fibers embedded in the mouth-stable polymer matrix, and nicotine or a derivative thereof dispersed in the mouth-stable polymer matrix. The oral product is adapted to release the nicotine or derivative thereof from the body when the body is received within the oral cavity and exposed to saliva.

Claims

1. An oral product, comprising a body that is wholly receivable in an oral cavity, the body comprising:

a mouth-stable polymer matrix;

cellulosic fibers embedded in the mouth-stable polymer matrix; and

nicotine or derivative thereof dispersed in the mouth-stable polymer matrix such that the nicotine or derivative thereof is released from the body when the body is received within the oral cavity and exposed to saliva.

2. The oral product of claim 1, wherein the mouth-stable polymer matrix comprises polyurethane.

3. The oral product of claim 1, wherein the mouth-stable polymer matrix comprises polyester.

4. The oral product of claim 1, wherein the mouth-stable polymer matrix comprises polyacrylate.

5. The oral product of claim 1, wherein the mouth-stable polymer matrix comprises polyethylene, SEBS, SBS, or a combination thereof.

6. The oral product of claim 1, further comprising a plasticizer dispersed in the mouth-stable polymer matrix.

7. The oral product of claim 6, wherein the plasticizer is selected from the group consisting of propylene glycol, glycerin, vegetable oil, triglycerides, and combinations thereof.

8. The oral product of claim 1, further comprising a sweetener dispersed in the body.

9. The oral product of claim 8, wherein the sweetener is selected from the group consisting of saccharine, sucralose, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, and combinations thereof.

10. The oral product of claim 1, wherein the nicotine is tobacco-derived nicotine.

11. The oral product of claim 1, wherein the nicotine is synthetic nicotine.

12. The oral product of claim 1, wherein the oral product is substantially free of tobacco plant tissue.

13. The oral product of claim 1, further comprising an additive selected from the group consisting of minerals, vitamins, dietary supplements, nutraceuticals, energizing agents, soothing agents, amino acids, chemsthetic agents, antioxidants, botanicals, teeth whitening agents, therapeutic agents, and combinations thereof, wherein the additive is dispersed in the body such that the additive is released when the body is held within a mouth of an adult consumer.

14. The oral product of claim 1, further comprising a flavorant dispersed in the body such that the flavorant is released when the body is held within a mouth of an adult consumer.

15. The oral product of claim 14, wherein the flavorant is selected from the group consisting of licorice, wintergreen, cherry and berry type flavorants, Dramboui, bourbon, scotch, whiskey, spearmint, peppermint, lavender, cinnamon, cardamon, apium graveolents, clove, cascarilla, nutmeg, sandalwood, bergamot, geranium, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orange oil, Japanese mint, cassia, caraway, cognac, jasmin, chamomile, menthol, ylang ylang, sage, fennel, pimenta, ginger, anise, coriander, coffee, mint oils from a species of the genus Mentha, and combinations thereof.

16. The oral product of claim 1, wherein the nicotine is absorbed in the fiber-polymer matrix.

17. The oral product of claim 1, wherein the body is shield shaped.

18. The oral product of claim 1, wherein the body has a diameter of between 5 mm and 25 mm and a thickness of between 1 mm and 10 mm.

19. The oral product of claim 1, wherein the body comprises at least 10 weight percent cellulosic fibers.

20. The oral product of claim 1, wherein the cellulosic fibers are non-tobacco cellulosic fibers.

21. The oral product of claim 20, wherein the cellulosic fibers are sugar beet fibers, wood pulp fiber, cotton fiber, bran fiber, citrus pulp fiber, grass fiber, willow fiber, and poplar fiber.

22. The oral product of claim 1, wherein the body comprises at least 10 weight percent of the mouth-stable polymer.

23. The oral product of claim 1, wherein the body comprises between 0.1 mg and 6 mg nicotine.

24. The oral product of claim 1, wherein the body has a compressibility @ 250 N of less than 95%.

25. The oral product of claim 1, wherein the body has a compressibility @ 250 N of less than 80%.

26. The oral product of claim 1, wherein the body has a compressibility @ 250 N of between 45% and 90%.

27. The oral product of claim 1, wherein the body has a compressibility @ 425 N of less than 99%.

28. The oral product of claim 1, wherein the body has a compressibility @ 425 N of between 60% and 98%.

29. The oral product of claim 1, wherein the body has a percentage of springiness of at least 20%.

30. The oral product of claim 1, wherein the body has a percentage of springiness of at least 70%.

31. The oral product of claim 1, wherein the body has a percentage of springiness of between 75% and 90%.

32. The oral product of claim 1, further comprising an antioxidant.

33. The oral product of claim 32, wherein the oral product comprises between 0.01 weight percent and 5.0 weight percent antioxidant.

34. The oral product of claim 32, wherein the antioxidant is selected from ascorbyl palmitate, BHT, ascorbic acid, sodium ascorbate, monosterol citrate, tocopherols, propyl gallate, tertiary butylhydroquinone (TBHQ), butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), Vitamin E, and combination thereof.

35. The oral product of claim 32, wherein the antioxidant is a derivative of Vitamin C.

36. The oral product of claim 32, wherein the antioxidant is ascorbyl palmitate.

37. The oral product of claim 1, further comprising a soluble fiber.

38. The oral product of claim 37, wherein the ratio of soluble fiber to cellulosic fibers is between 1:

60 and 60;

1.

39. The oral product of claim 37, wherein the soluble fibers comprise maltodextrin.

40. The oral product of claim 37, wherein the soluble fibers are derived from corn.

41. A method of forming an oral product comprising:

extruding a mouth-stable polymer having cellulosic fibers dispersed therein; and

dispersing nicotine or a derivative thereof within the mouth-stable polymer during or after the extruding step.

42. The method of claim 41, further comprising cutting the extruded mixture of mouth-stable polymer and cellulosic fibers into individual oral products sized to be at least partially received in an oral cavity of an adult consumer.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein the dispersing step occurs during the extruding step.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the nicotine is mixed with the cellulosic fibers.

45. The method of claim 41, wherein the dispersing step occurs after the extruding step.

46. The method of claim 41, wherein the mouth-stable polymer comprises a plasticizer mixed therein during the extruding step.

47. The method of claim 41, wherein the method further comprises adding a flavorant during or after the extruding step.

48. The method of claim 41, wherein the method further comprises adding an antioxidant during the extruding step.

49. The method of claim 41, wherein the method further comprises adding an antioxidant during a post-extrusion flavoring process.

50. The method of claim 41, wherein the method further comprises adding soluble fibers during the extruding step.

51. A method of forming an oral product comprising:

extruding a mouth-stable polymer;

dispersing nicotine within the mouth-stable polymer during or after the extruding step; and

cutting the extruded mouth-stable polymer to form individual oral products.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein the individual oral products are pliable and have shape memory when manipulated within an oral cavity.

53. A method of forming an oral product comprising:

extruding a mouth-stable polymer;

dispersing nicotine within the mouth-stable polymer during or after the extruding step; and

forming the extruded mouth-stable polymer to form individual oral products.

54. An oral product, comprising a body that is wholly receivable in an oral cavity, the body comprising:

nicotine or derivative thereof dispersed in the body;

an antioxidant dispersed in the body, wherein the oral product is arranged such that less than 0.50% of nicotine converts into nicotine-N-oxide after aging the oral product for 2 weeks at 25°

C. and 65% relative humidity.

55. The oral product of claim 54, wherein the body comprises between 0.01 weight percent and 1.0 weight percent antioxidant and between 0.1 mg and 6 mg nicotine.

56. The oral product of claim 54, wherein the antioxidant is ascorbyl palmitate, BHT, ascorbic acid, sodium ascorbate, a derivative of Vitamin C, monosterol citrate, tocopherols, propyl gallate, tertiary butylhydroquinone (TBHQ), butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), Vitamin E, and derivative or combination thereof.

57. The oral product of claim 54, wherein the body comprises a mouth-stable polyurethane matrix and a combination of soluble and insoluble fibers within the matrix, wherein the nicotine and the antioxidant are dispersed within the matrix.