Organoleptic bite composition for human consumption

• US 5,417,229 A
• Filed: 07/20/1993
• Issued: 05/23/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bank Of America NA (Bank of America Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Deceased, Kenton D. Summers, John K. Summers
• Inventors: Summers, deceased, Kenton D., Summers, John K.
• Primary Examiner(s): BAHR, JENNIFER DOYLE
• Application Number:
  US08/094,757
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• Field of Search: 131/352, 131/359, 131/369, 131/275
• US Class Current: 131/359
• 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 15/16 of tobacco substitutes

Abstract

A composition for use as a snuff or chew and providing a sustained organoleptic bite, including a nicotine-free herbal component made of alfalfa, either alone or in combination with chicory, clover or mixtures thereof, as well as a casing material, serving to moisten, sweeten, and provide flavor to the herbal component and to keep the herbal component as a coherent cud in the mouth during use. The casing material also includes cayenne pepper in amounts providing a satisfactory approximation of the bite of a tobacco containing composition. Also, a method for preparing such compositions, involving at least two separate applications of cayenne pepper to alfalfa-based herbal mixtures for use as a snuff or chew.

Claims

1. A composition for use as a chew or snuff, including a nicotine-free herb component capable of being encased and capable of being processed to a texture which is non-injurious to the surface of the oral cavity comprising alfalfa, and a casing component comprising means for combining with said herb component which maintains said herb component in a moist coherent cud during chewing, said casing comprising a flavor component that includes cayenne pepper in amounts sufficient to approximate the bite sensation of a tobacco-containing chew or snuff composition,

wherein said flavor component of said casing comprises a base casing component including cayenne pepper and a top dressing component including cayenne pepper;

and

wherein from about 70% to about 80% of the total weight of said cayenne pepper is included in said base casing component and from about 20% to about 30% of the total weight of said cayenne pepper is included in said top dressing component.

2. A composition as recited in claim 1, wherein said cayenne pepper has a heat content of from about 5,000 BTU to less than about 10,000 BTU.

3. A composition as recited in claim 2, wherein said cayenne pepper has a heat content of about 5,000 BTU.

4. A composition as recited in claim 1, wherein said cayenne pepper is included in an amount of from about 0.1% to about 4.0% of the overall weight of the composition.

5. A composition as recited in claim 4, wherein said cayenne pepper is included in an amount of from about 0.15% to about 3% of the overall weight of the composition.

6. A composition as recited in claim 5, wherein said cayenne powder is included in an amount of about 1.9% of the overall weight of the composition.

7. A composition as recited in claim 1, wherein said casing comprises 19% cayenne pepper, 0.66% licorice powder, 0.73% marshmallow root powder, 0.44% slippery elm powder, 2.2% caramel color, 22% blackstrap molasses, 10.6% Barbados molasses, 6.8% glycerine, 11.4% corn syrup, 4.6% salt, 2.2% ammonium chloride, and 4.4% sodium bicarbonate, based on the total weight of the composition.

8. A composition as recited in claim 1, wherein said herb component comprises alfalfa and chicory, clover, or a mixture thereof.

9. A process for preparing a composition for use as a chew or snuff providing a sustained organoleptic bite sensation, said composition including a nicotine-free herb component comprising alfalfa and capable of being encased and capable of being processed to a texture which is non-injurious to the surface of the oral cavity, and a casing applied thereto which provides a moist coherent cud in the oral cavity upon use, said process comprising the steps of:

(i) adding a first portion of cayenne pepper as an ingredient in a base casing component of said casing;

(ii) encasing said herb component in base said casing; and

(iii) adding a second portion of cayenne pepper as an ingredient in a top dressing component of said casing;

further comprising adding from about 70% to about 80% of the total weight of said cayenne pepper as an ingredient in said base casing component, and adding from about 20% to about 30% of the total weight of said cayenne pepper as an ingredient in said top dressing component.

10. A process as recited in claim 9, further comprising selecting said cayenne pepper having a heat content of from about 5,000 BTU to less than about 10,000 BTU.

11. A process recited in claim 10, further comprising selecting said cayenne pepper having a heat content of about 5,000 BTU.

12. A process as recited in claim 9, further comprising adding said cayenne pepper in an amount of from about 0.1% to about 4.0% of the overall weight of the composition.

13. The process recited in claim 12, further comprising adding said cayenne pepper in an amount of from about 0.15% to about 3.0% of the overall weight of the composition.

14. The process recited in claim 13, further comprising adding said cayenne pepper in an amount of about 1.9% of the overall weight of the composition.

15. A process as recited in claim 9, further comprising selecting as ingredients of said casing comprises 1.9% cayenne pepper, 0.66% licorice powder, 0.73% marshmallow root powder, 0.44% slippery elm powder, 2.2% caramel color, 22% blackstrap molasses, 10.6% Barbados molasses, 6.8% glycerine, 11.4% corn syrup, 4.6% salt, 2.2% ammonium chloride, and 4.4% sodium bicarbonate, based on the total weight of the composition.

16. The process as recited in claim 9, further comprising selecting as said herb component:

alfalfa and chicory, clover, or a mixture thereof.