Coated chewing gum products containing an antigas agent

• US 6,579,545 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2000
• Issued: 06/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: WM Wrigley Jr Company (Mars Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: WM Wrigley Jr Company (Mars Incorporated)
• Inventors: Petrocelli, Raynold M., Hammond, John E., Sitler, Daniel J., Barkalow, David G., Greenberg, Michael J., Marske, Scott W., Zyck, Daniel J., Witkewitz, David L., Schnell, Philip G., Mazzone, Philip
• Primary Examiner(s): Corbin, Arthur L.
• Application Number:
  US09/747,300
• Publication Number:
  US 20020119216A1
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• Field of Search: 426/3, 426/5, 424/48, 424/440
• US Class Current: 426/5
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 2200/00 containing organic compounds, e.g. synthetic flavouring agents
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 3/343 Products for covering, coating, finishing, decorating
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 4/025 for coating or surface-finishing
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 4/08 of the chewing gum base
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 4/20 Composite products, e.g. centre-filled , multi-layer, laminated
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2002/00 Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2200/22 Coating agent
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2250/30 Other Organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 2300/00 Mixtures or combinations of active ingredients, wherein at least one active ingredient is fully defined in groups A61K31/00 - A61K41/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/341 not condensed with another ring, e.g. ranitidine, furosemide, bufetolol, muscarine
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/426 1,3-Thiazoles
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/80 Polymers containing hetero atoms not provided for in groups A61K31/755 - A61K31/795

Abstract

A method of making coated chewing gum products containing an antigas agent comprises the steps of providing chewing gum cores; providing a coating comprising a bulk sweetener; providing an antigas agent; and applying the antigas agent and coating syrup to the cores and drying the syrup to produce a coating on the cores.

Claims

1. A method of making coated chewing gum products containing an antigas agent comprising the steps of:

a) providing chewing gum cores;

b) providing a coating syrup comprising a bulk sweetener;

c) providing an antigas agent and combining the antigas agent with another ingredient to be used in making the coating to form an antigas ingredient; and

d) applying the antigas ingredient and the coating syrup separately to the cores, the coating syrup being applied in multiple applications with drying after each application to produce a coating on the cores, the coating thereby containing the antigas agent.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the bulk sweetener is a polyol.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the polyol is selected from the group consisting of sorbitol, erythritol, xylitol, maltitol, lactitol, hydrogenated isomaltulose and combinations thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the antigas agent is simethicone.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the coating further comprises a neutralizing antacid.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the neutralizing antacid comprises between about 25% and about 50% of the total solids in the coating syrup.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the antacid is calcium carbonate and comprises between about 30% and about 40% of the total solids in the coating syrup.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the neutralizing antacid comprises between about 30% and about 40% of the coating.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the coating syrup further comprises a binding agent.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the binding agent is selected from the group consisting of gum arabic, gum talha, guar gum, karaya gum, locust bean gum, alginate gums, xanthan gum, arabinogalactan, cellulose derivatives, vegetable gums, gelatin and mixtures thereof.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the binding agent comprises at least about 2% of the coating syrup.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the coating further comprises a high-intensity sweetener.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the high-intensity sweetener is selected from the group consisting of sucralose, aspartame, N-substituted APM derivatives, salts of acesulfame, alitame, saccharin and its salts, cyclamic acid and its salts, glycyrrhizin, dihydrochalcones, thaumatin, monellin and mixtures thereof.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the high-intensity sweetener comprises acesulfame K.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the bulk sweetener comprises maltitol.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the coating is sugarless.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein a powdered polyol is applied to the cores between applications of the coating syrup.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the coating further comprises an acid blocker.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the acid blocker is a histamine H₂-receptor antagonist selected from the group consisting of cimetidine, ranitidine and its active salt, famotidine, nizatidine and mixtures thereof.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the histamine H₂-receptor antagonist comprises famotidine.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein the antigas agent is simethicone and the simethicone is combined with said other ingredient to produce physically modified simethicone.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the simethicone is encapsulated.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the simethicone is physically modified by being agglomerated.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the simethicone is physically modified by being entrapped.

25. The method of claim 1 wherein the coating further comprises a flavor, and the flavor constitutes said other ingredient, and the antigas agent and the flavor are preblended and applied to the cores between applications of the coating syrup.

26. The method of claim 1 wherein the other ingredient constitutes a carrier and the antigas agent is blended with said carrier and applied to the cores as a dry charge between applications of the coating syrup.

27. A method of making coated chewing gum products containing an antigas agent comprising the steps of:

a) providing chewing gum cores;

b) providing a coating syrup comprising;

i) a bulk sweetener and

ii) a neutralizing antacid;

c) providing a dry charge material comprising a bulk sweetener and simethicone; and

d) applying the coating syrup and dry charge material to the chewing gum cores to produce a coating on the cores, the coating comprising the simethicone, and the antacid constituting between about 25% and about 60% of the coating.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the coating comprises about 30% to about 75% maltitol.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein multiple coats of coating syrup and dry charge material are applied to build up the coating.

30. The method of claim 27 wherein the dry charge material and coating syrup both include maltitol as the bulk sweetener.

31. A method of delivering an antigas agent to an individual that provides relief in the gastrointestinal tract comprising the steps of:

a) providing chewing gum cores;

b) providing a coating syrup comprising a bulk sweetener;

c) providing simethicone and combining the simethicone with another ingredient to be used in making the coating to form a simethicone ingredient;

d) applying the simethicone ingredient and the coating syrup to the cores and drying the syrup to produce a coating on the cores, the simethicone ingredient being applied separately from the syrup, the coating containing from about 5 mg to about 200 mg simethicone; and

e) chewing the coated chewing gum product in the mouth and swallowing the coating, the coating dispersing and dissolving to provide simethicone as an antigas agent in the gastrointestinal tract.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the simethicone is combined with said other ingredient to produce physically modified simethicone.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein the simethicone is encapsulated.