Low water activity nutritional product having beneficial microbial and high oil content

• US 7,318,920 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2004
• Issued: 01/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vets Plus Incorporated
• Original Assignee: EZ-Med Company
• Inventors: Christensen, Edwin H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Saucier; Sandra E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Singh; Satyendra K.
• Application Number:
  US10/968,407
• Publication Number:
  US 20060067922A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,183 Days
• Field of Search: 424/93.45, 424/400, 426/61, 426/94
• US Class Current: 424/93.45
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 29/035 containing oxygen as heteroatom gums A23L29/25; sugar or sugar alcohols A23L29/30
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 29/212 Starch; Modified starch; Starch derivatives, e.g. esters or ethers containing starch hydrolysates, e.g. dextrin, A23L29/30
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 33/135 Bacteria or derivatives thereof, e.g. probiotics
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2002/00 Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2200/23 Humectant
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2200/3202 Prebiotics, ingredients fermented in the gastrointestinal tract by beneficial microflora
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2250/206 Bacterial extracts
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2250/5118 Starch
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2250/60 Sugars, e.g. mono-, di-, tri-, tetra-saccharides
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0056 Mouth soluble or dispersible forms; Suckable, eatable, chewable coherent forms; Forms rapidly disintegrating in the mouth; Lozenges; Lollipops; Bite capsules; Baked products; Baits or other oral forms for animals

Abstract

The present invention relates to a composition for the oral administration of beneficial microorganisms in a discrete dosage form, comprising about 10% to about 50% by weight of a starch component, about 25% to about 50% by weight of a sugar component, about 0-20% of a humectant component, and about 5% to about 25% by weight of water. The composition has a soft and chewy texture and water activity of about 0.60 to about 0.75.

Claims

1. A composition for the oral administration of probiotics in a discrete dosage form, said discrete dosage form comprising:

said probiotics consisting essentially of beneficial microorganisms included in a product at 0.1% to 30% by weight of the total product;

the product further comprising 10% to 50% of a pregelatinized starch component, 25% to 50% sugar component, 0-20% humectant, and 5% to 25% water, by weight of the total product,

wherein said product has a soft and chewy texture and a water activity of 0.60 to 0.75, and wherein said product does not contain fat or oil.

2. The composition of claim 1, wherein the water content is 10% by weight of the total product.

3. The composition of claim 1, wherein the humectant is a polyhydric alcohol, and the humectant content is 9% to 11% by weight of the total product.

4. The composition of claim 1, wherein the pregelatinized starch component is25% to 35% by weight of the total product.

5. The composition of claim 1, wherein said product has a hardness of 7 to 33 pounds.

6. The composition of claim 1, wherein the water activity is 0.65.

7. The composition of claim 3, wherein the polyhydric alcohol is sorbitol.

8. The composition of claim 1, wherein the sugar content is 23-37% by weight of the total product.

9. The composition of claim 1, further comprising pharmaceutically effective amounts of ivermectin and pyrantel.