Degradable chewing gum
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A gum base comprising:
- (a) about 5% to about 10% by weight based on the weight of the gum base of an ester or ether of at least one polymer comprising hydrolyzable units or a combination thereof, wherein said at least one polymer comprises a copolymer of monomers comprising methyl vinyl ether and maleic anhydride, salts thereof, and combinations thereof and wherein said gum base has increased degradability and/or reduced-stick properties in the presence of the ester or ether of the at least one polymer comprising hydrolyzable units as compared to in the absence of the ester or ether of the at least one polymer comprising hydrolyzable units;
(b) an elastomer; and
(c) at least one component that promotes hydrolysis, wherein said component is talc and wherein the gum base degrades faster in the presence of the at least one component that promotes hydrolysis than in the absence of the at least one component that promotes hydrolysis.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides gum base compositions and chewing gum compositions having non stick or reduced-stick properties and/or increased degradability. Methods of preparing the gum base and chewing gum compositions, as well as methods of use, are provided.
167 Citations
25 Claims
-
1. A gum base comprising:
-
(a) about 5% to about 10% by weight based on the weight of the gum base of an ester or ether of at least one polymer comprising hydrolyzable units or a combination thereof, wherein said at least one polymer comprises a copolymer of monomers comprising methyl vinyl ether and maleic anhydride, salts thereof, and combinations thereof and wherein said gum base has increased degradability and/or reduced-stick properties in the presence of the ester or ether of the at least one polymer comprising hydrolyzable units as compared to in the absence of the ester or ether of the at least one polymer comprising hydrolyzable units; (b) an elastomer; and (c) at least one component that promotes hydrolysis, wherein said component is talc and wherein the gum base degrades faster in the presence of the at least one component that promotes hydrolysis than in the absence of the at least one component that promotes hydrolysis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 23)
-
-
9. A chewing gum product comprising:
-
(a) a gum base comprising; (i) about 5% to about 10% by weight based on the weight of the gum base of an ester or ether of at least one polymer comprising hydrolyzable units, wherein said at least one polymer comprises a copolymer of monomers comprising methyl vinyl ether and maleic anhydride, salts thereof, and combinations thereof and wherein said gum base has increased degradability and/or reduced-stick properties in the presence of the ester or ether of the at least one polymer comprising hydrolyzable units as compared to in the absence of the ester or ether of the at least one polymer comprising hydrolyzable units; (ii) an elastomer; (iii) at least one component which promotes hydrolysis, said component is talc and wherein the gum base degrades faster in the presence of the at least one component that promotes hydrolysis than in the absence of the at least one component that promotes hydrolysis; and (iv) a solvent or softener for said elastomer; and (b) at least one component selected from the group consisting of sweeteners, flavors, sensates and combinations thereof.
-
-
10. A method of preparing a chewing gum composition comprising:
-
(a) providing a gum base comprising; (i) about 5% to about 10% by weight based on the weight of the gum base of at least one ester or ether of at least one polymer comprising hydrolyzable units, wherein said at least one polymer comprises a copolymer of monomers comprising methyl vinyl ether and maleic anhydride, salts thereof, and combinations thereof and wherein said gum base has increased degradability and/or reduced-stick properties in the presence of the ester or ether of the at least one polymer comprising hydrolyzable units as compared to in the absence of the ester or ether of the at least one polymer comprising hydrolyzable units; (ii) an elastomer; (iii) at least one component which promotes hydrolysis, said component is talc and wherein the gum base degrades faster in the presence of the at least one component that promotes hydrolysis than in the absence of the at least one component that promotes hydrolysis; and (iv) a solvent or softener for said elastomer; and (b) combining said gum base with at least one component selected from the group consisting of sweeteners, flavors, sensates and combinations thereof.
-
-
11. A chewing gum composition comprising:
-
(a) a gum base comprising; (i) about 5% to about 10% by weight based on the weight of the gum base of an ester or ether of at least one polymer comprising hydrolyzable units, wherein said at least one polymer comprises a copolymer of monomers comprising methyl vinyl ether and maleic anhydride, salts thereof, and combinations thereof and wherein said gum base has increased degradability and/or reduced-stick properties in the presence of the ester or ether of the at least one polymer comprising hydrolyzable units as compared to in the absence of the ester or ether of the at least one polymer comprising hydrolyzable units; (ii) an elastomer; (iii) at least one component which promotes hydrolysis, said component talc and wherein the gum base degrades faster in the presence of the at least one component that promotes hydrolysis than in the absence of the at least one component that promotes hydrolysis; and (iv) a solvent or softener for said elastomer; (b) at least one component selected from the group consisting of sweeteners, flavors, sensates and combinations thereof; and (c) a non-stick inducing component.
-
-
12. A chewing gum composition comprising:
-
(a) a gum base comprising; (i) about 5% to about 10% by weight based on the weight of the gum base of an ester or ether of at least one polymer comprising hydrolyzable units, wherein said at least one polymer comprises a copolymer of monomers comprising methyl vinyl ether and maleic anhydride, salts thereof, and combinations thereof and wherein said gum base has increased degradability and/or reduced-stick properties in the presence of the ester or ether of the at least one polymer comprising hydrolyzable units as compared to in the absence of the ester or ether of the at least one polymer comprising hydrolyzable units; (ii) an elastomer; (iii) at least one component which promotes hydrolysis, said component is talc and wherein the gum base degrades faster in the presence of the at least one component that promotes hydrolysis than in the absence of the at least one component that promotes hydrolysis; and (iv) a solvent or softener for said elastomer; (b) at least one component selected from the group consisting of sweeteners, flavors, sensates and combinations thereof; and (c) a photodegradation component.
-
-
13. A chewing gum composition comprising:
-
(a) about 5% to about 10% by weight based on the weight of the gum base of an ester or ether of at least one polymer comprising hydrolyzable units, wherein said at least one polymer comprises a copolymer of monomers comprising methyl vinyl ether and maleic anhydride, salts thereof, and combinations thereof and wherein said chewing gum composition has increased degradability and/or reduced-stick properties in the presence of the ester or ether of the at least one polymer comprising hydrolyzable units as compared to in the absence of the ester or ether of the at least one polymer comprising hydrolyzable units; (b) an elastomer; (c) at least one component which promotes hydrolysis, said component is talc and wherein the chewing gum composition degrades faster in the presence of the at least one component that promotes hydrolysis than in the absence of the at least one component that promotes hydrolysis; and (d) at least one component selected from the group consisting of sweeteners, flavors, sensates, and combinations thereof.
-
-
14. A chewing gum product comprising:
-
(a) a gum base comprising; (i) about 5% to about 10% by weight based on the weight of the gum base of an ester or ether of at least one polymer comprising hydrolyzable units, wherein said at least one polymer comprises a copolymer of monomers comprising methyl vinyl ether and maleic anhydride, salts thereof, and combinations thereof and wherein said gum base has increased degradability and/or reduced-stick properties in the presence of the ester or ether of the at least one polymer comprising hydrolyzable units as compared to in the absence of the ester or ether of the at least one polymer comprising hydrolyzable units; (ii) an elastomer; (iii) at least one component which promotes hydrolysis, said component is talc and wherein the gum base degrades faster in the presence of the at least one component that promotes hydrolysis than in the absence of the at least one component that promotes hydrolysis; and (iv) a solvent or softener for said elastomer; and (b) at least one component selected from the group consisting of sweeteners, flavors, sensates and combinations thereof.
-
-
15. A chewing gum composition comprising:
-
(a) about 5% to about 10% by weight based on the weight of the gum base of a polymer comprising hydrolyzable units and/or an anhydride and/or acid form thereof, wherein said at least one polymer comprises a copolymer of monomers comprising methyl vinyl ether and maleic anhydride, salts thereof, and combinations thereof and wherein said chewing gum product has increased degradability and/or reduced-stick properties in the presence of the polymer comprising hydrolyzable units and/or an anhydride and/or acid form thereof as compared to in the absence of the polymer comprising hydrolyzable units and/or an anhydride and/or acid form thereof; (b) an elastomer; (c) at least one component which promotes hydrolysis, said component is talc and wherein the chewing gum composition degrades faster in the presence of the at least one component that promotes hydrolysis than in the absence of the at least one component that promotes hydrolysis; (d) a solvent or softener for said elastomer; and (e) a polyol; wherein said chewing gum product has increased degradability and/or reduced-stick properties in the presence of the polymer comprising hydrolyzable units and/or an anhydride and/or acid form thereof as compared to in the absence of the polymer comprising hydrolyzable units and/or an anhydride and/or acid form thereof. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
-
-
18. A chewing gum composition comprising:
-
(a) about 5% to about 10% by weight based on the weight of the gum base of a polymer comprising hydrolyzable units and/or an anhydride and/or an acid form thereof, wherein said at least one polymer comprises a copolymer of monomers comprising methyl vinyl ether and maleic anhydride, salts thereof, and combinations thereof and wherein said chewing gum product has increased degradability and/or reduced-stick properties in the presence of the polymer comprising hydrolyzable units and/or an anhydride and/or acid form thereof as compared to in the absence of the polymer comprising hydrolyzable units and/or an anhydride and/or acid form thereof; (b) an elastomer; (c) at least one component which promotes hydrolysis, said component is talc and wherein the chewing gum composition degrades faster in the presence of the at least one component that promotes hydrolysis than in the absence of the at least one component that promotes hydrolysis; (d) a solvent or softener for said elastomer; and (e) a polyol; wherein said chewing gum product has increased degradability and/or reduced-stick properties in the presence of the polyol as compared to in the absence of the polyol. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
-
-
21. A gum base comprising:
-
(a) about 5% to about 10% by weight based on the weight of the gum base of a copolymer of a hydrophobic polymer and a hydrophilic polymer, wherein said copolymer comprises a copolymer of monomers comprising methyl vinyl ether and maleic anhydride, salts thereof, and combinations thereof and said gum base has increased degradability and/or reduced stick properties in the presence of the copolymer as compared to in the absence of the copolymer; (b) an elastomer; and (c) at least one component which promotes hydrolysis, said component is talc and wherein the gum base degrades faster in the presence of the at least one component that promotes hydrolysis than in the absence of the at least one component that promotes hydrolysis.
-
-
22. A gum base comprising:
-
(a) about 5% to about 10% by weight based on the weight of the gum base of a copolymer comprising a reaction product of a hydrophobic component and a hydrophilic component where the copolymer includes a hydrolyzable unit, wherein said copolymer comprises a copolymer of monomers comprising methyl vinyl ether and maleic anhydride, salts thereof, and combinations thereof and said gum base has increased degradability and/or reduced stick properties in the presence of the copolymer as compared to in the absence of the copolymer; (b) an elastomer; and (c) at least one component which promotes hydrolysis, said component is talc and wherein the gum base degrades faster in the presence of the at least one component that promotes hydrolysis than in the absence of the at least one component that promotes hydrolysis.
-
-
24. A method of increasing the degradability of a chewing gum base comprising:
-
(a) providing a gum base comprising; (i) an elastomer; and (ii) a solvent or softener for said elastomer; (b) adding the following ingredients to the gum base to increase the degradability and/or reduce the stickiness of the gum base; (iii) about 5% to about 10% by weight based on the weight of the gum base of at least one ester or ether of at least one polymer comprising hydrolyzable units, wherein said at least one polymer comprises a copolymer of monomers comprising methyl vinyl ether and maleic anhydride, salts thereof, and combinations thereof and wherein said gum base has increased degradability and/or reduced-stick properties in the presence of the ester or ether of the at least one polymer comprising hydrolyzable units as compared to in the absence of the ester or ether of the at least one polymer comprising hydrolyzable units; and (iv) at least one component that promotes hydrolysis, wherein that component is talc, and wherein the gum base that contains the at least one component that promotes hydrolysis will degrade faster than a gum base that does not contain the at least one component that promotes hydrolysis; and (c) exposing the chewing gum base to mastication in the oral cavity of an individual; wherein at least one hydrolyzable unit of the polymer begins to hydrolyze or hydrolyzes upon mastication in the oral cavity.
-
-
25. A method of increasing the degradability of a chewing gum base comprising:
-
(a) providing a gum base comprising; (i) an elastomer; and (ii) a solvent or softener for said elastomer; (b) adding the following ingredients to the gum base to increase the degradability and/or reduce the stickiness of the gum base; (iii) about 5% to about 10% by weight based on the weight of the gum base of at least one ester or ether of at least one polymer comprising hydrolyzable units, wherein said at least one polymer comprises a copolymer of monomers comprising methyl vinyl ether and maleic anhydride, salts thereof, and combinations thereof and wherein said gum base has increased degradability and/or reduced-stick properties in the presence of the ester or ether of the at least one polymer comprising hydrolyzable units as compared to in the absence of the ester or ether of the at least one polymer comprising hydrolyzable units; and (iv) at least one component that promotes hydrolysis, wherein that component is talc, and wherein the gum base that contains the at least one component that promotes hydrolysis will degrade faster than a gum base that does not contain the at least one component that promotes hydrolysis; and (c) contacting the chewing gum base with water;
wherein at least one hydrolyzable unit of the polymer begins to hydrolyze or hydrolyzes upon contact with the water.
-
Specification