LONG-DURATION ENCAPSULATED FLAVORS AND CHEWING GUM USING SAME

Abstract

A chewing gum composition comprises about 5% to about 95% gum base, about 5% to about 96% bulking and sweetening agents, and about 0.1% to about 15% flavor, wherein at least part of the flavor is a long-duration flavor material comprising a vinyl polymer encapsulated matrix. The matrix itself includes about 30% to about 60% acacia gum, about 30% to about 60% corn syrup solids having a DE of between about 24 and about 44 or equivalent hydrogenated starch hydrolysates, and about 2% to about 20% hydrocolloid material, with the acacia gum and corn syrup solids or hydrogenated starch hydrolysates together comprising at least 80% of the matrix. The vinyl polymer comprises between about 30% and about 80% of the long-duration flavor material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a graph showing test results of one example matrix of the invention and some comparative examples.

FIG. 2 is another graph, showing test results of second and third example matrices of the invention and some comparative examples.

FIG. 3 is another graph, showing flavor duration test results of fourth and fifth examples of the invention and a control.

FIG. 4 is another graph, showing sweetness duration test results of fourth and fifth examples of the invention and a control.

FIG. 5 is another graph, showing flavor duration test results of the fifth example of the invention and some comparative examples.

FIG. 6 is another graph, showing sweetness duration test results of the fifth example of the invention and some comparative examples.

Claims

1. A method of encapsulating flavor to provide a long-duration flavor material comprising: a) providing a flavor;b) providing encapsulating ingredients comprising i) acacia gum,ii) corn syrup solids having a DE of between about 24 and about 44 or equivalent hydrogenated starch hydrolysates, andiii) hydrocolloid material;c) encapsulating the flavor with a matrix comprising about 30% to about 60% acacia gum, about 30% to about 60% of said corn syrup solids or hydrogenated starch hydrolysates, and about 2% to about 20% hydrocolloid material to form an encapsulated flavor material; andd) further combining the encapsulated flavor material with a vinyl polymer to incorporate the encapsulated flavor into a long-duration flavor material comprising said vinyl polymer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the long-duration flavor material is ground to a reduced particle size and separated for use, and the particles collected for use have a weight average size of between about 100 microns and about 1000 microns.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the long-duration flavor material further comprises a high-intensity sweetener.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the long-duration flavor material comprises about 30% to about 80% vinyl polymer.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the long-duration flavor material comprises about 4% to about 15% flavor, about 10% to about 30% gum arabic, about 10% to about 30% of said corn syrup solids or hydrogenated starch hydrolysates, about 1% to about 10% hydrocolloid material and about 20% to about 75% vinyl polymer.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the matrix is formed by a spray drying process.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the encapsulated flavor and vinyl polymer are mixed together and heated to a temperature of between about 75° C. and about 110° C.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the vinyl polymer comprises polyvinyl acetate having a weight average molecular weight of between about 25,000 and about 100,000.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the vinyl polymer comprises polyvinyl acetate having a weight average molecular weight of between about 50,000 and about 80,000.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the vinyl polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl acetate; polyvinyl stearate; polyvinyl butyrate; polyvinyl propionate; polyvinyl alkanoates; copolymers of vinylacetate, vinyllaurate, vinylacetate and vinylalkanoates; and polymers of alkenyl-vinylacetates, and mixtures thereof.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the hydrocolloid material is selected from the group consisting of carrageenan, agar-agar, alginates, tamarind, pectin, pullulan, guar gum and guar gum hydrolysates, karaya gum, pectin, gellan gum, curdlan, arabinogalactan, gelatin and mixtures thereof

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the hydrocolloid material is selected from the group consisting of carrageenan and gelatin.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the encapsulating matrix comprises acacia gum, corn syrup solids and gelatin.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the encapsulating matrix comprises acacia gum, corn syrup solids and a hydrocolloid selected from the group consisting of carrageenan, pectin, agar-agar and combinations thereof.

15. A long-duration flavor material comprising: a) about 30% to about 80% vinyl polymer; andb) about 20% and about 70% encapsulated flavor; wherein the encapsulated flavor comprises about 5% to about 25% flavor and a matrix encapsulating the flavor, the matrix comprising: i) about 30% to about 60% acacia gum,ii) about 30% to about 60% corn syrup solids having a DE of between about 24 and about 44 or equivalent hydrogenated starch hydrolysates, andiii) about 2% to about 20% hydrocolloid material;wherein the matrix comprises at least 80% acacia gum and corn syrup solids or hydrogenated starch hydrolysates on a combined basis.

16. The long-duration flavor material of claim 15 having a weight average particle size of between about 100 microns and about 1000 microns.

17. The long-duration flavor material of claim 15 wherein the encapsulated flavor matrix comprises about 5% to about 25% flavor, about 24% to about 48% acacia gum, about 24% to about 48% of said corn syrup solids or hydrogenated starch hydrolysates and about 2% to about 10% hydrocolloid material.

18. The long-duration flavor material of claim 15 further comprising a high-intensity sweetener.

19. The long-duration flavor material of claim 15 wherein the encapsulating matrix comprises acacia gum, corn syrup solids and gelatin.

20. A method of making a chewing gum product comprising the steps of: a) encapsulating a flavor in a matrix comprising i) about 30% to about 60% acacia gum,ii) about 30% to about 60% corn syrup solids having a DE of between about 24, and about 44 or equivalent hydrogenated starch hydrolysates, andiii) about 2% to about 20% hydrocolloid material, the matrix comprising at least 80% acacia gum and corn syrup solids or hydrogenated starch hydrolysates on a combined basis;b) further combining the encapsulated flavor material with a vinyl polymer to incorporate the encapsulated flavor into a long-duration flavor material comprising said vinyl polymer;c) mixing the long-duration flavor material with gum base and one or more bulking and sweetening agents to form a chewing gum composition; andd) forming the chewing gum composition into a chewing gum product.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the long-duration flavor material has a weight average particle size of between about 100 microns and about 1000 microns when it is mixed with the gum base.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the encapsulating matrix comprises acacia gum, corn syrup solids and gelatin.

23. A chewing gum composition comprising: a) about 5% to about 95% gum base;b) about 5% to about 95% bulking and sweetening agents; andc) about 0.1% to about 15% flavor, wherein at least part of the flavor comprises a long-duration flavor material comprising a vinyl polymer encapsulated matrix, wherein the matrix comprises i) about 30% to about 60% acacia gum,ii) about 30% to about 60% corn syrup solids having a DE of between about 24 and about 44 or equivalent hydrogenated starch hydrolysates, andiii) about 2% to about 20% hydrocolloid material, the matrix comprising at least 80% acacia gum and corn syrup solids or hydrogenated starch hydrolysates on a combined basis.

24. The chewing gum composition of claim 23 wherein the long-duration flavor material has a flavor loading of between about 5% and about 20%.

25. The chewing gum composition of claim 23 wherein the long-duration flavor material comprises about 1% to about 20% of the chewing gum composition.

26. The chewing gum composition of claim 23 wherein the long-duration flavor material has a ratio of vinyl polymer:encapsulated flavor matrix of between about 3:1 and about 1:3.