US5665406A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Polyol coated chewing gum having improved shelf life and method of making
Assignee: WM Wrigley Jr Co
•
Filing: 1993-09-15
•
Granted: 1997-09-09
•
Expires: 2013-09-15
Abstract
Abstract A dual composition hard coated chewing gum is provided, which exhibits improved long-term shelf stability under storage conditions involving constant exposure to the moisture contained in the atmosphere. The dual composition hard coated chewing gum is ideally suited for pellet chewing gum having pellet shapes which cannot be easily protected from atmospheric moisture by packaging. The dual composition hard coated chewing gum has a gum center which includes a gum base, a bulk portion and one or more flavoring agents. The dual composition hard coated chewing gum also has an outer coating which includes layers which contain from about 50 to about 100% of at least two different polyols preferably lactitol, maltitol, hydrogenated isomaltulose or erythritol. A method of preparing the dual composition hard coated chewing gum is also provided. Lactitol, maltitol or hydrogenated isomaltulose is preferably applied first, and the covered with an erythritol coating.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael A. Reed
- 👤 Lindell C. Richey
- 👤 Jeffrey S. Hook
- 👤 Robert J. Yatka
- 👤 Henry T. Tyrpin
- 👤 Kevin B. Broderick
- 👤 Marc A. Meyers
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 14:18
CPC Classifications
A; A23; A23G; A23G4/00; A23G4/06; A23G4/10; A23G4/02; A23G4/04; A23G4/043; A23G4/046; A23G4/18; A23G4/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
205 words
A dual composition hard coated chewing gum, comprising: from about 35 to about 90 weight percent of a gum center, including a bulk portion, a chewing gum base and one or more flavoring agents; and from about 10 to about 65 weight percent of an outer coating containing from about 50 to about 100%, by weight, of at least one polyol selected from the group consisting of lactitol, maltitol, hydrogenated isomaltulose and erythritol, and which comprises at least two sequential layers, each containing about 50 to about 100%, by weight, of at least one polyol selected from the group consisting of lactitol, maltitol, hydrogenated isomaltulose and erythritol; the layers constituting an inner component of the outer coating and an outer component of the outer coating; the layers of the inner component of the outer coating comprising at least one polyol selected from the group consisting of lactitol, maltitol, hydrogenated isomaltulose and erythritol; the layers of the outer component of the outer coating comprising at least one polyol selected from the group consisting of lactitol, maltitol, hydrogenated isomaltulose and erythritol; and wherein at least one polyol contained in the outer component of the outer coating is not present in the inner component of the outer coating.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
205 words
A dual composition hard coated chewing gum, comprising: from about 35 to about 90 weight percent of a gum center, including a bulk portion, a chewing gum base and one or more flavoring agents; and from about 10 to about 65 weight percent of an outer coating containing from about 50 to about 100%, by weight, of at least one polyol selected from the group consisting of lactitol, maltitol, hydrogenated isomaltulose and erythritol, and which comprises at least two sequential layers, each containing about 50 to about 100%, by weight, of at least one polyol selected from the group consisting of lactitol, maltitol, hydrogenated isomaltulose and erythritol; the layers constituting an inner component of the outer coating and an outer component of the outer coating; the layers of the inner component of the outer coating comprising at least one polyol selected from the group consisting of lactitol, maltitol, hydrogenated isomaltulose and erythritol; the layers of the outer component of the outer coating comprising at least one polyol selected from the group consisting of lactitol, maltitol, hydrogenated isomaltulose and erythritol; and wherein at least one polyol contained in the outer component of the outer coating is not present in the inner component of the outer coating.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
A dual composition hard coated chewing gum according to claim 1, wherein layers of lactitol, maltitol or hydrogenated isomaltulose, constituting the inner component of the outer coating, are applied before layers of erythritol, constituting the outer component of the outer coating.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
The dual composition hard coated chewing gum of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the gum base includes an elastomer selected from the group consisting of polyisobutylene, isobutylene-isoprene copolymer, styrene butadiene rubber, natural latexes, and combinations thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
The dual composition hard coated chewing gum of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the gum base includes a resin selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl acetate, terpene resins, ester gums, and combinations thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
The dual composition hard coated chewing gum of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the gum base includes fats and oils selected from the group consisting of animal fats, vegetable oils, hydrogenated vegetable oils, partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, cocoa butter, and combinations thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
The dual composition hard coated chewing gum of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the gum base includes a wax selected from the group consisting of paraffin wax, microcrystalline wax, candelilla wax, carnauba wax, polyethylene wax, and combinations thereof.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
The dual composition hard coated chewing gum of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the gum base includes a filler component selected from the group consisting of calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, talc, dicalcium phosphate, and combinations thereof.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
The dual composition hard coated chewing gum of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the gum base includes a softener selected from the group consisting of glycerol monostearate, glycerol triacetate, and combinations thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
The dual composition hard coated chewing gum of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the layers of the outer coating include at least about 90% polyol, by weight.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
44 words
The dual composition hard coated chewing gum of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the layers of the inner component include from about 50 to 100%, by weight, of at least one polyol selected from the group consisting of lactitol, maltitol and hydrogenated isomaltulose.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
43 words
The dual composition hard coated chewing gum of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the layers of the inner component include at least about 90%, by weight, of at least one polyol selected from the group consisting of lactitol, maltitol and hydrogenated isomaltulose.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
The dual composition hard coated chewing gum of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the layers of the outer component include from about 50 to 100%, by weight, of erythritol.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
The dual composition hard coated chewing gum of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the layers of the outer component include at least about 90%, by weight, of erythritol.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
194 words
A dual composition hard coated chewing gum, comprising: from about 35 to about 90 weight percent of a gum center which includes a gum base, a bulk portion, and one or more flavoring agents; and from about 10 to about 65 weight percent of a dual composition hard outer coating which includes sequentially added layers, each layer comprising (a) from about 50 to 100% lactitol by weight; (b) from about 50 to 100% maltitol by weight; (c) from about 50 to 100% hydrogenated isomaltulose by weight; or (d) from about 50 to 100% erythritol by weight; the layers constituting an inner component of the outer coating and an outer component of the outer coating; the layers of the inner component of the outer coating comprising at least one polyol selected from the group consisting of lactitol, maltitol, hydrogenated isomaltulose and erythritol; the layers of the outer component of the outer coating comprising at least one polyol selected from the group consisting of lactitol, maltitol, hydrogenated isomaltulose and erythritol; and wherein at least one polyol contained in the outer component of the outer coating is not present in the inner component of the outer coating.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
194 words
A dual composition hard coated chewing gum, comprising: from about 35 to about 90 weight percent of a gum center which includes a gum base, a bulk portion, and one or more flavoring agents; and from about 10 to about 65 weight percent of a dual composition hard outer coating which includes sequentially added layers, each layer comprising (a) from about 50 to 100% lactitol by weight; (b) from about 50 to 100% maltitol by weight; (c) from about 50 to 100% hydrogenated isomaltulose by weight; or (d) from about 50 to 100% erythritol by weight; the layers constituting an inner component of the outer coating and an outer component of the outer coating; the layers of the inner component of the outer coating comprising at least one polyol selected from the group consisting of lactitol, maltitol, hydrogenated isomaltulose and erythritol; the layers of the outer component of the outer coating comprising at least one polyol selected from the group consisting of lactitol, maltitol, hydrogenated isomaltulose and erythritol; and wherein at least one polyol contained in the outer component of the outer coating is not present in the inner component of the outer coating.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
38 words
The dual composition hard coated chewing gum of claim 14, wherein the bulk portion includes a sugarless sweetener selected from the group consisting of sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, hydrogenated starch hydrolysates, lactitol, maltitol, erythritol, hydrogenated isomaltulose, and combinations thereof.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
47 words
The dual composition hard coated chewing gum of claim 14, wherein the bulk portion includes a high intensity sweetener selected from the group consisting of sucralose, aspartame, salts of acesulfame, alitame, saccharin and its salts, cyclamic acid and its salts, glycyrrhizin, dihydrochalcones, thaumatin, monellin, and combinations thereof.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
52 words
The dual composition hard coated chewing gum of claim 14, wherein the gum center constitutes from about 50 to about 80 weight percent of the dual composition hard coated chewing gum and the outer coating constitutes from about 20 to about 50 weight percent of the dual composition hard coated chewing gum.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
40 words
The dual composition hard coated chewing gum of claim 14, wherein the layers of the outer coating each include at least about 90% of at least two polyols selected from the group consisting of lactitol, maltitol, hydrogenated isomaltulose and erythritol.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
45 words
The dual composition hard coated chewing gum of claim 14, wherein the layers of the inner component include at least about 90% lactitol, maltitol or hydrogenated isomaltulose, by weight; and wherein the layers of the outer component include at least about 90% erythritol, by weight.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
340 words
A method of forming a dual composition hard coated chewing gum, comprising the steps of: (1) forming a gum center including a bulk portion, a chewing gum base portion and one or more flavoring agents; (2) forming a first polyol liquid coating syrup comprising solvent and from about 50% to the point of saturation of at least one polyol selected from the group consisting of lactitol, maltitol, hydrogenated isomaltulose and erythritol, by weight of the polyol liquid coating syrup; (3) applying a plurality of coats of the first polyol liquid coating syrup to the gum center; (4) forming a second polyol liquid coating syrup comprising solvent and from about 50% to the point of saturation of at least one polyol selected from the group consisting of lactitol, maltitol, hydrogenated isomaltulose and erythritol, by weight of the polyol liquid coating syrup, the composition of the second polyol liquid coating syrup containing a different polyol than the composition of the first polyol liquid coating syrup; (5) applying a plurality of coats of the second polyol liquid coating syrup to the gum center which has been coated with the first polyol; and (6) evaporating the solvent from each coat of the first and second polyol liquid coating syrups, prior to applying the next coat; wherein the number of coats applied in steps (3) and (5) being sufficient to provide a coating of from about 10 to about 65 weight percent of the total coated chewing gum product, constituting an inner component of the outer coating and an outer component of the outer coating; the layers of the inner component of the outer coating comprise at least one polyol selected from the group consisting of lactitol, maltitol, hydrogenated isomaltulose and erythritol; the layers of the outer component of the outer coating comprise at least one polyol selected from the group consisting of lactitol, maltitol, hydrogenated isomaltulose and erythritol; and wherein at least one polyol contained in the outer component of the outer coating is not present in the inner component of the outer coating.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
340 words
A method of forming a dual composition hard coated chewing gum, comprising the steps of: (1) forming a gum center including a bulk portion, a chewing gum base portion and one or more flavoring agents; (2) forming a first polyol liquid coating syrup comprising solvent and from about 50% to the point of saturation of at least one polyol selected from the group consisting of lactitol, maltitol, hydrogenated isomaltulose and erythritol, by weight of the polyol liquid coating syrup; (3) applying a plurality of coats of the first polyol liquid coating syrup to the gum center; (4) forming a second polyol liquid coating syrup comprising solvent and from about 50% to the point of saturation of at least one polyol selected from the group consisting of lactitol, maltitol, hydrogenated isomaltulose and erythritol, by weight of the polyol liquid coating syrup, the composition of the second polyol liquid coating syrup containing a different polyol than the composition of the first polyol liquid coating syrup; (5) applying a plurality of coats of the second polyol liquid coating syrup to the gum center which has been coated with the first polyol; and (6) evaporating the solvent from each coat of the first and second polyol liquid coating syrups, prior to applying the next coat; wherein the number of coats applied in steps (3) and (5) being sufficient to provide a coating of from about 10 to about 65 weight percent of the total coated chewing gum product, constituting an inner component of the outer coating and an outer component of the outer coating; the layers of the inner component of the outer coating comprise at least one polyol selected from the group consisting of lactitol, maltitol, hydrogenated isomaltulose and erythritol; the layers of the outer component of the outer coating comprise at least one polyol selected from the group consisting of lactitol, maltitol, hydrogenated isomaltulose and erythritol; and wherein at least one polyol contained in the outer component of the outer coating is not present in the inner component of the outer coating.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 20, wherein the first and second liquid coating syrups each comprise at least about 30% polyol, by weight of the respective liquid coating syrup.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 20, wherein the liquid coating syrup further comprises a flavoring agent.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 20, wherein the liquid coating syrup further comprises a whitener.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 20, wherein the liquid coating syrup further comprises an artificial sweetener.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 20, wherein the liquid coating syrup is applied to the chewing gum center by spraying.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 20, wherein the solvent for the liquid coating syrup comprises water.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 20, wherein layers of the outer coating include at least two polyols selected from the group consisting of lactitol, maltitol, hydrogenated isomaltulose and erythritol.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
36 words
The method of one of claims 20-27, wherein layers of polyol coating containing at least one polyol selected from the group consisting of lactitol, maltitol and hydrogenated isomaltulose are applied before layers of coating containing erythritol.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-09-08 | 2001-03-10 | 2001-09-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-09-08 | 2005-03-10 | 2005-09-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-09-08 | 2009-03-10 | 2009-09-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |