Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
0 8 a z
1 IMPROVED METHOD FOR APPLYTNG SUGARLESS
COATING TO CHEWTNG GUM AND CONEECTIONS
_
The present invention relates to an lmproved
method for applylng a sugarless coating containing
5 sorbitol in crystalline ~orm, to a chewing gum, confection,
and medicinals and therapeu-tics in the forms of pills
or tablets, and to any of the above comestibles containing
such a sugarless coating.
Candy-coated chewing gums have long been a
lO favorite among young and old alike. The candy coatings
generally employed are sugar-based and thus are not used
as coatings for sugarless gums. The sugar-based coatings
may be applied to chewiny gum employing procedures such
as described in U. S. Patents Nos. 3,554,767 to Daum et al,
15 2,304,245 to Ekert, 2,460,698 to Lindhe and 3,208,405 to
Beer.
U. S. Patent No. 4,127,677 to Fronczkowski
et al discloses a xylitol coated chewing gum containing
rom 95 to 99.5% xylitol which may be used as a coating
20 for su~arless gums. However, for various reasons, xylitol
containing chewing gums have not received satisfactory
consumer acceptance.
Sorbitol, long used as a plasticizer and sweetener,
has been suggested as a substitute for sugar in forming
25 sugarless candy coatings for sugarless chewing gums.
Unfortunately, however, it has been found that when
sorbitol is applied in an aaueous coating solution to
chewing gum centers, the sorbitol does not recrystallize
to form a thin crystalline coat. Moreover, the chewing
3O gum centers subjected to the sorbitol chewing step stick
to one another forming undesirable clumps.
~'
2 ~ t~
1 Accordingly, a need exists in the market place
for a sugarless coating, preferably free of xylitol,
based on the use of sorbitol.
U. S. Patent No. 4,238,510 discloses a method
5 for forming a sugarless candy coating, preferably includi.ng
crystalline sorbitol, on chewing gums, confections, and
generally in the preparation of candy coated pills, tablets
and other solid shapes, which method overcomes the problems
associated with the application of sorbitol-containing
. 10 coatings to produce a uniform sugarless coating, with
good appearance, and flavor release and having bite-
through and chew properties of a soft crystal. The
technique employed for forming a sugarless coating on a
solid shape to be coated (hereinafter referred to as centers)
15 includes the steps of applying to the centers a first coating
syrup which contains a sweetener such as sorbitol and/or
other non-sugar sweetener, for example, mannitol or
hydrogenated starch hydrolysate, an adhesion or binder
component and a film-forming component, to thereby coat
20 the centers with the first coating syrup, and then applying
a dusting mix to the centers coated with the first coating
syrup, the dusting mix including one or more sweeteners,
such as employed in the first coating syrup, in powdered
form, and a moisture absorbing component, such as manni-tol,
25 an anti-sticking component such as calcium carbonate
and a dispersing agent such as titanium dioxide, and then
preferably applying a second coating syrup to smooth out
the coating of the centers and provide a shine there-to,
which second coating syrup generally includes ingredients
3 similar to that present in the dusting mix but dispersed
in water.
~ D(~
1 ` The above technique has proved to be an excel.lent
method, albeit, it usually requires two different types
of coating syrups to produce the desired coating. Accordingly,
a sugarless coating technique wherein only a single coating
5 syrup is employed woul.d be a tremendous advance over
afore-mentioned prior art as well as over t:he above-described
U.S. Patent 4,238,510.
The present invention relates to a method
for preparing a sugarless coated comestible, which comprises
10 the steps of applying to center portions of said comestible
coating syrup comprising an aqueous solu-tion of normally
sweet hygroscopic material, a binder, an anti-sticking
compound, and a dispersing agent and applying to said
so-treated cen-ter portions a coating dusting mix comprising
15 said normally sweet hygroscopic material in dry form, at
least a portion of said dry hygroscopic material being
absorbed on the coating syrup applied to said center
portions to form a coating on said center. In accordance
with the present invention, an improved so-called "one-step"
20 or "one syrup" method is provided for forming a sugarless
coating on a solid shape to be coated (hereinafter referred
to as centers) and includes the steps of applying to the
centers a coating which contains a swee-tener such as
sorbitol and/or other non-sugar sweetener, for example,
25 mannitol or hydrogenated starch hydrolysate, an adhesion
or binder component and a film-forming component, and anti-
sticking (or filler) component, and a dispensing agent, to
thereby coat the centers with the coating syrup, and then
applying a dusting mix to the centers coated with the coating
3 syrup, the dusting mix including one or more sweeteners, such
as employed in the coating syrup, in powdered form, and a
noisture absorbing component, an anti-sticking component
and a dispersing agent.
1 The steps of appl~ing the coating syrup and
dusting mi~ will be repeated, as many -times as
necessary, to build up a desired coating weight
and thickness on the centers.
In carrying out the me-thod of the inven-tion,
coating syrup will be formed as an aqueous sol~-tion
of the a) sweetener (or bulking agent), b) adhesion
or binder componen-t, c) an anti-sticking (filler)
component, and d) a dispersing agent.
The sweetener (or bulking ayent) (a) may be
present in an amount within the range of from
about 30% to about 70%, preferably from about
40 to about 60% by weight of the coating syrup;
the binder (b) may be present in an amount within
15 the range of from about 5 to about 30~, preferably
from about 10 to about 25% by weight of the coating
syrup; the anti-sticking (filler) agent (c) may be
present in an amount within the range of from about
3 to about 15 and preferably from about 5 to
about 10 by weigllt of the coating syrupi and the
dispersing agent d) may be present in an amount
of within the range of Erom about 2 to about 12%,
and preferably from about 3 to about 7% by weight
of the coating syrup. The coating syrup will also
contain from about 20 to about 70%, and preferably
from about 25 to about 65% water.
The coating syrup functions as a wet base
layer to which later-deposited dry sweetener or
bul]iing a~ent (presen-t in the dusting mi~) may
3 adhere or be absorbed on to form the desired coating.
--5-- ~ r ,~
1 ~xamples of sweeteners or bul~ing agents
suitable for use in the coatinc3 syrup may comprise
substantially any known sugarless swee-tener such
as any of the sugar alcohols such as sorbitol,
5 ~ylitol, m~nnitol, and combina-tions -thereof, with
sorbitol l,eing preferred, a~s well as mal-titol,
isomaltitol, hydrogen-tated starch hydrolysates
such as those disclosed in Reissue Patent No. 26,959
as well as various hydrogenated glucose syrups
10 and/or powders which contain sorbitol, hydrogenated
disaccharides, tri- to he~a-hydrogentated saccharides,
and hydrogenated higher polysaccharides and the
modified starch hydrolysates disclosed in U.S.
Patent No. 3,556,811 to Smith.
The hydrogenated glucose syrups and/or powders
may be produced by cataly-tic hydrogenation of
standard glucose syrups (acid and/or en7.yme converted)
to the point where all the glucose end groups of
the saccharides are reduced to alcohols, that is,
20 dc~trose to sorbitol. In the case of hydrogenated
~lucose syrups, the total solids contents will
range from about 72 to about 8090 which solids are
made of from about 4 to about 20o sorbitol, from
about 20 to about 65% hydrogenated disaccharides
25 (that is, maltitol), from about 15 to about 45%
tri- to heptahydrogenated saccharides, and from
about 10 to about 35% hydrogenated saccharides
higher than hepta.
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-6- ~ ti ~
1 Other sweeteners or bulkiny agents suitable
for use in the eoating syrup include, but are not
limited to free saceharin aeid, sodium, ealcium
and ammonium saccharin, cyclamate salts, dihydro-
5 chalcones, ylycyrrhi~in, L-asparty]--L-phenylalanine
methyl ester and mixtures thereof.
The adhesion component or binder employed
in the coating syrup aids in ini-tially binding
the sweetener to the comes-tible being coated.
10 Examples of binders suitable for use herein include
gum arabic, xanthan g-um, gum tragacanth, tapioca
dextrin, or modified food stareh, with g~lm arabie
being preferred.
The moisture absorbing cornpound suitable for
15 use herein includes mannitol, or dicalcium phosphate
with mannitol being preferred especially when
sorbitol is employed as the sweetener.
~ xamples of the anti-stieking eornpound whieh
may also funetion as a filler employed in the
20 eoatitlc3 syrup as well as the dustiny mi~ inelude
ealeium earbona-te, tale, or magnesium trisilieate,
with ealeium earbonate being preferred.
Examples of the dispersing agent whieh may be
employed in the eoating syrup as well as the dusting
25 agent include titanium dioxide, talc or other anti-stick
eompounds set out above, with titanium dioxide being preferred.
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1 ~n optional but important component of the
coating syrup is the filrn-forming agent which
enables the depositiorl of a subs-tantially uniforrn
layer of the sweetener on the comestibLe beincl
5 coated. Examples of film-forming agents suitable
for use herein include gelatin, methyl cellulose,
hydroxypropvl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, hydroxy~
èthyl cellulose, and/or carboxymethyl cellulose.
The dusting mix comprises a dry powder mixture
lO containing a) sweetener (or bulking agent) similar
to (and preferably the same as) that employed in
the coating syrup, b) moisture absorbing component,
c) anti-sticking (or filler) component, and d)
dispersing agent. Components b), c) and d) are
15 emplo~ed in a weight ratio to sweetener a) of
within the range of from about 5 to about 30 b):l,
from about 2 to about 20 c):1, and from about 0
to about 5 d):l. Thus, the sweetener a) will be
employed in an aMount within the range o:E from about
20 ~10 to about 90~-, and prefercibly from about 6n to
about 85~o by weight of the dusting mix, the moisture
aosorbing component b) will be employed in an amount
within the range of from about 5 to about 30%,
and preferably from about 8 to about 20% by weight
25 of the dusting mix, the anti-sticking component
c) will be employed in an amount within -the range
of from about 2 to about 20%, and preferably from
about 5 to about 15~o by weight of the dusting mix,
and the dispersing agent will be employed in an
3O amount within the range of from about 2 to about
12~-~, and preferably from about 4 to about 9% by
~7eight o~ the dusting mix.
1 As indica-ted, the sweetener (bulkiny agent)
present ln the dusting mix may include any of those
employed in the coating svrup and set out above.
The preferred sweetener present in the dusting
mix will be sorbitol.
In preferred embodiments, the weiqht xatio of
the solids present in the coatiny syrup to the dust-
ing mix will range from about 5:1 to about 20:1.
Generally, a single deposition of each of the
- 10 coating syrup and the dusting mix may not be suffi-
cient to provide the desired amount or thickness
of coating deposited on the comestible. ~ccordingly,
it usually will be necessary to apply second,
third or more coats of each of the coating syrup
15 and dusting mix in order to build up the weight
and thickness of the coating to desired levels.
~lowever, before applying subsequellt layers of first
coating syrup, the previously applied layers of
coating syrup are allowed -to dry, Eor example, by
~0 gently flowing air at a temperature of from about
68 to about 88F and having a relative humidity
of from about 20 to about 40% and flowing at a
volume (36" pan) of from about 400 to about 500 cfm.
For example, in coating chewing gum, the applica-
25 tions of coating syrup and dusting mix are continueduntil the average gum piece weight reaches about
90% of the required coated weight. Thus, if the
coating is to comprise about 35~ by weight of the
coated chewing c3um table-t, application of 10 to 12
30 coats of coating syrup and 7 to 9 coats of dusting
mix may be required. The last three coats should
preferably be coating syrup by itself, without
dusting mix.
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1 It will be appreciated that the nurnber of
applications requried will also vary depending
upon the amount of solids present in the coating
syrup, the amount of dusting mix employed, and
5 the type of comestible to be coated.
After a sufficient amount of coating has
been applied to the pieces of comestible -to be
coated, the coating on the pieces will be smooth
and polished and otherwise finished without the
10 need for applying a second coating syrup or finishing
syrup.
Flavoring in the form of liquid flavor may
be added with the coating syrup, while spray dried
flavors may be added with the dusting mix. The
15 flavoring will preferably be applied after an
initial coating syrup-dusting mix has been applied.
In the case where the comestible to be
coated is chewing gum, flavoring may be added
to the clwn base. The flavoring in the gu~ center
20 will be present in an amount wi-thin the range of
from about 0.5 to about 1.5%, and preferably from
about 0.7 to about 1.2~ by weight of the gum center.
The flavoring in the coating will be present in
an amount within the range of from about 0.5 to
25 about 5% and preferably from about 1.25 to about
4% by weight of the coating. Such flavoring may
comprise oils derived from plants, leaves, flowers,
fruit, etc. Representative flavor oils of this
type include citrus oils such as lemon oil, orange
3 oil, lime oil, grapefruit oil, fruit essences such
as apple essence, pear essence, peach essence,
strawberry essence, aprico-t essence, raspberry
1 essence, cherry essence, plum essence, pineapple
essence, as well as the following essential oils:
peppermint oil, spearmint oil, mixtures of pepper-
mint oil and spearmint oil, clove oil, bay oil,
5 anise oil, eucalyptus oil, thyme oil, cedar leaf
oil, cinnamon oil, oil of nutmeg, oil of sage,
oil of bitter almonds, cassia oil, and methyl-
salicylate (oil of wintergreen). Various syn-
thetic flavors, such as mixed fruit, may also be
10 incorporated in the chewing gum of the invention
with or without conventional preservatives.
Sweeteners suitbale for use herein which
may be present in the gum center and~or coating
may comprise natural or synthetic sugar substitutes.
Where employed, the synthetic sweeteners
may be present in the chewing gum cen-ter in an
amount within the range of from about 0.04 to
about 2Qo and preEerably Erom about 0.4 to about
0.8Q by weight oE the chewing gum. Examples of
~ synthetic sweetell~rs suitable Eor use herein
include free saccharin acid, sodium, calcium or
ammonium saccharin, cyclamate sal-ts, dihydro-
chalcones, ~lycyrrhizic acid and salts, L-aspartyl-
L-phenylalanine methyl ester, the sodium or potassium
25 salt of 3,4-dihydro-6-methyl-1,2,3-oxathiazine-
4-one-2,2-dio~ide(~cesulfone-K), and mixtures thereof.
Where employed, natural sugars and/or natural
sugar substitutes may be present in the chewiny gum
center in an amount within the range oE from about
3 0.05 to about 90~, and preferably from about 10 to
about 85- by weight of the chewing gum. Such natural
sweeteners suitable for use herein include suyar
alcohols, sucll as, sorbitol, xylitol, manni-tol,
isomaltltol, or maltitol. If desired, suyars such
as sucrose, or dextrose may also be employed.
The gum base will be present in an amount
within the range of from about 10 to about ~0%,
and preferably from about 15 to about 45% by weight.
In yeneral, -the gum base is prepared by
heating and blending various ingredients, such as
- 10 natural gums, synthetic resins, waxes, plasticizers,
etc., in a manner well known in the art. Typical
examples of the ingredients found in a chewing gum
base are masticatory substances of synthetic origin
such as styrene-butadiene copolymer, isobutylene-
15 isoprene copol~ler, polyisobutylene, polye-thylene,
petroleum wax, polyvinyl acetate, as well as
masticatory substances oE natural origin such as
rubber latex soli~s, chicle, crown gum, nispero,
rosidinha, jelutong, pendare, perillo, niger gutta,
20 tunu, etc. The elastomer or mastica-tory substance
will be employed in an amount within the range of
about 5 to about 15%, preferably from about 8 to
about 12%, and optimally from about 9 to about 11%
by weight of the gum base composition.
The gum base may also include solvents,
detackifiers, waxes, softening agents, lubricants,
fillers, emulsifiers, colorants, antioxidants.
and/or texturizers, bul~ing agents and other
conventiollal ingredien-ts as will be apparent to
3 those skilled in the art. Examples of typical
gum bases suitable for use herein are disclosed in
1;. S. Patent Nos. 3,052,552 and 2,197~719.
-12-
1 As indicated, in addition to chewing gum,
the comestible to be coated may include any edible
solid, such as candies, including hard candies and
pressed candies, jelly beans, peanuts, other
5confections, as well as pills, tablets or other
solid dosage forms for medicinal or therapeutic
use.
A preferred coating, in accordance with the
present invention, for a sugarless chewing gum
lowill have the following composition.
Parts by weigh-t
Ingredient of coatinq
-
Sorbitol 45 to 90
Mannitol 2 to 25
15 Gum arabic 0.25 to 3
Calcium carbonate2 to 20
Titanium dioxide0.1 to 5
3o
-]-3-
1 The followin~J Examples represent preferred
emhodiments of the ~resent invention.
Examples 1 to 3
Sugarless-coated sugarless chewing gums
having center or core portions as shown in Table I
and coatings as shown in Table II below are
prepared as follows.
- 10 TABLE I
CompositiQn of Gum Cen-ter or Core
(present in all chewinc~ c~um Examples)
Parts by l~eic~ht
15 Ingredient
Gum base 24
Sorbitol-powder 49
Sorbitol liquid (68-70o sorbitQl) 25
Yel];in 0.5
20 Flavor 2
TABLE II
Composition of Various Coatin~ Mixtures
Required for Fol~ing Coatinq
on Gum Centers of Table I
Parts by Wei~ht
Example No. 1 2 3
Coating Syrup
Gum arahic solution ('18o) 18 20 24
Gelatin solution (20o) 0 30 15
Sorbitol liquid (68-70o) 55 50 60
llydrogenated starch hydrolysate -- 30 10
--14--
TABI,E II ~cont.)
-
Example No. 1 2 3
Coat a ~Syrur~ (cont.)
Mannitol 7 6 5
Calcium carbona-te l~owder 7 8 5
Titanium dioxide powder 5 4 6
Hot water (160 F) 911 13
Color (as needed)
Dustina ~lix
. . _
Sorbitol (crystalline p~der) 70 70 70
k~anni-tol owder 15 15 15
Calcium carbonate powder 7.5 10 5
Titanium dioxide powder 7.5 5 10
The chewing gum centers are prepared as
15 folloWs:
Gum base is melted and maintained at a
temperature within the range of 150 -175 F.
Softener is added and then -the solid suc~ar alcohols
are added slowly with stirring. Thereafter, liquid
2Q flavor is added and the mixture is stirred until
homogeneous. Sugar alcohols are slowly added and
then artificial and/or natural sweetener (where
employed).
Where spray dried ~lavors are employed, they
25 are added with the artificial sweeteners.
The above mixture is stirred until homo-
geneous, cooled, rolled and scored and individual
pieces or pillows are produced.
The coating mixture is prepared by mixing
3 the various ingredients, under heating if necessary,
to form a well-mixed suspension.
-15~ r~
1 The dusting mix is prepared by simply
mixing the various inyredients and until a
substantially homogeneous mi,-:ture is i-ormed.
The gum cen-ters to be coated are placed
5 in a standard revolving coatiny pan. The gurr
pieces are dedusted using cool dry air. The
coating syrup mixed and warmed to a temperature
of 120F is applied to the gum pieces. After
about 2-3 minutes, the ciusting mix is applied
10 to the gum pieces coated with -the coating syrup.
The gum pieces are allowed to cool for 2 minutes
to absorb the dusting mix. rnhe gum pieces are
then dried by contact with gently flowing air at
a temperature of about 78F, and having a relative
15 humidity of about 30O and at a volume of air
(361' pan) of about 450 cfm, for 2 minutes.
The above coating steps are repeated until
the weicJht of an average gum piece reaches about
90r~ of the required coated weight. For example,
20 if the required coated weight is 35r~0 1 7 to 10
applications of -the dusting mix are needed (the
last 3 applications are of other coating syrup
without the dusting rnix) to reach an average
piece weight of 1. 5 g.
The so-coated gum pieces may then be polished
and otherwise finished employing conventional means
3o
1 to produce sorbitol coated sugarless chewing
gum having a soft chew witn good sweetness and
flavor release properties.
5- E m~les ~ and 5
Sugarless coated sugarless candy, having
a center or core portion as shown in Table III
below and a coating as shown in Table II of
Example 1, is prepared employing the following
10 procedure.
TABLE III
Composition of Candy Center
Amount
15 Ingredient (Parts by Weight)
ilydrogellated starch hydrolysate
syrup (78 solids, including
6~ sorbitol and 50~ mannitol) 97
Sorbitol syrup 2
20 Malic acid
Cherry Flavor 0.25
Color 0-4
The hydrogenated starch hydrolysate and
~5 sorbitol syrups are fed into the top of a mixing
kettle and are cooled under constant slow agitation
to 330-335 F. The coloring agent is added at
280-300F. The mix is dropped at 25" ~Ig and held
under vacuum for 10 minutes. The hot mix is then
30 transferred to a mixing table where malic acid
arld flavor are added with mixing. The candy mix
is allowed to cool to 160-1700F and is tabletted.
The coating is applied as described in
Examples 1 to 3 to produce a pleasant tasting
35sugarless coated sugarless candy.
t~
3- In a manner similar to tha-t described in
Examples 1 to 5 any type pill or tablet or other
solid shape may be coated with a sugarless coating
in accordance with the presen-t invention,
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