Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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PACKAGING FOR HIGH MOISTURE BAR SOAP
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to packaging for high moisture bar soap
compositions for
cleansing skin.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Bar soaps remain a popular product form for cleansing skin. Those skilled in
the art use
the term soap to designate the reaction product of a carboxylic acid with a
base, typically a metal
hydroxide or carbonate. The resulting salt has both a polar hydrophilic end
and a non-polar
lipophilic end which facilitates the removal of oils and other non-polar
materials from the skin or
other surface in the presence of water.
Bar soaps are customarily prepared either by framing/casting or by
milling/plodding. The
process of making bar soaps usually requires a drying step to remove the
"gummy" texture and
excessive pliability of the soap mass which exist typically at higher moisture
levels. Finished bar
soaps typically will thus have a relatively low level of moisture (i.e.
water), usually in the range
of from about 10% to about 14% by weight of the bar soap. However,
developments have been
made with respect to achieving bar soaps that contain higher moisture levels,
e.g. at least about
15% water by weight of the bar soap. Bar soaps having higher levels of
moisture can be desirable
with respect to formulation and process efficiency. However, upon storage in
conventional
paperboard packaging, high moisture bar soaps tend to encounter of number of
potential
problems. These problems include moisture loss (via evaporation or absorption
into the
paperboard packaging material), mold growth on the paperboard packaging
material, and the
development of colored stains on the bar soap and packaging resulting from
chemical reaction
between the high moisture bar soap and the paperboard, especially recycled
paperboard.
There thus remains a desire to develop a package for a high moisture bar soap
to alleviate
the problems of moisture loss, mold growth and dye transfer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates packaging for high moisture bar soap
compositions to
address a number of potential problems associated with high moisture bar soap
compositions,
such as minimizing moisture loss, inhibiting mold growth on paperboard
material used in the
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packaging, and preventing the development of colored stains on the bar soap
and packaging
resulting from chemical reaction between the high moisture bar soap and the
paperboard,
especially recycled paperboard. The bar soap product of the present invention
comprises: (a) a bar
soap package comprising a laminate material and (b) a bar soap composition
comprising at least
about 15%, by weight of the bar soap composition, of water. The laminate
material of the bar
soap package comprises a paperboard material, a thermoplastic material
disposed on at least one
side of the paperboard material, and a fungicide. The paperboard material can
be made of
cellulosic fibers, either virgin pulp or recycled pulp. Recycled paperboard
material is preferred.
The thermoplastic material is preferably a biaxially oriented polypropylene
material. The
fungicide is preferably selected from the group consisting of carbendazim,
chlorothalonil, p-tolyl
diiodomethyl sulfone, thiabendazole, and mixtures thereof.
The present invention further relates to a method of inhibiting the growth of
mold which
can result from storage of a high moisture bar soap composition in a
paperboard package. The
method of inhibiting the growth of mold, especially the mold species
aspergillus sydowii and/or
penicillium chrysogenum, on a paperboard package containing a high moisture
bar soap
composition comprises treating the paperboard package with a fungicide
comprising
chlorothalonil and p-tolyl diiodomethyl sulfone, and then packaging the high
moisture bar soap
composition in the treated paperboard package.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
As used herein, the term "high moisture bar soap" refers to a bar soap
composition
comprising at least about 15%, preferably at least about 20%, by weight of the
bar soap
composition, of water.
PACKAGE
The bar soap package of the present invention comprises a laminate material
comprising a
paperboard material, a thermoplastic material, and a fungicide. The
thermoplastic material is
disposed, preferably laminated, on at least one side of the paperboard
material. The thermoplastic
material can be applied, preferably laminated, to a side of the paperboard
material via a variety of
methods, such as adhesive bonding, thermal bonding, and the like. The
fungicide can be disposed
on at least one side of the paperboard material and/or incorporated directly
into the paperboard
material during the process of manufacturing the paperboard material.
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In one embodiment, the paperboard material is folded into a carton or box
configuration
to contain the high moisture bar soap composition. In this respect, the
paperboard material will
have an inner side which faces the interior of the carton or box, and an outer
side that faces the
external environment surrounding the carton or box. In one embodiment, the
thermoplastic
material is laminated onto the inner side of the paperboard material via an
adhesive. If the carton
or box includes any graphics on the outside of the carton or box, then such
graphics are printed
on the outer side of the paperboard material. Then, the fungicide is applied
to the outer side of the
paperboard material, on top of the printed graphics.
Suitable paperboard material includes materials made of fibers, such as
cellulosic fibers.
Such materials are commonly known in the art and preferably have a weight of
from about 200
grams per square meter ("gsm") to about 500 gsm.
Suitable thermoplastic materials for use in the present invention include
polypropylene
(such as biaxially oriented polypropylene ("BOPP")), polyethylene,
polyethylene terephthalate
("PET"), polyester, polyvinyl chloride ("PVC"), and combinations thereof. The
thermoplastic
materials used are preferably selected to retard the loss of moisture from the
bar soap
composition upon storage. The thermoplastic material is also preferably
impermeable to water or
water vapor, thereby retarding the absorption of water by the paperboard. The
thermoplastic
material is also preferably selected to prevent the development of colored
stains on the bar soap
and packaging resulting from chemical reaction between the high moisture bar
soap and the
paperboard, especially recycled paperboard. The thermoplastic material will
typically have a
thickness of from about 5 m to about 100 m, preferably from about 10 m to
about 50 m, and
more preferably from about 12 m to about 25 m. In one embodiment, the
thermoplastic
material is biaxially oriented polypropylene ("BOPP") having a thickness of 18
m.
Suitable fungicides for use in the present invention include chlorothalonil, p-
tolyl
diiodomethyl sulfone, carbendazim, thiabendazole, and mixtures thereof. A
preferred fungicide is
carbendazim which is commercially available from Intace S.A. under the trade
name INTACE B-
350. Another preferred fungicide comprises a mixture of chlorothalonil and p-
tolyl diiodomethyl
sulfone, which is commercially available from Intace S.A. under the trade name
INTACE B-
6773. It is understood that many other suitable fungicides are known in the
art and that the
preceding list of fungicides are merely non-limiting examples. Fungicides are
typically
incorporated onto a side of the paperboard material, or directly into the
paperboard material, at a
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level of from about 500 ppm to about 10,000 ppm, preferably from about 1000
ppm to about
5000 ppm, and more preferably from about 1500 ppm to about 3000 ppm.
BAR SOAP COMPOSITION
The bar soap composition of the present invention comprises water, soap and
other
optional ingredients.
WATER
The bar soap composition of the present invention comprises at least about
15%, more
preferably at least about 20%, and more preferably at least about 25%, by
weight of the
composition, of water. The level of water can be still higher, e.g. 30%, 35%,
or even 40%, but is
typically not greater than about 60%, preferably not greater than about 55%,
and more preferably
not greater than about 50%, by weight of the bar composition.
It should be understood that an amount of water will be lost, i.e. evaporated,
during the
process of making the bar composition. Also, once the finished product is
made, water can be
further lost from the bar composition due to water evaporation, water being
absorbed by
surrounding packaging (e.g. a cardboard carton), and the like. Packaging the
bar soap
composition in a package of the present invention will reduce the amount of
water lost due to
evaporation upon storage or absorption into the package.
SOAP
The bar compositions of the present invention will typically comprise from
about 40% to
about 84%, preferably from about 45% to about 75%, and more preferably from
about 50% to
about 65%, by weight of the composition, of soap. The term "soap" is used
herein in its popular
sense, i.e., the alkali metal or alkanol ammonium salts of alkane- or alkene
monocarboxylic acids.
Sodium, magnesium, potassium, calcium, mono-, di- and tri-ethanol ammonium
cations, or
combinations thereof, are suitable for purposes of the present invention. In
general, sodium soaps
are used in the compositions of this invention, but from about 1% to about 25%
of the soap may
be ammonium, potassium, magnesium, calcium or a mixture of these soaps. The
soaps useful
herein are the well known alkali metal salts of alkanoic or alkenoic acids
having about 12 to 22
carbon atoms, preferably about 12 to about 18 carbon atoms. They may also be
described as alkali
metal carboxylates of alkyl or alkene hydrocarbons having about 12 to about 22
carbon atoms.
Soaps having the fatty acid distribution of coconut oil may provide the lower
end of the
broad molecular weight range. Those soaps having the fatty acid distribution
of peanut or
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rapeseed oil, or their hydrogenated derivatives, may provide the upper end of
the broad molecular
weight range.
It can be preferred to use soaps having the fatty acid distribution of tallow,
and vegetable
oil. More preferably the vegetable oil is selected from the group consisting
of palm oil, coconut
5 oil, palm kernel oil, palm oil stearine, and hydrogenated rice bran oil, or
mixtures thereof, since
these are among the more readily available fats. Especially preferred are palm
oil stearine, palm
kernel oil, and/or coconut oil. The proportion of fatty acids having at least
12 carbon atoms in
coconut oil soap is about 85%. This proportion will be greater when mixtures
of coconut oil and
fats such as tallow, palm oil, or non-tropical nut oils or fats are used,
wherein the principle chain
lengths are C 16 and higher.
A preferred soap is sodium soap having a mixture of from about 50% to about
80%, more
preferably from about 35% to about 40%, tallow; from 0% to about 60%, more
preferably from
0% to about 50%, palm stearine; from 0% to about 40%, more preferably from 0%
to about 35%,
palm oil; and from about 10% to about 35%, more preferably from about 15% to
about 30%,
palm kernel oil or coconut oil.
The soaps may contain unsaturation in accordance with commercially acceptable
standards. Excessive unsaturation is normally avoided.
Soaps may be made by the classic kettle boiling process or modem continuous
soap
manufacturing processes wherein natural fats and oils such as tallow or
coconut oil or their
equivalents are saponified with an alkali metal hydroxide using procedures
well known to those
skilled in the art. Alternatively, the soaps may be made by neutralizing fatty
acids, such as lauric
(C12), myristic (C14), palmitic (C16), or stearic (C18) acids with an alkali
metal hydroxide or
carbonate.
In one embodiment, the bar composition will comprise soap made by a continuous
soap
manufacturing process. The soap, which comprises approximately 30% water, is
then processed
into soap noodles via a vacuum flash drying process. The soap noodles
preferably comprise about
about 85% anhydrous soap (50% tallow/30% palm oil stearine/20% palm kernel oil
(or 20%
coconut oil)), about 0.2% free citric acid, about 0.2% sodium citrate, about
0.05% tetrasodium
DPTA, about 0.05% tetrasodium HEDP, about 0.6% sodium chloride, about 1%
glycerin, and
from about 12% to about 18% water, the balance being unsaponifiables. These
percentage
amounts are by weight of the soap noodles. The soap noodles are then utilized
in a milling
process to make the finished bar composition as described below.
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INORGANIC SALTS
Inorganic salts can be optionally utilized in the present bar compositions to
help in
maintaining the relatively high water content of the present compositions. The
inorganic salts
help to bind the water in the bar composition thereby preventing water loss by
evaporation or
other means. The present bar compositions comprise from about 1% to about 15%,
preferably
from about 2% to about 12%, and more preferably from about 2.5% to about
10.5%, by weight of
the composition, of inorganic salt. Suitable inorganic salts include magnesium
nitrate,
trimagnesium phosphate, calcium chloride, sodium carbonate, sodium aluminum
sulfate,
disodium phosphate, sodium polymetaphosphate, sodium magnesium succinate,
sodium
tripolyphosphate, aluminum sulfate, aluminum chloride, aluminum chlorohydrate,
aluminum-
zirconium trichlorohydrate, aluminum-zirconium trichlorohydrate glycine
complex, zinc sulfate,
ammonium chloride, ammonium phosphate, calcium acetate, calcium nitrate,
calcium phosphate,
calcium sulfate, ferric sulfate, magnesium chloride, magnesium sulfate, and
the like. Preferred
inorganic salts include sodium tripolyphosphate, magnesium salts (such as
magnesium sulfate),
and/or tetrasodium pyrophosphate. Magnesium salts, when used as an ingredient
in the present
bar compositions comprising soap, tend to be converted to magnesium soap in
the finished
product. Sodium tripolyphosphate, magnesium salts (and as a result magnesium
soap), and/or
tetrasodium pyrophosphate are preferred in the present compositions Sodium
tripolyphosphate is
also preferred as it can tend to promote the generation of lather as the bar
composition is used by
a consumer for cleansing skin.
CARBOHYDRATESTRUCTURANTS
Carbohyrate structurants can optionally, but preferably, be included as
ingredients in the
present bar compositions. Carbohydrate structurants tend to assist in
maintaining the relatively
high level of water in the present compositions. Suitable carbohydrate
structurants as ingredients
in the present compositions include raw starch (corn, rice, potato, wheat, and
the like),
pregelatinzed starch, carboxymethyl cellulose, stabylene, carbopol,
carregeenan, xanthan gum,
polyethylene glycol, polyethylene oxide, and the like. Preferred carbohydrate
structurants include
raw starch and/or pregelatinized starch.
A preferred carbohydrate structurant for incorporating in a bar composition is
starch. The
starch can be either raw starch or it can be pregelatinized starch.
Alternatively, raw starch can be
used and modified during the process of making the bar composition such that
the starch becomes
gelatinized, either partially or fully gelatinized. Pregelatinized starch is
starch that has been
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gelatinized before added as an ingredient in the present bar compositions.
Gelatinized starch,
either partially or fully gelatinized starch, can be preferred for providing
enhanced skin feel
benefits, such as providing a soft and smooth skin feel. A preferred
pregelatinized starch for use
as an ingredient in the present compositions is PREGEL-A M 0300 commercially
available from
Tianjin Tingfung Starch Development Co., Ltd. of Tianjin, China.
The level of carbohydrate structurant in the present compositions is typically
from about
1% to about 20%, preferably from about 2% to about 17%, and more preferably
from about 4% to
about 15%, by weight of the composition.
The bar soap compositions of the present invention can further comprise
additional
optional ingredients such as humectants (e.g. glycerin or sorbitol), free
fatty acids, synthetic
surfactants, cationic polymers, brighteners, silica, and the like. Such
optional ingredients are
described in more detail in co-pending U.S. Application Serial No. 11/453,767,
filed June 15,
2006, and U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/811,545, filed June 6,
2006.
Other optional ingredients in the present bar compositions include: perfumes;
sequestering agents, such as tetrasodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA),
EHDP or mixtures
thereof typically in an amount of 0.01 to 1%, preferably 0.01 to 0.05%, by
weight of the
composition; and coloring agents, opacifiers and pearlizers such as titanium
dioxide; all of which
are useful in enhancing the appearance or cosmetic properties of the product.
The pH of a 1% solution of the bar composition of the present invention
dissolved in
water is typically from about 7 to about 12, preferably from about 8 to about
11, and more
preferably from about 9 to about 10.
The appearance of the bar composition according to the present invention can
be
transparent, translucent, or opaque. In one embodiment, the bar composition is
opaque.
Suitable high moisture bar soap compositions that can benefit from being
packaged in the
bar soap package of the present invention include those bar soap compositions
described in detail
in co-pending U.S. Application Serial No. 11/453,767, filed June 15, 2006, and
U.S. Provisional
Application Serial No. 60/811,545, filed June 6, 2006.
The cleansing bar compositions of the present invention can be used by
consumers to
cleanse skin during bathing or washing.
METHOD OF INHIBITING GROWTH OF MOLD
The present invention further relates to a method of inhibiting the growth of
mold,
especially certain species of mold such as aspergillus sydowii and/or
penicillium chrysogenum,
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that can grow on a paperboard package containing a high moisture bar soap
composition. It has
been found that the mold species aspergillus sydowii and/or penicillium
chrysogenum can be
especially problematic with respect to growing on paperboard packages
containing high moisture
bar soaps. Such mold species are typically resistant to commonly-used
fungicides on paperboard
packaging materials, such as carbendazim.
It has further been found that treating the paperboard packaging materials
with a fungicide
that comprises a mixture of chlorothalonil and p-tolyl diiodomethyl sulfone
can effectively inhibit
the growth of mold on the paperboard packaging, especially certain species of
mold such as
aspergillus sydowii and/or penicillium chrysogenum. Such a fungicide material
is commercially
available from Intace S.A. under the tradename INTACE B-6773.
In one embodiment, the method comprises treating a paperboard package with a
fungicide
comprising chlorothalonil and p-tolyl diiodomethyl sulfone and using the
package to contain a
bar soap composition comprising at least about 15%, by weight of the bar soap
composition, of
water.
EXAMPLES
The following are non-limiting examples of the cleansing bar compositions that
are
contained in the bar soap packaging of the present invention. Amounts of each
ingredient are
approximate weight percentages by weight of the bar composition.
Ingredient Example 1 Example 2 Example 3 Example 4
Soap Noodle a 58.00% 58.00% 58.00% 58.00%
Raw Corn Starch 12.09% 8.76% 6.54% 3.20%
Magnesium Sulfate --- 3.00% 5.00% 8.00%
Dye Solution 0.50% 0.02% 0.02% 0.02%
Perfume 0.90% 0.90% 0.90% 0.90%
Sodium Tripolyphosphate 2.50% 2.50% 2.50% 2.50%
Titanium Dioxide 0.50% 0.50% 0.50% 0.50%
Palm Kernel Fatty Acid 0.75% 0.75% 0.75% 0.75%
Approximate Water Lost (1%) (1%) (1%) (1%)
During Processing
Approximate Water 20-25% 20-25% 20-25% 20-25%
Content in Finished
Product
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Ingredient Example 5 Example 6 Example 7 Example 8
Soap Noodle a 58.00% 58.00% 54.00% 54.00%
Raw Corn Starch 3.54% 4.50% 9.25% 9.25%
Magnesium Sulfate 8.00% --- --- ---
Tetrasodium --- 8.00% 8.00% 8.00%
Pyrophosphate
Dye Solution 0.50% 0.50% 0.50% 0.50%
Perfume 0.90% 0.90% 0.90% 0.90%
Sodium Tripolyphosphate 2.50% 2.50% 2.50% 2.50%
Titanium Dioxide 0.50% 0.50% 0.50% 0.50%
Palm Kernel Fatty Acid 0.75% 0.75% 1.50% 0.75%
Sodium Laureth 3 Sulfate --- --- --- 0.75%
Approximate Water Lost (1%) (1%) (1%) (1%)
During Processing
Approximate Water 20-25% 20-25% 20-25% 20-25%
Content in Finished
Product
Ingredient Example 9 Example 10 Example 11 Example 12
Soap Noodle a 58.00% 58.00% 54.00% 54.00%
Glycerin --- --- 3.00% 3.00%
Raw Corn Starch --- 12.50% 17.00% 12.50%
Tetrasodium 8.00% --- --- 3.00%
Pyrophosphate
Brightener 0.02% 0.02% --- ---
Perfume 0.90% 1.20% 1.40% 1.40%
Sodium Tripolyphosphate 2.50% 2.50% 2.50% ---
Titanium Dioxide 0.50% 0.50% 0.50% 0.50%
Palm Kernel Fatty Acid 0.75% 0.75% --- ---
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate --- --- 0.10% 0.10%
Pregelatinized Starch b 4.50% --- --- ---
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Tchlorocarban --- --- 0.60% 0.60%
Dye Solution 0.50% 0.50% 0.50% 0.50%
Approximate Water Lost (1%) (1%) (1%) (1%)
During Processing
Approximate Water 20-25% 20-25% 20-25% 20-25%
Content in Finished
Product
a The Soap Noodle utilized in these examples has the following approximate
composition: about
85% Anhydrous Soap (50% Tallow/30% Palm Oil Stearine/20% Palm Kernel Oil (or
20%
Coconut Oil)), about 0.2% Free Citric Acid, about 0.2% Sodium Citrate, about
0.05%
5 Tetrasodium DPTA, about 0.05% Tetrasodium HEDP, about 0.6% Sodium Chloride,
about 1%
Glycerin, and from about 12% to about 18% Water, the balance being
unsaponifiables. These
percentage amounts are by weight of the Soap Noodle.
b Pregelatinized starch is available as PREGEL-A M 0300 from Tianjin Tingfung
Starch
Development Co., Ltd. of Tianjin, China.
10 In these examples, the Soap Noodles are made via a conventional process
involving a
crutching step and a vacuum drying step. The Soap Noodles are then added to an
amalgamator.
The ingredients of perfume, brightener, and titanium dioxide are then added to
the amalgamator
and mixed for about 10 to 15 seconds. The ingredients such as water, inorganic
salts (such as
sodium tripolyphosphate, tetrasodium pyrophosphate, and/or magnesium sulfate),
free fatty acid
(such as palm kernel fatty acid), carbohydrate structurant (such as raw starch
or pregelatinized
starch), dye solution, and trichlorocarban are then added to the amalgamator
and then mixed for
about 30 to 45 seconds. This soap mixture is then processed through
conventional milling,
plodding, and stamping steps to yield the finished bar soap compositions. The
finished bar soap
compositions are then contained in a bar soap package of the present
invention.
The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood as being
strictly
limited to the exact numerical values recited. Instead, unless otherwise
specified, each such
dimension or value is intended to mean both the recited value and a
functionally equivalent range
surrounding that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as "40 mm" is
intended to mean
"about 40 mm".
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11
The citation of all documents is, in relevant part, not to be construed as an
admission
that it is prior art with respect to the present invention. To the extent that
any meaning or
definition of a term in this written document conflicts with any meaning or
definition of the
term in a cited document, the meaning or definition assigned to the term in
this written
document shall govern.
While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated
and
described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other
changes and
modifications can be made. The scope of the claims should not be limited by
the preferred
embodiments set forth in the examples, but should be given the broadest
interpretation
consistent with the description as a whole.
