MXPA00003127A - Method for continuously producing chewing gum - Google Patents

Abstract

An improved process for continuously producing chewing gum products. A continuous extrusion machine is utilized preferably with a rotating twin-screw mixing mechanism (10). The sugar ingredient of the chewing gum product is divided into two portions to improve texture of the final product. One portion (34) is added at the initial upstream end of the extrusion process, while the other portion(52) is added after most of the other ingredients have been included in the gum mass. The flavoring ingredients can also be divided into two portions, one portion (46) introduced into the extrusion process upstream of the sugar material and the other portion (54) introduced downstream of the other ingredients. Splitting the sugar and flavoring ingredients affects the texture and flavor release profiles of the final gum product (16).

Description

METHOD FOR THE CONTINUOUS PRODUCTION OF MASCARA TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to improved processes for continuously producing chewing gum, such as chewing gum and bubble gum, having improved texture and flavor release.

Background of the Invention There are several currently known systems for producing chewing gum bases and final chewing gum products, such as chewing gums and pump gum. The present invention can be used with all types of sugar chewing gum and bubble gum pump. For ease of reference, all chewing gums will be referred to herein by the single term "chewing gum". Typically, the chewing gum base is made separately from the final chewing gum product, although there are several systems that are capable of producing a final chewing gum product in a continuous process. In general, a chewing gum composition typically comprises a water-soluble volume portion, a water-insoluble chewing gum base portion, and typically soluble flavoring agents and water. The insoluble gum base generally comprises elastomers, elastomer solvents, fillers, resins, polyvinyl acetate (PVA), fats, plasticizers, waxes, emulsifiers, and other miscellaneous ingredients. The flavor can be added in various ways, and can have either a sugar base to sweeten or an acid base to provide an acid or bittersweet flavor. The water-soluble portion of the gum composition is decimated with a portion of flavoring agents for a period of time when chewing. The gum base portion is retained in the mouth for as long as the product is being chewed. Numerous chewing gums and chewing gum bases have been produced in the past using a batch method. Typically single batch batch mixers are used for these processes. The gum base ingredients are added either separately or simultaneously in the batch mixer and the materials are melted and mixed over a period of time. After the gum base is processed, the molten gum base batch is emptied into lined or coated trays, or transferred to other equipment such as container tanks or filling devices, then extruded or cast into a mold, and it is allowed to cool and solidify, before being ready to be used in a chewing gum. When the final chewing gum products are processed using a batch method, the portions of the gum base, together with softeners and bulking agents, are added to the mixer. Then, flavorings such as flavor oils and / or spray-dried flavors (sweeteners and acids) are added while mixing is continued until a homogeneous mass is obtained. Systems of this type are shown, for example, in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,816,265, 5,000,965 and 5,057,328. The chewing gum mass is then cooled and rolled, cut, and wrapped to form the final product. Continuous extrusion machines have also been used to produce chewing gum bases and final chewing gum products, or both. The use of continuous extruders to make a final chewing gum product is shown, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 5,135,762 to Degady et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,045,325 to Lesko et al., And U.S. Patent No. 4,555,407 by Kramer et al. The processes known in the art to continuously produce a chewing gum base with the use of a continuous extrusion machine are shown, for example, in US Patent Nos. 5,419,919 and 5,486,366, both to Song et al. The chewing gum base and the chewing gum product processes described in these patents typically use a continuous extrusion machine, such as a twin screw extruder. These extruders typically have several different feed inputs where the ingredients are added. The elongated screws inside the extruder cylinders are equipped with different types of elements. Continuous extrusion machines that can be used to produce chewing gum bases and final chewing gum products include Togum extruders, Baker Perkins, Werner &; Pfleiderer Corp., Japan Steel Works, Leistriztz, WLS, and Buss Manufacturing Company. Several efforts have been tried in the past to extend the taste of chewing gums for a longer period of time. These efforts include, for example, controlled release of flavor, microencapsulation of flavor or other materials, and the like. Such systems are shown, for example, in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,057,328 to Cherukuri et al. and 5,116,627 to Rutherford et al. Other methods involve granulating or agglomerating ingredients in a granular matrix to provide a more controlled release of ingredients. This is shown, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 5,124,160 to Zibell et al. Efforts have also been made to change the texture of the final chewing gum product. It is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved process for the production of chewing gum products. It is also an object of the present invention to provide an improved process for increasing the flavor profile length for the chewing gum product. It is still another object of the present invention to provide a system for continually preparing chewing gum products which have a controlled texture profile as well as a controlled flavor profile. It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved process for continuously producing chewing gum products in which the flavor is slowed down more evenly and uniformly than in known chewing gum products. These and other objects are fulfilled by the present invention, in which a preferred form of the invention is described hereinafter.

Brief Description of the Invention The present invention provides an improved system for continuously producing a chewing gum product, in particular, the present invention provides an improved process for producing a final chewing gum product which has an improved texture. and which may have its flavor profile changed as desired to have an initial "explosion" of flavor and / or a longer or longer flavor liration.

In accordance with the present invention, a continuous extrusion processor is used to produce the chewing gum product. Several ingredients are added to the extruder. Including a base of gum, sugar, softeners, plasticizers, oils and flavorings. The sugar is divided into two portions, a portion added at the beginning of the extrusion process and the other portion added as one of the final ingredients. By dividing the sugar into two portions, the texture of the final chewing gum product is affected and makes it softer and more chewable. Adding the downstream flavor of the other ingredients creates an initial "burst" of flavor when the gum is chewed. By dividing the flavor and adding a portion of it upstream changes the flavor profile of the gum and creates a more uniform and slower flavor release during chewing. Any additional flavorings can be used with the present invention, including sweet flavors and acid or bittersweet flavorings. By dividing the sugar material in the extruder, as well as controlling other extrusion parameters, such as the extruder speed and the temperatures of the various extrusion cylinders, control of the texture and flavor profiles is allowed and allows the production of various types of chewing gum products. The present invention allows a better quality final product to be prepared, as well as a product in which the flavor can be released in different amounts at different times during chewing. These and other features, advantages, and benefits of the present invention will be obvious from the following description, taken in conjunction with the drawings and appended claims.

Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a continuous chewing gum system according to the present invention, wherein A is # 1 sugar, B gum base, C flavor # 1, D sugar # 2, E flavor # 2, F engine and G rubber finished; and Figure 2 represents the system of Figure 1 in which a side feeder is used.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Referring to Figure 1, a continuous chewing gum manufacturing process is shown schematically, which uses an extrusion mixer 10. The extruder 10 can be of any conventional type and has a motor and a control mechanism 12 and an elongated cylinder member 14. The continuous extruder 10 can be of any conventional type available from any extruder manufacturer known today, such as Japan Steel Words, Leistriztz, Werner & Pfleiderer Corp., Togum, WLS, Baker Perkins, and / or Buss Manufacturing Company. Preferably, however, the continuous extruder 10 is a co-rotating twin screw extruder. Typically, continuous extrusion machines use twin screw mechanisms, which are either co-rotational, counter-rotational, interengage or tangential. These extruders have one or more elongated screw members in the cylinders 14 which intermix and process ingredients and materials for the final rubber product 16. The elongated screw members have different types of screw elements therein for processing the materials that are fed into the cylinder 14. The elongated screw members use different types of screw elements to process the materials in the extruder. The most common types of screw elements include conveyor elements, compression elements, elements of transport in reverse, homogenizing elements such as cutting discs and tooth elements, and kneading discs and kneading blocks. These elements and other elements typically used in extruder machines, especially in twin screw extruders are well known in the art and are commercially available. The elements are often specifically designed for the particular type of extruder used and the particular type of ingredients used in the desired end product. The extruders typically have a number of separate stages along the length of the cylinder 14. In the preferred embodiment of Werner &; Pfleiderer shown in Figure 1, nine sections or separate cylinder members (numbered 1-9) are provided. Each of the cylinder sections 14a to 14i is heated and cooled separately to be able to keep the material inside the cylinder at an appropriate processing temperature and consistency. The extruders typically have different feed inputs where the ingredients are added. For example, as shown in Figure 1, the extruder 10 has a first feed inlet 18 like other inlets 20, 22, 24, 26, 27, 28, 30 and 32 placed downstream in the cylinder 14. typically solid ingredients, such as sugar 34 and scavengers 36 are introduced to the cylinder through the upstream initial inlet port 18. Other ingredients, usually in a liquid condition, are introduced into one or more of the downstream ports. These and other ingredients include, for example, rubber base 38, softeners or plasticizers, such as corn syrup 40, lecithin 42 and oil 44, flavorings 46, and dyes 48. The chewing gum ingredients are added to the extruder barrel. through one or more conventional mechanisms or systems. For example, sugar 34 and scavenging materials 36 can be added by conventional weight loss feeders (LIW). The LIW feeders measure and regulate the flow of material within the cylinder 14. The rubber base 38 is typically introduced into the extruder in a molten condition by means of a conventional metering and pumping system. Softeners, plasticizers, oils and dyes are liquid materials and are typically added into the cylinder through conventional liquid metering and pumping systems. The flavoring materials or ingredients 46 are typically injected into the cylinder 14 by means of a conventional liquid injection system. The second portion 52 (sugar # 2) of the sugar ingredient can also be added to the main extruder 10 'by the use of a conventional side feeder apparatus 60, as shown in Figure 2. ingredients are introduced into the screw cavity in the cylinder members or sections 14a-14f (numbers 1-6) where they are mixed together to form a homogeneous mass. The mixed material is then compressed into the cylinder sections 14g-14i (numbers 7-9) where the internal cavity is filled and the pressure builds up. A vent 50 is typically provided between the compression and mixing sections of the cylinder to eliminate unwanted accumulation of gases before the mass of material enters the compression portion of the cylinder. To be able to introduce certain materials into the extrusion process, it is also possible to use a side feeder. The side feeder can be any conventional extrusion apparatus, such as those available from Buss Manufacturing Company, Baker Perkins, and Werner & Pfleiderer Corp. The side feeder has a motor and a control mechanism and an elongated cylinder. An inlet channel is used to supply materials to the side feeder. The side feeder is connected to the main extruder, preferably with an adapter mechanism. Rubber base 32 is typically intermixed with a filler of some kind, such as dicalcium phosphate. Dicalcium phosphate acts as a lubricant or dedusting agent, and other conventional materials can be used for that same purpose, such as talc or atomite. Once the rubber materials are introduced into the extruder 10, they are transported by the elongated screws along the length of the cylinder 14. The final rubber product 16 is extruded from the extruder 10 at the downstream end. According to the present invention, certain ingredients selected from the chewing gum product are or can be divided into two portions so that they can be added at different stages in the extrusion process in order to ensure different texture and flavor profiles. In particular, the sugar and flavoring ingredients can be divided into two portions according to the present invention. As shown in Figure 1, the sugar ingredient is added in two separate places in the rubber production system. The sugar is divided into two portions (sugar # 1-34 and sugar # 2-52), each portion having substantially the same size and volume. The first portion or amount of sugar 34 is added at the initial or upstream end of the extrusion process, preferably in the inlet channel 18 in the cylinder section 14a (No. 1). The second portion or amount of sugar 52 is added to a downstream position of all the other ingredients, as in cylinder section 14f (No. 6). By dividing the sugar material into two portions and adding them in separate places in the rubber extrusion process, the granulation and texture of the final product is affected. This results in a less granular and more uniform final gum product than if all the sugar were added at one time and in one place. (Adding all the required sugar at the 14f place (No. 6) results in a less uniform and more granular final gum product). Adding the sugar in two separate places also allows the sugar to mix in the mass of material more evenly, which provides a better sweetness profile over time for the final rubber product when chewed. Although the preferred process according to the present invention divides the sugar material into two portions having substantially the same weight and amount, it is also possible to divide the sugar into two portions, which differs significantly in weight and amount. For example, it is possible to add 60-75% of the sugar material in the downstream location (cylinder section 14f) and add the remainder 25-40% of the sugar material in the initial channel (cylinder section 14a), although it can result in a final rubber material which is not as smooth as that produced by the preferred process. The flavor ingredient can also be divided and added in two portions and places in the extrusion process. For example, the flavor can be divided into two portions with the first portion 46 (flavor # 1) being added at port 26 and the second portion 54 (flavor # 2) being added at port 32 of intersection between cylinders 14g and 14h By adding a portion of the flavor in a portion upstream of the extruder, the flavor is incorporated more uniformly and completely into the rubber material in the extruder and results in a longer and uniform flavor release in the final product. By adding a portion of the flavor in a downstream port, such as in 32 between cylinder sections 14g and 14h, an initial taste "burst" can be provided in the final rubber product 16. As indicated above, the flavor that can be used for the gum product can be a sweet flavor or an acid or bittersweet flavor, each of which is conventionally known in the field of chewing gums. In this regard, acid or bittersweet flavorings are typically provided by the addition of citric acid. Auxiliary systems (not shown) which aid in the addition and injection of the solid or liquid ingredients within the extruder 10 are placed along the length of the extruder. Said feeding systems which may include conveyor and pumping elements, side feeders, gravity feeders and the like, all are conventionally known and do not need to be shown in detail herein. If acidic material is added to the extruder 10 in order to obtain a finished acidic gum product, then the amount of acid added must be regulated in relation to the amount of sugar in order to avoid granulation in the final product. Acid materials are typically added in a granular condition and if they add more than 2-3 percent acidic materials to the composition, then the division of the sugar material into two portions is necessary in order to prevent or minimize the granulation of the final finished rubber product. Also, the extruder speed can be changed to control the texture and "hardness" of the final finished rubber product 16. The faster the extruder speed, the smoother the final rubber product will be, since the rubber based elastomer breaks more effectively. On the other hand, the slower the extruder's speed, the harder the rubber will be as it breaks less elastomer. The optimum extruder screw speed can be selected by trial and error for the particular extruder and rubber material used. It is also possible to add solid scavengers within the final finished rubber extrusion process by a side feeder (not shown). Preferably, the temperature of the extrusion process in the extruder 10 is kept to a minimum. The conveyor elements should provide a minimum accumulation of temperature in the cylinder 14 and provide a low-cut mixing process. For this purpose, each of the cylinder sections 14 a-14 i is cooled separately with a glycol-water mixture and maintained at approximately OEF. a low temperature is important since it eliminates or minimizes the volatilization of the flavor in the material in the extruder. This is particularly preferable since the flavoring elements are very often the most expensive ingredients in the composition of the gum. In this respect it is preferred to run the twin screw extrusion machine in the order of 50-100 revolutions per minute (RPM) and to maintain the temperature of the rubber material in the range of 110-125EF. Since the best modes for carrying out the invention have been described in detail, those familiar with the art to which this invention relates will recognize various alternative designs and embodiments for practicing the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (3)

1. REIVIN DICACIO N ES 1. Method for continuously producing chewing gum materials in a continuous extrusion mixer, the gum materials include ingredients such as gum base, sugar flavorings, softeners and plasticizers, characterized in that the method comprises the steps of: dividing the sugar ingredient of the rubber material in two portions; introducing a first portion of the sugar product into a first portion of the extrusion mixer; introducing a second portion of the sugar segment into a second section of the extruder mixer downstream of the first section; wherein the texture profile of the final chewing gum material is improved.
2. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the extrusion mixer has at least three sections, the first section is the initial upstream end of the mixer, the second section is downstream of the mixer. First section and third section is placed between the first and second section, and wherein the method further comprises the step of introducing the gum base, flavorings and other ingredients into the extrusion mixer in the third section.
3. 3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that it further comprises the step of dividing the flavoring ingredient of the gum material into a first flavor portion and a second flavor portion, and introducing the first flavor portion into the third section and introducing the second flavor section downstream of the second section of the sugar ingredient, wherein an initial burst of flavor is experienced when the final gum material is chewed.