Encapsulated acid, method for the preparation thereof, and chewing gum comprising same

A method of preparing an encapsulated food-grade acid comprising:

• melt blending
• about 30 to about 90 weight percent of a poly(vinyl acetate) having a weight average molecular weight from 80,000 to 300,000 atomic mass units;
• about 5 to about 20 weight percent of a fatty acid salt, wherein the fatty acid salt is selected from the group consisting of a sodium salt of a C12-C36 aliphatic carboxylic acid, a potassium salt of a C12-C36 aliphatic carboxylic acid, a calcium salt of a C12-C36 aliphatic carboxylic acid, a zinc salt of a C12-C36 liphatic carboxylic acid, a magnesium salt of a C12-C36 aliphatic carboxylic acid, an aluminum salt of a C12-C36 aliphatic carboxylic acid, and combinations thereof;
• and
• about 5 to about 50 weight percent of a food-grade acid, wherein the food-grade acid is selected from the group consisting of adipic acid, ascorbic acid, aspartic acid, benzoic acid, citric acid, fumaric acid, glutamic acid, maleic acid, malic acid, oxalic acid, phosphoric acid, sorbic acid, succinic acid, tartaric acid, and mixtures thereof;
• to form an encapsulated food-grade acid;
• wherein all weight percents are based on the total weight of the encapsulated food-grade acid composition.