# US 4,352,825 A · Coextruded chewing gum containing a soft core portion > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 4,352,825 A - Document ID: US4352825A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 06/237,340 - Filed: 1981-02-23 - Granted: 1982-10-05 - Earliest claimed: 1981-02-23 - Assignees: Nabisco Brands, Inc. - Inventors: Subraman R. Cherukuri; Raymond L. Roy; Dominick R. Friello; Stephen H. Wolf - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4352825A ## CPC - A23G 4/20: Composite products, e.g. centre-filled {, multi-layer, laminated} - A23G 4/046: {with a centre made of chewing gum} - A23G 4/08: of the chewing gum base - A23V 2002/00: Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs - A23G: COCOA; COCOA PRODUCTS, e.g. CHOCOLATE; SUBSTITUTES FOR COCOA OR COCOA PRODUCTS; CONFECTIONERY; CHEWING GUM; ICE-CREAM; PREPARATION THEREOF - A23V: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND LACTIC OR PROPIONIC ACID BACTERIA USED IN FOODSTUFFS OR FOOD PREPARATION ## Abstract A coextruded chewing gum is provided which includes an extruded center portion surrounded by and bonded to an extruded outer shell portion. The center portion of the coextruded chewing gum will be of a generally soft consistency, substantially softer than that ordinarily employed in chewing gums of conventional structure, while the outer shell portion will provide a protective layer or coating for the core portion to inhibit sweating and stickiness and thereby allow for use of conventional wrapping machines. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A coextruded chewing gum having a soft gum center portion, comprising an extruded soft gum core portion and an outer shell portion formed of chewing gum and extruded simultaneously with said core portion, said core portion formed of chewing gum containing more than about 5 up to about 10% by weight moisture based on the weight of the core portion and containing therein a preformed recrystallized sweetener combination including at least two sweeteners which have been recrystallized as a mixture, dispersed as said recrystallized mixture in said gum base, and one or more flavors dispersed in said gum base, said outer shell portion, which contains any of gum base, bulking agents, sweeteners, and flavors and has a harder consistency than said core portion, being bonded to said core portion to provide a support and protective barrier therefor to retain said moisture in said core portion and retard migration of moisture therefrom. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The coextruded chewing gum as defined in claim 1 wherein said core portion comprises from about 5 to about 90% by weight of said coextruded chewing gum and said outer shell portion comprises from about 10 to about 95% by weight of said coextruded chewing gum. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The coextruded chewing gum as defined in claim 1 wherein said core portion is present in a weight ratio to said outer shell portion of from about 0.05:1 to about 9:1. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The coextruded chewing gum as defined in claim 1 wherein at least one of said sweeteners in said recrystallized mixture is sucrose. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The coextruded chewing gum as defined in claim 1 wherein at least one of said sweeteners in the recrystallized mixture is high fructose syrup or fructose dispersed in water. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The coextruded chewing gum as defined in claim 5 wherein said recrystallized mixture further includes liquid glucose, corn syrup, invert syrup or mixtures of two or more of such sweeteners. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The coextruded chewing gum as defined in claim 1 wherein said recrystallized mixture comprises sucrose, and high fructose syrup. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The coextruded chewing gum as defined in claim 7 wherein said recrystallized mixture further includes liquid glucose, corn syrup, hydrogenated starch hydrolysate, invert sugar, sorbitol syrup, or mixtures of two or more of such sweeteners. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The chewing gum as defined in claim 1 wherein said recrystallized mixture comprises from about 40 to about 85% by weight of said core gum portion. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The coextruded chewing gum as defined in claim 1 wherein said core gum portion has a short fondant or nougat structure. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The coextruded chewing gum as defined in claim 1 wherein said recrystallized mixture comprises a mixture of one or more solid sweeteners and one or more liquid sweeteners which coat said solid sweeteners. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The coextruded chewing gum as defined in claim 11 wherein said solid sweetener comprises sucrose or sorbitol and said liquid sweetener comprises high fructose syrup, sorbitol syrup, hydrogenated starch hydrolysate, corn syrup, invert sugar or mixtures of two or more thereof. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The coextruded chewing gum as defined in claim 1 wherein said recrystallized mixture comprises recrystallized sorbitol and sorbitol syrup or hydrogenated starch hydrolysate. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The coextruded chewing gum as defined in claim 1 wherein said recrystallized mixture comprises from about 35 to about 95% by weight sucrose, from about 5 to about 50% by weight high fructose syrup, from about 1 to about 30% by weight liquid glucose, from about 1 to about 30% by weight corn syrup, and from about 1 to about 25% by weight invert sugar, all of said percents being based on the weight of the recrystallized mixture of said core portion. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The coextruded chewing gum as defined in claim 1 wherein said core portion is free of corn syrup and said core portion comprises gum base, pure fructose syrup, sweetener-bulking agent, and flavor, and containing no additional humectant. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The coextruded chewing gum as defined in claim 15 wherein said pure fructose syrup is present in an amount of from about 8 to about 30% by weight of said core portion. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The coextruded chewing gum as defined in claim 16 wherein said pure fructose syrup contains from about 25 to about 90% by weight fructose solids. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The coextruded chewing gum as defined in claim 17 wherein said pure fructose syrup contains from about 40 to about 90% by weight fructose solids. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The coextruded chewing gum as defined in claim 15 wherein said sweetener-bulking agent is sugar or sorbitol. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The coextruded chewing gum as defined in claim 15 wherein said sweetener-bulking agent is present in an amount within the range of from about 30 to about 80% by weight of said core gum portion. ### Claim 21 (depends on 15) The coextruded chewing gum as defined in claim 15 wherein said core gum base is bubble gum base. ### Claim 22 (depends on 15) The coextruded chewing gum as defined in claim 15 wherein said core gum base is non-bubble gum base. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The coextruded chewing gum as defined in claim 1 wherein said core or outer shell portion is formed of chewing gum which provides fast flavor and sweetness release, while the other of said portions is formed of chewing gum which provides slow initial but prolonged sweetness or flavor release. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) A method for forming a coextruded chewing gum as defined in claim 1, which comprises providing a chewing gum for said core portion containing more than about 5 up to about 10% by weight moisture based on the weight of said core portion, and a chewing gum for said outer portion having a harder consistency than the chewing gum of said core portion, said core portion comprising gum base and a preformed recrystallized sweetener combination including at least two sweeteners which have been recrystallized as a mixture, dispersed as said recrystallized mixture in said gum base, and one or more flavors dispersed in said gum base; and extruding a rope of said chewing gum comprising said core portion, and simultaneously extruding a rope of said chewing gum comprising said outer shell portion about said extruded core portion to completely surround and form a protective barrier around and bonded to the core portion and thereby retard migration of moisture from said core portion to the outer shell portion. ### Claim 25 (depends on 3, 24) The extruded chewing gum as defined in claim 3 and claim 24 wherein said core portion is present in a weight ratio to said outer shell portion of from about 0.67:1 to about 3:1.