Use of lactose-hydrolyzed whey in chewing gum
AssigneeCorning Glass Works
InventorsAbraham I. Bakal, Tommy L. Crossman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Lactose-hydrolyzed whey or whey fractions are used in chewing gum to replace all or a part of the soluble sweetner, emulsifier and plasticizer components of conventional chewing gum formulations. The use of these materials allows the production of softer chewing gums which are not sticky and of athletic chewing gums which promote salivation. The use of the disclosed whey-based materials results in lower costs for chewing gum products, as well as providing a means to utilize the abundant food value of whey.
Claims18
A chewing gum which comprises:
- (a) a gum base component;
- (b) a sweetening, plasticizing, and emulsifying component comprising from about 0.5 to about 60 percent by weight of a whey or a whey fraction which has a protein content of from about 2 to about 90 percent on a dry weight basis, and which has been lactose hydrolysed such that at least about 30 percent of the lactose, content of from about 5 to about 85 percent on a dry weight basis, has been hydrolyzed;
- and
- (c) a soluble sweetener component, and a flavoring component, as required.
A soft chewing gum which comprises:
- (a) a gum base component;
- (b) a sweetening, plasticizing, and emulsifying component comprising from about 0.5 to about 20 percent by weight of a syrup composed of lactose-hydrolyzed whey or a lactose-hydrolyzed whey fraction, which syrup has a protein content of from about 2 to about 90 percent on a dry weight basis and has been lactose hydrolyzed such that at least about 30 percent of the lactose content of from about 5 to about 85 percent on a dry weight basis has been hydrolyzed;
- and
- (c) a soluble sweetener component, and a flavoring component, as required.
An athletic chewing gum which comprises:
- (a) a gum base component;
- (b) a sweetening, plasticizing, and emulsifying component comprising from about 0.5 to about 60 percent by weight of lactose-hydrolyzed whey or a lactose-hydrolyzed whey fraction which as a protein content of from about 2 to about 90 percent on a dry weight basis, a mineral content of from about 2 to about 8 percent on a dry weight basis, and which has been lactose hydrolyzed such that at least about 30 percent of the lactose content of from about 5 to 85 percent has been hydrolyzed;
- and
- (c) a soluble sweetener component, and a flavoring component, as required.
A method for softening chewing gum which comprises admixing, with a mixture suitable for making chewing gum, a plasticizer and emulsifier comprising lactose-hydrolyzed whey or a lactose-hydrolyzed whey fraction which has a protein content of from about 2 to about 90 percent on a dry weight basis and which has been lactose hydrolyzed such that at least 30 percent of the lactose content of from about 5 to 85 percent has been hydrolyzed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.