Method for producing chewing gum granules, a gum composition extruder and granulating system, and a chewing gum products

A method for producing a final product of chewing gum tablets, the method comprising:

• producing an intermediate product of chewing gum granules for use in compressed chewing gum tablets, wherein the method comprises at least the steps of:
• a) feeding a gum composition into an extruder;
• b) adding at least one flavor including fragile flavor components to the gum composition in the extruder immediately before the gum composition is extruded, wherein the fragile flavour is a flavour which is not capable of sustaining mixing at temperatures of about 120° C. over a time period of approximately 10 to 15 minutes;
• c) pressurizing the thus flavored gum composition in the extruder while controlling temperature and pressure of the gum composition so that the temperature of the flavored gum composition in the extruder is below 70° C. when the pressure of the flavored gum composition is in the range from 1 to 5 hPa, whereas the pressure of the flavored gum composition in the extruder is of at least 5 hPa if the temperature of the flavored gum composition exceeds 70° C.;
• d) extruding the gum composition through a die means;
• and
• e) cutting the extruded gum composition in a liquid filled chamber;
• producing the final product of chewing gum tablets by further performing the step of:
• including the extruded and cut gum composition in chewing gum tablets compressed in a tablet pressing apparatus.