# US 9,433,229 B2 · Amorphous chewing gum bulk material

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- Number: US 9,433,229 B2
- Document ID: US9433229B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/521,512
- Filed: 2011-03-01
- Published: 2013-06-13
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2010-03-01
- Assignees: Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company
- Applicants: Michael A. Reed; Pamela M. Mazurek; Dominic Lettiere
- Inventors: Michael A. Reed; Pamela M. Mazurek; Dominic Lettiere
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9433229B2

## CPC

- A23G 4/06: characterised by the composition {containing organic or inorganic compounds}
- A23G 4/10: characterised by the carbohydrates used, e.g. polysaccharides (containing dairy products A23G4/16)
- A23L 27/34: {Sugar alcohols}
- A23L 29/37: {Sugar alcohols}
- 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
- A23L: FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF (preservation thereof A23B)
- 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 bulk material suitable for use in a chewing gum contains at least about 40 wt. % dry basis sorbitol, at least about 7 wt. % dry basis other than sorbitol, and no more than about 10 wt. % water, wherein the bulk material is amorphous and remains amorphous with shear. A chewing gum, comprising: a) a gum base; b) a flavor; and c) a bulk material contains at least 40 wt. % dry basis sorbitol, at least 7 wt. % dry basis polyol other than sorbitol and no more than 10 wt. % water.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A bulk material suitable for use in a chewing gum consisting of:
a) at least 65 wt. % dry basis solids sorbitol;
b) about 5-20 wt. % dry basis solids maltitol;
c) no more than 2 wt. % dry basis solids glycerin; and
d) no more than 10 wt. % water;
wherein the bulk material has a glass transition temperature between 30-80° C. as measured by differential scanning calorimetry.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The bulk material of claim 1, wherein the bulk material is amorphous.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The bulk material of claim 1, wherein the bulk material has a Tg of 40-70° C. as measure by differential scanning calorimetry.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The bulk material of claim 1, wherein the bulk material has a Tg of 45-60° C. as measured by differential scanning calorimetry.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The bulk material of claim 1, wherein the bulk material comprises not more than 6 wt. % water.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The bulk material of claim 1, wherein the bulk material comprises a refractive index of 1.3-1.8 at 20° C.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The bulk material of claim 1, wherein the bulk material comprises a refractive index of 1.5-1.6 at 20° C.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The bulk material of claim 1, wherein the bulk material comprises no more than 0.5 wt. % dry basis solids glycerin.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The bulk material of claim 1, wherein the bulk material will not crystallize in less than 10 hours when stored at not less than 70° C.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The bulk material of claim 1, wherein the bulk material has a viscosity of 10,000 cps-15,000 cps at 140° F.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The bulk material of claim 1, wherein the bulk material has a viscosity of 30,000 cps-50,000 cps at 130° F.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

A chewing gum, comprising:
a) a gum base;
b) a flavor; and
c) a bulk material of claim 1.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The chewing gum of claim 12, wherein the bulk material has a Tg of 45-60° C., a refractive index of 1.5-1.6 at 20° C., and a viscosity of 10,000-15,000 cps at 140° F.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

A method of producing the chewing gum of claim 12, comprising the steps of: mixing the bulk material with the gum base; wherein the difference in the temperature between the bulk material and gum base is less than 30° C. at the time of mixing.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the temperature of the bulk material is not greater than 60° C.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the bulk material has a glass transition temperature lower than the gum base temperature.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

A method of making the bulk material of claim 1, comprising the steps of:
a) supplying a starting material consisting of at least 65 wt. % dry basis solids sorbitol, 5-20 wt. % dry basis solids maltitol, not more than 2 wt. % dry basis solids glycerin, and at least 25 wt. % water to an evaporator;
b) reducing the water content of the mixture to no greater than 10 wt. % water by evaporation; and
c) reducing the evaporated mixture temperature from about 75-90° C. to about 35-65° C. in such a way as to not crystallize the sorbitol or maltitol.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the evaporation is conducted under vacuum.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the evaporation and/or temperature reduction is conducted using a Plate Heat Exchanger.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the evaporation and/or temperature reduction is conducted using a Tube-in-Tube evaporator.