Chewable flavor delivery system

Abstract

A flavor delivery system, e.g. oral tobacco substitute comprising a cellulosic plant material dried to 8% or less moisture and having at least 30% cell walls intact, coffee or caffeine extract, non-tobacco flavoring, humectant, minor amount of sweetening agent and optional tobacco flavoring. The compositions can be used as prepared or placed in heat sealable paper pouches.

What is claimed:  
     
         1 . A chewable flavor delivery system comprising in combination: 
 a carrier consisting of an edible cellulosic plant material dried to a moisture content of at or below 8% by weight; said plant material having at least 30% intact cell walls;    a water soluble but not water containing flavoring ingredient in liquid form and capable of entering said cell walls of said plant material; and    an effective amount of a food safe humectant.    
     
     
         2 . A delivery system according to  claim 1 , wherein said cellulosic plant material is formed into strands.  
     
     
         3 . A delivery system according to  claim 1 , wherein said cellulosic material is in a granular form.  
     
     
         4 . A delivery system according to  claim 3 , wherein said cellulosic material is sized to pass a 16 mesh and be retained on a 30 mesh screen of a U.S. Standard Sieve Series of screens.  
     
     
         5 . A delivery system according to  claim 4 , wherein said cellulosic material is sized to pass a 16 mesh screen and be retained on a 20 mesh screen.  
     
     
         6 . A delivery system according to  claim 4 , wherein said cellulosic material is sized to pass a 20 mesh screen and be retained on a 30 mesh screen.  
     
     
         7 . A delivery system according to  claim 1 , wherein said humectant is selected from the group consisting of propylene glycol and glycerin.  
     
     
         8 . A delivery system according to  claim 1 , including a minor amount of a sweetening agent.  
     
     
         9 . A delivery system according to  claim 1 , wherein said cellulosic plant material is freeze dried green cabbage classified as  Brassica oleracea capitata.    
     
     
         10 . A flavor delivery system comprising in combination: 
 a heat sealable paper pouch adapted to be placed in the mouth of a user; and    a mixture comprising an edible cellulosic plant material having at least 30% intact cells, a flavoring ingredient, incorporated into said plant material and a humectant, inserted into said paper pouch.    
     
     
         11 . A flavor delivery system according to  claim 10 , wherein said cellulosic material is in a granular form.  
     
     
         12 . A flavor delivery system according to  claim 11 , wherein said cellulosic material is sized to pass a 16 mesh and be retained on a 30 mesh screen of a U.S. Standard Sieve Series of screens.  
     
     
         13 . A flavor delivery system according to  claim 12 , wherein said cellulosic material is sized to pass a 16 mesh screen and be retained on a mesh screen.  
     
     
         14 . A flavor delivery system according to  claim 12 , wherein said cellulosic material is sized to pass a 20 mesh screen and be retained on a 30 mesh screen.  
     
     
         15 . A flavor delivery system according to  claim 10 , wherein said humectant is selected from the group consisting of propylene glycol and glycerin.  
     
     
         16 . A flavor delivery system according to  claim 10 , including a minor amount of a sweetening agent.  
     
     
         17 . A flavor delivery system according to  claim 10  wherein, said cellulosic plant material is freeze dried green cabbage classified as  Brassica oleracea capitata.    
     
     
         18 . An oral tobacco substitute comprising in combination: 
 an edible cellulose plant material dried to a moisture content at or below 8% by weight, said plant material having at least 30% intact cell walls;    a water soluble but not water containing flavoring ingredient in liquid form and capable of entering said cell walls of said plant material; and    an effective amount of a food safe humectant.    
     
     
         19 . A tobacco substitute according to  claim 18 , wherein said cellulosic plant material is formed into strands.  
     
     
         20 . A tobacco substitute according to  claim 18 , wherein said cellulosic material is in a granular form.  
     
     
         21 . A tobacco substitute according to  claim 20 , wherein said cellulosic material is sized to pass a 16 mesh and be retained on a 30 mesh screen of a U.S. Standard Sieve Series of screens.  
     
     
         22 . A tobacco substitute according to  claim 21 , wherein said cellulosic material is sized to pass a 16 mesh screen and be retained in a 20 mesh screen.  
     
     
         23 . A tobacco substitute according to  claim 21 , wherein said cellulosic material is sized to pass a 20 mesh screen and be retained on a 30 mesh screen.  
     
     
         24 . A tobacco substitute according to  claim 18 , wherein said humectant is selected from the group consisting of propylene glycol and glycerin.  
     
     
         25 . A tobacco substitute according to  claim 18 , including a minor amount of a sweetening agent.  
     
     
         26 . A tobacco substitute according to  claim 18 , wherein said cellulosic plant material is freeze dried green cabbage classified as  Brassica oleracea capitata.    
     
     
         27 . A tobacco substitute comprising in combination: 
 26 to 46 percent by weight cellulosic plant material having at least about 30% intact cell walls;    29 to 53% by weight humectant;    11 to 14% by weight being one of coffee or caffeine    0.7 to 1% by weight sweetening agent; and    5 to 10% by weight flavoring ingredient other than tobacco.    
     
     
         28 . A tobacco substitute according to  claim 27 , wherein said cellulosic plant material is freeze dried green cabbage classified in Brassica oleracea capituta.  
     
     
         29 . A tobacco substitute according to  claim 28 , wherein said cabbage is in granular form.  
     
     
         30 . A tobacco substitute according to  claim 29 , wherein said cabbage granulars are sized to pass a 16 mesh and be retained on a 30 mesh screen of a U.S. Standard Sieve Series of screens.  
     
     
         31 . A tobacco substitute according to  claim 30 , wherein said cellulosic material is sized to pass a 16 mesh screen and be retained on a 20 mesh screen.  
     
     
         32 . A tobacco substitute according to  claim 30 , wherein said cellulosic material is sized to pass a 20 mesh screen and be retained on a 30 mesh screen.  
     
     
         33 . A tobacco substitute according to  claim 28 , wherein said cabbage is formed into strands.  
     
     
         34 . A tobacco substitute according to  claim 28 , including up to 1% by weight tobacco flavoring.  
     
     
         35 . A tobacco substitute according to  claim 28 , including an effective amount of a coloring agent to give said cellulosic material to appearance of chewing tobacco.