Multi-region chewing gum composition including isomalt gum region

Abstract

The present invention relates to chewing or bubble gum compositions that include a first region composition and a second, or gum, region adjacent to or surrounding the first region. The first region composition may be a center-fill composition, such as a liquid-fill composition. The second region includes a polyol composition including isomalt alone or in combination with other polyols. The addition of isomalt to the second region provides stability to the chewing gum composition and reduces the problem of leaking and migration of the first region composition into the second region. The multi-region chewing gum composition also may include a coating region which surrounds or covers the second region.

1 . A multi-region chewing gum composition comprising: 
 (a) a first region composition; and    (b) a second region composition adjacent to said first region composition, said second region composition comprising an elastomer and a polyol composition comprising isomalt alone or in combination with at least a second polyol.    
     
     
         2 . The chewing gum composition of  claim 1 , wherein said first region composition is a center-fill composition and said second region composition is a chewing gum region surrounding said center-fill composition.  
     
     
         3 . The chewing gum composition of  claim 1 , wherein said isomalt is present in amounts of about 60% to about 100% by weight of said polyol composition.  
     
     
         4 . The chewing gum composition of  claim 1 , wherein said isomalt has a particle size of about 15 to about 100 microns.  
     
     
         5 . The chewing gum composition of  claim 1 , wherein said isomalt has a particle size of about 15 to about 70 microns.  
     
     
         6 . The chewing gum composition of  claim 1 , wherein said isomalt has a particle size of about 20 to about 50 microns.  
     
     
         7 . The chewing gum composition of  claim 1 , wherein said second polyol comprises sorbitol.  
     
     
         8 . The chewing gum composition of  claim 7 , wherein said sorbitol is present in amounts of about 0% to about 50% by weight of said polyol composition.  
     
     
         9 . The chewing gum composition of  claim 1 , wherein said polyol composition has a water solubility of less than 35% by weight at 30° C.  
     
     
         10 . The chewing gum composition of  claim 1 , wherein said second region further comprises a syrup selected from the group consisting of sugars, triacetin, lectithin, polyols, hydrogenated starch hydrolysates, sorbitol maltitol, glycerin, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         11 . The chewing gum composition of  claim 10 , wherein said syrup is present in amounts of about 1% to about 15% by weight of said chewing gum composition.  
     
     
         12 . The chewing gum composition of  claim 10 , wherein said polyol composition is saturated by said syrup.  
     
     
         13 . The chewing gum composition of  claim 10 , wherein the ratio of said polyol composition to said syrup is about 15:1 to about 4:1.  
     
     
         14 . The chewing gum composition of  claim 10 , wherein the ratio of said polyol composition to said syrup is about 8:1 to about 6:1.  
     
     
         15 . The chewing gum composition of  claim 1 , wherein said first region composition is selected from the group consisting of a liquid, a solid, a semi-solid and a gas.  
     
     
         16 . The chewing gum composition of  claim 15 , wherein said first region composition comprises multiple liquids.  
     
     
         17 . The chewing gum composition of  claim 1 , further comprising a coating surrounding at least a portion of said second region composition.  
     
     
         18 . The chewing gum composition of  claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises a chewing gum piece weighing about 1.2 g to about 1.6 g.  
     
     
         19 . The chewing gum composition of  claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises a chewing gum piece in the form of a slab.  
     
     
         20 . The chewing gum composition of  claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises a chewing gum piece in the form of a pellet.  
     
     
         21 . The chewing gum composition of  claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises a chewing gum piece in the form of a multi-layer slab or stick.  
     
     
         22 . The chewing gum composition of  claim 21 , wherein said first region composition is positioned between two layers of said second region composition to form said multi-layer slab or stick.  
     
     
         23 . A center-fill chewing gum composition comprising: 
 (a) a center-fill composition; and    (b) a gum region composition surrounding said center-fill composition, said gum region composition comprising a gum base and a polyol composition comprising isomalt alone or in combination with at least a second polyol.    
     
     
         24 . A center-fill chewing gum composition comprising: 
 (a) a liquid center-fill composition; and    (b) a gum region surrounding said center-fill composition, said gum region comprising an elastomer and a polyol composition comprising isomalt in amounts of about 75% to about 100% by weight of said polyol composition and sorbitol in amounts of about 0% to about 25% by weight of said polyol composition.    
     
     
         25 . The chewing gum composition of  claim 24 , wherein the ratio of said isomalt to said sorbitol is about 3:2 to about 4:1.  
     
     
         26 . The chewing gum composition of  claim 24 , wherein said isomalt has a particle size of about 20 to about 50 microns and said sorbitol has a particle size of about 200 to about 250 microns.  
     
     
         27 . A method of preparing a multi-region chewing gum composition, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) extruding a multi-region composition comprising a first region composition and a second region composition adjacent to said first region composition, said second region composition comprising: 
 (i) an elastomer; and  
 (ii) a polyol composition comprising isomalt alone or in combination with at least a second polyol;  
   (b) sizing said multi-region composition;    (c) feeding said multi-region composition into a forming mechanism;    (d) forming individual pieces of said multi-region composition; and    (e) coating said individual pieces with a coating.    
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising the step of cooling said multi-region composition of step (b) prior to feeding said multi-region composition into the forming mechanism.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising the step of cooling said individual pieces of said multi-region composition of step (d) prior to coating said individual pieces with a coating.