Encapsulated acid, method for the preparation thereof, and chewing gum comprising same

Abstract

Delayed release in chewing gum of a food-grade acid, is provided by encapsulating the food-grade acid in specific amounts of a poly(vinyl acetate) and a fatty acid salt. When incorporated into a chewing gum, the food-grade acid encapsulated in poly(vinyl acetate) and fatty acid salt provides a more delayed release of a sour flavor than food-grade acid encapsulated in poly(vinyl acetate) alone.

1 - 35 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . A method of preparing an encapsulated food-grade acid comprising:
 melt blending
 about 30 to about 90 weight percent of a poly(vinyl acetate) having a weight average molecular weight from 80,000 to 300,000 atomic mass units; 
 about 5 to about 20 weight percent of a fatty acid salt, wherein the fatty acid salt is selected from the group consisting of a sodium salt of a C12-C36 aliphatic carboxylic acid, a potassium salt of a C12-C36 aliphatic carboxylic acid, a calcium salt of a C12-C36 aliphatic carboxylic acid, a zinc salt of a C12-C36 liphatic carboxylic acid, a magnesium salt of a C12-C36 aliphatic carboxylic acid, an aluminum salt of a C12-C36 aliphatic carboxylic acid, and combinations thereof; and
 about 5 to about 50 weight percent of a food-grade acid, wherein the food-grade acid is selected from the group consisting of adipic acid, ascorbic acid, aspartic acid, benzoic acid, citric acid, fumaric acid, glutamic acid, maleic acid, malic acid, oxalic acid, phosphoric acid, sorbic acid, succinic acid, tartaric acid, and mixtures thereof; 
 
   
       to form an encapsulated food-grade acid;
 wherein all weight percents are based on the total weight of the encapsulated food-grade acid composition. 
 
     
     
         37 - 38 . (canceled) 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the fatty acid salt comprises sodium stearate. 
     
     
         40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the food-grade acid comprises citric acid. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the food-grade acid comprises malic acid. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the food-grade acid has a number average particle size of about 25 to about 600 micrometers prior to said melt blending the poly(vinyl acetate), the fatty acid salt, and the food-grade acid. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the encapsulated food-grade acid comprises the fatty acid salt and the food-grade acid in a weight ratio of about 1:1 to about 1:10. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the encapsulated food-grade acid comprises the fatty acid salt and the poly(vinyl acetate) in a weight ratio of about 1:1.5 to about 1:20. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the encapsulated food-grade acid comprises the food-grade acid and the poly(vinyl acetate) in a weight ratio of about 1:1 to about 1:5. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the chewing gum composition comprises the encapsulated food-grade acid and the gum base in a weight ratio of about 1:12 to about 1:3. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising grinding the encapsulated food grade acid to form particles having a number average particle size less than or equal to 800 micrometers. 
     
     
         49 . The method of,  claim 36  wherein said melt blending the poly(vinyl acetate), the fatty acid salt, and the food-grade acid is conducted at a temperature of about 80 to about 120° C. 
     
     
         50 . The method of,  claim 36  wherein said melt blending the poly(vinyl acetate), the fatty acid salt, and the food-grade acid comprises melting the poly(vinyl acetate), melt blending the fatty acid salt with the melted poly(vinyl acetate), and melt blending the food-grade acid with the melt-blended poly(vinyl acetate) and fatty acid salt. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein said melt blending the gum base, the sweetener, and the encapsulated food-grade acid further comprises melt blending the gum base, the sweetener, and the encapsulated food-grade acid with an unencapsulated food-grade acid. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein said melt blending the poly(vinyl acetate), the fatty acid salt, and the food-grade acid comprises melt blending with a mixing energy of about 70 to about 350 kilojoules per kilogram of the encapsulated food-grade acid. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 36 ,
 wherein the fatty acid salt comprises sodium stearate;   wherein the food-grade acid comprises citric acid, malic acid, or a combination thereof;   wherein the food-grade acid has a number average particle size of about 50 to about 100 micrometers prior to said melt blending the poly(vinyl acetate), the fatty acid salt, and the food-grade acid;   wherein the encapsulated food-grade acid comprises the fatty acid salt and the food-grade acid in a weight ratio of about 1:2 to about 1:8;   wherein the encapsulated food-grade acid comprises the fatty acid salt and the poly(vinyl acetate) in a weight ratio of about 1:2.5 to about 1:15;   wherein the encapsulated food-grade acid comprises the food-grade acid and the poly(vinyl acetate) in a weight ratio of about 1:1.2 to about 1:3;   wherein said melt blending the poly(vinyl acetate), the fatty acid salt, and the food-grade acid is conducted at a temperature of about 90 to about 120° C.   wherein the method further comprises grinding the encapsulated food grade acid to form particles having a number average particle size less than or equal to 420 micrometers; and   wherein the chewing gum composition comprises the encapsulated food-grade acid and the gum base in a weight ratio of about 1:12 to about 1:3.   
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 36 ,
 wherein the poly(vinyl acetate) is present in an amount of about 50 weight percent,   wherein the fatty acid salt is present in an amount of about 10 weight percent, and   wherein the food-grade acid is present in an amount of about 40 weight percent.   
     
     
         55 . (canceled)