Title:  Method of controlling release of caffeine in chewing gum

United States Patent:  6,165,516

Assignee:  Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company (Chicago, IL)

Filed:  May 27, 1999

PCT NO:  PCT/US96/18977

102(e) Date:  May 27, 1999

PCT PUB. Date:  June 4, 1998

A method for producing a chewing gum with a controlled release of caffeine, as well as the chewing gum so produced, is obtained by physically modifying caffeine's properties by coating and drying. Caffeine is coated by encapsulation, partially coated by agglomeration, entrapped by absorption, or treated by multiple steps of encapsulation, agglomeration, and absorption. The coated caffeine is then co-dried and particle sized to produce a release-modified caffeine. When incorporated into the chewing gum, these particles are adapted to produce a fast release or a delayed release when the gum is chewed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a method of producing chewing gum with physically modified caffeine to control its release. The present invention also relates to the chewing gum so produced. Caffeine may be added to sucrose type gum formulations, replacing a small quantity of sucrose. The formulation may be a low or high moisture formulation containing low or high amounts of moisture containing syrup. Caffeine may also be used in low or non-sugar gum formulations, replacing a small quantity of sorbitol, mannitol, other polyols or carbohydrates. Non-sugar formulations may include low or high moisture sugar free chewing gums.

Caffeine may be combined or codried with bulk sweeteners typically used in chewing gum, such as sucrose, dextrose, fructose and maltodextrins, as well as sugar alcohols such as sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, maltitol, lactitol, hydrogenated isomaltulose and hydrogenated starch hydrolyzates.

The modified release rate noted above may be a fast release or a delayed release. The modified release of caffeine is obtained by encapsulation, partial encapsulation or partial coating, entrapment or absorption with high or low water soluble materials or water insoluble materials. The procedures for modifying the caffeine include spray drying, spray chilling, fluid bed coating, coacervation, extrusion and other agglomerating and standard encapsulating techniques. Caffeine may also be absorbed onto an inert or water-insoluble material. Caffeine may be modified in a multiple step process comprising any of the processes, or a combination of the processes noted. Prior to encapsulation, caffeine may also be combined with bulk sweeteners including sucrose, dextrose, fructose, maltodextrin or other bulk sweeteners, as well as sugar alcohols such as sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, maltitol, lactitol, hydrogenated isomaltulose and hydrogenated starch hydrolyzates.

Prior to encapsulation, caffeine may be combined with high-intensity sweeteners, including but not limited to thaumatin, aspartame, alitame, acesulfame K, saccharin acid and its salts, glycyrrhizin, cyclamate and its salts, stevioside and dihydrochalcones. Co-encapsulation of caffeine along with a high-intensity sweetener may reduce the bitterness of caffeine and control the sweetener release with caffeine. This can improve the quality of the gum product and increase consumer acceptability.

In addition to use of high-intensity sweeteners, bitterness inhibitors such as sodium gluconate, sodium ascorbate or other sodium salts may be combined with caffeine prior to encapsulation to reduce the overall bitterness caused by caffeine and result in a gum product having increased consumer acceptability.

Claim 1 of 11 Claims

We claim:

1. A method of producing a chewing gum containing physically-modified caffeine in order to increase the release rate of the caffeine comprising the steps of:

a) mixing a quantity of caffeine with an encapsulating agent to form a physically-modified caffeine having an increased release rate; and

b) adding a quantity of the physically-modified caffeine to a chewing gum formulation to provide a caffeine level in the gum of from about 0.2% to about 5%.

____________________________________________
If you want to learn more about this patent, please go directly to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Web site to access the full patent.