Process for injection moulding starch

Claim 2

A composition for use in a moulding apparatus, which composition comprises starch, or a starch related material, having a molecular mass range of from 10,000 to 20,000,000 Dalton and a water content range of, preferably, from 5 to 30% by weight of the dry composition.

Claim 3

A composition according to Claim 1, wherein the starch comprises in the range from 0 to 100%, preferably 0 to 70%, by weight of amylose, and in the range from 100 to 0%, preferably 95 to 10%, by weight of amylo-pectin.

Claim 4

A composition according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the starch is mixed with one or more plasticizers, at a preferred concentration in the range of from 0.5 to 40% based upon the weight of the starch, wherein the one or more plasticizer may be chosen from the followinc: polyethylene glycol and low-molecular-weight organic plasticizers (for example glycerol, sorbitol, dioctylsodium sulphosuccinate, triethyl citrate, tributyl citrate, 1,2 propylenglycol, mono-, di- and tri-acetates of glycerol).

Claim 5

A composition according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the starch is mixed with one or more lubricant at a preferred concentration in the range of from 0.001 to 10% based upon the weight of the starch, wherein the one or more lubricant may be chosen from the following: lipids, for example, glycerides; wax and phospholipids; unsaturated and saturated plant fatty acids and salts thereof; stearates of aluminium, calcium, magnesium and tin; and talc and silicones.

Claim 6

A composition according to Claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein the starch is mixed with one or more colouring agent, at a preferred concentration in the range of from 0.001 to 10% based upon the weight of the starch, wherein the one or more colourant may be chosen from the following: azo-dyes and other dyestuffs and pigments (for example iron oxides, titanium dioxides, and natural dyes).

Claim 7

A composition according to any preceding claim, wherein the starch is chosen from one or more of the following: corn wheat starch, pototo starch, rice starch and tapioca starch, preferably corn wheat starch and potato starch.

Claim 8

A composition according to any preceding claim, wherein the starch or a further starch is chosen from one or more of the following: a starch treated with a cross-linking agent or by a cross-linking method; a starch which has been chemically modified, (for example, oxidised starch, starch monophosphate, starch diphosphate, starch acetate, starch sulphate, starch hydroxyethylether, carboxymethyl starch, starch ether, 2-hydroxypropyl starch, alphatized starch, starch xanthide, starch chloroacetic acid, starch ester, formaldehyde starch, and sodium carboxymethyl starch); or a starch which has been modified by prior processing (for example, by treatment with an acid and/or an enzyme in order to yield dextrines; and/or pregelatinizing; and/or treatment with ultrasonic radiation; and/or treatment with gamma radiation).

Claim 9

A composition according to any preceding claim, wherein the starch is mixed with one or more extender chosen from the following group which comprises: modified or treated starches as described in Claim 7, sunflower proteins, soybean proteins, cotton seed proteins, peanut proteins, rape seed proteins; blood proteins, egg proteins, and acetylated derivates thereof, water soluble derivates of cellulose (for example hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, and sodium carboxy methylcellulose); polyvinylpyrrolidone; bentonite, polyvinylacetate-phtalate; vinylacetate, gelatin; monosaccharides, oligosaccharides (for example lactose), polysaccharides (for example agar-agar, alginates and alginic acids, gum arabic, guar, and dextran); crosslinked gelatin, polysaccharides (for example cellulose, methylcellulose, chitin, polymaltose, polyfructose), pectine, silicates, carbonates and bicarbonates.

Claim 10

A composition according to any preceding claim, wherein the starch is mixed with one or more polymer having enteric properties, which polymer is chosen from the following group which comprises: hydroxypropylmethylcellulosephtalste (HPMCP), celluloseacetylphtalate (CAP), acrylates and methacrylates, polyvinyl-acetatephtalate (PVAP), phthalated gelatin, succinated gelatin, crotonic acid, and shellac.

Claim 11

A capsule formed from a composition or from a foam described in any one of the preceding claims.

Claim 12

A product formed from a composition or from a foam thereof described in any preceding claim, wherein the product may be: a candy, a packaging container for packaging, for example, food stuffs, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, dyestuffs, spices, fertilizing combinations, seeds, cosmetics and agricultural products; matrices of various shapes and sizes which may comprise substances and/or active ingredients (for example, food-stuffs, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, dyestuffs, spices, fertilizing combinations, seeds, cosmetics and agricultural products) which are microdispersed within the matrix and released from it through disintegration and/or dissolution and/or bioerrosion and/or diffusion depnding on the solubility characteristics of the used starch composition, and sometimes resulting in a controlled release delivery system for the microdispersed substance; and medical and surgery products.

Claim 13

A pharmaceutical, whenever microdispersed within a matrix starch composition as described in Claim 11.

Claim 15

A method according to Claim 13, wherein the operating pressure is in the range from 600 x 10 5 to 30 00 x 1 0 5 N/m 2 .

Claim 16

A method according to Claim 13 or 14, wherein the composition is heated until it passes through the glass transition range.

Claim 17

A method according to Claim 13, 14 or 15, wherein the plasticized starch composition is moulded at a temperature below 80°C.

Claim 18

A product whenever prepared by a process as described in any one of Claims 13 to 16.

Claim 20

A capsule part whenever prepared by the process of claim 18.

Claim 21

CLAIMS for the designated state AT: 1. A process for producing a composition for use in a moulding apparatus, which process comprises formulating a starch, or a starch related material, having a molecular mass range of from 10,000 to 20,000,000 Dalton and a water content range of, preferably, from 5 to 30% by weight of the dry composition.

Claim 22

A process according to Claim 1, wherein the starch comprises in the range from 0 to 100%, preferably 0 to 70%, by weight of amylose, and in the range from 100 to 0%, preferably 95 to 10%, by weight of amylo-pectin.

Claim 23

A process according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the starch is mixed with one or more plasticizers, at a preferred concentration in the range of from 0.5 to 40% based upon the weight of the starch, wherein the one or more plasticizer may be chosen from the following: polyethylene glycol and low-molecular-weight organic plasticizers (for example glycerol, sorbitol, dioctylsodium sulphosuccinate, triethyl citrate, tributyl citrate, 1,2 propylenglycol, mono-, di- and tri-acetates of glycerol).

Claim 24

A process according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the starch is mixed with one or more lubricant..at a preferred concentration in the range of from 0.001 to 10% based upon the weight of the starch, wherein the one or more lubricant may be chosen from the following: lipids, for example, glycerides; wax and phospholipids; unsaturated and saturated plant fatty acids and salts thereof; stearates of aluminium, calcium, magnesium and tin; and talc and silicones.

Claim 25

A process according to Claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein the starch mixed with one or more colouring agent, at a preferred concentration in the range of from 0.001 to 10% based upon the weight of the starch, wherein the one or more colourant may be chosen from the following: azo-dyes and other dyestuffs and pigments (for example iron oxides, titanium dioxides, and natural dyes).

Claim 26

A process according to any preceding claim, wherein the starch is chosen from one or more of the following: corn wheat starch, pototo starch, rice starch and tapioca starch, preferably corn wheat starch and potato starch.

Claim 27

A process according to any preceding claim, wherein the starch or a further starch is chosen from one or more of the following: a starch treated with a cross-linking agent or by a cross-linking method; a starch which has been chemically modified, (for example, oxidised starch, starch monophosphate, starch diphosphate, starch acetate, starch sulphate, starch hydroxyethylether, carboxymethyl starch, starch ether, 2-hydroxypropyl starch, alphatized starch, starch xanthide, starch chloroacetic acid, starch ester, formaldehyde starch, and sodium carboxymethyl starch); or a starch which has been modified by prior processing (for example, by treatment with an acid and/or an enzyme in order to yield dextrines; and/or pregelatinizing; and/or treatment with ultrasonic radiation; and/or treatment with gamma radiation).

Claim 28

A process according to any preceding claim, wherein the starch is mixed with one or more extender chosen from the following group which comprises: modified or treated starches as described in Claim 7, sunflower proteins, soybean proteins, cotton seed proteins, peanut proteins, rape seed proteins; blood proteins, egg proteins, and acetylated derivates thereof, water soluble derivates of cellulose (for example hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, and sodium carboxy methylcellulose); polyvinylpyrrolidone; bentonite, polyvinylacetate-phtalate; vinylacetate, gelatin; monosaccharides, oligosaccharides (for example lactose), polysaccharides (for example agar-agar, alginates and alginic acids, gum arabic, g uar, and dextran); crosslinked gelatin, polysaccharides (for example cellulose, methylcellulose, chitin, polymaltose, polyfructose), pectine, silicates, carbonates and bicarbonates.

Claim 29

A process according to any preceding claim, wherein the starch is mixed with one or more polymer having enteric properties, which polymer is chosen from the following group which comprises: hydroxypropylmethylcellulosephtalate (HPMCP), celluloseacetylphtalate (CAP), acrylates and methacrylates, polyvinyl-acetatephtalate (PVAP), phthalated gelatin, succinated gelatin, crotonic acid, and shellac.

Claim 30

A process wherein a capsule is produced from a composition or from a foam thereof produced by a process described in any one of the preceding claims.

Claim 31

A process wherein a product is produced from a composition or from a foam thereof produced by a process described in any one of claims 1 to 9 , wherein the product may be: pour l'Autriche a candy, a packaging container for packaging, for example, food stuffs, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, dyestuffs, spices, fertilizing combinations, seeds, cosmetics and agricultural products; matrices of various shapes and sizes which may comprise substances and/or active ingredients (for example, food-stuffs, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, dyestuffs, spices, fertilizing combinations, seeds, cosmetics and agricultural products) which are microdispersed within the matrix and released from it through disintegration and/or dissolution and/or bioerrosion and/or diffusion depnding on the solubility characteristics of the used starch composition, and sometimes resulting in a controlled release delivery system for the microdispersed substance; and medical and surgery products.

Claim 32

A process for producing a pharmaceutical, wherein the pharmaceutical is microdispersed within a matrix starch composition prepared by a process as described in Claim 11.

Claim 34

A method according to Claim 13, wherein the operating pressure is in the range from 600 x 10 5 to 3000 x 10 5 N/m 2 .

Claim 35

A method according to Claim 13 or 14, wherein the composition is heated until it passes through the glass transition range.

Claim 36

A method according to Claim 13, 14 or 15, wherein the plasticized starch composition is moulded at a temperature below 80°C.