US4889726A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Using cocoa powder to enhance the flavor of a mint flavored chewing gum
Assignee: WM Wrigley Jr Co
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Filing: 1988-09-02
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Granted: 1989-12-26
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Expires: 2008-09-02
Abstract
Abstract The present invention includes a method of enhancing the flavor of a mint flavored chewing gum by the addition of a minor amount of cocoa powder, as well as the chewing gum so produced. The amount of cocoa powder is selected so as to cause the flavor enhancement and so as to not impart a detectable chocolate flavor to the chewing gum. The level of cocoa powder added is between about 0.08 and 0.5 percent by weight of the chewing gum.
Inventors
- 👤 Jayant C. Dave
- 👤 David W. Record
- 👤 Jill M. Nespor
- 👤 Jeffrey S. Hook
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 02:38
CPC Classifications
A; A23; A23G; A23G4/00; A23G4/06; A23G4/066; A23G4/068
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
24 words
A non-chocolate flavored, mint-flavored chewing gum comprising: gum base; sweetener; a mint flavoring agent; and between about 0.08 and about 0.5 percent cocoa powder.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
24 words
A non-chocolate flavored, mint-flavored chewing gum comprising: gum base; sweetener; a mint flavoring agent; and between about 0.08 and about 0.5 percent cocoa powder.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The chewing gum of claim 1 wherein the cocoa powder is present in an amount between about 0.2 and about 0.4 percent.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The chewing gum of claim 1 wherein the cocoa powder is present at about 0.3 percent.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
The chewing gum of claim 1 wherein the mint flavoring agent is selected from the group consisting of natural peppermint oil, natural spearmint oil, and combinations thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
The chewing gum of claim 1 wherein the sweetener is a high-potency sweetener selected from the group consisting of aspartame, alitame, salts of acesulfame, saccharin and its salts, cyclamic acid and its salts, glycyrrhizin, sucralose, thaumatin, and monellin, as well as combinations thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
The chewing gum of claim 5 further comprising a sugar alcohol selected from the group consisting of sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol, xylitol, hydrogenated starch hydrolysates, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
The chewing gum of claim 1 further comprising a sugar alcohol selected from the group consisting of sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol, xylitol, hydrogenated starch hydrolysates, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
75 words
A method of making non-chocolate flavored, mint flavored chewing gum comprising the steps of: providing a quantity of chewing gum base; adding a water soluble portion comprising at least a sweetener; adding a mint flavoring agent; adding cocoa powder in an amount between about 0.08 and about 0.5 percent by weight of the chewing gum; and mixing said gum base, water soluble portion, mint flavoring agent, and cocoa powder until a homogenous mass is achieved.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
75 words
A method of making non-chocolate flavored, mint flavored chewing gum comprising the steps of: providing a quantity of chewing gum base; adding a water soluble portion comprising at least a sweetener; adding a mint flavoring agent; adding cocoa powder in an amount between about 0.08 and about 0.5 percent by weight of the chewing gum; and mixing said gum base, water soluble portion, mint flavoring agent, and cocoa powder until a homogenous mass is achieved.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 8 wherein the cocoa powder is present in an amount between about 0.2 and about 0.4 percent.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 8 wherein the cocoa powder is present at about 0.3 percent.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 8 wherein the mint flavoring agent is selected from the group consisting of natural peppermint oil, natural spearmint oil, and combinations thereof.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 8 wherein the cocoa powder is mixed with a liquid to form a cocoa powder-containing syrup, which syrup is then added to the chewing gum formulation.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 12 wherein the liquid is selected from the group consisting of glycerine, oils, propylene glycol, as well as mixtures thereof.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 8 wherein the cocoa powder is first cooked before being added to the chewing gum formulation.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the cocoa powder is cooked at a temperature between about 220° F. and about 260° F. for between about 2 and about 60 minutes before being added to the chewing gum formulation.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 13 wherein the cocoa powder is cooked at a temperature of between about 240° F. and about 250° F. for between about 5 and about 15 minutes before being added to the chewing gum formulation.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-12-25 | 1993-06-26 | 1993-12-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-12-25 | 1997-06-26 | 1997-12-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-12-25 | 2001-06-26 | 2001-12-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |