Multiple encapsulated sweetener delivery system and method of preparation

Claim 2

A sweetener delivery system capable of providing greater up front sweetness while modulating sweetener release and providing greater protection for the sweetener, said sweetener delivery system comprising: A. at least one first solid natural or artificial high intensity sweetener selected from the group consisting of amino acid-based sweeteners, chloro derivatives of sucrose, dihydroflavinol, hydroxyguaiacol esters, L-aminodicarboxylic acid gem-diamines, L-aminodicarboxylic acid aminoalkenoic acid ester amides, dipeptide sweeteners, glycyrrhizin, saccharin and its salts, acesulfame salts, cyclamates, steviosides, talin, dihydrochalcone compounds and mixtures thereof; B. a first inner coating selected from hydrophobic and hydrophilic coating materials, said inner coating and said first sweetener mixed and prepared to form a core with said first sweetener present in an amount of from about 1% to about 50% by weight of said core; and C. a second outer coating of a hydrophilic polymer containing a second sweetener, said second outer coating prepared from a solution of the hydrophilic polymer and said second sweetener, with said second sweetener being present in the polymer solution in an amount ranging from about 10% to about 25% by weight of said solution, the outer coating present in an amount of from about 5% to about 50% by weight of said inner coating.

Claim 3

A sweetener delivery system capable of providing greater up front sweetness while modulating sweetener release and providing greater protection for the sweetener, said sweetener delivery system comprising: A. at least one first solid natural or artificial high intensity sweetener selected from the group consisting of amino acid-based sweeteners, chloro derivatives of sucrose, dihydroflavinol, hydroxyguaiacol esters, L-aminodicarboxylic acid gem-diamines, L-aminocarboxylic acid aminoalkenoic acid ester amides, dipeptide sweeteners, glycyrrhizin, saccharin and its salts, acesulfame salts, cyclamates, steviosides, talin, dihydrochalcone compounds and mixtures thereof; B. an emulsifier selected from the group consisting of lecithin, stearates, ester derivatives of stearates, palmitates, ester derivatives of palmitates, oleates, ester derivatives of oleates, glycerides, ester derivatives of glycerides, sucrose polyesters, polyglycerolesters, and animal waxes, vegetable waxes, synthetic waxes, petroleum wax and mixtures thereof; C. a first inner coating of polyvinyl acetate present in amounts of about 20% to about 93% by weight of the total composition and having a molecular weight of about 2,000 to about 14,000; and D. a second outer coating of a hydrophilic polymer containing a second sweetener, the outer coating prepared from a solution of the hydrophilic polymer and the second sweetener, with the second sweetener being present in the polymer solution in an amount ranging from about 20% to about 25% by weight of said solution, the outer coating present in an amount of from about 5% to about 50% by weight of the inner coating.

Claim 4

A sweetener delivery system capable of providing greater up front sweetness while modulating sweetener release and providing greater protection for the sweetener, said sweetener delivery system comprising: A. at least one first solid natural or artificial high intensity sweetener selected from the group consisting of amino acid-based sweeteners, chloro derivatives of sucrose, dihydroflavinol, hydroxyguaiacol esters, L-aminodicarboxylic acid gem-diamines, L-aminocarboxylic acid aminoalkenoic acid ester amides, dipeptide sweeteners, glycyrrhizin, saccharin and its salts, acesulfame salts, cyclamates, steviosides, talin, dihydrochalcone compounds and mixtures thereof; B. an emulsifier selected from the group consisting of lecithin, stearates, ester derivatives of stearates, palmitates, ester derivatives of palmitates, oleates, ester derivatives of oleates, glycerides, ester derivatives of glycerides, sucrose polyesters, polyglycerolesters, and animal waxes, vegetable waxes, synthetic waxes, petroleum wax and mixtures thereof; C. a first inner coating of polyvinyl acetate present in amounts of about 20% to about 93% by weight of the total composition and having a molecular weight of about 2,000 to about 14,000; and D. a second outer coating of a hydrophilic polymer containing a second sweetener, the outer coating prepared from a solution of the hydrophilic polymer and the second sweetener, with the second sweetener being present in the polymer solution in an amount ranging from about 20% to about 25% by weight of said solution, the outer coating present in an amount of from about 5% to about 50% by weight of the inner coating.

Claim 5

The sweetener delivery system of claims 1 or 2 wherein said second sweetener is present in an amount ranging from about 3% by weight to about 15% by weight of the second coating.

Claim 6

The sweetener delivery system of claim 2 wherein said first sweetener is present in an amount of from about 1% to about 50% by weight of the delivery system.

Claim 7

The sweetener delivery system of claims 1 or 2 wherein said first sweetener comprises aspartame in the amount of from about 1% to about 50% by weight of the delivery system.

Claim 8

The sweetener delivery system of claims 1 or 2 wherein said first sweetener comprises saccharin and its salts in the amount of from about 1% to about 50% by weight of the delivery system.

Claim 9

The sweetener delivery system of claims 1 or 2 wherein said first sweetener comprises a combination of up to about 25% of aspartame and about 1.0% to about 50% of saccharin and its salts by weight of the delivery system.

Claim 10

The sweetener delivery system of claim 7 wherein the first sweetener additionally contains about 1% to about 50% of potassium acesulfame by weight of the delivery system.

Claim 11

The sweetener delivery system of claim 2 wherein said emulsifier is present in an amount of from about 0.5% to about 20% by weight of the delivery system.

Claim 12

The sweetener delivery system of claims 1 or 2 wherein said second outer coating comprises a hydrocolloid.

Claim 13

The sweetener delivery system of claim 10 wherein said second outer coating is selected from the group consisting of gums, pectins, alginates, mucilages, film forming carbohydrates, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 14

The sweetener delivery system of claim 11 wherein said second outer coating is selected from the group consisting of gum arabic, tragacanth, karaya, ghatti, agar, alginates, carrageenans, fucellan, psyllium, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 15

The sweetener delivery system of claim 11 wherein said second outer coating is selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl pyrrolidone, gelatin, dextran, xanthan, curdan, cellulose, methylcellulose, ethylcellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, low methoxy pectin, propylene glycol alginate, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 16

The sweetener delivery system of claims 1 or 2 wherein said second outer coating is present in an amount of from about 15% to about 50% by weight of said first coating.

Claim 17

The sweetener delivery system of claim 2 wherein said polyvinyl acetate has a molecular weight ranging from about 2,000 to about 12,000.

Claim 18

The sweetener delivery system of claim 9 wherein the emulsifier is selected from the group consisting of glyceryl monostearate, glyceryl distearate, glyceryl tristearate, the fatty acid esters thereof, and mixtures thereof, and is present in amounts of about 2% to about 15% by weight of the delivery system.

Claim 19

The sweetener delivery system of claim 2 wherein the polyvinyl acetate is blended with a material selected from the group consisting of resins, rosins, terpenes, elastomers, waxes and mixtures thereof.

Claim 20

The sweetener delivery system of claims 1 or 2 wherein both the first and second sweeteners are natural or artificial high intensity sweeteners and are each selected from the group consisting of amino acid-based sweeteners, dipeptide sweeteners, glycyrrhizin, saccharin and its salts, acesulfame salts, cyclamates, steviosides, talin, sucralose, dihydrochalcone compounds and mixtures thereof.

Claim 21

The sweetener delivery system of claim 18 wherein the sweetener is selected from the group consisting of sodium saccharin, aspartame, talin, and acesulfame-K.

Claim 22

The sweetener delivery system of claims 1 or 2 in solid particulate form.

Claim 23

A chewing gum composition capable of releasing increased amounts of sweetness evenly over a longer release time comprising a gum base and a sweetener delivery system capable of modulating sweetener release and providing greater protection for the sweetener, said sweetener delivery system comprising: A. at least one solid natural or artificial high intensity sweetener selected from the group consisting of amino acid-based sweeteners, chloro derivatives of sucrose, dihydroflavinol, hydroxyguaiacol esters, L-aminodicarboxylic acid gem-diamines, L-aminodicarboxylic acid aminoalkenoic acid ester amides, dipeptide sweeteners, glycyrrhizin, saccharin and its salts, acesulfame salts, cyclamates, steviosides, talin, dihydrochalcone compounds and mixtures thereof; B. a first inner core prepared from a coating selected from the group consisting of hydrophobic and hydrophilic coating materials, the sweetener and the core prepared with the sweetener present in an amount of from about 1% to about 50% by weight of said core; and C. a second outer coating of a hydrophilic polymer containing a second sweetener, the coating prepared from a solution of the hydrophilic polymer and the second sweetener, with the second sweetener being present in the polymer solution in an amount ranging from about 10% to about 25% by weight of said solution, the outer coating present in an amount of from about 5% to about 50% by weight of the first coating.

Claim 24

A chewing gum composition capable of releasing increased amounts of sweetness evenly over a longer release time comprising a gum base and a sweetener delivery system capable of modulating sweetener release and providing greater protection for the sweetener, said sweetener delivery system comprising: A. at least one solid natural or artificial high intensity sweetener selected from the group consisting of amino acid-based sweeteners, chloro derivatives of sucrose, dihydroflavinol, hydroxyguaiacol esters, L-aminodicarboxylic acid gem-diamines, L-aminodicarboxylic acid aminoalkenoic acid ester amides, dipeptide sweeteners, glycyrrhizin, saccharin and its salts, acesulfame salts, cyclamates, steviosides, talin, dihydrochalcone compounds and mixtures thereof; B. a first inner core prepared from a coating selected from the group consisting of hydrophobic and hydrophilic coating materials, the sweetener and the core prepared with the sweetener present in an amount of from about 1% to about 50% by weight of said core; and C. a second outer coating of a hydrophilic polymer containing a second sweetener, the coating prepared from a solution of the hydrophilic polymer and the second sweetener, with the second sweetener being present in the polymer solution in an amount ranging from about 10% to about 25% by weight of said solution, the outer coating present in an amount of from about 5% to about 50% by weight of the first coating.

Claim 25

A chewing gum composition capable of releasing increased amounts of sweetness evenly over a longer release time comprising a gum base and a sweetener delivery system capable of modulating sweetener release and providing greater protection for the sweetener, said sweetener delivery system comprising: A. at least one first solid natural or artificial high intensity sweetener selected from the group consisting of amino acid-based sweeteners, chloro derivatives of sucrose, dihydroflavinol, hydroxyguaiacol esters, L-aminodicarboxylic acid gem-diamines, L-aminodicarboxylic acid aminoalkenoic acid ester amides, dipeptide sweeteners, glycyrrhizin, saccharin and its salts, acesulfame salts, cyclamates, steviosides, talin, dihydrochalcone compounds and mixtures thereof; B. an emulsifier selected from the group consisting of lecithin, stearates, ester derivatives of stearates, palmitates, ester derivatives of palmitates, oleates, ester derivatives of oleates, glycerides, ester derivatives of glycerides, sucrose polyesters, polyglycerolesters, and animal waxes, vegetable waxes, synthetic waxes, petroleum wax and mixtures thereof; C. a first inner coating of polyvinyl acetate present in amounts of about 20% to about 93% by weight of the total composition and having a molecular weight of about 2,000 to about 14,000; and D. a second outer coating of a hydrophilic polymer containing a second sweetener, the outer coating prepared from a solution of the hydrophilic polymer and the second sweetener, with the second sweetener being present in the polymer solution in an amount ranging from about 20% to about 25% by weight of said solution, the outer coating present in an amount of from about 5% to about 50% by weight of the first coating.

Claim 26

A chewing gum composition capable of releasing increased amounts of sweetness evenly over a longer release time comprising a gum base and a sweetener delivery system capable of modulating sweetener release and providing greater protection for the sweetener, said sweetener delivery system comprising: A. at least one first solid natural or artificial high intensity sweetener selected from the group consisting of amino acid-based sweeteners, chloro derivatives of sucrose, dihydroflavinol, hydroxyguaiacol esters, L-aminodicarboxylic acid gem-diamines, L-aminodicarboxylic acid aminoalkenoic acid ester amides, dipeptide sweeteners, glycyrrhizin, saccharin and its salts, acesulfame salts, cyclamates, steviosides, talin, dihydrochalcone compounds and mixtures thereof; B. an emulsifier selected from the group consisting of lecithin, stearates, ester derivatives of stearates, palmitates, ester derivatives of palmitates, oleates, ester derivatives of oleates, glycerides, ester derivatives of glycerides, sucrose polyesters, polyglycerolesters, and animal waxes, vegetable waxes, synthetic waxes, petroleum wax and mixtures thereof; C. a first inner coating of polyvinyl acetate present in amounts of about 20% to about 93% by weight of the total composition and having a molecular weight of about 2,000 to about 14,000; and D. a second outer coating of a hydrophilic polymer containing a second sweetener, the outer coating prepared from a solution of the hydrophilic polymer and the second sweetener, with the second sweetener being present in the polymer solution in an amount ranging from about 20% to about 25% by weight of said solution, the outer coating present in an amount of from about 5% to about 50% by weight of the first coating.

Claim 27

The chewing gum composition of claims 21 or 22 wherein the gum base comprises an elastomer selected from the group consisting of natural rubber, synthetic rubber and mixtures thereof.

Claim 28

The chewing gum composition of claim 23 wherein the gu base elastomer is selected from the group consisting of chicle, jelutong, balata, gutta-percha, lechi-capsi, sorva, butadiene-styrene copolymers, polyisobutylene, isobutylene-isoprene copolymers, polyethylene, polyvinylacetate, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 29

The chewing gum composition of claim 24 wherein the gum base is present in amounts of about 5% to about 85% by weight of the final chewing gum composition.

Claim 30

The chewing gum composition of claims 21 or 22 further including fillers, coloring agents, flavoring agents, softeners, plasticizers, elastomers, elastomer solvents, sweetening agents and mixtures thereof.

Claim 33

A method of preparing a chewing gum composition having improved sustained sweetener release properties which comprises: (1) preparing a sweetener delivery system by the method of claim 27; (2) adding the sweetener delivery system prepared in Step 1 to a homogeneous mixture of a gum base and remaining chewing gum ingredients; and (3) forming the resultant mixture into suitable chewing gum shapes.

Claim 34

A hard confection including the sweetener delivery system of claims 1 or 2.

Claim 35

An oral hygiene preparation including the sweetener delivery system of claims 1 or 2.

Claim 36

An oral pharmaceutical preparation including the sweetener delivery system of claims 1 or 2.

Claim 37

A bakery product including the sweetener delivery system of claims 1 or 2.