Patent ID: 7208186
Filing Date: 2007-04-24
Classification: A23G,A23V,A61K

Abstract:
1. A method of producing a chewing gum tablet comprising a chewing gum formulation and at least one active ingredient, wherein the chewing gum tablet dissociates into at least two pieces upon initial chewing followed by a reformation of the pieces into a coherent mass after additional chewing, comprising the steps of: (a) dry mixing a gum base, a granulating agent and at least one processing aid to form a chewing gum formulation that contains less than 2% by weight water; (b) adding one or more additional ingredients, including an active ingredient, to the chewing gum formulation to form a chewing gum composition in the form of a free-flowing particulate that contains less than 2% by weight water; and (c) directly compressing the chewing gum composition into said chewing gum tablet; wherein the gum base is in the form of particles and during the dry mixing step, the temperature of the gum base is raised to an elevated temperature where at least the outer surfaces of the gum base particles melt and further wherein a portion of the processing aid is mixed with the gum base and granulating agent before the temperature is raised to said elevated temperature and at a first temperature that is below the melting point of the gum base and, after the temperature of the gum base is raised to said elevated temperature, mixing continues until a uniform mixture of the gum base, the granulating agent and the processing aid is obtained in the form of particles of said uniform mixture, at which time, the temperature of the gum base is reduced to a point that is below the melting point of the gum base and the remainder of the processing aid is added to and mixed with the particles of said uniform mixture until the remainder of the processing aid forms a partial coating on the outer surfaces of the particles of said uniform mixture.