A MOIST CHEWING GUM COMPOSITION AND A PROCESS FOR MAKING THE COMPOSITION

Abstract: There is disclosed a moist chewing gum composition comprising gum base, solid sweetener and liquid sweetener, about 10 to about 35% sucrose fondant and about 0.05 to about 1.5 D.C.L. units sucrose inverting enzyme dissolved in a mobile carrier per 100 g of the composition. The composition has an initially firm texture convenient for processing and packaging, and develops and retains a soft moist texture as a result of inversion of sucrose dissolved in the liquid phase of the fondant to produce the humectant sugars glucose and fructose.

Description: On storage, known moist chewing gum compositions lose at least part of their initial content of moisture through evaporation into the atmosphere, and eventually acquire a dry, hard texture which is unappealing to the consumer. It is possible to provide the composition with an initially higher moisture content, for example by incorporating in the composition a higher proportion of the liquid sweetener solutions usually forming an ingredient of the composition, but this imparts a sticky texture to the gum which renders it difficult to process and package (US Re. 30197). Further, loss of moisture can be delayed or prevented by packaging the gum in hermetically sealed packaging materials, but these are expensive, and may present problems of inconvenience of unpackaging or unwrapping for retailers and consumers. FR-A-2504359 discloses the addition of a fondant to a chewing gum to form a soft moist chewing gum. US-A-1437816 discloses chocolate coated confections with cream centres. The product is prepared by adding a small amount of a concentrated preparation of the enzyme invertase to a sugar or fondant moulded confection which is then coated with chocolate. Over a period of time the enzyme liquifies the sugar or fondant thereby forming a liquid centre. The present invention provides compositions which may be formulated to provide an initially firm texture which is convenient for processing and packaging, and which develops and maintains a soft, moist texture on storage, and whereby loss of soft texture and moisture may be considerably delayed or prevented over normal shelf lives, without requiring hermetically closed packaging. In the present compositions, a portion of the mixture of solid and liquid sweeteners usually employed in gum compositions is replaced by a sucrose fondant, and a quantity of sucrose inverting enzyme dissolved in a mobile carrier is blended into the gum. By "sucrose inverting enzyme" is meant an enzyme which hydrolyzes sucrose to invert sugar (a mixture of glucose and fructose). At least two such enzymes are known, namely β-h-fructosidase and α-n-glucosido invertase. Mixtures of these enzyme are available commercially in liquid form as "invertase" among those skilled in the art, Since, however, the term "invertase" may be considered somewhat indefinite, the term "sucrose inverting enzyme" will be used herein. We have found that on mixing sucrose inverting enzyme with gum compositions containing no sucrose fondant, and with usual moisture contents, there is no detectable softening of the composition. We have further found that up to 35% by weight of sucrose fondant, based on the total weight of the composition, may be included in chewing gum compositions without imparting a sticky texture to the compositions. Sucrose fondants consist of a solid phase consisting of micrometre solid sucrose crystals and a liquid aqueous phase containing dissolved sucrose and dissolved humectant sugar solids. These fondants can be prepared in such manner as to have a liquid phase having a content of total dissolved solids of 65 to 75% based on the weight of the liquid phase and hence having a moisture content of 25 to 35% based on the weight of the liquid phase, this liquid phase being in stable equilibrium with the solid phase at any given temperature, and not tending to dissolve sucrose from the solid phase unless the temperature is elevated. We have found that by blending such fondants and sucrose inverting enzyme in mobile liquid form with chewing gum ingredients, a gum composition can be obtained which initially has a firm texture suitable for forming and packaging on conventional machinery. On storage at normal temperatures, the texture of the gum softens and its texture remains soft during storage at normal temperatures and over the usual shelf life of the product. Without wishing to be bound by any theory, it is suggested that, on blending the fondant with the gum ingredients, inclusions of the liquid phase of the fondant are formed in the gum composition, into which the mobile liquid sucrose inverting enzyme penetrates. It is known that the activity of the enzyme is dependent on the moisture content of its environment, and that its activity more or less ceases in syrups with a moisture content of less than 18% based on the weight of the syrup and a content of dissolved sugar solids of greater than 82% based on the weight of the syrup. Thus, in the inclusions of fondant liquid phase having a moisture content of at least 25% based on the weight of the liquid phase, the enzyme can invert the dissolved sucrose to form glucose and fructose, which are humectant sugars and thus tend to attract and retain moisture within the gum composition, so that the composition achieves and maintains a soft, moist texture. The removal of sucrose from the liquid phase through inversion disturbs the equilibrium between the liquid and solid phases of the fondant, and permits further sucrose to dissolve in the liquid phase, which will then also undergo inversion. The processes of inversion and dissolution will continue until the total dissolved solids in the liquid phase reach the level at which the activity of the enzyme is inhibited. Accordingly the invention provides a process for forming a chewing gum composition comprising blending together at a temperature less than 70°C, in the following proportions by weight, based on the total weight of the composition: (a) 10 to 40% gum base; (b) 20 to 75% solid sweetener having its particle size in the range 90 to 250 microns; (c) 5 to 30% liquid sweetener solution consisting of, based on the weight of the solution, 60 to 90% humectant sugar solids and 10 to 30% moisture; (d) 10 to 35% sucrose fondant comprising a liquid phase comprising from 25 to 35% moisture based on the weight of the liquid phase and from 65 to 75% dissolved solids based on the weight of the liquid phase; and (e) 0.05 to 1.5 D.C.L. units sucrose inverting enzyme dissolved in a mobile carrier per 100g of the chewing gum composition. According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a chewing gum composition comprising in blended admixture, based on the total weight of the composition, the following ingredients: (a) from 10 to 40% gum base; (b) from 20 to 75% solid sweetener having its particle size in the range of from 90 to 250 µm; (c) from 5 to 30% liquid sweetener solution consisting of, based on the weight of the solution, 60 to 90% humectant sugar solids and 10 to 30% moisture; (d) from 10 to 25% of a sucrose fondant and said fondant comprising a liquid phase comprising 25 to 35% moisture based on the weight of the liquid phase and 65 to 75% dissolved solids based on the weight of the liquid phase; and (e) from 0.05 to 1.5 D.C.L. units sucrose inverting enzyme per 100g of the composition. A sucrose fondant has 35 to 80% crystalline sucrose with its particle size in the range of from about 10 to about 30 micron, 5 to 40% humectant sugar solids, and 10 to 15% moisture. The invention includes the novel blended compositions which result from carrying out the above process. As will be appreciated from the above, such blended compositions can have a non-sticky, soft texture which can be preserved during prolonged storage. Owing to the presence of sucrose fondant in the compositions, the compositions are characterised by the presence of substantial amounts of finely crystalline sucrose having its particle size in the range 10 to 30 micron, as well as by the presence of sucrose inverting enzyme, since such finely crystalline sucrose is found in sucrose fondants. Gum bases of the types conventionally employed in chewing gum and bubble gum compositions may be employed. Examples include any of the water-insoluble gum bases well known in the art. Illustrative examples of suitable polymers in gum bases include both natural and synthetic elastomers and rubbers. For example, those polymers which are suitable in gum bases, include, without limitation, substances of vegetable origin such as chicle, jelutong, gutta percha and crown gum. Synthetic elastomers such as butadiene-styrene copolymers, isobutylene-isoprene copolymers, polyethylene, polyisobutylene, polyvinylacetate and mixtures thereof, are particularly useful. The gum base may contain elastomer solvents to aid in softening the rubber component. Such elastomer solvents may comprise methyl, glycerol or pentaerythritol esters of rosins or modified rosins, such as hydrogenated, dimerized or polymerized rosins or mixtures thereof. Examples of elastomer solvents suitable for use herein include the pentaerythritol ester of partially hydrogenated wood rosin, pentaerythritol ester of wood rosin, glycerol ester of partially dimerized rosin, glycerol ester of polymerized rosin, glycerol ester of tall oil rosin, glycerol ester of wood rosin and partially hydrogenated wood rosin and partially hydrogenated methyl ester of rosin, such as polymers of α-pinene or β-pinene; terpene resins including polyterpene and mixtures thereof. The solvent may be employed in an amount ranging from 2% to 20% and preferably 5% to 15% by weight of the gum base. A variety of traditional ingredients such as plasticizers or softeners including lanolin, stearic acid, sodium stearate, potassium stearate, glyceryl triacetate, glycerine and the like, for example, natural waxes, petroleum waxes, such as polyethylene waxes, paraffin waxes and microcrystalline waxes may also be incorporated into the gum base to obtain a final gum base having a variety of desirable textures and consistency properties. These individual additional materials are generally employed in amounts of up to 30% by weight and preferably in amounts of from 3% to 20% by weight of the final gum base. The gum base may further include conventional additives such as lubricants, anti-stick agents, etc. As noted above, the composition should comprise 10 to 40% of gum base. With contents of the gum base less than 10%, the composition tends to lack adequate chewiness, while compositions containing more than 40% by weight of the gum base tend to be excessively stiff and hard. More preferably, the content of chewing gum base is 12 to 35% by weight. In order to provide the composition with a desired non-sticky texture, it should comprise at least 20% by weight solid sweetener having its particle size in the range 90 to 250 µm Contents of solid sweetener of less than 20% tend to produce compositions which have a moist sticky texture, which render them difficult to process on conventional handling and packaging machinery. The content of the solid sweetener should be no greater than 75% by weight, as with increasing contents of the solid sweetener, the composition tends to acquire a drier, harder texture. Preferably, the content of the solid sweetener is 25 to 60% by weight of the composition. Although the presence of minor amounts of solid sweetener having its particle size outside the range 90 to 250 µm can be tolerated, desirably these comprise no more than 10%, more preferably no more than 5% of the weight of solid sweetener having its particle size within the said range. Owing to problems of ignition of conventional solid sweeteners on extremely fine size reduction, even the most finely divided solid sweeteners, as commercially available, contain no more than 10% of their weight having a particle size below 90 µm. The presence of amounts of solid sweetener having a particle size above 250 µm tends to impart a gritty texture to the final composition, and is undesirable. As examples of suitable solid sweeteners may be mentioned a wide range of materials such as water-soluble sweetening agents, water-soluble artificial sweeteners, and dipeptide based sweeteners, including mixtures thereof. Without being limited to particular sweeteners, representative illustrations encompass: A. Water-soluble sweetening agents such as monosaccharides, disaccharides and polysaccharides such as xylose, ribose, mannose, galactose, sucrose, maltose, and sugar alcohols such as sorbitol, xylitol, mannitol and mixtures thereof. B. Water-soluble artificial sweeteners such as the soluble saccharin salts, i.e. sodium or calcium saccharin salts, cyclamate salts and the like, and the free acid form of saccharin. C. Dipeptide based sweeteners include L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester and materials described in U.S. Patent No. 3,492,131 and the like. The sweeteners falling within categories B and C above will usually be used in amounts of 0.005 to 5% by weight based on the total weight of the composition, and will therefore usually be employed in combination with a category A sweetening agent. Examples of further solid sweeteners that may be employed include dihydrochalcone compounds, glycyrrhizin, Stevia rebaudiana (Stevioside), and 3,6-dihydro-6-methyl-1,2,3-oxathiazin-4-one-2,2-dioxide, particularly the potassium (Acesulfane-K), sodium and calcium salts thereof as described in German Patent No. 2,001,017.7. Mixtures of the above solid sweeteners may of course be employed. By reason of its cheapness, ready availability in finely-powdered form, and wide acceptance in chewing gum compositions, sucrose is preferred as the solid sweetener. In order to provide the composition with an adequately soft and moist texture, the composition should comprise, based on the weight of the composition, at least 10% sucrose fondant and at least 5% of a liquid sweetener solution consisting of an aqueous solution of a humectant sugar i.e. a sugar which has affinity for and binds water, and exerts a stabilizing action on the moisture content of compositions in which it is included. Such liquid sweeteners are conventionally employed in moist chewing gum compositions in order to impart to the composition a soft, moist character and to tend to preserve at least a minimum moisture content in the composition when exposed to fluctuating relative humidities. Examples of humectant sugars, syrups of which can be employed as the liquid sweetener include glucose, starch hydrolysates, fructose, and mixtures thereof, for example invert sugar and high fructose corn syrup. The gum composition's content of liquid sweetener solution should not be more than 30% by weight, based on the weight of the gum composition, since higher contents of liquid sweetener solution tend to impart a sticky character to the composition. Preferably, the content of liquid sweetener solution is 10 to 25% by weight of the gum composition. The liquid sweetener solution may contain up to 90%, based on the weight of the liquid sweetener solution, of dissolved humectant sugar solids. The liquid sweetener solution should contain at least 60%, based on the weight of the liquid sweetener solution, of dissolved humectant sugar solids and should thus contain 10 to 40% moisture, based on the weight of the liquid sweetener solution. If the liquid sweetener solution contains greater than 40% moisture, it tends to contain excess free moisture, not bound to the humectant sugar, which will tend to dissolve the solid sweetener present in the composition, and impart a sticky character to the composition. Generally, it is desirable for the gum composition to contain no more than 10% moisture, based on the total weight of the composition. Gum compositions with greater moisture contents tend to be excessively moist and sticky and are difficult to handle and wrap. Accordingly the quantity of liquid sweetener employed, and/or its moisture content, is generally selected so that the total moisture content of the blended composition, based on the total weight of the composition, is no more than 10%. The gum composition may comprise up to 35% of the sucrose fondant based on the weight of the gum composition. If higher contents of the fondant are employed, we have found that the gum composition tends to acquire an amorphous, fudge-like or grainy texture. As noted above, the composition should comprise at least 10% by weight of the fondant in order to yield in the composition, on partial-inversion of the sucrose during storage, a content of the humectant glucose and fructose sugars which will attract and retain moisture in the gum composition. Preferably, the amount of sucrose fondant employed is 15 to 30% by weight of the composition. Suitable sucrose fondants are readily commercially available, as confectioners fondant, or may be prepared by dissolving in water 40 to 80 parts by weight sucrose and 60 to 20 parts by weight (including its moisture) of humectant sugar syrup, e.g. glucose syrup, and cooking the mixture to produce a mixed solution of sucrose and humectant sugar with a moisture content of usually 10 to 15% based on the total weight of the cooked mixture. The higher the temperature to which the mixture is cooked, the lower is the moisture content of the eventual product. The cooked mixture is then cooled rapidly to 60°C while being agitated, preferably under conditions of high shear. On cooling, the mixed solution becomes supersaturated. Part of the dissolved sucrose crystallizes out from the supersaturated solution in the form of minute crystals of 10 to 30 µm particle size, leaving an aqueous liquid phase containing the humectant sugar and the remainder of the sucrose. Depending on the proportions of sucrose and humectant sugar used, and the temperature to which the mixture is cooked before cooling, the liquid phase contains a total of 65 to 75% by weight dissolved solids, based on the weight of the liquid phase, and 25 to 35% moisture, thus providing a liquid phase with a sufficient content of moisture (above 18%) within which the sucrose inverting enzyme is capable of exerting its enzymatic activity. The fondant may contain small quantities of sucrose crystals of less than 10 µm size. The presence in the fondant of substantial contents of sucrose crystals with a particle size greater than about 30 µm indicates an undesired degree of non-uniformity of the fondant material. Accordingly, the fondants employed preferably contain no more than 10%, more preferably no more than 5% by weight of sucrose crystals of particle size outside the range 10 to 30 µm, based on the total weight of sucrose crystals present in the fondant. The fondant preferably contains a weight ratio of sucrose to humectant sugar (dry solids basis) in the range 1:1 to 20:1. The use of less than 1 part by weight sucrose per part of humectant sugar solids tends to produce a fondant which has an excessively moist and sticky character, and a relatively low content of crystalline sucrose, which, when incorporated into the gum composition, imparts an excessively moist, sticky character to the gum, and presents problems in processing and packaging of the gum. The use of greater than 20 parts sucrose per part humectant sugar solids tends to produce problems during the preparation of the fondant. The humectant sugar serves the function of inhibiting the crystallization of the sucrose during cooking, and, with relatively low contents of humectant sugar, it is difficult to achieve the required super-saturated solution of sucrose, and unwanted premature crystallization of the sucrose may occur. More preferably, the weight ratio of sucrose to humectant sugar is in the range 2:1 to 15:1. The gum composition will thus contain a total content of humectant sugar, calculated on dry solids basis, of 4 to 45% based on the weight of the gum composition, more preferably 8 to 35%, and a total moisture of 2 to 10% by weight based on the weight of the gum composition, more preferably 3 to 8% by weight, derived from the liquid sweetener and from the fondant material incorporated into the gum composition. The gum composition should comprise at least 0.05 D.C.L. units sucrose inverting enzyme per 100 g of the composition, in order to provide sufficient enzymatic activity to invert an appreciable quantity of the sucrose present in the gum composition to fructose and glucose. Contents of more than 1.5 D.C.L. units of the enzyme per 100 g of the composition are unnecessary, and merely add to the costs of manufacture. Preferably, the enzyme is employed in an amount of from 0.1 to 0.3 D.C.L. units per 100 g. The term "D.C.L. units" refers to the standard method for determining enzymatic activity of sucrose inverting enzyme-containing materials. 1 ml of an enzyme containing material is considered to contain 8.0 D.C.L. units when it extinguishes the optical rotation of 100 g of sucrose dissolved in 1 l of 0.1 molar sodium dihydrogen orthophosphate at a pH of 4.6 and at a temperature of 38°C in 45 minutes. If larger or smaller volumes of the enzyme-containing material are required, the activity expressed in D.C.L. units is considered to differ in proportion. The preferred mobile carrier for the enzyme is a mixture of water and glycerine. The enzyme is readily dissolvable in these mixtures, and the glycerine has a neutral or slightly sweet taste, which does not impart any undesired taste to the gum composition. Other mobile liquids in which the enzyme is soluble and which are compatible with the enzyme may of course be employed. An example of a suitable enzyme containing material is that available from MLG Enterprises, P.O. Box 195, Clarkson Post Office, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, L5J 3Y1 under designation Invertase Concentrate I, which is a solution of the sucrose-inverting enzyme in a 55% glycerine:45% water mixture. The enzymatic activity of this material is 8.0 D.C.L. unit/ml. The chewing gum composition of this invention may include the conventional additives of flavoring agents, coloring agents such as titanium dioxide; emulsifiers such as lecithin and glycerol monostearate; and additional fillers such as aluminum hydroxide, alumina, aluminum silicates, calcium carbonate, and talc and combinations thereof. Preferably the amount of fillers when used will vary from 4% to, 30% by weight of the chewing gum composition. Suitable flavoring agents include both natural and artificial flavors, and mints such as spearmint or peppermint, menthol, oil of wintergreen (methyl salicylate), artificial vanilla, cinnamon, various fruit flavors, such as citrus oils including lemon, orange, grape, lime and grapefruit, and fruit essences such as apple, strawberry, cherry, pineapple and so forth, both individual and mixed, and the like are contemplated. The flavoring agents are generally utilized in amounts that will vary depending upon the individual flavor, and may, for example, range in amounts of 0.5% to 3% by weight of the final chewing gum composition weight. The coloring agents useful in the present compositions include the pigments such as titanium dioxide, that may be incorporated in amounts of up to 1% by weight, and preferably up to .6% by weight. Also, the colorants may include other dyes suitable for food, drug and cosmetic applications, and known as F.D. & C. dyes and the like. The materials acceptable for the foregoing spectrum of use are preferably water-soluble. Illustrative examples include indigoid dye, known as F.D. & C. Blue No. 2, which is the disodium salt of 5,5'-indigotindisulfonic acid. Similarly, the dye known as F.D. & C. Green No. 1, comprises a triphenyl-methane dye and is the monosodium salt of 4-[4-N-ethyl-p-sulfobenzylamino)diphenyl-methylene]-[1-(N-ethyl-N-p-sulfoniumbenzyl)-2,5-cyclohexadienimine]. A full recitation of all F.D. & C. dyes and their corresponding chemical structures may be found in the Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, in Volume 5, at pages 857-884, to which reference may be made. The chewing gums of the invention may be manufactured in any form known in the art, such as stick gum, slab gum, chunk gum, pillow gum, shredded gum, hard coated gum, tabletted gum, as well as center-filled gum. The compositions in accordance with the invention may be prepared by, for example, melting the gum base, typically at 85° to 95°C, cooling it, e.g. to 78°C, and placing it in a pre-warmed (e.g. 60°C) standard mixing kettle equipped with sigma blades. The liquid sweetener and fondant are then added and mixed into the gum base. The solid sweetener, and any desired additives such as colour and flavour, may be added and mixed in to achieve a uniform blend. The mixing vessel is cooled and the mobile liquid carrier containing sucrose inverting enzyme is then added to the cooled blend and mixed in until it is well dispersed within the composition. The gum compositions thus obtained have a firm texture which persists for a period sufficient to permit the composition to be subjected to conventional gum forming and wrapping procedures, for example by discharging the composition from the kettle, rolling it, scoring it and forming it into chewing gum pieces which are then wrapped. Typically, the texture of the gum softens appreciably after about 24 hours following the initial mixing of the composition, and its texture remains soft during storage periods and during the normal shelf life of the product, which may extend for periods of up to 2 or 3 months. Typically, over a period of 2 to 3 months from the initial mixing of the composition, 3 to 5% of the sucrose present in the starting material fondant will be inverted. It is known that sucrose inverting enzyme tends to be inactivated at elevated temperatures and pHs. The ingredients of the composition are desirably therefore, as will be the case with conventional gum composition ingredients, free from any content of bases which will elevate the pH above 7, at which the enzyme activity more or less ceases. The enzyme is added while the other ingredients are at a temperature which imparts sufficient pliability to the gum base material to permit this to be blended with the enzyme and its carrier, but which is low enough to avoid substantial inactivation of the enzyme. Desirably, the ingredients are at a temperature in the range of 5 to 70°C, more preferably 8 to 60°C when the enzyme is added. All percentages herein are by weight based on the total weight of the composition unless otherwise indicated. Examples of compositions in accordance with the invention will now be given. Example 1 A chewing gum was prepared from the following ingredients. The gum base was melted at a temperature of 90°C and placed in a standard dough mixer. The liquid glucose and fondant were added and mixed until uniformly blended into the gum base. The powdered sucrose, colour and flavour were then added and mixed until blended. The mixture was cooled to 38°C and the liquid invertase concentrate was added and mixed until blended in. The chewing gum composition thus prepared had a firm texture and was formed and wrapped on conventional forming and wrapping machinery. Its texture softened after 24 hours from mixing and forming, and its texture remains soft during prolonged storage. Example 2 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2 The ingredients listed in Table 1 below were blended together, in the parts by weight indicated, using the following procedure: the gum base was melted at 90°C and the Atomite filler was mixed in; next the fondant was mixed in, followed by the glucose syrup and the powdered sucrose, the flavour and the colour. The mixture was then cooled until its temperature was in the range of 35 to 40°C. The invertase enzyme was then added and mixed until uniformly blended. The three batches of bubble gum thus obtained were evaluated by panelists chewing the products and comparing their textures. It will be noted that the composition of Comparative Example 2 is a conventional bubble gum composition, containing no sucrose fondant or sucrose inverting enzyme. The composition of Comparative Example 1 was identical to that of Comparative Example 2 except it contained sucrose inverting enzyme. The composition of Example 2 was identical to that of Comparative Examples 1 and 2 except about 20% by weight of the sugar, liquid glucose and caramel paste (based on the total weight of the sugar, liquid glucose and caramel paste) was replaced with confectioners fondant while maintaining the weight ratio of sucrose-liquid glucose-moisture at approximately the same value as in Comparative Example 1. In order to maintain the level of fat in the composition of Example 2 the same as that in Comparative Examples 1 and 2, a small amount of coconut oil was added to compensate for the reduced quantity of cottonseed oil present in the composition. The results of the chewing panelists evaluation were as follows: The products of Comparative Examples 1 and 2 were judged to have equally hard textures. The product of Example 2 was judged to have a soft moist texture. These results show: (a) the addition of sucrose inverting enzyme to a conventional chewing gum composition, containing no confectioners fondant, does not affect the texture of the composition; and (b) The inclusion of sucrose fondant and sucrose inverting enzyme achieves a composition with a soft moist texture.

Claims: A chewing gum composition comprising in blended admixture, based on the total weight of the composition, the following ingredients: (a) from 10 to 40% gum base; (b) from 20 to 75% solid sweetener having its particle size in the range of from 90 to 250 µm; (c) from 5 to 30% liquid sweetener solution consisting of, based on the weight of the solution, 60 to 90% humectant sugar solids and 10 to 30% moisture; (d) from 10 to 25% of a sucrose fondant and said fondant comprising a liquid phase comprising 25 to 35% moisture based on the weight of the liquid phase and 65 to 75% dissolved solids based on the weight of the liquid phase; and (e) from 0.05 to 1.5 D.C.L. units sucrose inverting enzyme per 100g of the composition. A composition according to Claim 1 containing from 12 to 35% gum base. A composition according to Claim 1 or 2, containing from 25 to 60% of said solid sweetener. A composition according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said solid sweetener is sucrose. A composition according to any preceding claim, wherein the content of humectant sugar is from 8 to 35%. A composition according to any preceding claim, wherein humectant sugar is one or more of glucose, fructose, and starch hydrolysates. A composition according to any preceding claim, wherein the moisture content is from 3 to 8%. A composition according to any preceding claim, containing from 0.1 to 0.3 D.C.L. units sucrose inverting enzyme per 100 g of the composition. A composition according to any preceding claim, 1 having a pH below 7. A process for forming a chewing gum composition comprising blending together at a temperature less than 70°C, in the following proportions by weight, based on the total weight of the composition: (a) from 10 to 40% gum base; (b) from 20 to 75% solid sweetener having its particle size in the range 90 to 250 microns; (c) from 5 to 30% liquid sweetener solution consisting of, based on the weight of the solution, from 60 to 90% humectant sugar solids and from 10 to 30% moisture; (d) from 10 to 35% sucrose fondant, said fondant comprising a liquid phase comprising from 25 to 35% moisture based on the weight of the liquid phase and from 65 to 75% dissolved solids based on the weight of the liquid phase; and (e) from 0.05 to 1.5 DCL units sucrose inverting enzyme dissolved in a mobile carrier per 100 g of the chewing gum composition. A process according to Claim 10, wherein the content of gum base is from 12 to 35%. A process according to Claim 10 or 11, wherein the content of said solid sweetener is from 25 to 60%. A process according to Claim 10, 11, 12, wherein said solid sweetener is sucrose. A process according to any one of Claims 10 to 13, wherein the content of liquid sweetener solution is from 10 to 25%. A process according to any one of Claims 10 to 14, wherein the content of sucrose fondant is from 15 to 30%. A process according to any one of Claims 10 to 15, wherein the fondant contains a weight ratio of sucrose : humectant sugar solids of from 1:1 to 20:1. A process according to Claim 16, wherein said ratio is from 2:1 to 15:1. A process according to any one of Claims 10 to 17, wherein said mobile carrier comprises a mixture of glycerin and water. A process according to any one of Claims 10 to 18, wherein the content of sucrose inverting enzyme is from 0.1 to 0.3 D.C.L. units per 100 g of chewing gum composition. A process according to any one of Claims 10 to 19, wherein the blending is carried out at a temperature of from 5 to 70°C. A process according to Claim 20 wherein the temperature is from 8 to 60°C. A process according to any one of Claims 10 to 21, wherein the composition has a pH below 7.

Inventors: KNEBL, LESLIE FRANK, LEWIS, RAMOLA, WEN, Y. FRED
Applicants: WARNER-LAMBERT COMPANY
Application year: 1986
Main classification: A23G3
IPC codes: A23G4