Patent ID: 8591968

Claim:
A chewing gum composition, comprising: at least one non-encapsulated active component; and at least one delivery system comprising a mixture of at least one encapsulating material, at least one active component, and at least one tensile strength modifying agent; wherein the tensile strength modifying agent is selected from the group consisting of a hydrogenated vegetable oil, triacetin, a rosin ester, mineral oil, glycerol monostearate, talc, and combinations thereof; wherein the encapsulating material is a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl acetate, polyethylene, crosslinked polyvinyl pyrrolidone, polymethylmethacrylate, polylactic acid, polyhydroxyalkanoates, polyvinyl acetatephthalate, polyethylene glycol ester, methacrylicacid-co-methylmethacrylate, and combinations thereof; wherein the tensile strength modifying agent is present in an amount of 1% to 40% by weight based on the total weight of the delivery system; wherein the tensile strength modifying agent is incorporated into the at least one delivery system; wherein the at least one delivery system has an average particle size of from 125 to 900 microns; wherein the at least one delivery system has a tensile strength of at least 10,000 psi; and wherein the at least one delivery system releases the at least one active component for at least 15 minutes after the chewing gum composition has been chewed and the delivery system retains at least 30% of the active component after that 15 minutes of chewing; with the proviso that when the tensile strength modifying agent is hydrogenated vegetable oil it is present in an amount of 1% to 5% by weight based on the total weight of the delivery system.