Delivery system for active components as part of an edible composition having preselected tensile strength

Abstract

A delivery system for inclusion in an edible composition is formulated to have at least one active component encapsulated within an encapsulating material, whereby the delivery system has a tensile strength suitable for delivering the active component at a desired release rate.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention is generally directed to a delivery system for edible compositions in which a desired active component is encapsulated in a manner such that the tensile strength of the delivery system is within a desirable range to provide controlled release of the active component in a consistent manner over an extended period of time. The delivery system may, for example, provide consistent, extended and controlled delivery of a sweetener in a chewing gum composition or confectionery composition. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Encapsulating active components in edible compositions to prolong their release and / or to slow their degradation is known. Encapsulating materials used to coat such components include, for example, cellulose, cellulose derivatives, arabinogalactin, gum arabic, polyolefins, waxes, vinyl polymers, gelatin, zein and mixtures thereof. The encapsulating materials have been used to protect active components such as sweetener...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0016] The present invention provides a new approach to the controlled release of an active component in edible compositions such as, for example, chewing gum and confectionery compositions. The active component(s) and materials used to encapsulate the same provide a delivery system(s) that enables exceptional control of the release of the active component over a wide range of delivery systems and takes into account the use of a range of encapsulating materials and additives that may be used to formulate the delivery system. The delivery system is formulated based on tensile strength as the prime factor in formulating a delivery system that can deliver a designated active component at a desirable release rate. The encapsulated active components are preserved until release is desirable and therefore protected against moisture, reactive compounds, pH changes and the like. When the active component is a sweetener, the delivery system is tailored to the sweetener to provide consistent sustained release, thus extending the time the sweetener is released to provide an edible composition which provides a long lasting desirable taste profile, increased salivation and overall enjoyment of the taste imparted therefrom without the disadvantage of prior art systems in which the sweetener may be released at less or more than a desirable rate.

[0017] The present invention is premised chiefly on the discovery that the tensile strength of the delivery system is critical to obtaining a desired controlled, extended release of an active component. As a result, a delivery system can be readily and easily formulated using a broad range of materials (e.g., encapsulating agents, active components, additives) with the desired characteristics to achieve a particular desirable release rate. The active components and materials used to encapsulate the same provide a delivery system that provides exceptional control of the release of the active component.

[0020] In accordance with the present invention, the selection of a desired tensile strength within a desirable range enables the production of edible compositions using a range of materials including encapsulating materials without having to focus on a particular encapsulating material and without being limited to modifying the release rate solely through the selection of a molecular weight for the encapsulating material.

[0025] Still further there is provided a method of preparing a target delivery system for an edible composition useful for delivering at least one active component at a desired release rate, said method comprising encapsulating the at least one active component in an encapsulating material in a manner that provides the target delivery system with a target tensile strength associated with the desired release rate, enabling the delivery system to release the at least one active component form the edible composition at the desired release rate.

Problems solved by technology

For example, many high intensity sweeteners lose their sweetness intensity rapidly when used in edible compositions such as chewing gums and confections.

Certain high intensity sweeteners are also unstable in the presence of certain chemicals including aldehydes and ketones, and sensitive to exposure to environmental conditions including moisture.

The initial rapid burst can be unpleasant to many consumers as the strong sweet taste tends to overpower the other flavors that may be present in the edible composition.

The relatively rapid loss of sweetness can also result in a bitter aftertaste.

However, this approach is limited in that the predictable modification of the controlled release of the active agent is made only through the modification of the molecular weight of the encapsulating material.

There is no predictable modification based on the use of other encapsulating materials and / or additives that may be employed in the preparation of suitable delivery systems.

Thus, there is no comprehensive approach to the production of a desirable delivery system that can provide a desirable release rate of an active component without engaging in a significant amount of trial and error experimentation.

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