WO2007030011A2

WO2007030011A2 - Shaped chewing gum product and method of manufacture thereof

Info

Publication number: WO2007030011A2
Application number: PCT/NL2006/050215
Authority: WO
Inventors: Cornelis Gijsbertus Anthonius Van Eijk; Charles Theodorus Van Voorst Vader; Jeroen Pieter Pool
Original assignee: Rbv Leaf
Priority date: 2005-09-05
Filing date: 2006-09-04
Publication date: 2007-03-15
Also published as: WO2007030011A3

Abstract

One aspect of the invention relates to a method of manufacturing a shaped chewing gum product comprising: a. preparing a homogeneous, pourable hot mixture containing: 41-80 wt.% of a gum base; 15-55 wt.% of one or more molten sweeteners with a melting point in the range of 60-190˚C, preferably in the range of 70-150˚C; and optionally 0-40 wt.% other chewing gum ingredients, said pourable hot mixture having a temperature of at least 85˚C, preferably of at least 90˚C; b. introducing the pourable hot mixture into a mould; c. allowing the mixture to congeal within the mould; and d. demoulding the congealed shaped chewing gum product. The present invention also encompasses a shaped chewing gum product containing: • 41-80 wt.% of a gum base; 15-55 wt.% of xylitol; 0-40 wt.% of other chewing gum ingredients; wherein less than 20 wt.% of the xylitol is present in the form of particles with a diameter of more than 30 µm.

Description

SHAPED CHEWING GUM PRODUCT AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE

THEREOF

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new type of shaped chewing gum product as well as to a method of manufacturing such a shaped chewing gum product. The shaped chewing gum products according to the present invention are manufactured by means of moulding and can be obtained in essentially any desired form or shape.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Chewing gum products are conventionally manufactured by homogenising a mixture of ingredients, including a gum base, sweetener and flavour, and scoring and cutting, compressing or punching the homogeneous mixture into the desired form. Unfortunately, this type of processing does not allow for the production of chewing gum articles in complex, appealing shapes. Clearly, the appeal of chewing gum articles might be enhanced considerably if such articles could be manufactured in desirable forms, such as cartoon characters (e.g. Donald Duck), various types of fruit, cars etc.

German patent application DE-A 2 115 461 describes a process for the manufacture of chewing gum products wherein chewing gum base and additives, including fat and/or wax are mixed together at an elevated temperature to obtain a homogeneous mixture that is poured at elevated temperature to form chewing gum products. According to the German patent application the ready-to-pour homogeneous mixture preferably contains 10-35 wt.% gum base; 10-40 wt.% fat and/or wax components; and 30-65 wt.% sweeteners. The homogenous mixture is said to have a temperature of 60-90 ⁰C when it is poured. The examples of the German patent application describe the preparation of chewing gum products from a homogeneous mixture that is prepared at a temperature of 40-55 ⁰C and that contains 34-40 wt.% sorbitol powder. WO 2004/006686 describes a tabletted chewing gum sweet characterised in that it comprises at least two integral parts, a first integral part comprising a compressed gum base and a tablet base material, and a second integral part comprising a compressed tablet base material. The tablet base material is said to be preferably based on a sugar or polyol, for example, sucrose, fructose, lactose, dextrose, sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol, xylitol, isomalt, glucose syrup, maltitol syrup or erithritol. It is stated in the international patent application that the particles sizes of the gum base and the tablet base of both the first and the second integral parts may range from 10 microns to 2 mm, but that the average particle size may be from 20 to 160 microns. Gumbases, having a low viscosity at processing temperatures of 60-80⁰C were developed by Cafosa, Spain and marketed under the product names Forma T and Shape. It has been suggested that these gum bases can be used to produce chewing gums by means of processing and moulding at temperatures of 60-80 ⁰C. Proposed formulations for chewing gum using these gumbases are based on sugar powder or contain no bulk sweetener at all; The first type of formulations produce matrices with rather high viscosities. The second type yields products with very hard, brittle structures.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The inventors have developed a uncomplicated manufacturing method that enables the production of shaped chewing gum articles without the need of incorporating substantial amounts of fat and/or wax. This method comprises the steps of:

• preparing a homogeneous, pourable hot mixture containing a gum base; one or more molten sweeteners; and optionally other chewing gum ingredients, said pourable hot mixture having a temperature of at least 85 ⁰C, preferably of at least 9O C; • introducing the pourable hot mixture into a mould;

• allowing the mixture to congeal within the mould; and

• demoulding the congealed shaped chewing gum product. It was found that a mouldable low viscosity chewing gum mass can be obtained by employing a substantial amount of molten sweetener in combination with a suitable gum base. In accordance with the present invention the pourable hot mixture contains 41-80 wt.% of a gum base; 15-55 wt.% of one or more molten sweeteners with a melting point in the range of 60-190 ⁰C; and optionally 0-40 wt.% other chewing gum ingredients,

US 3,857,965 describes a method for making a chewing-gum composition comprising the steps of melting crystalline sorbitol or concentrating a sorbitol solution by heating, mixing chewing gum-base and a crystallisation retardant with the sorbitol, homogeneously blending and then forming the mixture. The composition, which is manufactured in a liquid state, can be formed to the desired shape either by casting into a mould or by product forming after cooling to a viscous state. The chewing gum compositions according to this US patent contain 14-40 wt.% gum base; 10-86 wt.% sorbitol; 0-10 wt.% moisture; and 0.5-50 wt.% of emulsifier, mannitol and/or glycerine. The method described in US 3,857,965 aims to provide a sugarless chewing gum without the need to use fat and wax ingredients as a mastic or binding agents. The addition of a crystallisation retardant is said to be necessary to prevent the chewing- gum product from re-crystallising and hence becoming crumbly upon standing.

The present inventors have found that in the chewing gum products obtained by the present process re-crystallisation can be avoided effectively by incorporating at least 41 wt.% of gum base in the pourable hot mixture.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a shaped chewing gum product containing:

• 41-80 wt.% of a gum base; • 15-55 wt.% of xylitol;

• 0-40 wt.% of other chewing gum ingredients; wherein less than 20 wt.% of the xylitol is present in the form of particles with a mass weighted average diameter of more than 30 μm.

Conventional chewing gum products containing polyol sweeteners, such as xyilitol, are prepared by introducing these polyol sweeteners in the form of a powder. Commercially available xylitol powders have an average particle size well in excess of 30 μm. Because conventional manufacturing processes do not employ temperatures above the melting point of xylitol, this particular sweetener is present in the final product as particles with a mean diameter of more than 30 μm.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, one aspect of the invention relates to a method of manufacturing a shaped chewing gum product comprising: a. preparing a homogeneous, pourable hot mixture containing: • 41 -80 wt.% of a gum base;

• 15-55 wt.% of one or more molten sweeteners with a melting point in the range of 60-190 ⁰C, preferably in the range of 70-150 ⁰C; and

• optionally 0-40 wt.% other chewing gum ingredients, said pourable hot mixture having a temperature of at least 85 ⁰C, preferably of at least 90 ⁰C; b. introducing the pourable hot mixture into a mould; c. allowing the mixture to congeal within the mould; and d. demoulding the congealed shaped chewing gum product.

The term "gumbase" as used herein refers to any chewing gum ingredients employed in the hot pourable mixture that is essentially water- insoluble and that will remain in the chewing gum product until the final stage of consumption. These ingredients are normally preblended, e.g. by gumbase manufacturers, and combined with the water-soluble components, such as sweeteners and water-soluble flavours, by the chewing gum manufacturer. Naturally, it is also possible to separately add these water- insoluble ingredients to the hot pourable mixture, followed by homogenisation. Irrespective of whether the latter water- insoluble ingredients have been pre-blended into the gumbase or are added separately to the hot pourable mixture, these ingredients are considered to be part of the gumbase.

The term "mould" as used herein is not be construed narrowly and effectively refers to any shaped item that can suitably be used to convey its internal shape to a pourable composition congealing within said shaped article. Thus, the present invention, for instance, covers a method in which the congealing pourable hot mixture is extruded through a shaped tube. As a matter of fact, a preferred embodiment of the present invention relates to a co-extrusion process in which two or more different pourable compositions, at least one of which is a hot pourable mixture as defined above, are co-extruded under congealing conditions and cut axially. By employing pourable compositions with different colours, flat shaped confectionary articles with appealing colour patterns can be obtained in this manner

The present method also covers the use of moulding techniques such as starch moulding, wherein a pourable composition is introduced into pre-defined imprints in a tightly packed bed of specially prepared starch particles and allowed to congeal while taking on the form of the imprint. Naturally, the present method also encompasses the use of prefabricated moulds into which the pourable hot mixture is poured or injected and allowed to congeal. The moulds may be made of an essentially non-deformable material such as metal, or from an easily deformable material, such as rubber.

In accordance with a particularly preferred embodiment of the present method, the hot mixture contains: • 45-75 wt.% of a gum base;

• 20-50 wt.% of the one or more molten sweeteners; and

• optionally 0-20 wt.% other chewing gum ingredients.

It is important that the present pourable hot mixture has a low viscosity when it is introduced into the mould as otherwise it will fail to replicate detailed elements of the internal shape of the mould. This is realised, as described above, by employing molten sweeteners in combination with a suitable gum base.

Conventional gum bases normally contain, as a principal ingredient, e.g. at least 70 wt.%, preferably at least 80 wt.% of any of a number of different resinous gum materials such as: natural rubber elastomers (e.g., rubber latex, guayule, and the like); natural gum elastomers (e.g., chicle, jelutong, balata, guttapercha, lechi caspi, sorva, pendare, perillo, leche de vaca, niger gutta, tunu, chiquibul, crown gum, and the like); synthetic rubber elastomers (e.g., styrene-butadiene rubber, polyisobutylene, isobutylene-isoprene copolymers, polybutadiene, and the like); hydrophobic synthetic polymers (e.g., polyvinyl acetates, ethylene/vinyl acetate, vinyl laurate/vinyl acetate copolymer, and the like); and mixtures thereof. Other functional ingredients are typically present in conventional chewing gum bases to modify and tailor the overall properties of the resulting chewing gum, such as one or more of fats, waxes, elastomer solvent resins, fillers, softeners (e.g. glycerol, triacetin and/or MCT-oil), emulsifiers, plasticizers, antioxidants, etc.

The present method produces particularly good results in case a gum base is employed that exhibits a low viscosity at temperatures above approximately 60 ⁰C. As described in the earlier mentioned German patent application DE-A 2 115 461, it is feasible to reduce the viscosity of the gum base by incorporating therein components that melt in the range of 40-80 ⁰C. In a preferred embodiment the gum base contains at least 10 wt.%, preferably at least 20 wt.% of one or more melting gum components selected from waxes, fat, low molecular weight polyvinylacetate (PVA) and combinations thereof. Typically, the gum base contains not more than 60 wt.% of the these melting gum components.

The present invention also encompasses a method in which wax, fat and/or low molecular weight PVA are added to the other gumbase ingredients, followed by homogenisation to produce a low viscosity pourable hot mixture. Thus, the latter melting gum components may be introduced into the pourable hot mixture through the gumbase and/or separately, optionally pre-blended with other chewing gum ingredients. Preferably, these melting gum components are introduced into the pourable hot mixture through the gum base. The total content of wax, fat and/or low molecular weigh PVA in the hot pourable mixture preferably exceeds 10 wt.%, more preferably 20 wt.%. The latter total content usually does not exceed 60 wt.%.

The presence of substantial amounts of solid materials will cause undesirably high viscosities and should therefore be avoided. The gum base employed in the present method typically contains less than 40 wt.%, preferably less than 30 wt.% of solid fillers like talcum and/or chalk. Typically, upon introduction into the mould, the pourable hot mixture contains less than 40 wt.%, preferably less than 30 wt.% of solid material. Most preferably, the pourable hot mixture contains less than 25 wt.% of solid material when it is introduced into the mould. Likewise, upon introduction into the mould, the pourable hot mixture preferably contains less than 10 wt.%, more preferably less than 5 wt.% of sweeteners in a solid state. The present invention offers the advantage that it enables the preparation of chewing gum products that are essentially water-free. Accordingly, upon introduction in the mould, the water content of the pourable hot mixture is suitably below 3 wt.%, especially below 2 wt.%. Although it is feasible to prepare a pourable hot mixture containing a substantial amount of water and to evaporate most of the water prior to introduction of the mixture into the mould, it is preferred to prepare a pourable hot mixture from essentially water- free ingredients without the addition of any water. Consequently, in a preferred embodiment of the present method the water content of the pourable hot mixture is kept below 3 wt.%, more preferably below 2 wt.%.

In order to ensure that the one or more sweeteners in the pourable hot mixture are completely, or at least almost completely molten, the temperature of the pourable hot mixture upon introduction into the mould preferably exceeds T_m - 1O⁰C; T_m representing the melting temperature of the molten sweetener with the highest melting point, said melting temperature being defined as the melting temperature at the pressure employed in the present method. It is noted that it is possible to introduce a hot mixture into the mould that is still pourable even if the mixture has a temperature significantly below the melting point of a bulk sweetener contained therein. It is well-known that congealing materials often can be "undercooled" to several degrees below their melting point before they start congealing. Such an undercooled pourable hot mixture may suitably be employed in the present method as it will accelerate the subsequent congealing process. On the other hand, the use of an undercooled mixture may cause problems in case of a production-line standstill.

As mentioned herein before, it is important that the pourable hot mixture has a low viscosity when it is introduced into the mould. Advantageously, upon introduction into the mould, the pourable hot mixture has a viscosity of less than 200 poise, more preferably of less than 150 poise and most preferably of less than 100 poise. Usually, the viscosity of the pourable hot mixture upon introduction into the mould will exceed 25 poise. The aforementioned viscosities are suitably measured with a Rheology Int.Viscosimeter, Type RI:1:M, using spindle 6 and a speed of 60 rpm.

The benefits of the present method may be realised with any sweetener that will melt at a sufficiently high temperature and that is stable when molten. For instance, such a sweetener should not degrade (e.g. caramelise) when it is molten. Thus, sucrose is not a suitable sweetener for use in the present method as it starts to degrade well below its melting temperature of about 19O⁰C.

Examples of suitable sweeteners include monosaccharides (e.g. hexoses, pentoses and tetroses), disaccharides, trisaccharides, as well as hydrogenated mono-, di- and trisaccharides (polyols or sugar alcohols). Typical examples of sweeteners that can be employed as molten sweeteners in the pourable hot mixture include xylitol, sorbitol, maltitol, mannitol, isomalt, erythritol, lactitol, trehalose, D-tagatose and fructose. Naturally, also mixtures of two or more of these sweeteners may be employed. According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the one or more molten sweeteners are selected from xylitol and sorbitol. During prolonged storage, it was observed that sorbitol may (re)crystallise in the form of fine white crystal. These crystals may adversely affect the appearance and texture of the chewing gum product. Accordingly, the amount of sorbitol employed in the pourable hot mixture preferably is less than 10 wt.%, more preferably less than 8 wt.%, most preferably less than 5 wt.%. Similarly, the pourable hot mixture preferably contains less than 50%, more preferably less than 30% and even more preferably less than 15% sorbitol by weight of the one or more molten sweeteners. Most preferably, the pourable hot mixture contains no sorbitol. The present method enables the manufacture of chewing gum articles that do not suffer from recrystallisation without requiring the use of crystallisation retardants such as gum acacia or mannitol. Typically, the combined amounts mannitol and gum acacia in the pourable hot mixture do not exceed 3 wt.%. Preferably, the pourable hot mixture contains less than 2 wt.% of mannitol and/or gum acacia. Most preferably, the pourable hot mixture contains essentially no mannitol or gum acacia.

In the present method the gum base and the one or more sweeteners may be combined in solid form and subsequently heated to a sufficiently high temperature to obtain the pourable hot mixture. Alternatively, the one or more molten sweeteners are pre-heated so as to melt them, before being combined with the pre-heated gum base. Optional other ingredients are suitably added to the molten sweeteners, the preheated gum base or they may be added after the molten sweeteners and gum base have been blended. Conventional gumbase mixers, which are normally steamheated, can be used to produce the present chewing gum product. Thus, no special equipment is required to operate the present method. Examples of optional ingredients that may suitably be utilised in the present method include flavourings, colourings, high intensity sweeteners, acidulants, binding agents, glycerol and emulsifiers. According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the pourable hot mixture contains one or more high intensity sweeteners to improve longlasting sweetness and flavour perception. Preferred high-intensity sweeteners include, but are not limited to sucralose, aspartame, salts of acesulfame, alitame, saccharin and its salts, neotame, cyclamic acid and its salts, glycyrrhizin, dihydrochalcones, thaumatin, monellin, steviosides and the like, alone or in combination. It may be desirable to encapsulate or otherwise control the release of at least a portion of the artificial sweetener, or to stabilize these ingredients; Well-known techniques for encapsulation can be used, however care must be taken that the encapsulation is able to withstand or survive the high temperatures applied in the manufacturing method. The pourable hot mixture of the present method preferably contains from 0-8 wt. % of glycerol, preferably from 2-6 wt.% of glycerol. The incorporation of glycerol in the indicated concentration offers the advantage that the so called "initial chew" is substantially softened.

Because of the high temperature employed in the present process, volatile flavour components may evaporate from the pourable hot mix and/or heat-sensible flavour substances may be degraded. In order to prevent flavour losses or flavour deterioration, the pourable hot mixture advantageously contains 0.2-8 wt.% of an encapsulated flavour. According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the encapsulated flavour comprises a encapsulation matrix of coacervated material. The latter type of encapsulated flavour was found to be particularly suited for producing high quality shaped chewing gum products with the present method. In the present method a combination of encapsulated and liquid flavour may advantageously be employed. When using liquid flavours, care must be taken not to employ flavours with too low a flashpoint. The inventors have found that it can be advantageous to increase the viscosity of the pourable hot mixture by adding a powder ingredient to the pourable hot mixture that does not melt or dissolve. In order not to adversely affect the sensory quality of the resulting chewing gum product (e.g. by introducing grittiness), the powder ingredient preferably has a volume weighted mean particle size of less than 3 mm and more than 5 μm. Typically, less than 10 vol.% of the powder has a particle size of more than 4 mm. The powder ingredient preferably contains at least 80 wt.% of one or more ingredients selected from the group consisting of: • (Hydrogenated) Saccharides as mentioned above, however chosen for having a higher melting point than the processing temperature;

• Low calorie ingredients; these include, but are not restricted to polydextrose, inulin, hydrolysed inulin, fructooligosaccharides, palatinose, guar gum hydrolysates or digestible dextrines (e.g Fibersol™)

• Encapsulates of flavours and sweeteners (powders which influence viscosity)

• Fruit powders, freeze dried, ground material, but also slices or pieces are possible

• Herbs etc.

• Biologically active ingredients such as micronutrients (e.g. vitamins, minerals etc.) and pharmaceutically active components.

For visual effect, bigger pieces may be used; however, because of their big size (3 - 6 mm), their influence on viscosity is low, and care must be taken to avoid that these bigger pieces will block the feeding nozzles for moulding.

The present method enables the manufacture of exciting, complex chewing gum articles. For instance, the pourable hot mixture may be introduced into the mould together with a solid confectionary article (e.g. nuts or fruit pieces) and/or another pourable confectionary material (e.g. candies, gellies, fondant, chocolate, foam). In particular if the colours and/or transparency of the individual components differ, extremely fascinating articles can be produced. The pourable hot mixture of the present method may be coloured by available natural and synthetics colours known in the field to make the product more attractive. By introducing into a single mould two or more differently coloured hot mixtures, very appealing products can be made. Similarly, also two or more differently flavoured hot mixtures may be introduced together in a single mould. Thus, a preferred embodiment of the invention relates to a method in which two or more pourable hot mixtures are separately introduced into the mould, said two or more pourable hot mixtures differing in colour, flavour and/or texture. It is noted that the viscosity of the hot mixtures of the present invention is sufficiently high to prevent significant mixing of the two or more hot mixtures. Typically, said viscosity exceed 1 poise under the measurement conditions defined above, more preferably it exceeds 5 poise.

As mentioned herein before, the pourable hot mixture may suitably be moulded by means of starch moulding. This particular technique offers the advantage that it is very versatile. Hence a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention relates to a method that employs starch moulding to congeal the pourable hot mixture into a shaped chewing gum product.

A further aspect of the invention concerns a shaped chewing gum product that is obtainable by the present process. Yet another aspect of the present invention relates to a shaped chewing gum product containing:

• 41-80 wt.% of a gum base;

• 15-55 wt.% of xylitol;

• 0-40 wt.% of other chewing gum ingredients; wherein less than 20 wt.% of the xylitol is present in the form of particles with a diameter of more than 30 μm.

As explained in the summary of the invention, conventional manufacturing processes do not employ temperatures above the melting point of xylitol. In these conventional manufacturing processes polyol sweeteners, such as xylitol, are employed in the form of fine powders in order to ensure that these powders can be dispersed homogeneously through the product base. These powders are sometimes milled in order to ensure that the particle size is sufficiently reduced so as to render them undetectable in the final product. The mean particle size of these powders typically exceeds 30 μm. According to a particularly preferred embodiment, less than 20 wt.%, preferably less than 10 wt.% of the xylitol has a diameter of more than 20 μm. Even more preferably, less than 20 wt.%, preferably less than 10 wt.% of the xylitol has a diameter of more than 15 μm. It is noted that the present shaped chewing gum product may suitably contain xylitol in an amorphous, optionally non-particulate form. The present invention also encompasses shaped chewing gum products in which the xylitol is present in a non-particulate form.

A particularly preferred embodiment of the invention concerns a shaped chewing gum product as defined above, comprising:

• 45-75 wt.% of the gum base; • 20-50 wt.% of xylitol; and

• 1-20 wt.% of other chewing gum ingredients.

The other chewing gum ingredients may include flavourings, colourings, glycerol, softeners, high intensity sweeteners etc. In a preferred embodiment, the shaped chewing gum product contains 1-10 wt.% glycerine, preferably 2-8 wt.% glycerine.

The shaped chewing gum products according to the present invention are characterised in that upon heating to a sufficiently high temperature in the range of 60- 190 ⁰C they will form a pourable mass. Typically, the present shaped chewing gum product will exhibit a viscosity of less than 200 poise, preferably of less than 150 poise at 60 s^"1 when heated to a temperature in the range of 80-120 ⁰C, particularly in the range of 85- 100 ⁰C.

The invention is further illustrated by means of the following examples.

EXAMPLES

Comparative example

Shaped chewing gums were produced using the following recipe:

In an oven, the gumbase was preheated to 100⁰C. To the vessel containing gumbase, lecithin and xylitol were added and mixed until the mass was completely homogeneous. The final temperature of the mix was 70⁰C. Glycerine and flavour were added, and the mass was mixed until it was homogeneous. This turned out to be extremely difficult becauselumps of xylitol covered by gumbase were very difficult to break up by thorough mixing. The final mass was extremely viscous (viscosity in excess of 1100 poise) and it was virtually impossible to pour it. Example 1

Shaped chewing gums were produced using the following recipe:

In a gumbase mixer (steamheated, 1 ,5 bar), gumbase, lecithin and xylitol crystals were mixed until the mass was completely molten, temperature of the mix 105⁰C. Glycerine was added, followed by the flavours and the mass was mixed until it was homogeneous. Next, the low viscosity mass was taken out of the mixer and poured into the moulds. These moulds were prepared by pushing detailed images of fruit pieces, cartoon characters etc. in starch. Measured viscosity of the mix upon filing these moulds: 63 poise at 97°C. After the mass had been allowed to congeal in the moulds, it could easily be removed therefrom and dedusted . The resulting figures were very good in detail, the gum had a fine initial chew and blowing capacity was fine;

Example 2

Shaped chewing gums were produced using the following recipe:

In separate vessels xylitol and gumbase were preheated in a heating cabinet at 105⁰C for one night. The molten materials were added together and mixed. Successively, glycerine, lecithin, flavour, and finally aspartame were added, the low viscosity mass was mixed until it was homogeneous and was poured into starch moulds. Again, the resulting gum samples were nicely detailed figures

Example 3 Shaped chewing gums were produced using the following recipes (in parts by weight):

The gumbase and the xylitol were separately molten and shortly kept at a temperature of 105 ⁰C before being combined and homogenised at a temperature of 100 ⁰C. Next the liquid components (triacetin, MCT-oil and glycerol) were added, followed by further homogenisation at 100 ⁰C. Subsequently, the remaining ingredients, except for the flavour are added to the blend, followed by homogenisation at 100 ⁰C. The encapsulated flavour is added, again followed by homogenisation. The resulting easy pourable mixture is kept at 100 ⁰C and is slowly stirred until is introduced into the moulds.

It was found that excellent quality shaped chewing gum products could be produced with hot pourable mixtures that had been produced in accordance with the above recipes A to F.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a shaped chewing gum product comprising: a. preparing a homogeneous, pourable hot mixture containing: • 41 -80 wt.% of a gum base;

2. Process according to claim 1, wherein the temperature of the pourable hot mixture upon introduction into the mould exceeds T_m - 1O⁰C; T_m representing the melting temperature of the molten sweetener with the highest melting point.

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the pourable hot mixture upon introduction into the mould has a viscosity of less than 200 poise at 60 s^"1.

4. Method according to claim 3, wherein the pourable hot mixture upon introduction in the mould has a viscosity of 1-150 poise at 60 s^"1.

5. Method according to any one of the preceding clam, wherein one or more molten sweeteners are selected from the group consisting of xylitol, sorbitol, maltitol, mannitol, isomalt, erythritol, lactitol, trehalose, D-tagatose and fructose.

6. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pourable hot mixture contains less than 50%, preferably less than 30% sorbitol by weight of the one or more molten sweeteners.

7. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pourable hot mixture is moulded by means of starch moulding.

8. Method according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the pourable hot mixture is introduced into the mould together with a solid confectionary article or a different pourable confectionary material .

9. A shaped chewing gum product containing: a. 41-80 wt.% of a gum base; b. 15-55 wt.% of xylitol; c. 0-40 wt.% of other chewing gum ingredients; wherein less than 20 wt.% of the xylitol is present in the form of particles with a diameter of more than 30 μm.

10. Shaped chewing gum product according to claim 9, wherein the product contains:

• 45-75 wt.% of the gum base;

• 20-50 wt.% of xylitol; and

• 1-20 wt.% of other chewing gum ingredients.