Chewing Gum with High-Potency Sweetener
The present invention relates generally to chewing gum compositions comprising non-caloric or low-caloric high-potency sweeteners and methods for making and using them. In particular, the present invention relates to different chewing gum compositions comprising at least one non-caloric or low-caloric natural and/or synthetic high-potency sweetener, at least one sweet taste improving composition, and a gum base. The present invention also relates to chewing gum compositions and methods that can improve the tastes of non-caloric or low-caloric natural and/or synthetic, high-potency sweeteners by imparting a more sugar-like taste or characteristic. In particular, the chewing gum composition and methods provide a more sugar-like temporal profile, including sweetness onset and sweetness linger, and/or a more sugar-like flavor profile.
1 . A chewing gum composition comprising:
a gum base;
at least one high-potency sweetener; and
at least one sweet taste improving composition.
2 . The chewing gum composition of claim 1 , wherein the at least one high-potency sweetener comprises a natural high-potency sweetener selected from the group consisting of rebaudioside A, rebaudioside B, rebaudioside C, rebaudioside D, rebaudioside E, rebaudioside F, dulcoside A, dulcoside B, rubusoside, stevia, stevioside, mogroside IV, mogroside V, Luo Han Quo sweetener, siamenoside, monatin and its salts (monatin SS, RR, RS, SR), curculin, glycyrrhizic acid and its salts, thaumatin, monellin, mabinlin, brazzein, hernandulcin, phyllodulcin, glycyphyllin, phloridzin, trilobatin, baiyunoside, osladin, polypodoside A, pterocaryoside A, pterocaryoside B, mukurozioside, phlomisoside I, periandrin I, abrusoside A, cyclocarioside I, and combinations thereof.
3 . The chewing gum composition of claim 1 , wherein the at least one high-potency sweetener comprises a synthetic high-potency sweetener selected from the group consisting of sucralose, acesulfame potassium and other salts, aspartame, alitame, saccharin, neohesperidin dihydrochalcone, cyclamate, neotame, N-[N-[3-(3-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)propyl]-L-α-aspartyl]-L-phenylalanine 1-methyl ester, N-[N-[3-(3-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)-3-methylbutyl]-L-α-aspartyl]-L-phenylalanine 1-methyl ester, N-[N-[3-(3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl)propyl]-L-α-aspartyl]-L-phenylalanine 1-methyl ester, salts thereof, and combinations thereof.
4 . The chewing gum composition of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sweet taste improving composition comprises a first sweet taste improving composition selected from the group consisting of carbohydrates, polyols, amino acids and their corresponding salts, polyamino acids and their corresponding salts, sugar acids and their corresponding salts, organic acids, inorganic acids, organic salts, inorganic salts, bitter compounds, flavorants, astringent compounds, polymers, proteins or protein hydrolysates, surfactants, emulsifiers, flavonoids, alcohols, and combinations thereof.
5 . The chewing gum composition of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sweet taste improving composition imparts a more sugar-like temporal profile to the chewing gum composition than the sweetener would have without the at least one sweet taste improving composition
6 . The chewing gum composition of claim 1 , further comprising at least one second sweet taste improving composition different from the at least one first sweet taste improving composition and selected from the group consisting of carbohydrates, polyols, amino acids and their corresponding salts, polyamino acids and their corresponding salts, sugar acids and their corresponding salts, organic acids, inorganic acids, organic salts, inorganic salts, bitter compounds, flavorants, astringent compounds, polymers, proteins or protein hydrolysates, surfactants, emulsifiers, flavonoids, alcohols, and combinations thereof.
7 . The chewing gum composition of composition of claim 6 , further comprising at least one third sweet taste improving composition different from the at least one first sweet taste improving composition and the at least one second sweet taste improving composition and selected from the group consisting of carbohydrates, polyols, amino acids and their corresponding salts, polyamino acids and their corresponding salts, sugar acids and their corresponding salts, organic acids, inorganic acids, organic salts, inorganic salts, bitter compounds, flavorants, astringent compounds, polymers, proteins or protein hydrolysates, surfactants, emulsifiers, flavonoids, alcohols, and combinations thereof.
8 . The chewing gum composition of claim 1 , wherein the at least one high-potency sweetener is rebaudioside A, stevioside, stevia, or combinations thereof.
9 . The chewing gum composition of claim 8 , wherein the at least one sweet taste improving composition comprises a polyol.
10 . The chewing gum composition of claim 9 , wherein the at least one polyol comprises erythritol.
11 . The chewing gum composition of claim 9 , wherein the at least one polyol comprises xylitol.
12 . The chewing gum composition of claim 8 , wherein the at least one sweet taste improving composition comprises at least one amino acid.
13 . The chewing gum composition of claim 12 , wherein the at least one amino acid comprises glycine, alanine, proline, hydroxyproline, glutamine, or combinations thereof.
14 . The chewing gum composition of claim 8 , wherein the at least one sweet taste improving composition comprises at least one polyamino acid.
15 . The chewing gum composition of claim 14 , wherein the at least one polyamino acid comprises poly-L-aspartic acid, poly-L-α-lysine, poly-L-ε-lysine, poly-L-α-ornithine, poly-ε-ornithine, poly-L-arginine, salts thereof, or combinations thereof.
16 . The chewing gum composition of claim 8 , wherein the at least one sweet taste improving composition comprises at least one inorganic salt.
17 . The chewing gum composition of claim 16 , wherein the at least one inorganic salt comprises a sodium, potassium, calcium, or magnesium salt.
18 . The chewing gum composition of claim 16 , further comprising at least one inorganic phosphate.
19 . The chewing gum composition of claim 18 , wherein the at least one inorganic phosphate comprises a sodium, potassium, calcium, or magnesium phosphate.
20 . The chewing gum composition of claim 16 , further comprising at least one inorganic chloride.
21 . The chewing gum composition of claim 20 , wherein the at least one inorganic chloride comprises a sodium, potassium, calcium, or magnesium chloride.
22 . The chewing gum composition of claim 8 , wherein the at least one sweet taste improving composition comprises at least one carbohydrate.
23 . The chewing gum composition of claim 22 , wherein the at least one carbohydrate comprises sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, glucose, or sucrose.
24 . The chewing gum composition of claim 23 , wherein the at least one carbohydrate is present in the chewing gum composition in an amount from about 10,000 ppm to about 80,000 ppm of the composition.
25 . The chewing gum composition of claim 8 , wherein the at least one sweet taste improving composition comprises at least one synthetic high-potency sweetener.
26 . The chewing gum composition of claim 25 , wherein the at least one synthetic high-potency sweetener comprises sucralose, acesulfame potassium or other salts, aspartame, alitame, saccharin, neohesperidin dihydrochalcone, cyclamate, neotame, N-[N-[3-(3-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)propyl]-L-α-aspartyl]-L-phenylalanine 1-methyl ester, N-[N-[3-(3-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)-3-methylbutyl]-L-α-aspartyl]-L-phenylalanine 1-methyl ester, N-[N-[3-(3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl)propyl]-L-α-aspartyl]-L-phenylalanine 1-methyl ester, salts thereof, and combinations thereof.
27 . The chewing gum composition of claim 25 , wherein the at least one synthetic high-potency sweetener comprises saccharin or acesulfame potassium or other salts.
28 . The chewing gum composition of claim 27 , wherein the at least one synthetic sweetener is present in the chewing gum composition in an amount from about 10 ppm to about 100 ppm of the composition.
29 . The chewing gum composition of claim 8 , wherein the rebaudioside A comprises rebaudioside A in a purity greater than about 70% rebaudioside A by weight on a dry basis.
30 . The chewing gum composition of claim 8 , wherein the rebaudioside A comprises rebaudioside A in a purity greater than about 80% rebaudioside A by weight on a dry basis.
31 . The chewing gum composition of claim 8 , wherein the rebaudioside A comprises rebaudioside A in a purity greater than about 90% rebaudioside A by weight on a dry basis.
32 . The chewing gum composition of claim 8 , wherein the rebaudioside A comprises rebaudioside A in a purity greater than about 97% rebaudioside by weight on a dry basis.
33 . The chewing gum composition of claim 8 , wherein the rebaudioside A comprises rebaudioside A in a purity greater than about 98% rebaudioside by weight on a dry basis.
34 . The chewing gum composition of claim 8 , wherein the rebaudioside A comprises rebaudioside A in a purity greater than about 99% rebaudioside by weight on a dry basis.
35 . The chewing gum composition of claim 1 , wherein the gum base comprises a natural or synthetic elastomer.
36 . The chewing gum composition of claim 35 , wherein the gum base further comprises one or more additional components selected from the group consisting of resins, softeners, emulsifiers, fillers, coloring agents, whiteners, antioxidants, preservatives, flavoring agents, and mixtures thereof.
37 . The chewing gum composition of claim 1 , further comprising a bulk sweetener.
38 . The chewing gum composition of claim 1 , wherein the sweet taste improving composition functions as a bulk sweetener.
39 . The chewing gum composition of claim 1 , wherein the gum base is present in the chewing gum composition in an amount in the range of about 5 to about 95 weight percent of the chewing gum composition.
40 . The chewing gum composition of claim 1 , wherein the natural and/or synthetic high-potency sweetener is present in the chewing gum composition in an amount in the range of about 0.002 to about 2 weight percent of the chewing gum composition.