Chewing gum and gum bases containing polyolefin thermoplastic elastomer
View Patent ↗A chewing gum contains a water-insoluble gum base portion containing a polyolefin thermoplastic elastomer; a water-soluble bulk portion; and at least one flavor component, which is cud-forming and chewable at mouth temperature.
1. A chewing gum base comprising a polyolefin thermoplastic elastomer, which is cud-forming and chewable at mouth temperature, wherein the polyolefin thermoplastic is selected from the group consisting of:
(i) a copolymer of ethylene and an olefin selected from the group consisting of 1, 4-methylpentene, hexene, and octene;
(ii) a copolymer of propylene and an olefin selected from the group consisting of C 4 to C 10 alpha-olefins; and,
(iii) a copolymer of two different olefins selected from the group consisting of C 4 to C 10 alpha-olefins.
2. The chewing gum base of claim 1 which contains elastomer plasticizer, a softener, and a filler.
3. The chewing gum base of claim 1 which contains between 5 and 60 wt. % elastomer.
4. The chewing gum base of claim 1 which contains between 5 and 30 wt. % polyolefin thermoplastic elastomer.
5. The chewing gum base of claim 1 wherein the polyolefin thermoplastic elastomer is a copolymer of ethylene and an olefin selected from the group consisting of 1,4-methylpentene, hexene, and octene.
6. The chewing gum base of claim 1 wherein the polyolefin thermoplastic elastomer is a copolymer of propylene and an olefin selected from the group consisting of C 4 to C 10 alpha-olefins.
7. The chewing gum base of claim 1 wherein the polymeric polyolefin thermoplastic elastomer contains polymeric crystallinity.
8. The chewing gum base of claim 1 wherein the polymeric polyolefin thermoplastic elastomer is formed using a metallocene catalyst.
9. The chewing gum base of claim 1 wherein the gum base comprises a blend of polyolefin thermoplastic elastomer and at least one other elastomer.
10. The chewing gum base of claim 1 wherein the polyolefin thermoplastic elastomer is prepared from olefin monomers having a source other than petroleum.
11. A chewing gum comprising: a) a water-insoluble chewing gum base comprising a polyolefin thermoplastic elastomer, which is cud-forming and chewable at mouth temperature, wherein the polyolefin thermoplastic elastomer is selected from the group consisting of:
(i) a copolymer of ethylene and an olefin selected from the group consisting of 1, 4-methylpentene, hexene, and octene;
(ii) a copolymer of propylene and an olefin selected from the group consisting of C 4 to C 10 alpha-olefins; and,
(iii) a copolymer of two different olefins selected from the group consisting of C 4 to C 10 alpha-olefins;
b) a water soluble bulk portion; and
c) a flavor.
12. The chewing gum of claim 11 wherein the polyolefin thermoplastic elastomer is a copolymer of ethylene and an olefin selected from the group consisting of 1,4-methylpentene, hexene, and octene.
13. The chewing gum of claim 11 wherein the polyolefin thermoplastic elastomer contains polymeric crystallinity.
14. The chewing gum of claim 11 wherein the polyolefin thermoplastic elastomer is a copolymer of propylene and an olefin selected from the group consisting of C 4 to C 10 alpha-olefins.
15. The chewing gum of claim 11 which contains 10 to 50 wt. % chewing gum base.
16. The chewing gum of claim 11 in which the chewing gum base contains 5 to 30 wt. % elastomer.
17. A method to produce a chewing gum, comprising mixing a water-insoluble chewing gum base, a water-soluble bulk portion, and a flavor, wherein the water-insoluble gum base comprises a polyolefin thermoplastic elastomer, which is cud-forming and chewable at mouth temperature, wherein the polyolefin thermoplastic elastomer is selected from the group consisting of:
(i) a copolymer of ethylene and an olefin selected from the group consisting of 1, 4-methylpentene, hexene, and octene;
(ii) a copolymer of propylene and an olefin selected from the group consisting of C 4 to C 10 alpha-olefins; and,
(iii) a copolymer of two different olefins selected from the group consisting of C 4 to C 10 alpha-olefins.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein the polyolefin thermoplastic elastomer is not pre-ground before mixing.
19. The method of claim 17 wherein the polyolefin thermoplastic elastomer is a copolymer of ethylene and an olefin selected from the group consisting of 1,4-methylpentene, hexene, and octene.
20. The method of claim 17 wherein the polyolefin thermoplastic elastomer is a copolymer of propylene and an olefin selected from the group consisting of C 4 to C 10 alpha-olefins.
21. The method of claim 17 wherein the polyolefin thermoplastic elastomer is a copolymer of two different olefins selected from the group consisting of C 4 to C 10 alpha-olefins.
22. The chewing gum base of claim 1 wherein the polyolefin thermoplastic elastomer is a copolymer of two different olefins selected from the group consisting of C 4 to C 10 alpha-olefins.
23. The chewing gum of claim 11 wherein the polyolefin thermoplastic elastomer is a copolymer of two different olefins selected from the group consisting of C 4 to C 10 alpha-olefins.