METHOD OF PREPARING A FOOD PRODUCT
A method of preparing a food product includes providing a high-intensity sweetener selected from the group consisting of acesulfame-K, sucralose, glycyrrhizinate, dihydrochalcones, monellin, inonatin and mixtures thereof. A binder selected from the group consisting of aluminosilicates, polyvinyl acetate, polyols, silica, monioglycerides, waxes and mixtures thereof is provided. The binder and the high-intensity sweetener are compacted in a roll compactor to form a compacted mixture. The compacted mixture is added to a food product. In one embodiment, a chewing gum composition includes gum base; bulk sweetener; flavor and the compacted mixture.
1 . A method of preparing a food product comprising:
a) providing a high-intensity sweetener selected from the group consisting of acesulfame-K, sucralose and mixtures thereof
b) providing a binder selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl acetate, silica, monoglycerides, waxes, aluminosilicates and mixtures thereof;
c) compacting the binder and the high-intensity sweetener in a roll compactor to form a compacted mixture; and
d) adding the compacted mixture to a food product
2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising encapsulating the compacted mixture before adding it to the food product.
3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the compacted mixture is between about 1% and about 25% binder by weight.
4 . The method of claim 1 wherein the high-intensity sweetener comprises acesulfame-K.
5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the temperature of the compacted mixture is maintained at less than about 50° C. during the compaction process.
6 . The method of claim 1 wherein the roll compactor comprises two counter-rotating rolls and the pressure between the rolls is less than about 21,000 psi.
7 . The method of claim 1 wherein the roll compactor comprises two rolls with sinusoidal surfaces.
8 . The method of claim 1 wherein the roll compactor comprises two counter-rotating rolls and the gap between the rolls is between about 0.01 and about 0.05 inches.
9 . A method of preparing a chewing gum product comprising:
a) providing a high-intensity sweetener selected from the group consisting of acesulfame-K, sucralose, glycyrrhizinate, dihydrochalcones, monellin, monatin and mixtures thereof;
b) providing a binder selected from the group consisting of aluminosilicates, polyvinyl acetate, polyols, silica, monoglycerides, waxes and mixtures thereof;
c) compacting the binder and the high-intensity sweetener in a roll compactor to form a compacted mixture;
d) mixing the compacted mixture with gum base to form a chewing gum composition; and
e) forming the chewing gum composition into a chewing gum product.
10 . The method of claim 9 further comprising encapsulating the compacted mixture before mixing it with the gum base.
11 . The method of claim 9 wherein the high-intensity sweetener is selected from the group consisting of acesulfame-K, sucralose and mixtures thereof.
12 . The method of claim 11 wherein a sufficient amount of the compacted mixture is added to the chewing gum to provide a level of high-intensity sweetener between about 0.1% to about 2% by weight in the chewing gum product.
13 . The method of claim 11 wherein the high-intensity sweetener comprises acesulfame-K.
14 . The method of claim 9 wherein the binder is selected from the group consisting of aluminosilicates, polyvinyl acetate and mixtures thereof.
15 . The method of claim 9 wherein the binder comprises an aluminosilicate.
16 . The method of claim 9 wherein the compacted mixture is sized before being mixed with the gum base to form the chewing gum composition.
17 . A chewing gum composition comprising:
a) gum base;
b) bulk sweetener;
c) flavor; and
d) a compacted mixture comprising i) a high-intensity sweetener selected from the group consisting of acesulfame-K, sucralose, glycyrrhizinate, dihydrochalcones, monellin, monatin and mixtures thereof; and ii) a binder selected from the group consisting of aluminosilicates, polyvinyl acetate, polyols, silica, monioglycerides, waxes and mixtures thereof.
18 . The chewing gum composition of claim 17 wherein the high-intensity sweetener is selected from the group consisting of acesulfame-K, sucralose and mixtures thereof.
19 . The chewing gum composition of claim 17 wherein a sufficient amount of the compacted mixture is added to the chewing gum to provide a level of high-intensity sweetener between about 0.1% to about 2% by weight in the chewing gum product.
20 . The chewing gum composition of claim 17 wherein the binder is selected from the group consisting of aluminosilicates, polyvinyl acetate and mixtures thereof.