CHEWING GUM COMPOSITIONS
A chewing gum base which is cud-forming and chewable at mouth temperature contains a food acceptable tri-block copolymer having the form A-B-A or A-B-C and comprising a soft mid-block which constitutes at least 30 wt. % of the total polymer and hard end-blocks each having a glass transition temperature below 70° C. The tri-block copolymer is optionally plasticized with a compatible di-block copolymer to function as an elastomer system in the gum base.
1 . A chewing gum base which is cud-forming and chewable at mouth temperature comprising a food acceptable tri-block copolymer in the form A-B-A or A-B-C having a soft mid-block and hard end-blocks wherein the soft mid-block comprises at least 30 wt. % of the tri-block copolymer and wherein the hard end-blocks each have a Tg below 70° C.
2 . A gum base of claim 1 further comprising a di-block copolymer.
3 . A gum base of claim 1 wherein the gum base comprises at least one additional ingredient selected from the group consisting of plasticizers, softeners, emulsifiers, fillers, plastic resins, colors, anti-oxidants and additional elastomers.
4 . The gum base of claim 3 wherein the gum base comprises 0 to 5% of talc or calcium carbonate filler.
5 . The gum base of claim 3 wherein the gum base comprises 5 to 40% amorphous silica filler.
6 . The gum base of any of claim 3 wherein the base comprises 5 to 15% high molecular weight polyisobutylene.
7 . A gum base of claim 1 wherein the soft mid-block comprises at least 40 wt. % of the tri-block copolymer.
8 . The chewing gum of claim 7 wherein the soft mid-block comprises at least 50 wt. % of the tri-block copolymer.
9 . The chewing gum of claim 7 wherein the soft mid-block comprises at least 60 wt. % of the tri-block copolymer.
10 . A gum base of claim 1 wherein the hard end-blocks have a Tg below 60° C.
11 . A gum base of claim 1 wherein the hard end-blocks have a Tg between 20° C. and 70° C.
12 . A gum base of claim 1 wherein the hard end-blocks have a Tg between 20° C. and 60° C.
13 . A gum base of claim 1 wherein the hard end-blocks have a Tg between 30° C. and 70° C.
14 . A gum base of claim 1 wherein the hard end-blocks have a Tg between 30° C. and 60° C.
15 . A gum base of claim 1 wherein the hard end-blocks have a Tg between 40° C. and 70° C.
16 . A gum base of claim 1 wherein the hard end-blocks have a Tg between 40° C. and 60° C.
17 . A gum base of claim 1 wherein the hard end-blocks comprise one or more polymers selected from the group consisting of poly(D,L-lactide), polyvinylacetate, polyethylene terephthalate, polyglycolic acid, random copolymer of glycolic acid and D,L lactide, and alternating copolymer of glycolic acid and D,L lactide.
18 . A gum base of claim 17 wherein at least one of the hard end-blocks comprises poly(D,L-lactide).
19 . A gum base of claim 1 wherein the soft mid-block comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyisoprene, poly(6-methylcaprolactone), poly(6-butyl-ε-caprolactone (also known as poly(ε-decalactone), other polymers of alkyl or aryl substituted-caprolactones, polydimethylsiloxane, polybutadiene, polycyclooctene, polyvinyllaurate, polyethylene oxide, polyoxymethylene, polymenthide, polyfarnesene and polymyrcene.
20 . A gum base of claim 19 wherein the soft mid-block comprises polyisoprene.
21 . A gum base of claim 19 wherein the soft mid-block comprises poly(6-methylcaprolactone).
22 . A gum base of claim 1 wherein the gum cud is readily removable when adhered to concrete.
23 . A gum base of claim 1 wherein the tri-block copolymer is environmentally degradable.
24 . A gum base of claim 1 wherein the tri-block copolymer is produced from renewable resources.
25 . A gum base of claim 1 wherein the tri-block copolymer is food grade.
26 . A chewing gum comprising the gum base of claim 1 .
27 . The chewing gum of claim 26 wherein the chewing gum comprises 3 to 7% of an emulsifier by weight of the chewing gum composition
28 . The chewing gum of claim 27 wherein at least a portion of the emulsifier is spray dried or encapsulated.
29 . The chewing gum of claim 27 wherein the emulsifier is lecithin.
30 . The chewing gum of claim 27 wherein the chewing gum further comprises an enzyme capable of degrading at least one polymer in the chewing gum.
31 . The chewing gum of claim 30 wherein the enzyme is encapsulated.
32 . The chewing gum of claim 26 further comprising a polymer having a straight or branched chain carbon-carbon polymer backbone and a multiplicity of side chains attached to the backbone.
33 . The chewing gum of claim 32 wherein the polymer having a straight or branched chain carbon-carbon polymer backbone and a multiplicity of side chains attached to the backbone is present in the gum base.
34 . The chewing gum of claim 26 further comprising a polymer comprising hydrolyzable units or an ester and/or ether of a polymer comprising hydrolyzable units.
35 . The chewing gum of claim 34 wherein the polymer comprising hydrolyzable units or the ester and/or ether of a polymer comprising hydrolyzable units is present in the gum base.