SOFT COATED POWDER CENTRE-FILLED GUM
The present invention relates to a chewing gum composition that includes one or more layers surrounding a central core, at least one of the one or more layers surrounding the central core is a layer of chewing gum, wherein the central core includes a first material in a powder form having a first average grain size, and wherein the outermost layer of the one or more layers includes a coating that includes a second material in a powder form having a second average grain size.
1 . A chewing gum composition comprising one or more layers surrounding a central core, at least one of the one or more layers surrounding the central core being a layer of chewing gum, wherein the central core comprises a first material in a powder form having a first average grain size, and wherein the outermost layer of the one or more layers comprises a coating comprising a second material in a powder form having a second average grain size.
2 . A composition according to claim 1 , wherein the second average grain size of the second material is smaller than the first average grain size of the first material.
3 . A composition according to claim 2 , wherein the first average grain size of the first material is between about 100-1500 microns and the second average grain size of the second material is between about 30-300 microns.
4 . A composition according to claim 2 , wherein the first average grain size of the first material is between about 300-900 microns and the second average grain size of the second material is between about 60-200 microns.
5 . A composition according to claim 1 , wherein the first average grain size of the first material is smaller than the second average grain size of the second material.
6 . A composition according to claim 1 , wherein the first average grain size of the first material is approximately the same as the second average grain size of the second material.
7 . A composition according to claim 1 , wherein the first material and second material comprise at least an amount of the same material.
8 . A composition according to claim 1 , wherein the first material and second material each comprise a material which imparts a cooling and/or sweetening sensation to the oral cavity of a consumer.
9 . A composition according to claim 1 , wherein the first material and second material are each independently selected from xylitol, sorbitol, erythritol, maltitol or isomalt, or a combination of any two or more thereof.
10 . A composition according to claim 6 , wherein the first material and second material both comprise xylitol.
11 . A chewing gum product comprising a chewing gum composition according to claim 1 .
12 . A composition according to claim 1 , wherein the first material and/or second material comprise a material which imparts a warming sensation to the oral cavity of a consumer.
13 . A composition according to claim 1 , wherein the first material and/or second material may comprise a powder having a fruit flavour.
14 . A composition according to claim 1 , comprising one or more layers surrounding a central core, a layer of chewing gum surrounding the central core, and an outer layer substantially surrounding the layer of chewing gum, wherein the central core comprises a first material in a powder form having a first average grain size, and wherein the outer layer comprises a coating comprising a second material in a powder form having a second average grain size.
15 . A method of manufacturing a chewing gum composition according to claim 1 , comprising the steps of:
i) providing a chewing gum having a central cavity;
ii) filling the central cavity with a first material in a powder form, the first material having a first average grain size; and
iii) coating the chewing gum with a coating material comprising a second material in a powder form having a second average grain size.
16 . A method according to claim 15 , wherein steps (i) and (ii) are performed simultaneously or at different times.
17 . A method according to claim 15 , wherein a coating of a syrup material is added to the gum prior to the addition of the coating comprising the second material.
18 . A method of delivering a dual cooling sensation to an oral cavity of a consumer comprising delivering a chewing gum composition according to claim 1 to the oral cavity.
19 . (canceled)