Method for flavor coating drinking straw

Abstract

Methods and coating compositions are provided for producing an acid coated drinking straw or confectionery article. The method includes heating a food grade acid composition to a temperature sufficient for the acid composition to become fluid; applying the fluid acid to a surface of a drinking straw or confectionery substrate; and then cooling the acid coated drinking straw or acid coated confectionery substrate to a temperature sufficient to immobilize the acid composition on the surface. The food grade acid composition can comprise, for example, about 40 to 100 weight percent food grade acid (such as citric acid, phosphoric acid, malic acid, or a mixture thereof), 0 to about 5 weight percent surface tension reducing agent, 0 to about 30 weight percent plasticizer, 0 to about 20 weight percent bulk agent, and 0 to about 30 weight percent water.

1 . A method for producing an acid coated drinking straw or an acid coated confectionery article comprising the steps of: 
 (a) heating a food grade acid composition to a temperature sufficient for the acid composition to become fluid;    (b) applying the fluid acid composition from step (a) to a surface of a drinking straw or confectionery substrate; and    (c) cooling the acid composition coated drinking straw or acid coated confectionery substrate from step (b) to a temperature sufficient to immobilize the acid composition on the surface.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the acid composition comprises a food grade acid selected from the group consisting of citric acid, adipic acid, fumaric acid, acetic acid, ascorbic acid, gluconolactone, phosphoric acid, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, tannic acid, succinic acid, lactic acid, and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the acid composition comprises a food grade acid selected from the group consisting of citric acid, phosphoric acid, malic acid, and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, prior to step (a), the step of preparing a food grade acid composition comprising about 40 to about 99.99 weight percent food grade acid, about 0.01 to about 5 weight percent surface tension reducing agent, 0 to about 30 weight percent plasticizer, 0 to about 20 weight percent bulk agent, and 0 to about 30 weight percent water.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the acid composition comprises about 79 to about 99 weight percent food grade acid, about 0.01 to about 1 weight percent surface tension reducing agent, about 0.2 to about 5 weight percent plasticizer, and about 0.79 to about 15 weight percent water.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the acid composition comprises about 88 to about 98 weight percent food grade acid, about 0.01 to about 0.5 weight percent surface tension reducing agent, about 0.2 to about 1 weight percent plasticizer, and about 1.79 to about 10.5 weight percent water.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the food grade acid is selected from the group consisting of citric acid, adipic acid, fumaric acid, acetic acid, ascorbic acid, gluconolactone, phosphoric acid, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, tannic acid, succinic acid, lactic acid, and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the food grade acid is selected from the group consisting of citric acid, phosphoric acid, malic acid, and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the surface tension reducing agent is a wetting agent, an emulsifier, or a surfactant.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the surface tension reducing agent is selected from the group consisting of monoglycerides, diglycerides, acetylated monoglycerides, propylene glycol esters, lecithin, diacetyl tartaric acid esters of monoglycerides, glycerol esters, sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate, polyglycerol esters, polysorbates, sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate, sorbitan esters, sugar esters, and mixtures thereof  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the surface tension reducing agent comprises a monoglyceride.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the plasticizer is selected from the group consisting of glycerin, sorbitol, propylene glycol, maltitol, mannitol, and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the plasticizer comprises glycerin.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the bulk agent is selected from the group consisting of cellulose fibers, hydrocolloids, low molecular weight carbohydrates, food grade colloidal silicas, and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, prior to step (a), the step of preparing a food grade acid composition comprising about 40 to 100 weight percent food grade acid, 0 to about 5 weight percent surface tension reducing agent, 0 to about 30 weight percent plasticizer, 0 to about 20 weight percent bulk agent, and 0 to about 30 weight percent water.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the application of the fluid acid composition in step (b) occurs by co-extrusion during manufacture of the drinking straw.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the application of the fluid acid composition in step (b) is by spraying the fluid acid composition onto the drinking straw or confectionery substrate.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the application of the fluid acid composition in step (b) is by dipping the drinking straw or confectionery substrate into the fluid acid composition or by passing the drinking straw or confectionery substrate through a curtain coater.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the steps are applied to a drinking straw.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the surface of the drinking straw is the interior surface of the drinking straw.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the acid coated drinking straw has an acid dosage loading of about 50 to about 5000 milligrams acid per straw.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the acid dosage loading is from about 100 to about 1000 milligrams per straw.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the acid dosage loading is from about 200 to about 700 milligrams per straw.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the steps are applied to a confectionery substrate.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the confectionery substrate is selected from the group consisting of candies, chewing gums, drink stirrers, spoons, tongue depressors, plastic structures, cereals, popcorn, fruits, and nuts.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising applying a secondary coating onto the immobilized acid coating following step (c).  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the secondary coating is formed by contacting a powdered ingredient onto the surface of the immobilized acid coating.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the powdered ingredient is selected from the group consisting of food acids, sugars, fizzing agents, colorants, probiotics, vitamins, herbs, and flavoring agents.  
   
   
       29 . A method for producing an acid coated drinking straw having a surface comprising the steps of: 
 (a) preparing a food grade acid composition comprising about 88 to about 98 weight percent food grade acid, about 0.01 to about 0.5 weight percent surface tension reducing agent, about 0.2 to about 1 weight percent plasticizer, and about 1.79 to about 10.5 weight percent water;    (b) heating the acid composition to a temperature sufficient for the acid composition to become fluid;    (c) applying the fluid acid composition from step (b) to a surface of the drinking straw; and    (d) cooling the acid composition coated drinking straw from step (c) to a temperature sufficient to immobilize the acid composition on the surface.    
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the acid coated drinking straw has an acid dosage loading of about 50 to about 5000 milligrams of food grade acid per straw.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the food grade acid comprises a mixture comprising two or more of citric acid, phosphoric acid, or malic acid.  
   
   
       32 . A method for forming a self-adherent acid coating on a substrate comprising the steps of: 
 (a) heating a composition which comprises a mixture of two or more food grade acids, to form a molten fluid acid mixture;    (b) applying a coating of the molten fluid acid mixture from step (a) onto a surface of a solid substrate; and    (c) cooling the coated substrate from step (c) to a temperature sufficient to immobilize the acid mixture on the surface of the solid substrate.    
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32 . wherein the substrate in step (b) is a polymeric tube.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein application of the coating in step (b) is by spraying the molten fluid acid mixture onto the interior surface of the tube as the tube is extruded.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the cooling in step (c) occurs by submerging the tube in cooling water.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein during or following step (c), the tube is stretched and cut into drinking straws.  
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the substrate is selected from the group consisting of candies, chewing gums, drink stirrers, spoons, tongue depressors, plastic structures, cereals, popcorn, fruits, and nuts.