Delivery system for active components as part of an edible composition having preselected tensile strength

Abstract

A delivery system for inclusion in an edible composition is formulated to have at least one active component encapsulated within an encapsulating material, whereby the delivery system has a tensile strength suitable for delivering the active component at a desired release rate.

1 - 61 . (canceled) 
     
     
         62 . A delivery system comprising at least one active component encapsulated within an encapsulating material, the delivery system having a tensile strength of at least 10,000 psi, and which is free of solvent or comprises a tensile strength modifying agent selected from the group consisting of a fat, an emulsifier, a low molecular weight polymer, a high molecular weight polymer a wax, hydrogenated oil, a glycerol monostearate, triacetin, glycerin, a rosin ester, mineral oil, fatty acid, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         63 . The delivery system of  claim 62 , wherein the tensile strength of the delivery system is from about 10,000 psi to 200,000 psi. 
     
     
         64 . The delivery system of  claim 62 , wherein the edible composition is selected from the group consisting of a food product, a pharmaceutical composition, a foodstuff, a nutrient-containing composition, a vitamin, a neutraceuticals, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         65 . The delivery system of  claim 62 , wherein the encapsulating material is selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl acetate, polyethylene, crosslinked polyvinyl pyrrolidone, polymethylmethacrylate, polylactidacid, polyhydroxyalkanoates, ethylcellulose, polyvinyl acetatephthalate, polyethylene glycol esters, methacrylicacid-co-methylmethacrylate and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         66 . The delivery system of  claim 62 , wherein the encapsulating material is present in an amount of from about 30% to 99% by weight based on the total weight of the delivery system. 
     
     
         67 . The delivery system of  claim 62 , wherein the encapsulating material is present in an amount of from about 60% to 90% by weight based on the total weight of the delivery system. 
     
     
         68 . The delivery system of  claim 62 , wherein the active component is selected from the group consisting of a sweetener, an acid, a flavorant, a pharmaceutical, a therapeutic agent, a vitamin, a breath freshener, a cooling agent and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         69 . The delivery system of  claim 62 , wherein the active component is a high intensity sweetener. 
     
     
         70 . The delivery system of  claim 68 , wherein the active component is a sweetener and is selected from the group consisting of an amino acid based sweetener, a dipeptide sweetener, glycyrrhizin, saccharin, a saccharin salt, an acesulfame salt, a cyclamate, a stevioside, talin, a dihydrochalone compound, a chlorinated sucrose polymer, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         71 . The delivery system of  claim 69  wherein the high intensity sweetener is selected from the group consisting of neotame, aspartame, sucralose and a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         72 . The delivery system of  claim 68 , wherein the active component is present in an amount of from about 1% to 70% by weight based on the total weight of the delivery system. 
     
     
         73 . The delivery system of  claim 62 , wherein the active component is present in an amount of from about 10% to 40% by weight based on the total weight of the delivery system. 
     
     
         74 . The delivery system of  claim 62 , which comprises a tensile strength modifying agent. 
     
     
         75 . The delivery system of  claim 74 , wherein the tensile strength modifying agent is selected from the group consisting of a fat, an emulsifier, a low molecular weight polymer, a high molecular weight polymer, a wax, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         76 . The delivery system of  claim 74 , wherein the tensile strength modifying agent is selected from the group consisting of a hydrogenated oil, a glycerol monostearate, a wax, a low molecular weight polymer, triacetin, glycerin, a rosin ester, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         77 . The delivery system of  claim 74 , wherein the tensile strength modifying agent is present in an amount of up to 40% by weight based on the total weight of the delivery system. 
     
     
         78 . The delivery system of  claim 62 , in the form of particles or granules. 
     
     
         79 . The delivery system of  claim 78 , wherein the particles or granules have a particle size of up to 600 microns. 
     
     
         80 . The delivery system of  claim 79 , wherein the particles or granules have a particle size of 75 to 600 microns. 
     
     
         81 . An edible composition comprising at least one edible composition forming component and the delivery system of  claim 62 . 
     
     
         82 . The edible composition of  claim 81  selected from the group consisting of a chewing gum composition, a food product, a confectionery composition, a pharmaceutical composition, a beverage, a foodstuff, a nutrient-containing composition, a vitamin, a neutraceutical, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         83 . The edible composition of  claim 81 , wherein the encapsulating material is present in an amount of from about 0.2% to 10% by weight based on the total weight of the edible composition. 
     
     
         84 . The edible composition of  claim 82 , which is a chewing gum composition and wherein the at least one edible forming component comprises a gum base. 
     
     
         85 . The edible composition of  claim 84 , wherein the tensile strength of the delivery system is from about 10,000 psi to 200,000 psi. 
     
     
         86 . The edible composition of  claim 84 , wherein the encapsulating material is present in an amount of from about 30% to 99% by weight based on the total weight of the delivery system. 
     
     
         87 . The edible composition of  claim 84 , wherein the active component is selected from the group consisting of a sweetener, an acid, a flavorant, a pharmaceutical, a therapeutic agent, a vitamin, a breath freshener, a cooling agent and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         88 . The edible composition of  claim 84 , wherein the active component is present in an amount of from about 1% to 70% by weight based on the total weight of the delivery system. 
     
     
         89 . The edible composition of  claim 84  wherein the encapsulating material comprises a tensile strength modifying agent. 
     
     
         90 . The edible composition of  claim 89  wherein the tensile strength modifying agent is selected from the group consisting of a fat, an emulsifier, a low molecular weight polymer, a high molecular weight polymer, a wax, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         91 . The edible composition of  claim 82 , which is a confectionary and which comprises a confectionery carrier. 
     
     
         92 . The delivery system of  claim 62 , wherein the tensile strength of the delivery system is at least about 22,000 psi. 
     
     
         93 . The delivery system of  claim 62 , wherein the tensile strength of the delivery system is at least about 24,000 psi. 
     
     
         94 . The delivery system of  claim 62 , wherein the tensile strength of the delivery system is at least about 42,000 psi. 
     
     
         95 . The edible composition of  claim 81 , which comprises at least two delivery systems. 
     
     
         96 . The edible composition of  claim 95 , wherein each of the at least two delivery systems comprise at least two different active component. 
     
     
         97 . The edible composition of  claim 95 , wherein at least one active agent is a sweetener and a second active agent is a flavorant. 
     
     
         98 . The edible composition of  claim 95  wherein each of the at least two delivery systems has a different tensile strength. 
     
     
         99 . The delivery system of  claim 62 , which is free of solvent. 
     
     
         100 . The delivery system of  claim 62 , which comprises a tensile strength modifying agent in an amount of from 5 to 20%. 
     
     
         101 . The delivery system of  claim 62 , which comprises a tensile strength modifying agent in an amount of from 10 to 20%. 
     
     
         102 . The delivery system of  claim 62 , which comprises a tensile strength modifying agent in an amount of from 5 to 10%. 
     
     
         103 . The delivery system of  claim 100 , wherein the tensile strength modifying agent comprises fat. 
     
     
         104 . The delivery system of  claim 101 , wherein the tensile strength modifying agent comprises fat. 
     
     
         105 . The delivery system of  claim 102 , wherein the tensile strength modifying agent comprises fat.