Confectionery product containing active and/or reactive components and methods of production thereof

Abstract

The invention relates to a confectionery product comprising an extruded body portion, the body portion having a plurality of capillaries disposed therein, one or more of the capillaries being at least partially filled with a fill material which is a different material from that of the extruded body portion, the fill material and optionally the body portion comprising various active and/or reactive components. Some embodiments are designed to provide sequential release profiles. The invention also relates to a process for the manufacture of the same.

1 . A confectionery product comprising an extruded body portion, the body portion having a plurality of capillaries disposed therein, one or more of said capillaries being at least partially filled with a fill material comprising an active and/or reactive component that is volatile at temperatures of 35° C. and higher, and wherein said extruded body portion is essentially free of said volatile active and/or reactive component. 
     
     
         2 . A confectionery product comprising an extruded body portion, the body portion having a plurality of capillaries disposed therein, one or more of said capillaries being at least partially filled with a fill material comprising an active and/or reactive component that degrades when subjected to manufacturing conditions comprising exposure to temperatures of 50° C. and higher, wherein said extruded body portion is essentially free of said degradable active and/or reactive component. 
     
     
         3 . A confectionery product for imparting a perception of satiety comprising an extruded body portion, the body portion having a plurality of capillaries disposed therein, one or more of said capillaries being at least partially filled with a fill material comprising a satiety agent and wherein two or more different satiety agents are provided in the same or different capillaries, said satiety agents being selected from the group consisting of sweet flavors, savory flavors, green tea extract, caffeine, phenylalanine, fibers, proteins and lipids. 
     
     
         4 . The confectionery product of  claim 3 , wherein a first satiety agent is distinct from and complementary to a second satiety agent. 
     
     
         5 . A dental cleaning chewing gum product comprising an extruded body portion comprising a chewing gum composition, the body portion having a plurality of capillaries disposed therein, and comprising two or more different dental cleaning agents located in the same or different regions of said product. 
     
     
         6 . The chewing gum product of  claim 5 , wherein said dental cleaning agents are located in separate and distinct regions of said product and are adapted to provide sequential release profiles. 
     
     
         7 . The chewing gum product of  claim 5 , wherein a first dental cleaning agent is distinct from and complementary to a second dental cleaning agent. 
     
     
         8 . The chewing gum product of  claim 5 , wherein said two or more different dental cleaning agents have different mechanisms of action. 
     
     
         9 . The chewing gum product of  claim 8 , wherein a first dental cleaning agent has a chemical mechanism of action and a second dental cleaning agent has a mechanical mechanism of action. 
     
     
         10 . The chewing gum product of  claim 9 , wherein said first dental cleaning agent comprises a stain removing agent selected from the group consisting of medium and long chain fatty acids, organic acids, organic peroxides, perbenzoic acids, anti-bacterial organic compounds, castor oil, sulfated butyl oleate, medium and long chain fatty acid esters, ricinoleic acid and salts, sulfated butyl oleate, medium and long chain fatty acid esters and salts thereof, sodium oleate, salts of fumaric acid, potassium glomate, organic acid esters of mono- and di-glycerides, succistearin, dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate, glycerol tristearate, lecithin, hydroxylated lecithin, sodium lauryl sulfate, acetylated monoglycerides, succinylated monoglycerides, monoglyceride citrate, ethoxylated mono- and di-glycerides, sorbitan monostearate, calcium stearyl-2-lactylate, sodium stearyl lactylate, lactylated fatty acid esters of glycerol and propylene glycerol, glycerol-lactoesters of C 8 -C 24  fatty acids, polyglycerol esters of C 8 -C 24  fatty acids, propylene glycol alginate, sucrose C 8 -C 24  fatty acid esters, diacetyl tartaric or citric or lactic acid esters of mono and diglycerides, and triacetin and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The chewing gum product of  claim 9 , wherein said second dental cleaning agent is selected from the group consisting of foaming agents, effervescing agents, abrasive agents and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The chewing gum product of  claim 5 , wherein said capillaries comprise a fill material comprising said first dental cleaning agent and said extruded body portion comprises said second dental cleaning agent. 
     
     
         13 . The chewing gum product of  claim 5 , wherein a first group of said capillaries comprises a first fill material comprising said first dental cleaning agent and a second group of said capillaries comprises a second fill material comprising said second dental cleaning agent. 
     
     
         14 . The chewing gum product of claim  38 , wherein said fill material further comprises a taste-masking agent. 
     
     
         15 . A confectionery product comprising an extruded body portion, the body portion having a plurality of capillaries disposed therein, wherein a first group of said capillaries is filled with a first fill material having a first viscosity and comprising a first active and/or reactive component, and a second group of said capillaries is filled with a second fill material having a second viscosity which is lower than said first viscosity and comprising a second active and/or reactive component which is different from said first active and/or reactive component, said fill materials being adapted to provide sequential release profiles. 
     
     
         16 . The confectionery product of  claim 15 , wherein said first group of said capillaries is essentially free of said second active and/or reactive component and said second group of said capillaries is essentially free of said first active and/or reactive component. 
     
     
         17 . A confectionery product comprising an extruded body portion, the body portion having a plurality of capillaries disposed therein, wherein a first group of said capillaries is filled with a first fill material having a first water solubility and comprising a first active and/or reactive component, and a second group of said capillaries is filled with a second fill material having a second water solubility which is lower than said first water solubility and comprising a second active and/or reactive component which is different from said first active and/or reactive component, said fill materials being adapted to provide sequential release profiles. 
     
     
         18 . The confectionery product of  claim 17 , wherein said first group of said capillaries is essentially free of said second active and/or reactive component and said second group of said capillaries is essentially free of said first active and/or reactive component. 
     
     
         19 . A process for manufacturing the confectionery product of  claim 1 , the process comprising the steps of:
 a) extruding an extrudable confectionery material with a plurality of capillaries disposed therein at temperatures of 50° C. or higher; and   b) at least partially filling one or more of said capillaries with a fill material which is a different material from that of the extruded body portion during or subsequent to said extrusion step (a), the fill material comprising an active and/or reactive component that is volatile at temperatures of 35° C. and higher,   wherein said extruded body portion is essentially free of said volatile active and/or reactive component.   
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 19 , wherein said filling step (b) comprises at least partially filling said capillaries with a fill material at a temperature of less than 50° C. 
     
     
         21 . A process for manufacturing the confectionery product of  claim 2 , the process comprising the steps of:
 a) extruding an extrudable confectionery material with a plurality of capillaries disposed therein at temperatures of 50° C. or higher; and   b) at least partially filling one or more of said capillaries disposed in the extruded body portion with a fill material which is a different material from that of the extruded body portion during or subsequent to said extrusion step (b), the fill material comprising an active and/or reactive component that degrades when subjected to manufacturing conditions comprising exposure to temperatures of 50° C. and higher,   wherein said extruded body portion is essentially free of said degradable active and/or reactive component.   
     
     
         22 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein said filling step (b) comprises at least partially filling said capillaries with a fill material at a temperature less than 50° C. 
     
     
         23 . A process for manufacturing the confectionery product of  claim 3 , the process comprising the steps of:
 a) extruding an extrudable confectionery material with a plurality of capillaries disposed therein; and   b) at least partially filling one or more of said capillaries with a fill material comprising a satiety agent and wherein two or more different satiety agents are provided in the same or different capillaries, said satiety agents being selected from the group consisting of sweet flavors, savory flavors, green tea extract, caffeine, phenylalanine, fibers, proteins and lipids.   
     
     
         24 . A process for manufacturing the dental cleaning chewing gum product of  claim 5 , the process comprising the steps of:
 a) extruding an extrudable confectionery material with a plurality of capillaries disposed therein; and   b) at least partially filling one or more of said capillaries with a fill material,   wherein said product comprises two or more different dental cleaning agents located in the same or different regions of said product.