Drinking straw with internal coating

Abstract

A drinking straw having an internal coating for delivery of an active agent when the straw is used to consume a beverage is provided. The active agent includes sweetener, flavour, a nutrient and/or a pharmaceutical and optionally colour. The coating is prepared by mixing a modified cellulose with water to form a paste or gel. The coating is then used to coat the inside surface of a drinking straw to a thickness of up to 1 mm. The coating is dried to reduce the water content to less than 5% by weight. Liquid drawn through the straw breaks down the modified cellulose releasing the active agent into the liquid, for consumption.

1 . A drinking straw comprising an elongate tubular body of an insoluble material, having an internal coating comprising a modified cellulose-based matrix containing an active agent dispersed within the matrix, the body sized to allow a carrier liquid to be drawn therethrough such that passage of the carrier liquid causes the matrix to progressively release the active agent into the carrier liquid to be consumed by a drinker, wherein the coating has a thickness of less than 1 mm. 
     
     
         2 . The drinking straw of  claim 1 , wherein the modified cellulose is selected from hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, methyl ethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, carboxymethylcellulose and combinations thereof 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The drinking straw of  claim 1 , wherein the active agent comprises sweetener, flavouring, a nutrient and/or a pharmaceutical. 
     
     
         5 . The drinking straw of  claim 1 , wherein the matrix comprises a non-drip formulation of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose. 
     
     
         6 . The drinking straw of  claim 1 , wherein the ratio of matrix to active agent is between 1:5 and 1:20 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The drinking straw of  claim 1 , wherein the coating has a thickness of 0.2-0.7 mm. 
     
     
         9 . The drinking straw of  claim 1 , wherein the coating has a thickness of up to 0.5 mm. 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . The drinking straw of  claim 1 , wherein the coating contains less than 5% water by weight. 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . The drinking straw of  claim 1 , wherein the drinking straw is made of plastic. 
     
     
         16 . The drinking straw of  claim 1 , wherein the coating dissolves into 100-500 ml of carrier liquid. 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A method of making a drinking straw having an internal coating, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a drinking straw of an insoluble material;   providing a coating material comprising a modified cellulose-base matrix and an active agent dispersed within the matrix;   applying the coating to an internal surface of the drinking straw to a thickness of less than 1 mm; and   drying the coating.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the modified cellulose is selected from hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, methyl ethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, carboxymethylcellulose and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the coating is an adherent gel. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the coating is formulated to be non-drip. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the ratio of the matrix to the active agent in the coating is between 1:5 and 1:20. 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the thickness of the coating applied to the straw is between 0.2 mm and 0.7 mm. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the coating has a thickness of up to 0.5 mm. 
     
     
         28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the coating is dried to less than 5% water by weight. 
     
     
         32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the drinking straw is made of plastic. 
     
     
         34 . A drinking straw comprising an elongate tubular body of an insoluble material, having an internal coating comprising a modified cellulose-based matrix containing an active agent dispersed within the matrix, the body sized to allow a carrier liquid to be drawn therethrough such that passage of the carrier liquid causes the matrix to progressively release the active agent into the carrier liquid to be consumed by a drinker,
 wherein the coating has a thickness of less than 1 mm,   wherein the modified cellulose is hydroxylpropyl methylcellulose, and   wherein the active agent is a sweetener or a flavouring.