Chewing gum manufacture

Abstract

A chewing gum sheet is formed without substantial use of a powdered non-stick agent by extruding a slab having a tacky surface of heated chewing gum composition onto a moving conveyor; cooling the slab on the conveyor sufficiently to cool the surface of the slab; and passing the slab from the conveyor through at least one cooled roller to form a chewing gum sheet with predetermined dimensions.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for producing a chewing gum sheet without substantial use of a powdered non-stick agent, the apparatus comprising:
 a. an extruder for extruding a chewing gum mass into a slab having a tacky surface of heated chewing gum composition;   b. a conveyor for receiving the chewing gum slab;   c. an impingement air flow system for cooling the chewing gum slab upon the conveyor, wherein the cooled chewing gum slab comprises a center having a center temperature and wherein the surface temperature of the cooled chewing gum slab is less than the center temperature, thereby creating a temperature differential, wherein the temperature differential is between about 4° F. to 19° F.;   d. a forming unit, wherein the temperature differential is maintained through passing the forming unit; and   e. at least one cooled calender roller with less than or equal to 0.18 weight % non-stick agent based on the slab weight for receiving the cooled chewing gum slab from the conveyor and forming a chewing gum sheet with predetermined dimensions, wherein the at least one cooled calender roller is in a temperature and humidity controlled environment, and wherein the environmental air around the at least one cooled calender roller has a dew point above the temperature of the at least one cooled calender roller.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  in which the impingement air flow system is for cooling the top and bottom surfaces of the chewing gum slab. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising at least one scoring roller. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3  in which the scoring roller scores the chewing gum sheet laterally and/or longitudinally. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a conveyor for receiving the chewing gum sheet and an impingement air flow system for cooling the chewing gum sheet upon the conveyor. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein the conveyor is a multi-tier conveyor. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising an applicator for applying non-stick agent to the chewing gum sheet. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7  further comprising a tray system for stacking the chewing gum sheets. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a coating system for separating the chewing gum sheets into individual pieces and coating the individual pieces. 
     
     
         10 . A system for producing chewing gum pieces without substantial use of a powdered non-stick agent, the system comprising:
 a. a mixer for producing a chewing gum mass;   b. an extruder for extruding the chewing gum mass into a slab having a tacky surface of heated chewing gum composition;   c. an impingement air flow system for cooling the chewing gum slab, wherein the cooled chewing gum slab comprises a center having a center temperature, wherein the surface temperature of the cooled chewing gum slab is less than the center temperature, thereby creating a temperature differential, and wherein the temperature differential is between about 4° F. to 19° F.;   d. a cooled forming and scoring unit for manipulating the slab into a chewing gum sheet with lateral and/or longitudinal scores, wherein the cooled forming and scoring unit comprises at least one cooled calender roller with less than or equal to 0.18 weight % non-stick agent based on the slab weight, wherein the at least one cooled calender roller is in a temperature and humidity controlled environment, wherein the environmental air around the at least one cooled calender roller has a dew point above the temperature of the at least one cooled calender roller, and wherein the temperature differential is maintained through passing the cooled forming and scoring unit; and   e. a cooled conveying system for receiving the chewing gum sheet and cooling the surface of the chewing gum.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10  further comprising a cooled conveying system receiving the chewing gum slab from the extruder and cooling the surface of the chewing gum. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the slab is a ribbon. 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus for producing a chewing gum sheet without substantial use of a powdered non-stick agent, the apparatus comprising:
 a. an extruder for extruding a chewing gum mass into a slab having a tacky surface of heated chewing gum composition;   b. a conveyor for receiving the chewing gum slab;   c. an impingement air flow system for cooling the chewing gum slab upon the conveyor;   d. at least one cooled calender roller for receiving the chewing gum slab from the conveyor and forming a chewing gum sheet with predetermined dimensions, wherein the at least one cooled calender roller is in a temperature and humidity controlled environment, wherein the environmental air around the at least one cooled calender roller has a dew point above the temperature of the at least one cooled calender roller, and wherein the at least one cooled calender roller is maintained at a temperature of from 5° F. to 32° F.; and   e. at least one scoring roller with 0.18 weight % non-stick agent based on the slab weight.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13  in which the scoring roller scores the chewing gum sheet laterally and/or longitudinally. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 13  further comprising a conveyor for receiving the chewing gum sheet and an impingement air flow system for cooling the chewing gum sheet upon the conveyor. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the conveyor is a multi-tier conveyor. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 13  further comprising an applicator for applying non-stick agent to the chewing gum sheet. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17  further comprising a tray system for stacking the chewing gum sheets. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 13  further comprising a coating system for separating the chewing gum sheets into individual pieces and coating the individual pieces. 
     
     
         20 . A system for producing chewing gum pieces without substantial use of a powdered non-stick agent, the system comprising:
 a. a mixer for producing a chewing gum mass;   b. an extruder for extruding the chewing gum mass into a slab having a tacky surface of heated chewing gum composition;   c. a cooled forming and scoring unit for manipulating the slab into a chewing gum sheet with lateral and/or longitudinal scores, wherein the cooled forming and scoring unit comprises at least one cooled calender roller for forming the chewing gum sheet and at least one scoring roller with 0.18 weight % non-stick agent based on the slab weight, wherein the at least one cooled calender roller is in a temperature and humidity controlled environment, wherein the environmental air around the at least one cooled calender roller has a dew point above the temperature of the at least one cooled calender roller, wherein the at least one cooled calender roller is maintained at a temperature of from 5° F. to 32° F., and wherein the at least one cooled calender roller has a temperature below freezing temperature, and wherein ice is on the at least one cooled calender roller; and   d. a cooled conveying system for receiving the chewing gum sheet and cooling the surface of the chewing gum.