Filling material for oral pouches and oral pouches containing the same

Abstract

The present invention relates to an oral pouch filler containing an active substance, comprising large particles with a diameter of 400 μm or more, medium particles with a diameter of 200 μm or more and less than 400 μm, small particles with a diameter of 50 μm or more and less than 200 μm, and fine particles with a diameter of less than 50 μm, wherein the large particles are present in an amount of 20% by weight or less of the total weight of the filler, and the fine particles are present in an amount of 5% by weight or less of the total weight of the filler.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a filler for an oral pouch and an oral pouch containing the same.

Background Art

[0002] An oral pouch is used in a user's oral cavity for the absorption of an active substance such as nicotine. A pouch-shaped oral-use product such as snus is packaged and manufactured in an appropriate form using a pouch packaging material with granules in a granular form containing an active substance such as nicotine. A consumer can place the product in the form of a pouch between the gums and the upper lip in the oral cavity and feel a sense of satisfaction due to the transfer of the active substance for a certain period of time. The elution characteristics of such an active substance can be adjusted according to the characteristics of the pouch material as the most core characteristic of an oral-use product, but can be affected by the formulation and manufacturing method of the filler.

[0003] Therefore, research is required for more effective elution characteristics of active substances starting from nicotine from an oral pouch filler.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] An object of the present invention is to provide a filler for an oral pouch having excellent elution characteristics of an active substance by adjusting the particle size and mixing ratio of the filler.

[0005] However, the problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a filler for an oral pouch containing an active substance,

[0007] This includes large particles with a diameter of 400 μm or more, medium particles between 200 μm and 400 μm, small particles between 50 μm and 200 μm, and fine particles less than 50 μm in diameter.

[0008] The aforementioned large particles are present in an amount of 20% by weight or less relative to the total weight of the filler.

[0009] The present invention provides an oral pouch filler in which the aforementioned fine particles are present in an amount of 5% by weight or less relative to the total weight of the filler.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the present invention, an oral pouch is provided that includes an oral pouch filler and a packaging material surrounding the filler. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] The present invention provides an oral pouch filler that exhibits excellent dissolution characteristics of the active substance within the oral pouch, enabling consumers of the oral pouch to quickly recognize and feel satisfied with the active substance being used, and allowing most or all of the applied active substance to dissolve within a certain period of time (approximately 20 minutes).

[0012] The effects of the present invention are not limited to those described above, but should be understood to include all effects that can be inferred from the detailed description of the present invention or the configuration of the invention as described in the claims. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] The embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. However, various modifications can be made to the embodiments, and the scope of the patent application is not limited or restricted by these embodiments. All modifications, equivalents, or substitutes to the embodiments should be understood to be included in the scope of the patent.

[0014] The terms used in the embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting. Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this specification, terms such as “includes” or “has” should be understood as specifying the presence of features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, and not as preemptively excluding the presence or possibility of adding one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0015] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as those generally understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art to which the embodiments belong. Terms defined in commonly used dictionaries, for example, should be interpreted as having the meaning they have in the context of the relevant art, and not as having an ideal or overly formal meaning unless explicitly defined herein.

[0016] Furthermore, when explaining with reference to the attached drawings, the same reference numerals will be used for identical components, regardless of the reference numerals in the drawings, and redundant explanations will be omitted. When describing embodiments, if it is determined that a specific explanation of related prior art may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the embodiment, such detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0017] Furthermore, when describing the components of the embodiment, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), etc., may be used. These terms are used to distinguish a component from other components, and the terms do not limit the nature, order, or sequence of the component.

[0018] Components that have functions common to components included in any embodiment will be described using the same name in other embodiments. Unless otherwise stated, the descriptions in one embodiment are applicable to other embodiments, and specific descriptions will be omitted to the extent that they overlap.

[0019] Throughout the specification, when a part includes a certain component, this means that it does not exclude other components and may further include other components.

[0020] According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a filler for an oral pouch containing an active substance,

[0021] including large particles with a diameter of 400 μm or more, medium particles with a diameter of 200 μm or more and less than 400 μm, small particles with a diameter of 50 μm or more and less than 200 μm, and fine particles with a diameter of less than 50 μm,

[0022] wherein the large particles are contained at 20% by weight or less based on the total weight of the filler,

[0023] and the fine particles are contained at 5% by weight or less based on the total weight of the filler, and an oral pouch filler can be provided.

[0024] By including the configuration as described above, the filler for an oral pouch according to an embodiment of the present invention can achieve excellent dissolution characteristics of the active substance present in the pouch.

[0025] Effective dissolution characteristics of a pouch-shaped product mean that, from the consumer's perspective, rapid recognition or a sense of satisfaction due to the dissolution of the active substance during use is required, and at the same time, all of the active substance applied within a certain period of time must be dissolved. As an example, in the case of a mini-sized pouch-shaped product, the size is 30 mm × 12 mm and at the 0.3 - 0.5 g level, and it is preferable that the active substance dissolves during a use time of about 20 minutes. More specifically, it is considered preferable to achieve an elution rate of about 20% in the initial 4 minutes and an elution rate of about 80% in 20 minutes.

[0026] Among the particles contained in the filler for an oral pouch according to an embodiment of the present invention, when the ratio of large particles exceeds 20%, it has an excellent initial water penetration effect and can bring about a rapid elution effect of an active substance such as nicotine. However, the elution rate over time is delayed, and it is preferably contained at 20% by weight or less, more preferably 15% by weight or less, based on the total weight of the filler.

[0027] Also, among the particles contained in the filler, when the ratio of fine particles exceeds 5%, the initial water penetration effect is low and can bring about a slow elution result of an active substance such as nicotine. However, the elution rate over time becomes fast, so it is preferably contained at 5% by weight or less, more preferably 2% by weight or less, based on the total weight of the filler.

[0028] On the other hand, among the particles contained in the filler, the content of medium particles may be larger than that of small particles. In this case, the elution rate of the filler may be better than when the content of small particles is larger than that of medium particles.

[0029] Also, the average particle size of the filler for an oral pouch according to an embodiment of the present invention may be 150 to 400 μm, preferably 200 to 350 μm, more preferably 250 to 300 μm. When the size of the average particle size is less than the lower limit, the manufacturing workability with fine powder in the pouch packaging step can be reduced, and it may not be easy for the initial saliva to be absorbed during pouch use. Conversely, when the size of the average particle size exceeds the upper limit, a delay can occur in the elution of an active component such as nicotine inside the particles during pouch use.

[0030] The filler for an oral pouch according to an embodiment of the present invention may contain, together with the active substance, a bulking agent, a flavoring agent, a sweetening agent, a pH adjuster, a binder, and the like.

[0031] The active substance is a substance that can be absorbed through the oral mucosa or gums, and specifically may include nicotine, vitamins, caffeine, amino acids, salts or derivatives thereof, and preferably may include nicotine. The nicotine may be synthetic nicotine and / or a nicotine extract from the tobacco plant.

[0032] In particular, when using nicotine salts or the like as the active substance, a pH adjuster can be applied to create a basic environment during product use to generate free nicotine. Specific examples of such pH adjusters include metal hydroxides such as sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide, metal carbonates such as sodium carbonate and potassium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, and sodium sesquicarbonate (Na3H(CO3)2).

[0033] The bulking agent may include cellulose, sugar alcohols, non-tobacco plant materials, etc. The cellulose may include microcrystalline cellulose, cellulose, cellulose derivatives, etc. Specific examples include microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), methylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, and carboxymethylcellulose. Specific examples of sugar alcohols include isomalt, erythritol, sorbitol, arabitol, ribitol, maltitol, dulcitol, iditol, mannitol, xylitol, and lactitol. Furthermore, there are no particular limitations on the non-tobacco plant materials, and examples include coconut shells, plant fibers, tea, herbs, coffee, and fruits.

[0034] The aforementioned flavorings are also called "flavoring agents" and refer to any aromatic substances that can alter the sensory characteristics associated with an oral product. Flavorings may be natural or synthetic, and may include, but are not limited to, vanilla, coffee, chocolate / cocoa, cream, mint, spearmint, menthol, peppermint, wintergreen, eucalyptus, lavender, cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, cascarilla, sandalwood, honey, ginger, anise, sage, licorice, lemon, orange, apple, peach, lime, cherry, and strawberry.

[0035] The aforementioned sweeteners may be natural or artificial sweeteners, and specific examples include, but are not limited to, fructose, sucrose, glucose, maltose, mannose, galactose, lactose, stevia, honey, sucralose, isomaltose, maltodextrin, saccharin, and aspartame.

[0036] The binder may contain one or more selected from the group consisting of hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC), hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), sodium alginate, xanthan gum, guar gum, gellan gum, and gum arabic.

[0037] Furthermore, the oral pouch filler according to one embodiment of the present invention may include not only the above-mentioned composition, but also humectants, antioxidants, preservatives, etc., depending on the intended use and as needed.

[0038] According to one embodiment of the present invention, an oral pouch can be provided that includes an oral pouch filler and packaging material surrounding the filler, as described in detail above.

[0039] The aforementioned oral pouch packaging material is safe for the human body, can effectively retain saliva, has a certain strength to prevent tearing, and has sealing properties. The material of the oral pouch packaging material may be a nonwoven type or a woven type, preferably a nonwoven type. Unlike the woven type, the nonwoven type has intertwined fibers, so there is no directionality between the warp and weft, and the cut edges may not unravel.

[0040] The aforementioned oral pouch packaging material may specifically include cellulose fibers and thermoplastic material fibers.

[0041] In this case, the cellulose fiber may include not only cellulose but also cellulosophical fibers, and the cellulosophical fiber may include at least one of natural cellulosophical fibers or artificial cellulosophical fibers.

[0042] Furthermore, the natural cellulosic fibers may include at least one selected from the group consisting of seed hair fibers, bast fibers, leaf fibers, and wood fibers (pulp). Examples of seed hair fibers may include cotton, bombax cotton, and kapok. Examples of bast fibers may include hemp, flax, jute, ramie, paper mulberry, and mitsumata. Examples of leaf fibers may include Manila hemp and New Zealand hemp. Depending on the type and characteristics of the wood, the wood fibers (pulp) may include at least one softwood pulp or hardwood pulp, and examples may include coniferous tree fibers and hardwood tree fibers.

[0043] Artificial cellulose fibers may include at least one of regenerated cellulose fibers or semi-synthetic fibers. Examples of regenerated cellulose fibers may include viscose, rayon, and polynosic. Examples of semi-synthetic fibers may include acetate rayon. Rayon may include not only rayon but also rayon-based fibers that complement the shortcomings of rayon. Examples of rayon-based fibers may include Tencel, lyocell, and modal.

[0044] On the other hand, the thermoplastic fiber may include at least one selected from the group consisting of nylon, polyethylene, polylactic acid, polypropylene, polyethersulfone, and polyethylene terephthalate, and by including the thermoplastic fiber, the oral pouch packaging material may be heat-sealable.

[0045] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below.

[0046] Examples

[0047] 1. Manufacturing Example 1: Manufacturing of Filling Material for Oral Pouches

[0048] A solid phase filling material containing nicotine salt, hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) as a binder, and MCC and maltitol as fillers was prepared, and a particle size control solution was produced by mixing it with menthol, peppermint oil, and alcohol.

[0049] The particle size control solution was sprayed onto the solid phase packing material while stirring the manufactured solid phase packing material.

[0050] Subsequently, the mixture was mixed at high speed to form granules, and then dried at a low temperature (50°C) for 3 hours to obtain the filler.

[0051] The manufactured fillers were classified into large particles (400 μm or larger), medium particles (200 μm or larger but less than 400 μm), small particles (50 μm or larger but less than 200 μm), and fine particles (less than 50 μm) to produce final oral pouch fillers as shown in Examples 1 to 6 in Table 1 below.

[0052] 2. Manufacturing Example 2: Manufacturing of packaging materials and oral pouches for oral pouches

[0053] First, cellulose fibers (viscose rayon, soft fibers) were beaten, then mixed with thermoplastic material fibers (PE / PP) and water to produce a dispersion. The dispersion was moved through a paper machine, dewatered and dried to produce an oral pouch packaging material containing the cellulose fibers and thermoplastic material fibers in a weight ratio of 6:4.

[0054] Subsequently, 350 mg of the filler manufactured in Manufacturing Example 1 was sealed (25 mm x 15 mm) with the packaging material to produce a mini-sized oral pouch.

[0055] 3. Experimental Example: Evaluation of Dissolution Characteristics

[0056] The nicotine elution rate (%) for the oral pouches of Examples 1 to 6 produced in Manufacturing Example 2 was measured at different time points. The results are shown in Table 1 below.

[0057] [Table 1]

[0058] Comparing Examples 1 and 2, it can be seen that in Example 1, the proportion of fine particles is high and the average particle size is low, while in Example 2, the proportion of large particles is high and the proportion of fine particles is low. As a result, it can be seen that although the elution level is higher in Example 2 during the initial period of oral pouch use, the nicotine elution over time tends to decrease compared to Example 1.

[0059] Furthermore, comparing Examples 3 and 4, while the average particle size of the granules is similar, it can be confirmed that Example 3 has a higher proportion of fine particles, and the eluted nicotine data is generally lower in Example 3 compared to Example 4.

[0060] On the other hand, Example 5 had a high proportion of large particles, and it was confirmed that while the nicotine elution level was high in the initial stages of use, the elution rate slowed down over time.

[0061] Comparing Examples 4 and 6, where the proportion of large particles is 20% by weight or less and the proportion of fine particles is 5% by weight or less, it can be seen that in Example 6, the proportion of medium particles is higher than the proportion of small particles, and it can be confirmed that the eluted nicotine data is the best not only at the beginning of use but also in terms of the elution level over time.

[0062] As described above, the embodiments have been illustrated with limited drawings, but a person with ordinary skill in the art can apply various technical modifications and variations based on the above. For example, the described techniques may be performed in a different order than described, and / or the components of the described systems, structures, devices, circuits, etc. may be combined or assembled in a different manner than described, or substituted or replaced by other components or equivalents, and still achieve the desired results.

[0063] Therefore, other implementations, other embodiments, and those equivalent to the claims described below also fall within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An oral pouch filler containing an active substance, This includes large particles with a diameter of 400 μm or more, medium particles between 200 μm and 400 μm, small particles between 50 μm and 200 μm, and fine particles less than 50 μm in diameter. The aforementioned large particles are present in an amount of 20% by weight or less relative to the total weight of the filler. The aforementioned fine particles are present in an oral pouch filler in an amount of 5% by weight or less relative to the total weight of the filler.

2. The oral pouch filler according to claim 1, wherein the large particles are present in an amount of 15% by weight or less relative to the total weight of the filler.

3. The oral pouch filler according to claim 1, wherein the fine particles are present in an amount of 2% by weight or less relative to the total weight of the filler.

4. The oral pouch filler according to claim 1, wherein the content of the medium particles is greater than the content of the small particles.

5. The oral pouch filler according to claim 1, wherein the active substance comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of nicotine, vitamins, caffeine, salts thereof, and derivatives thereof.

6. The filler comprises one or more bulking agents selected from cellulose, sugar alcohols, and non-tobacco plant materials. The cellulose comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), methylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, and carboxymethylcellulose. The oral pouch filler according to claim 1, wherein the sugar alcohol comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of isomalt, erythritol, sorbitol, arabitol, ribitol, maltitol, dulcitol, iditol, mannitol, xylitol, and lactitol.

7. The filler for oral pouches according to claim 1, wherein the filler comprises one or more flavorings selected from the group consisting of vanilla, coffee, chocolate / cocoa, cream, mint, spearmint, menthol, peppermint, wintergreen, eucalyptus, lavender, cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, cascarilla, sandalwood, honey, ginger, anise, sage, licorice, lemon, orange, apple, peach, lime, cherry, and strawberry.

8. The filler for oral pouches according to claim 1, wherein the filler comprises one or more sweeteners selected from the group consisting of fructose, sucrose, glucose, maltose, mannose, galactose, lactose, stevia, honey, sucralose, isomaltose, maltodextrin, saccharin, and aspartame.

9. The filler for oral pouches according to claim 1, wherein the filler comprises one or more pH adjusters selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, and sodium sesquicarbonate (Na3H(CO3)2).

10. The filler for an oral pouch according to claim 1, wherein the filler comprises one or more binders selected from the group consisting of hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC), hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), sodium alginate, xanthan gum, guar gum, gellan gum, and gum arabic.

11. The filler for oral pouches according to claim 1, further comprising one or more of a humectant, an antioxidant, and a preservative.

12. An oral pouch comprising the filler for an oral pouch described in claim 1 and packaging material surrounding the filler.

Images