Chewing Gum Fat Polymorph Control for Hardness and Conditioning Time
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional chewing gum compositions face challenges in achieving the required hardness for packaging and coating while maintaining desirable sensory properties, with existing methods being costly, time-consuming, and lacking understanding of the role of fats and waxes in hardness development.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a specific ratio of beta prime and beta fat polymorphs to alpha fat polymorphs in chewing gum compositions, achieved through a heating and holding process followed by cooling, to enhance hardness and reduce conditioning time, using a system that includes a continuous extruder, treatment station, forming station, and cooling tunnel for efficient manufacturing and packaging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional batch mixing and long-term conditioning at low temperature are used to achieve required gum hardness, then packaging and coating requirements are met, but manufacturing time and costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the temperature parameter during conditioning by introducing a heat treatment step (heating to 40-60°C for 5-30 minutes) followed by cooling. This parameter change accelerates the hardening process by promoting beta prime fat polymorph formation, reducing conditioning time from 24-72 hours to just 1-2 hours while achieving the same hardness (120-150 kPa Young's modulus).
Solution Approach 2:
The invention performs preliminary heat treatment and fat polymorph transformation before final conditioning and packaging. By pre-forming the beta prime fat structure through controlled heating and cooling, the gum base achieves required hardness faster, eliminating the need for prolonged low-temperature conditioning.
2Strength
If traditional chewing gum compositions with routine fats and waxes are used, then basic gum properties are maintained, but hardness control during conditioning is insufficient and sensory properties may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by specifically targeting the fat component's polymorphic structure within the gum base. By controlling the beta prime to alpha fat polymorph ratio (at least 1:1, preferably 2:1 to 10:1) through selective heat treatment, the invention achieves precise hardness control (120-150 kPa Young's modulus) without affecting other gum base properties or sensory characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite structure within the fat phase by combining different fat polymorphs (beta prime and alpha) in specific ratios. This composite fat structure provides both the required hardness through beta prime crystallites and maintains sensory properties by retaining some alpha polymorph, achieving superior hardness control compared to using single polymorph fats.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method results in chewing gum compositions with improved hardness, meeting packaging and coating requirements while reducing conditioning time and costs, and maintaining desirable sensory characteristics.
Implementation Method 1
the fat in the chewing gum composition comprises i) beta prime fat polymorph and/or beta fat polymorph and ii) alpha fat polymorph, with a ratio of beta prime fat polymorph and/or beta fat polymorph to alpha fat polymorph that is predominantly beta prime fat polymorph and/or beta fat polymorphs
Implementation Method 2
heating the initial chewing gum mass to an elevated temperature of about 35 to about 60° C.
Implementation Method 3
cooling and conditioning the initial chewing gum mass to result in a conditioned chewing gum mass wherein the fat has a ratio of beta prime fat polymorph and/or beta fat polymorph to alpha fat polymorph that is predominantly beta prime fat polymorph and/or beta fat polymorph
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are chewing gum compositions having fat polymorphs that are predominantly beta prime and/or beta over alpha. Also disclosed are methods of forming chewing gum compositions having predominantly beta prime and/or beta fat polymorphs which have sufficient textural properties to be processed into wrapped/packaged chewing gum products or coated to coated chewing gum products. Improved methods of forming and conditioning chewing gum to reduce costs, cut down on conditioning time, and to improve gum sensory properties are disclosed.