Humectant-Treated Oral Pouches for Controlled Active Release
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing oral products lack the ability to effectively tailor the release and sensory properties of flavorants and active ingredients, such as nicotine, through the use of humectants, leading to inconsistent delivery and user experience.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a humectant into the composition of pouched oral products, either within the pouch or as a treatment on the pouch surface, to control the release of flavorants and active ingredients, with specific weight ratios and concentrations of humectant to water, enhancing sensory and functional profiles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a humectant is incorporated into the composition or pouch surface, then the release characteristics of flavorants and active ingredients can be tailored and sensory profile enhanced, but the product formulation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by systematically varying the type, concentration, and placement of humectants (e.g., glycerol at different weight ratios from 0.05 to 5.0 relative to water) to optimize release characteristics. This allows precise control over flavorant and active ingredient delivery while managing formulation complexity through defined parameter ranges.
Solution Approach 2:
The humectant serves as an intermediary substance that mediates between the composition and the user's oral environment. It controls the interaction by regulating moisture retention and release rates, thereby tailoring the delivery of flavorants and active ingredients without requiring direct modification of the core composition.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If glycerol content is reduced to less than 25% by weight, then harmful factors are reduced, but the humectant effectiveness may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of glycerol concentration to less than 25% by weight while maintaining humectant effectiveness through compensating adjustments in other humectant types or ratios. This optimization reduces potential harmful factors associated with high glycerol content while preserving the desired moisture-retention and release characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite humectant systems where multiple humectants (including but not limited to glycerol) are combined in specific ratios. This composite approach allows the formulation to achieve effective humectancy with reduced individual component concentrations, particularly reducing glycerol content below 25% while maintaining overall effectiveness.
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 humectant's presence allows for tailored release characteristics, improving flavor intensity and immediacy, or reducing release rates, thereby enhancing the overall user experience and product performance.
Implementation Method 1
The pouched oral products include at least one humectant, provided as a component of the composition within the pouch and/or provided as part of a treatment solution applied to the outer surface of the water-permeable pouch
Data Source
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AI summary
The disclosure provides a pouched oral product configured for oral use, including a composition enclosed in a water-permeable pouch, wherein one or both of the composition and the water-permeable pouch include at least one humectant. The disclosure also provides a method of forming a pouched oral product configured for oral use, the method including providing a pouched oral product comprising a composition enclosed in a water-permeable pouch, the water-permeable pouch having an outer surface; placing the pouched oral product in a container for sale to a consumer; and applying a liquid composition to the outer surface of the water-permeable pouch to form a treated pouched product, the liquid composition comprising a humectant, wherein the applying occurs before or after placing the pouched oral product in the container.