CONTINUOUS CHEWING GUM BASE MANUFACTURING PROCESS USING POLYVINYL ACETATE AND THE REMOVAL OF VOLATILES

摘要

A process for continuously producing a chewing gum base comprises the steps of continuously adding a hard elastomer, a filler and lubricating agents comprising polyvinyl acetate into a continuous mixer comprising feed inlets and vents, subjecting the elastomer, filler and lubricating agents to a dispersive mixing operation followed by a distributive mixing operation and continuously discharging the resulting chewing gum base from the mixer while the adding and mixing steps are in progress. The polyvinyl acetate is introduced into the continuous mixer at a feed inlet upstream from at least one of the vents so that volatiles from heating the polyvinyl acetate can be removed before they are incorporated into the gum base, negatively affecting the taste of chewing gum made from the gum base.