EP-4740945-A2 - NICOTINE-CONTAINING AGGLOMERATES AND METHODS OF FORMING THE SAME

EP4740945A2EP 4740945 A2EP4740945 A2EP 4740945A2EP-4740945-A2

Abstract

A method for preparing nicotine-containing agglomerates includes introducing a solid particulate into a fluid bed granulator, and introducing a binder solution into the fluid bed granulator such that the binder solution contacts the solid particulate. The solid particulate and/or binder solution may be introduced into the fluid bed granulator in parts, concurrently or in series. The binder solution includes a binder material and a solvent, which may include water. Introducing the binder solution into the fluid bed granulator may include spraying the binder solution into a fluid bed of the fluid bed granulator during circulation of the fluid bed and materials therein, such as the solid particulate. The fluid bed may further include a filler material and/or an additive. The filler material and/or the additive may be introduced into the fluid bed granulator prior to, concurrently with, or subsequent to the addition of the solid particulate and/or binder solution.

Inventors

ZHUANG, SHUZHONG
TRAN, Valerie L.
YU, Shaoyong

Assignees

Altria Client Services LLC

Dates

Publication Date: 20260513
Application Date: 20211124

Claims (15)

A method for preparing nicotine-containing agglomerates, the method comprising: circulating a first solid particulate in a fluid bed granulator, the first solid particulate including a first nicotine-containing powder; and introducing a second solid particulate and a binder concurrently into the fluid bed granulator during the circulating, the second solid particulate including a second nicotine-containing powder.
The method of claim 1, wherein the second solid particulate is sprayed onto the first solid particulate.
The method of any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein at least one of the first nicotine-containing powder and the second nicotine-containing powder includes a plurality of fine particles having an average diameter ranging from 0.1 micrometers to 3 millimeters.
The method of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising: introducing the first solid particulate into the fluid bed granulator, wherein a solid particulate inlet temperature as the first solid particulate is introduced into the fluid bed granulator ranges from greater than or equal to about 1 °C to less than or equal to about 100 °C, and/or wherein a solid particulate inlet temperature as the second solid particulate is introduced into the fluid bed granulator ranges from greater than or equal to about 1 °C to less than or equal to about 100 °C, and/or wherein a binder inlet temperature as the binder is introduced into the fluid bed granulator ranges from greater than or equal to about 1 °C to less than or equal to about 99 °C.
The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the binder is introduced downwardly from a top spray position, introduced upwardly from a bottom spray position, introduced laterally from a sideways spray, or any combination thereof.
The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the binder includes pyrrolidone polymers, copolymers of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and vinyl acetate, copolymers of methacrylates and acrylic acid, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), or any combination thereof; and/or wherein the binder is an aqueous solution.
The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the binder is a first binder and the method further comprises: pre-wetting the first and/or second solid particulate by spraying a second binder thereon, in particular spraying the binder material onto the respective nicotine-containing powder.
The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first solid particulate further includes a filler material, optionally including a polysaccharide, a bulk sweetener, a sugar alcohol, or any combination thereof.
The method of claim 8, further comprising: contacting the filler material and the first solid particulate.
The method of claim 9, wherein the contacting of the filler material and the first solid particulate includes adding the filler material into the fluid bed granulator such that the filler material contacts the first solid particulate.
The method of any one of claims 9 or 10, wherein the contacting of the filler material and the first solid particulate includes spraying the first solid particulate onto the filler material as disposed in the fluid bed granulator.
The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the first solid particulate and the second solid particulate further comprises a flavorant, a pH modifier, an antioxidant, or any combination thereof.
The method of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising: adding an additive into the fluid bed granulator such that the additive contacts at least one of the first solid particulate and the second solid particulate.
The method of claim 13, wherein the additive includes a flavorant, a pH modifier, an antioxidant, or any combination thereof.
The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first solid particulate is a first portion of a solid particulate and the second solid particulate is a second portion of the solid particulate.

Description

BACKGROUND Field The present disclosure relates to nicotine-containing agglomerates suitable for use with or in oral products and methods of forming the same. Description of Related Art Oral nicotine products are available in a variety of formats, such as chewing gums, sprays, lozenges, dissolvable tablets, non-dissolvable chews, films, gels, capsules, sticks (e.g., coated wooden dowels or singular dissolvable sticks), and pouches (e.g., containing fibers or granules). Oral products may have nicotine levels that create a familiar experience for adult tobacco consumers. SUMMARY At least some example embodiments relate to a method for preparing nicotine-containing agglomerates. In at least one example embodiment, the method for preparing nicotine-containing agglomerates includes introducing a solid particulate into a fluid bed granulator, where the solid particulate includes a nicotine-containing powder; and introducing a binder solution into the fluid bed granulator such that the binder solution contacts the solid particulate. In at least one example embodiment, the binder solution and the solid particulate may be introduced into the fluid bed granulator simultaneously. In at least one example embodiment, the binder solution includes a binder material. The binder material may include pyrrolidone polymers, copolymers of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and vinyl acetate, copolymers of methacrylates and acrylic acid, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), or any combination thereof. In at least one example embodiment, the binder solution includes a binder material and a solvent. The solvent may include water. In at least one example embodiment, the binder solution may be introduced downwardly from a top spray position, introduced upwardly from a bottom spray position, introduced laterally from a sideways spray, or any combination thereof. In at least one example embodiment, the method may further include circulating the solid particulate in the fluid bed granulator, where the binder solution is introduced into the fluid bed granulator during the circulating. In at least one example embodiment, the introducing of the solid particulate into the fluid bed granulator may include adding a first portion of the solid particulate to the fluid bed granulator and adding a second portion of the solid particulate to the fluid bed granulator during the circulating of the first portion of the solid particulate and during the introduction of the binder solution. In at least one example embodiment, the second portion of the solid particulate may be sprayed onto other materials in the fluid bed granulator. In at least one example embodiment, the binder solution may have a binder inlet temperature ranging from 1 °C to 99 °C, and the solid particulate may have a solid particulate inlet temperature ranging from 1 °C to 100 °C. In at least one example embodiment, the nicotine-containing powder may include a plurality of fine particles having an average diameter ranging from 0.1 µm to 3.0 mm. In at least one example embodiment, the method may further include pretreating the solid particulate prior to the introducing the solid particulate. In at least one example embodiment, the pretreating may include spraying a binder material onto the nicotine-containing powder so as to pre-wet the solid particulate. In at least one example embodiment, the pretreating may include pre-mixing the solid particulate. In at least one example embodiment, the solid particulate may further include a filler material. In at least one example embodiment, the method may further include contacting the filler material and the nicotine-containing powder. In at least one example embodiment, the filler material may include a polysaccharide, a bulk sweetener, a sugar alcohol, or any combination thereof. In at least one example embodiment, the method may further include adding a filler material into the fluid bed granulator such that the filler material contacts the solid particulate. In at least one example embodiment, the introducing the solid particulate into the fluid bed granulator may include spraying the solid particulate onto the filler material. In at least one example embodiment, the solid particulate may further include a flavorant, a pH modifier, an antioxidant, or any combination thereof. In at least one example embodiment, the method may further include adding an additive into the fluid bed granulator such that the additive contacts the solid particulate, the additive including a flavorant, a pH modifier, an antioxidant, or any combination thereof. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The various features and advantages of the non-limiting embodiments herein may become more apparent upon review of the detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawing. The accompanying drawing is merely provided for illustrative purposes and should not be interpreted to limit the scope of the claims. The accompanying drawing is not to be considered as drawn to sca