CHEWING GUMS AND CONFECTIONS HAVING INCLUSIONS OF STABILIZED PLANT PIECES

摘要

A method of treating pieces of plant material to make them microbiologically stable for inclusion in chewing gums and other confections is disclosed. More specifically, the plant material is exposed to gamma radiation in specific dosage ranges to stabilize the ingredient and preserve flavor and appearance of the material. The present invention relates to chewing gums and confections having inclusions of pieces of plant material such as pieces of mint leaves or dried fruit, wherein the plant material is stabilized against microbial growth by treatment with gamma radiation.