A continuous coating process 30 for chewing gum and bubble gum materials.
Small cores or pieces of gum material 20 are introduced into inclined rotating
drums 34, 34 in which heated air 52 is circulated and a coating
solution 50 is applied (liquid or powder). The coating material is dried
on the pieces of material, and a plurality of thin layers are formed on each of
the cores or small pieces of material. A series of rotating drums can be provided
to provide the requisite number or thickness of coating layers. In an alternate
embodiment, initial coatings of material can be provided on the cores by a batch-type
process before the materials are introduced into the continuous coating drums.
The formulas for the coating solution can also be adjusted at different stages
of the coating process in order to provide a more consistent and uniform coating.
