FIA's chewing apparatus is used to chew gum and then analyze the speed at which various substances leave a gum (release).
How you perceive flavours in a candy chewing gum is of great importance. For medical chewing gum it is very crucial for the medication effects.

 Historically, FIA's chewing apparatus further development has been done in collaboration with Nicorette factory (now owned by McNeil).
A wide range of manufacturers of medical chewing gum, worldwide, are currently registered on the basis of data from FIA's apparatus.

 The apparatus is also very helpful to develop candy chewing gums. The largest chewing gum manufacturers in the candy industry are among our customers.

Also a few odd applications are possible such as testing of snuff bags etc. and in a special design, controlled mort development of tablets.

 We have a large number of variants of this device. As it is modular, you can try any number of chewing gum at the same time. Among the incumbents company the 6 cells is the most common model. The cells can be equiped with accessories for measuring the pressure of chewing gum, torque at shear force (twisting motion), pH, temperature, etc. All measurements are logged into a data logger and can then be plotted in a computer.

This instrument is the world's only commercially available in vitro release of chewing gum. The market leader for nicotine gum, Nicorette®, are registered by the FDA and worldwide with the release data from the chewing apparatus. USP has not yet a compendium method but is familiar with the instrument..

See also Frequently Asked Questions FAQ.

Chewable Cell design

Rotary actuators for the upper jaw

Actuator is used to accomplish the sjuve movement of the upper jaw, which makes a new surface of the chewing gum to work so that the substances in chewing gum can be released.

Termostaterad cuvette

Through a circulating thermostat down in the water bath the jacketed cuvette and the release liquid inside is heated up and get the gum to maintain a steady and fixed temperature.

Upper jaw

The sandblasted surface of the upper jaw provides a good grip on the gum.

Lower jaw

The lower jaw has an edge that is angled upward at 45 degrees as a small flat-bottomed bowl. Bowl shape prevents the gum from slipping off during processing. This jaw also have a sandblasted surface.

Termostaterad chamber

The water witch passing through the cuvette also passes through the thermostatic chamber just below the cuvette and keeps the lower jaw temperatured.

Device for the axial processing

A compressed air cylinder with a short stroke is processed the gum axially while stirring of the release fluid occurs.

Lift

Used to set chewable cell in its working position.

The jaws are of stainless steel with a sandblasted surface. The blasted surface provides grip on the gum during processing.

The thermostated test cell is made of glass so that the gum can easily be observed during chewing.

Method

Chewing sequence: Chewable sequence consists of the upward movement of the lower jaw in combination with rotary (sjuve) movements of the upper jaw resulting in an adaptation of the chewing gum and stirring of the release liquid at the same time.

The upper jaw has an underside which is plane parallel with the central part of the lower jaw. The lower jaw has an edge that is angled upward at 45 degrees as a small flat-bottomed bowl. Bowl shape prevents the gum from slipping off during processing.

The Approach

Chewing: A chewing gum is placed between two nets in the bowl of the jaw (lower jaw) and the glass cuvette is filled with fluid. After that, process the chewing gum in approximately half an hour.

Sampling: The lower jaw with the test cell is reduced by using the lift. In its lowered position, the unit is free from the upper jaw, which facilitates manual sampling and emptying and cleaning after analysis.

Cleaning: The test cell is rinsed off, the upper and lower jaw are easily removable and can be exchanged for clean, enabling a large number of runs each day.

By default, we deliver:

  • Chewing apparatus with 6 test cells

  • Chewing apparatus with 1 test cell

  • Chewing apparatus with 2 test cells

  • Chewing apparatus with 3 test cells

  • Chewing apparatus with 3+3 (6) test cells

All of the chewing apparatus is provided with protective box and placed on a cart, but also chewing apparatus for placement on the laboratory bench is offered. However, we recommend the "cart" model.

Test Cells with pressure control/logging. PH and temperature logging are also available for all models.

Accessories
We are also developing additional equipment and supplies as requested by you as a customer!
Examples of accessories that we have developed:

HPJ

HPJ+C

The dongle HPJ makes the chewing apparatus (after a brief pause) continue their chewing cycles, although the chewing cylinder does not reach the set gap of the jaws. The dongle is useful when eg. have thick or very hard gum and the device does not have the power that is consumed (> 60N) to deform the gum during the first chewing sequences where the apparatus normally stops. Consumption: 1 / test cell

With the optional HPJ+C you can set the desired number of chewing cycles and when set value is reached the current test cell is stoped. Also contains the function of HPJ. Consumption: 1 / test cell