Luden's

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Luden's is a brand of throat lozenge.

[edit] History

The Luden's brand was originally created by William H. Luden in 1879, and included several products such as candy and throat drops.

Luden's was acquired in 1928 by Food Industries of Philadelphia, a holding company owned by the Dietrich family. In 1980 the company acquired Queen Anne Candy Co, based in Hammond, IN. The Dietrich family sold Luden’s Inc. to Hershey Foods Corp. in 1986.

During its heyday under Dietrich ownership Luden’s produced a variety of candy confections in addition to its better-known cough drops. The company's popular 5th Avenue candy bar, which Hershey still produces, was introduced 1936.[1].

The Luden's throat drops brand was sold by Hershey's to Pharmacia in 2001. In 2003, Pharmacia was acquired by Pfizer[2]. In 2006, Pfizer sold its consumer products division, including the Luden's line, to Johnson & Johnson.

As of 2007, packages of Luden's throat drops displayed the slogan "Trusted Luden's Care - Everyone needs a little TLC".

[edit] Ingredients

The Luden's Brand throat drops are a demulcent, meaning a swelling or irritation reliever. The active ingredient is pectin, a soluble gelatinous polysaccharide that is present in ripe fruits. This places a coating on the throat allowing for the block of irritants and to reduce swelling. The drops inactive ingredients include sugar and artificial colors.